If we wear a pair of shoes that are too tight we will not be able to move or perform correctly. We will have varying amounts of pain that increases the more we move. It may start with a rub, then a blister, as we try to take the weight off our sore foot we compensate and get soreness in our limbs, which progresses into our back. Imagine for a moment we were then expected to give someone a piggy back, run in a circle or jump a course of fences. It is not a comfortable image and yet this is a similar scenario to what we often inadvertently subject our horses to with a saddle. Many of us can be found guilty of sharing saddles because we find a particular one comfortable. Some will put a saddle on a youngster knowing it is not the best fit, but with the intention of buying one that is a better fit when he grows and develops a bit more. By this time damage will have been done.

The saddle rests on a combination of bones and muscles. The spine, directly underneath the saddle protects the spinal cord and is responsible for communication within the body.  It sends messages to and from the brain so the entire body can function. The saddle also encloses vital organs of the chest, such as the heart and lungs. The muscles underneath the saddle need to be able to function freely to allow the horse to move. It is therefore vital that this expensive piece of equipment fits well.

Saddle fit has a huge effect on back problems and long term soundness in the horse. Uneven pressure will cause lack of blood supply to muscles which causes spasm, pain and damage to the underlying tissues often resulting in muscle atrophy (wasteage). The horse will change his way of moving in order to try to alleviate the pain, which causes more compensation and soreness in other areas.

 Even if you have a well fitting saddle, your horse still needs to be aligned correctly. He should be symmetrical so the saddle sits well and enables the rider to balance correctly. The straighter the horse, the better the saddle will sit (provided it is a good fit in the first place!). A horse that is crooked through the shoulders or pelvis will cause the saddle to twist or slip. For example a horse with a larger right shoulder, angled further back than a flatter left shoulder will cause the saddle to twist and slip forward to the left. In the same way a crooked pelvis will cause the saddle to slip towards the lower side of the pelvis. This will cause increased pressure and pain especially when on a circle or turning. It will also affect the posture and weight distribution of the rider unbalancing them towards the direction that the saddle slips.

 Sometimes just changing a poorly fitting saddle is not enough. The horse needs to be symmetrical for it to have the best fit.  Soft tissue damage and muscle spasm does not go away on its own, it will need to be addressed by a therapist to release it and realign the horse’s body. If the rider has ridden the horse in a badly fitting saddle for a long time they may both need to be treated.

Treating a horse before any major saddle changes are made is often a good idea. I have seen several cases where the back has changed shape after treatment, becoming straighter and less tense which will often change the way the saddle sits.

Poor performance and behavioural issues are often due to crookedness, pain and the inability to move freely. Making sure your horse is treated regularly and has correctly fitting comfortable equipment can reap huge rewards for both horse and rider.

How often do we as horse owners find that one minute our horses seem fine, but the next they are ‘not quite right’. It is difficult to say when it happened, but over a few weeks or months you may notice small things such as your horse not working evenly, cantering disunited, difficulty with head carriage or bend. He may buck, rear, refuse or rush fences, bite, kick or show a change in gait and movement.  If you have a competition horse their performance may be reduced. If any of this sounds familiar, it maybe that McTimoney Chiropractic is worth considering.

Like people, horses suffer from musculo-skeletal problems affecting not only the back, but the neck, pelvis and limbs as well. Very often the horse’s only way of communicating these problems to us is to display a change in personality, character or performance as indicated in the examples above.

McTimoney Chiropractic is a non invasive gentle form of treatment where the practitioners use their hands to perform a fast and precise ‘adjustment’ to any misaligned bones releasing them and in addition reducing pain and inflammation and increasing range of movement. It concentrates on the whole body to eliminate the cause of problems not just the symptoms. Used in conjunction with massage and soft tissue techniques gives a greater insight to the problem and a treatment that goes deeper and lasts longer.

Misalignments cause the horse to subtly change his gait to compensate for the problem. The joints involved can become stiff and lack their normal range of motion. Ligaments and tendons will be put under extra strain, muscles will have reduced elasticity and be more prone to injury. In addition nerves can become impinged causing muscle wasting (atrophy), weakness and in severe cases, paralysis. Swelling and inflammation may be evident.  All this will have a knock on effect throughout the body leading to further misalignments and secondary areas of compensation and soreness.

