Helen Thornton - Equine Sports & PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapy

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Helen Thornton - Equine Sports & PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapy

Helen Thornton: Equine Sports Therapist, Equine Osteopath EDO stu. PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapist horse, rider & pets. www.helenthornton.com
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Thornton Equine Academy: Workshops & courses for horse owners & therapists. IAAT AHPR
Register @ https://helenthornton.com/contact

22/11/2025

𝗟𝟲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 🐴✨ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻?!

So I thought i would do an area specific post as it's a common problem that's overlooked. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 !!

𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥.

This small region at the back of your horse’s lumbar spine has a huge impact on performance, comfort, and overall biomechanics.

𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽

▪️The lumbar spine has six vertebrae; L6 is the last lumbar, just before the sacrum.
▪️The lumbar-sacral joint (L6 to S1) is one of the most mobile in the horse’s back.
▪️Sacral bones conduct power from the hind limbs to the rest of the body.
▪️The final lumbar vertebra, L6, connects to the first sacral segment (S1) at the front of the pelvis, this junction is known as the lumbar–sacral joint.

This joint is one of the most mobile and influential areas of the horse’s entire back. Because of its role in transferring power from the hindquarters and allowing the spine to flex, extend, and coil, any restriction or dysfunction here can have far-reaching effects on movement, posture, and performance.

I've had horses present with an inability to comfortably lift their hindlimbs and when this area was sorted this immediately improved.

𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 = 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 "𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘯".

⚠️ 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴’𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳

One of the most common L6 issues is a drop in the dorsal spinous process.
If you palpate this area and notice it sits lower than expected or in relation, it often indicates a restriction or misalignment.

𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:

▪️Reduced hind limb flexion
▪️Tension in the rest of the lumbar spine (“roaching”)
▪️Uneven muscle development (hypertrophied hamstrings, weak quadriceps & gluteals)
▪️Stiffness in the pelvis or SI region
▪️Horse moving heavy on the forehand
▪️Suspensory issues
▪️Footbalance

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝟲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗟𝟲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆, 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲:

▪️Power & propulsion: Hind legs can’t fully transfer energy forward.
▪️Joint health: Increases stifle, hock, and proximal suspensory stress; can lead to arthritic changes.
▪️Muscle balance: Hamstrings may overwork while quadriceps weaken.
▪️Forelimb strain: Shifts weight forward, increasing likelihood of front-end issues.

𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 & 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀

Restrictions at L6 and the lumbar-sacral junction primarily affect caudal lumbar and sacral nerves, which contribute to the caudal mesenteric and pelvic plexuses. These nerves influence:

▪️Descending colon and re**um — motility may be reduced, potentially contributing to hindgut discomfort or slower digestion.
▪️Pelvic organs — bladder and reproductive structures, which can lead to reproductive sensitivity or altered heat cycles in mares.
▪️It affects the ability of the diaphragm to move so will directly affect the aerobic performance but also creates congestion.

Pelvic circulation and lymphatic flow; congestion in the hindquarters, swelling in hindlegs, sheath, or udder tissue.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿-𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲

▪️Smooth curves from the withers → under the saddle → pelvis → tail base
A SMOOTH TRANSITION THROUGHOUT THE TOPLINE CURVES
▪️No roaching, lumps, or divots
▪️Balanced musculature
▪️Free movement in hindlimb joints and spine

𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙧𝙪𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙚 = 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜-𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙨.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀

▪️Always assess the back end: L6 in extension is common and often under-recognized.
▪️Treat early: Manual therapy, osteopathy, and careful management can restore function.
▪️Whole-horse approach: L6 dysfunction rarely exists alone — check pelvis, SI, thoracolumbar spine, and hindlimb mechanics and the importance > where do those answers take you.

Your horse’s back is the one of the foundations of everything they do. Paying attention to L6 may solve issues you’ve been chasing for months, from hind-end stiffness to inconsistent jumping.

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗴𝗼:
Place your fingers across this region and feel if L6 feels lower.

⚠️𝙄𝙛 𝙞𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 ⚠️

14/11/2025

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀: 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 — 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺

𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘴.
𝘞𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘴.

A horse bred for jumping doesn’t want to hit poles; it’s uncomfortable, inefficient and instinctively avoided.
So when a jumper keeps tapping rails, it’s often because the body can’t organise the movement, not because the horse “isn’t trying.”

