Equine Massage: A Practical Guide (51 page)

Endurance Horses

Competitive trail riding and long-distance riding tests the endurance and stamina of both horse and rider. Endurance competitions take place in an established time frame over distances ranging from 25 miles to 100 miles and over trails with varied terrain, including steep hills and natural obstacles. During the ride, the physical condition of the horse is monitored at regular inter-vals. At the end of the ride, the horse must show very close to the same physical statistics (pulse and respiration rate, hydration) as he did at the start of the ride.

All breeds of horses compete in endurance, but serious com-petitors prefer the Arabian horse and Arabian crosses. It is said that the shorter back, very dense bone, and natural ability of Arabians to go for long periods of time with little food or water are what make them a favorite choice for endurance riding.

Problem Areas:
Exhaustion, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, tying up, inflammation, and muscle contractures are the principal problems. The recuperation routine (see chapter 6) is often used on endurance horses right after the race. Tension will develop in the entire body, but especially in the muscles of the back (SP 5, 20, 21, 27).

Areas of Stress Specific to Each Discipline

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Polo Ponies

Polo is an exciting and spectacular game in which two opposing teams of four players on horseback use mallets to score goals with a ball.

In order to execute the quick starts, abrupt stops, and sharp 180-degree turns that are of prime importance in the game, the polo “pony” must be extremely well-balanced, agile, fast, competitive, and obedient. Polo ponies must be able to turn on a dime and do flying changes of lead, sliding stops, and neck rein.

The horses commonly used in this sport are not usually more than 15 hands high. Small Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horse crosses are used,

but the specially-bred Argentinean

Thoroughbreds (Argentinean ponies) are preferred by the high-goal and serious international players.

Problem Areas:
All ligaments and muscle groups of the leg are under constant stress. Strains and “fat” (bowed) tendons are common.

The game’s quick starts and sharp turns will cause tension buildup, leading to the development of stress points in the horse’s hindquarters (SP 27 to 35) and the small of the back (SP 21 to 25). The constant changing of direction and pulling on the reins will cause the upper and lower parts of the neck to develop stress points (SP 1, 2, 3, 8).

The abrupt stops cause tension in the chest muscles (SP 15, 16), rib cage (SP 23 to 26), and abdominal muscles (SP 22 to 25).Also, as a result of the fast pace of the game, lactic acid builds up considerably during this demanding activity; therefore the recuperation routine (see chapter 6) is very helpful, especially after a game.

Western Performance

Horses

Western performance competitions include action-packed sports such as reining, cutting, barrel racing, calf-roping, team penning, and steer-wrestling. Each discipline has its own unique and highly technical skills that have to be mastered by both horse and rider.

The horses taking part in these sports must possess great agility and coordination, excellent reflexes, stamina, and a capacity for sudden bursts of speed.The horses most commonly found in these disciplines are Quarter Horses, Pintos, Paints, and Appaloosas.

Problem Areas:
Due to the quick starts, stops, and changes of direction associated with these sports, there are several areas of potential
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tension buildup in western performance horses. Stress points may develop in the hindquarters (SP 27, 34, 35), back (SP 5, 20, 21), base of the neck (SP 3, 4, 8), and shoulders (SP 9, 10, 11, 15), with the pos-sibility of strong tension in the tendons and ligaments of the lower legs.

Reining horses may have stress points in the back and hindquarters, as well as the entire length of the hind legs. The hocks are especially affected since these horses are required to perform spectacular sliding stops that put more stress on these areas than on the rest of the body. The chest and neck muscle groups may also show tension.

When working cows, cutting horses keep their forequarters, head, and neck low while making extremely quick side-to-side movements.The hindquarters, used as pivot points, are well under the horse and carry most of his weight. Consequently, this action will cause cutting horses to show stress points in the neck, shoulders, chest, back, and hindquarters as a result of tension buildup.

The tendons and ligaments of the legs, especially the hocks, may also show signs of stress.

Gaited Horses

Gaited horses, whether under saddle or in harness, have an animated way of moving. Gaited horses typically are smooth-riding, sure-footed, and can be three-or five-gaited. (The three basic gaits are the walk, trot, and canter; further training and ability are required to produce the slow gait and the rack.) Popular breeds include the Tennessee Walking Horse, the American Saddlebred, the Missouri Fox Trotter, the Paso Fino, and the Peruvian Paso.

Problem Areas:
The horses that perform these gaits may develop stress points in the muscles of the neck (SP 1 to 4), shoulder and foreleg (SP 6 to 14), chest (SP 15 to 17), abdomen (SP 24), and stifle area (SP 31, 32). Especially affected are those horses that do not perform certain gaits naturally. Unlike the driven horse, the ridden horse may experience tension in the muscles of the back caused by the weight of the rider.

Flat Racing Horses

Flat racing has been a popular sport for hundreds of years. Only those horses with exceptional speed and stamina are raced on the flat. Two breeds dominate racing in the United States: the Thoroughbred and the Quarter Horse. They race over different distances and different kinds of tracks, however.