The causes of misalignments in horses are numerous and include:

• Trauma such as accidents, falls, road traffic accidents.
• Repetitive activities that build up to cause a series of micro-traumas over a period of time i.e. mounting from the ground from the left each time you ride. Tying a haynet in the corner so the horse has to pull in one direction each time he takes a mouthful.
• Competitions –  each individual discipline has varying stressors i.e. side saddle – riders weight on one side so horse has to compensate  to accommodate for this. Race horses racing in one direction building up muscle on one side.
• Conformation plays a large part in the way the horse balances itself and redistributes his weight as well as how ground forces are dissipated.
• Rider issues – unbalanced novice riders bouncing & jarring or more experienced riders whose demands & expectations are greater. In addition a crooked rider causes the horse to also become crooked. The horse has to shift weight to offset the rider being unbalanced thus becoming crooked himself and vice versa.
• Incorrectly fitting equipment – saddles, bridles, rugs, boots etc
• Dental problems.
• Poor foot balance – will affect not only the joints of the lower limb but the skeletal connections higher in the body.
• Lameness – a horse in pain will alter his stance and gait to relieve pain in an area, redistributing his weight and causing problems in secondary areas.
• Surgery – a horse under anaesthetic will be put in atypical body positions whilst the ligaments are lax under the influence of anaesthetic allowing abnormal ranges of joint movement. When the horse comes around muscular tension and misalignments can often be found

Prevention is better than cure and Susan recommends that horses are checked every 3-6 months to avoid injury, improve performance and increase well being. She also stresses that Chiropractic does not surpass veterinary diagnosis. Current legislation means that veterinary approval must be obtained prior to treatment of any animal.

Susan Sargeant is a registered Chiropractor qualified to treat humans and animals for more than 12 years. She also holds qualifications in Equine, Canine and Human massage. The combination of these techniques together with her knowledge of biomechanics and rehabilitation offers a unique and in depth treatment for you, your dog or horse.

Jasper bucked, not just a small buck, he had been doing small bucks a lot lately. He had’nt wanted to canter and as Amy asked him for the third time he abandoned his napping technique and bucked. This buck reached new heights, it was HUGE, Amy was unseated and saw the ground coming towards her. Well actually it wasn’t just ground it was a large muddy puddle and she landed right in it. Amy gathered her senses and wondered exactly what she had done to deserve such a bad horse. Jasper had come from a home where he had badly fitting tack, his rugs were too small, his saddle too tight. He hated being tied and had pulled back and gone over backwards several times before Amy bought him. Now he was loved and really well looked after, but over the 6 months since his arrival his behaviour was deteriorating. Amy would spend her last penny on him and yet he repayed her like this. He was one ungrateful equine and she was drenched and miserable.

That night Amy tried to put myself in Jaspers shoes  – he didn’t like being brushed and was very sensitive. He hated being tacked up even though he now had a new well fitted saddle. He had difficulty bending to the right and difficulty going into canter. Slowly her thoughts accumulated and she wondered if perhaps, just maybe he wasn’t bad – could he be sore? Was not bending one way and swishing his tail the first sign? Then came the napping and the small bucks. Was he trying to tell her something, but she hadn’t listened!  Finally she had a vision of Jasper SHOUTING at her with that last mighty buck – was he trying to say – YOU WON’T LISTEN TO ME , I HAVE TRIED TO TELL YOU – I AM SORE AND I CANT DO IT!

Amy called me to discuss Jasper shortly after and arrange a visit. He turned out to be very sore throughout his whole back. His muscles were hypersensitive which is why he reacted so badly to brushing. His neck was tight and sore and his muscles tighter on the left side so it was hard for him to stretch these muscles and lengthen them when he tried to bend to the right. Jaspers lumbo-sacral joint, which flexes more in canter was sore and misaligned. His spine was adjusted and muscles released using McTimoney Chiropractic and various soft tissue techniques and massage. He was given a follow up treatment and time to rest and heal. He is now on a gradual fitness and suppling routine and Amy is taking things slowly.

Jasper taught Amy a valuable lesson in communication with her horse. He can still be cheeky, but she recognises the subtle signs now in his behaviour and she will have him checked regularly every few months to prevent him getting so sore again. It is important to realise the only way horses can communicate with us is through their behaviour or performance. It is up to us whether we listen or not. Amy learnt in a large muddy puddle that it is better to respond to your horses whispers than to wait until he shouts!

Susan Sargeant is a registered Chiropractor qualified to treat humans and animals for more than 12 years. She also holds qualifications in Equine, Canine and Human massage. The combination of these techniques together with her knowledge of biomechanics and rehabilitation offers a unique and in depth treatment for you, your horse or dog.