And here’s something worth thinking about:
𝘼𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 80–90% 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙇6 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙘 𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚.
𝘽𝙪𝙩, 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙨, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖.
This is why a whole-horse assessment is essential, not just focusing on the feet hitting the poles.

𝟭. 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺

𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱.
If the pelvis can’t tilt or the SI and lumbosacral joints lack mobility, the horse can’t sit, coil, or push.

That means:
🐎𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘰𝘧𝘧
🐎𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘦
🐎𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀:
SI joint, lumbosacral junction, gluteals, hamstrings, iliopsoas.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿

A supple midline allows the horse to round over the fence.
Restrictions here create:
🐎𝘈 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘧, 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱
🐎𝘗𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵
🐎𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀:
Longissimus dorsi, multifidus, abdominal sling, T12–L2, L5–S1.

𝟯. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗱𝗹𝗲 & 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿

• The forelimb isn’t attached by bone — only soft tissue.
• If the thoracic sling is tight or weak, the shoulders simply can’t lift high enough.
• But lift doesn’t start at the leg — it starts at the scapulothoracic junction.
• For clean jumping, the scapula must glide freely in all necessary directions:

🐎𝘜𝘱𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 & 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
🐎𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
🐎𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
🐎𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽.
When the scapulothoracic area is restricted, it frequently accompanies a 1st rib held in either inspiration or expiration, locking the entire front end.

And again, around 80% of horses show dysfunction here that improves dramatically with skilled manual therapy.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
▪️𝘓𝘰𝘸 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵
▪️𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨
▪️𝘗𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀:
Serratus ventralis, pectorals, subclavius, trapezius, rhomboideus, brachiocephalicus,
plus the scapulothoracic fascia, 1st rib, and associated intercostals.

𝟰. 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲 – 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆

Neck mobility directly affects the front-end mechanics.
If the neck is stiff, especially mid–lower cervical:
▪️𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺
▪️𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴
▪️𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀:
C3–C7, poll/AO joint, nuchal ligament.

𝟱. 𝗥𝗶𝗯𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗲 & 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘂𝗺 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀
The ribcage must expand and the sternum must elevate for the horse to truly lift the front.
Restrictions cause:
▪️𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
▪️𝘈 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥
▪️𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
▪️𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀:
Costovertebral joints, intercostals, sternum.

𝟲. 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 & 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 — 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.

𝗜𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸:
The horse may not fully register limb placement
Takeoff timing becomes inconsistent
Poles get tapped simply from lack of spatial awareness
Key structures:
Brachial plexus, fascial lines, cervical spinal nerves.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲
𝗬𝗲𝘀 — 𝗟𝟲 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗜 𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝘀𝘁-𝗿𝗶𝗯 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲, 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

A horse can only lift the limbs once the pelvis, spine, ribs, neck, scapula, and thoracic sling are all working harmoniously.
Endless jump practice won’t fix body restrictions.

Before worrying about technique…
𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲. As always this is just a snippet of information to create a post. This could have been written in many different ways, with differing angles of thought. Its no way the complete picture. Book your horse for a complete assessment is always Key.

𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄
My next post will go into more detail about that very common L6 in extension pattern — why it happens, how it affects movement, and what it means for performance.
If you have any thoughts or questions you’d like included, comment or message —
I’ll try to add them in the L6-specific post.

13/11/2025

🐎 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 — 𝗔𝗻 𝗢𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩; 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮, 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩.”
— 𝘈.𝘛. 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭, 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘺 (1892)

When we talk about the viscerosomatic system, we’re really talking about one of the most beautiful demonstrations of osteopathic thinking — the way structure and function are interrelated, and how no part of the body acts alone.

From the very first stages of your horse’s development in the womb, the nervous system is the first to form. From this early foundation arise 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙢 𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨:

🫀 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺 – forming the internal organs (the viscera)
💪 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺 – forming muscles, bones, and connective tissue
🧠 𝗘𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗺 – forming the skin and nervous system

These layers develop together and remain deeply connected throughout life. Every part of the body — from a horse’s stomach to its spinal muscles — shares this embryological origin and maintains communication through the autonomic nervous system, the network that governs involuntary functions like digestion, heart rate, and circulation.

This means the viscera (organs) and the soma (muscles, bones, fascia) are in constant dialogue. When one becomes imbalanced, the other may respond. A disturbance in an organ can lead to changes in muscular tone, posture, and even performance‼️

Conversely, chronic muscular tension or spinal restriction can alter blood flow or nerve supply to an organ.

“𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩, 𝙛𝙞𝙭 𝙞𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚.”
— 𝘈.𝘛. 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 — 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁.⚠️

𝗙𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮, that continuous web of connective tissue, is a vital part of this story. It links muscles and organs along myofascial lines, many of which align beautifully with acupuncture meridians described in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

These overlapping maps remind us that the horse’s body is not a collection of separate systems, but a single, living whole.

𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀
🐎 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬
🐎 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘬
🐎 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘥

𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘄𝗵𝘆. Could that saddle slip be linked to a kidney-related structural imbalance? Could that persistent sacroiliac (SI) issue be influenced by metabolic stress or insulin resistance affecting the connective tissues?

Understanding the viscerosomatic system helps us look beyond symptoms and seek the root cause, honouring A.T. Still’s timeless vision that “𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚” — that health depends on the free movement of all fluids, structures, and forces within the body.

✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲
Next time you notice a
↔️ 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦
↔️ 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯
↔️ 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘺

𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿.The body is always communicating — sometimes through movement, sometimes through stillness.
Osteopathy teaches us to listen to these quiet messages, to understand why they appear, and to help restore the natural balance that allows health to return.

𝘽𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩.

Image: Quizlet

09/11/2025

On this Remembrance Sunday, we pause to honour the brave souls — human and horse — who served together through unimaginable hardship.

Their strength, courage, and quiet partnership remind us daily why caring for horses is such a privilege.

Lest we forget. 🕊️

The Horses of Flanders
They went with songs to battle’s call,
Both man and beast gave heart and all;
Through shell-torn field and shadowed glen,
The horses rode with steadfast men.

No trumpet hailed their gallant pride,
No banners waved when they had died;
Yet faithful still through smoke and flame,
They bore their riders—just the same.

Through Flanders mud, through bitter rain,
They toiled and fell, yet not in vain;
For in their eyes, so calm, so wide,
The soul of courage did abide.

And when the guns at last grew still,
And silence lay on vale and hill,
The horses waited, torn and worn—
For those who would not yet return.

O let us not forget their part,
The quiet strength, the willing heart;
For in their stride, through grief and loss,
They bore the weight—of man and cross.

30/10/2025

🐴 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱?
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗕𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝘆…

You know that horse who’s absolutely fine to clip — until you reach that one spot?
Usually, it’s the neck, or just in front of the shoulder.
Now, I’m not talking about horses who are frightened of the sound or feel of clippers — that’s a genuine fear response, and they benefit from gentle desensitisation and confidence-building.
I’m talking about the horses that have always been good — until the clippers hit a specific area and they suddenly react.
Ever heard the phrase “𝒀𝙤𝒖’𝒓𝙚 𝙜𝒆𝙩𝒕𝙞𝒏𝙜 𝙤𝒏 𝒎𝙮 𝙣𝒆𝙧𝒗𝙚𝒔”?

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜.

⚡ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻
The thoracic inlet (C6, C7, T1, and the sternum) and surrounding tissues are some of the most complex and sensitive regions in the horse’s body.
This small area is a passageway filled with nerves, blood vessels, and fascia — all working closely together to connect the neck, chest, and forelimbs. The brachial plexus lies nearby, and any compression in this region can send sensations into the armpit and down the front limb.
This means that even small vibrations, tugging, or pressure during clipping can trigger significant discomfort.

🧠 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝘅𝘂𝘀

This vital network of nerves originates from the lower cervical and first thoracic spinal nerves (C6–T2). It controls movement and sensation in the shoulders, forelimbs, and chest.
In the thoracic inlet, it lies within the thoracic sling — surrounded by fascia and muscle.
When clippers vibrate or pull the skin in this area, those sensations can easily irritate these sensitive nerves.

𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻

Running alongside the spine, the sympathetic chain includes the cervicothoracic (stellate) and caudal cervical ganglia, which influence the horse’s fight-or-flight response.
When vibrations disturb these structures, the horse can experience a heightened stress response — which may look like twitching, head-flinging, or defensive behaviour.

𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗩𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀

The subclavian artery and veins pass through this narrow space to supply the forelimbs and chest. Compression or excitation in this area is very, very common in horses that I see.
Because nerves often run alongside these vessels, any vibration or traction here can create discomfort throughout the entire neurovascular bundle.

𝗙𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

This region forms part of the horse’s thoracic sling — the fascial network linking the neck, trunk, and forelimbs.
Fascia is rich in sensory nerves, so tension in one area can be felt along the entire fascial line.
When clippers pull on the skin and hair, that tension can travel through the fascia, creating a deep, radiating ache.

😣 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮

𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘕𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺:
With the brachial plexus and sympathetic ganglia located here, the area is packed with sensory nerve endings. The horse is simply more sensitive here than in other areas.

𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘯:
Because nerves and fascia are interconnected, discomfort in the chest can be felt in the neck, shoulder, or even down the forelimb.

𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨:
Clippers don’t just cut hair — they tug slightly at the skin, pulling on the fascia beneath. This tension sends sensory signals through the fascia, which can feel like a deep ache or irritation.

𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯:
One uncomfortable or painful clipping session can create a lasting memory. The next time the clippers appear, the horse may react before they even touch the skin — not out of defiance, but out of remembered discomfort.

🩶𝗦𝗼, 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼?

If your horse reacts when being clipped, particularly around the neck or chest, it’s worth looking deeper.
✅ Rule out fear of noise or vibration.
✅ Check for fascial or postural tension through the neck, shoulders, or sternum.
✅ Seek manual therapy — myofascial release or osteopathy can relieve restrictions and restore comfort.
✅ Always ensure clippers are sharp, cool, and used with gentle pressure.
✅ And above all — listen to what your horse is telling you.

𝗠𝘆 𝟮-𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀.
𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 “𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆” 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽.

➡️ 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:

𝙄𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚: 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴 > T𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘊-8 r𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳s 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘦.

25/10/2025

🐴 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗜 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺… 𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺?

💥 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗰 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗦𝗜𝗝) 💥
The sacroiliac joints (SIJs) are where the sacrum meets the ilium — forming the critical bridge between the spine and the pelvis. SI dysfunction is an extremely common diagnosis across veterinarians.

Many horses present with signs of tension, pain or restriction in this area at some stage.
Because the pelvis is layered by massive muscles and dense connective tissue, the actual joint surfaces are difficult to image, observe or palpate. Yet the SIJs play a fundamental role in enabling the hindquarters to step under, lift into the back, and carry weight in a balanced manner. These joints are not designed for large ranges of motion, but instead for controlled gliding and transfer of power from the hind-limbs into the spine and back. Its almost like they need to be mobile but provide stability at the same time.

𝙎𝙤 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 🫣

🔻 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗜 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?
The dysfunction often arises from multiple interconnected factors:
🐎 Slips, falls, stable cast, or twisting injuries to the hindend
🐎 Repetitive intense work placing strain on the SI ligaments and musculature, often leading to the hunters bump > a depressed sacrum > ligament damage
🐎 Rider imbalance, badly fitting tack, or saddle issues that alter the pelvic position,> by restrictions around the kidneys and caudal ribs
🐎 Hoof or dental imbalance leading to asymmetrical posture/stance
🐎 Weak posture and lack of core or hind-end stabiliser strength

Because the SI area is part of a broader kinetic and fascial chain, joint restriction will drive muscle tension - and prolonged muscular tension will feed back into further restriction. In other words, treating a symptomatic SIJ without addressing the surrounding systems often leads to recurrences, which is a very common story.

🔺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗜 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
𝗜𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲, 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿:

🐴 Reluctance or difficulty picking up or holding a hind leg often seen when with the farrier
🐴 Shortened stride behind or lack of engagement
🐴 Difficulty bending one way or reluctance to go forward > the spine is involved
🐴 Trouble maintaining a canter lead or changing leads cleanly
🐴 Uneven muscle tone in the hindquarters
🐴 Standing off-square, tail held to one side, or a rider that feels off-balanced in the saddle> kidney, psoas, perineum all culprits
🐴 Stifle problems
🐴 Reduced swing through the lumbar spine and hindquarters

NB: These signs are not exclusive to SIJ dysfunction — other musculoskeletal issues can present similarly — which is exactly why a full body approach is essential as true resolution involves more than simply “adjusting” the SIJ.

You can learn ways to help here :
https://www.facebook.com/share/1Banf6CVSE/

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BDSXe3834/

𝗔𝗻 𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:
🏤 All related structures, otherwise Therapy strategies don't hold.

🧠 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆
SI dysfunction is rarely the primary cause, or single issue - more often it is a secondary symptom of deeper imbalance in the spine, diaphragm, hind-limbs or core system.

A quality practitioner will always search for the root cause, not just the obvious “sore area”.
By addressing the whole horse - movement, posture, environment and management - we bring them back to comfort, balance, and optimal performance.

👀 𝙄 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 — “𝙎𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙙𝙤?”

Here’s something simple that might help you visualise whether your horse has a hind-end issue:
👉 Stand your horse and look from the side. Imagine a straight line dropping down from the tuber coxae. A well-carrying horse will swing the hind leg equally in front of and behind that line.
If most of the movement is behind the line, the horse is pushing rather than carrying — a sign that pelvic stability, engaging the hind end and addressing deeper biomechanical links (including the diaphragm) may be warranted.

🔍𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗺 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻)

I often find that what appears as a pelvic or SI issue is actually linked to dysfunction of the diaphragm — our primary muscle of inspiration and expiration.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀:
The diaphragm is a large musculotendinous sheet (a dome shape) separating the thorax and abdomen.
It attaches to the rib cage, spine, sternum and lumbar region, meaning that its position and mobility influence the surrounding structures.

When the diaphragm cannot fully move (for instance, due to visceral tension, poor posture, rib constraint), it affects breathing mechanics and creates changes in intra-abdominal pressure and core stability — which then impacts pelvic and hind-end function. 𝙒𝙤𝙬𝙯𝙖 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.

In performance horses, impaired diaphragmatic mobility has been linked to altered muscle tone and asymmetry in the hindquarters.
In practical terms: if your horse’s diaphragm is restricted, the transmission of force from the hind end through the pelvis and spine may be compromised — making what looks like an SIJ problem actually a compensation for core/respiratory dysfunction.

Because of this, It will take a separate post for the diaphragm information. For now this is to improve thinking when it comes to SIJ problems.

𝓦𝓱𝓸𝓵𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓮, 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓻𝓼𝓮.

Images: google

23/10/2025

🐎𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝘀?

🐎 Anatomy & the Viscerosomatic System An Osteopathic Perspective
“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩; 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮, 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩.”
— 𝘼.𝙏. 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡, 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙊𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮 (1892)

When we talk about the viscerosomatic system, we are really talking about one of the most beautiful demonstrations of osteopathic thinking

— the way structure and function are interrelated, and how no part of the body acts alone.

From the very first stages of your horse’s development in the womb, the nervous system is the first to form. From this early foundation arise three germ layers —

🫀𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮: forming the internal organs (the viscera)

🦴𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮: forming muscles, bones, and connective tissue

🧚‍♂️𝘌𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮: forming the skin and nervous system
These layers develop together and remain deeply connected throughout life. Every part of the body, from a horse’s stomach to its spinal muscles, shares this embryological origin and maintains communication through the autonomic nervous system — the network that governs involuntary functions like digestion, heart rate, and circulation.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗮 (𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝘀) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮 (𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮) 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱.

A viscerosomatic reflex is a response where a problem in an internal organ (viscera) causes a reaction in the body's somatic structures, such as muscles and nerves. This happens because visceral stimuli create a reflex that affects segmentally related somatic tissues, leading to symptoms like muscle tenderness, pain, or changes in the skin's appearance in that area.
For example, a heart attack can cause referred pain in the left arm and jaw, and liver issues can lead to pain in the right shoulder.

❣️A disturbance in an organ can lead to changes in muscular tone, posture, and even performance. Conversely, chronic muscular tension or spinal restriction can alter blood flow or nerve supply to an organ.

That wet patch that always happens when your horse gets warm?!

“𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁, 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.”
— 𝗔.𝗧. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹
This osteopathic principle reminds us that the body possesses its own healing capacity — if we restore motion and remove restriction, the body can self-correct.

𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘢; that continuous web of connective tissue, is a vital part of this story. It links muscles and organs along myofascial lines, many of which align beautifully with acupuncture meridians described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. These overlapping maps remind us that the horse’s body is not a collection of separate systems, but a single, living whole.

So, when we see a change in posture or movement; a hollow back, a tight neck, a reluctance to bend, we must ask why and find the whole story in that MIND & BODY.

🐎 Could that sore back be responding to a stomach imbalance? Could a tight psoas be linked to kidney tension?

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔.𝗧. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 “𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲” — 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗶𝗱𝘀, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆.

22/10/2025

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 — 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗯 — 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲.

🐴 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭..

“𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙.” — 𝘼.𝙏. 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡

When we think about our horse’s movement, we often focus on muscles, joints, and posture.
But what if the organs (the viscera) play just as big a role in how your horse moves and feels?

During the very earliest stages of life in the womb, your horse’s body begins forming from three germ layers 👇

🧠 𝘌𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮 – becomes the skin and nervous system

💪 𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮 – forms muscles, bones, and connective tissue

🫀 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮 – develops into the organs (gut, liver, lungs, etc.)

These layers grow together. and stay connected for life.
Every muscle, bone, and organ shares the same embryological origin and communicates through the autonomic nervous system, the body’s internal “conversation line.”

So when one part becomes restricted or imbalanced, another part often responds.
This is why osteopaths never just look at one structure......

❗️𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀.

✨ Understanding these deep connections helps us appreciate how structure and function are truly inseparable.

𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵 2, where we’ll explore how the organs and muscles influence one another — and why a sore back might not always start in the back. 👀

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18/10/2025

🐴 Weekend Learning Ahead! 🐴
This weekend I’ll be attending a stifle and hock dissection, diving deeper (literally!) into the anatomy and biomechanics of these two fascinating — and often troublesome — areas for our horses.

From an osteopathic perspective we always consider the whole horse, I’m especially interested in how restrictions, compensations, and muscle imbalances around the pelvis, stifle, and hock can affect the way a horse moves, collects, and pushes from behind. These joints don’t work in isolation — when one area is tight or sore, the whole chain feels it.
The stifle is a highly mobile joint, a joint between the art. Coxae (hip) and hock which have more stability. Is the stifle the sufferer of these other 2 joints?!

I’ll be sharing what I learn in a few days, so keep an eye out for that post 👀 — it’s going to be a good one!
In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you 👇

✨ What have your experiences been with hock or stifle issues in your horses?
✨ Have you noticed changes like hind toe dragging, reluctance to collect, uneven push-off, or resistance in transitions?
✨ How have you supported or managed your horse through those challenges?

We all know the hocks are the most commonly injected joints, and the medial (inside) aspect of the stifle often takes the most strain —which i will explain why in the following post, but there’s so much more to these joints than meets the eye.
Sometimes, what shows up as “hock soreness” can actually be linked to tension in the back, pelvis, neck, jaw or even saddle fit!

Drop your stories, thoughts, or questions in the comments — I love hearing how each horse presents differently. Let’s get chatting about those powerhouse hindquarters 💪🐎

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Market Rasen

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http://www.helenthornton.com/

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I provide Equine Sports therapy and Magna wave PEMF for horses, people and pets. Treating horse and rider is invaluable as one affects the others movement, posture, tensions within fascia lines and centre of gravity. Thus our injuries and pains do effect the horses way of going, so intrinsically even the way we clench our jaw will carry through to the horse.

I have a weekly human clinic at Snitterby for any person not just riders. Common complaints treated are; back/neck pain, shoulder & knee injuries, arthritis management, sciatica, headaches/migraines, auto immune conditions, CFS/ME, sports injuries and much more. Because PEMF is a natural non invasive complimentary therapy that boosts cellular recovery it will target inflammation and damaged cells anywhere in the body. I am a registered PEMF practitioner also after completing training for people, horses and pets in USA.

I take horses in for treatment and I also travel. I provide rehabilitation livery and treatment packages with magna wave PEMF for injuries such as suspensory ligament inflammation or lesions, tendon injuries, fractures, sacro-iliac disease and most other common disorders in the ridden horse.

My CPD is continuous human and equine, I am insured with Balens and work alongside your vet, farrier, saddle fitter, instructor for a happier healthier horse. I am a registered member of IAAT, the International Association of Animal Therapists. I am happy to provide paper work and invoices for veterinary insurance claims.