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Problem Areas for Thoroughbreds:
Thoroughbreds are very long-legged with proportionally long bodies; therefore, their long muscles and tendons could show signs of tension.The neck (SP 1, 2), chest (SP 11 to 17), back (SP 5, 20, 21, 27), and hindquarters (SP 28, 29, 34, 35) may develop tension. Because of the intensity of the race, lactic acid buildup and occasional inflammation may be found in overworked muscles.

Problem Areas for Quarter Horses:
Due to the quick starts of the races, the hindquarters of the Quarter Horse tend to show most of the tension and may develop stress points (SP 27, 28, 34, 35).The chest, back, and legs may also experience a lot of tension buildup, resulting in stress points (SP 5 to 11, 17, 20, 21). Because of the intensity of the race (usually sprints on a straightaway), toxin buildup and occasional inflammation may be found in overworked muscles.

Steeplechase Horses

Thoroughbreds also compete in steeplechase races, at distances of 2

to 4 miles.The horse jumps over massive hedges, fences, and ditches during the course of the race. Steeplechasers share similar qualities of speed and stamina with horses that compete in eventing.

Problem Areas:
Steeplechasers may have stress points mostly in the muscles of the back (SP 5 to 8, 20, 21, 27) and hindquarters (SP 28 to 30, 34, 35), but also in the chest (SP 15 to 17) and shoulders (SP 9 to 14) due to a buildup of tension from running and jumping. The tendons and ligaments may also show signs of tension because of the force encountered during the landing phase of the jump. Chances are all the muscle groups will need work.The intensity of racing can cause inflammation of the tissues and trigger a buildup of toxins.

Harness Racing Horses

(Trotters and Pacers)

Harness racers are bred for their speed in pulling
sulkies,
which are light, 2-wheeled, single-seat vehicles. Standardbreds are specifically bred for harness racing, which requires speed above all, but also staying power and stamina.

In harness racing, the horse is either a trotter or a pacer. In the
trot,
the opposite front and rear feet push off and land at the same time. In the
pace,
the front and hind feet on the same side push off and land together.

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Problem Areas:
Trotters and pacers develop problems in the hindquarters (SP 28 to 30, 34, 35), the small of the back (SP 20, 21, 25, 27), the neck, and the jaw (SP 1, 2).The harness may cause tense muscles at the base of the neck and in the chest (SP 3, 4, 15).

Both trotters and pacers experience inflammation throughout their bodies because of the repetitive nature of the gaits they perform. Most likely because of the nature of the movement, horses that pace are found to have slightly more tension behind the shoulder and in the rib cage area (SP 11, 12, 23, 26). Pacers do not stretch these muscles as fully as trotters do.

Light Harness Horses

There are almost as many competitive classes in which to drive a light horse as there are for riding them. Each discipline requires a specific type of horse, harness, and vehicle, as well as a specific number of horses in the team (for example, single, double, tan-dem, four-horse hitch). Even with the variety of horses and vehicles, there are basically only two kinds of harness: the
fine harness,
with a breast collar; and the
heavier harness,
complete with a neck collar and hames.

Many different breeds of horses are used in driving, among them: the Arabian horse, the American Saddlebred, the Hackney horse and the Hackney pony, the Morgan horse, the Hungarian Trotter, the Thoroughbred, the Pony of the Americas, the Connemara Pony, the Shetland Pony, and the Welsh Pony.

Problem Areas:
Light harness horses tend to develop stress points as a result of tension buildup in the upper and lower neck (SP 1 to 4), shoulder, and chest area (SP 6 to 12, 15).This tension is due to their high head carriage and pressure from the collar.The horses involved in the more demanding sports of combined driving and western chuck-wagon races not only show tension in the neck, shoulder, and chest, but also in the tendons and ligaments of the lower legs (SP 18, 19, 39, 40).
Wheelers
—horses closest to the wheels of the vehicle—will also show tension in the hindquarters (SP 27, 28, 34, 35) since they are the power of the team.

Draft Horses

Until a few generations ago, draft horses were the engines that provided the power for farming and transportation in most areas of the world. Today, these gentle giant breeds—the Belgian, the Clydesdale, the Percheron, the Shires, and the Suffolk, to name a few—are enjoyed in the show ring and in intense pulling competitions, where a heavy team may pull upwards of 3,000 pounds!

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Some farmers and loggers still use them, and so do people who love hayrides.

Draft horses have broad, powerful chests, wide girths, short backs, short and muscular necks, long powerful shoulders, and muscular croups. Their legs are solid, with well-developed quarters, broad feet and short cannons and pasterns.

Problem Areas:
Generally, these large horses may show slight tension in the lower neck, chest, and hindquarters. But the horses particularly used in heavy pulling may show stress points in the shoulders (SP 11, 12), chest (SP 15 to 17), hindquarters (SP 27, 28, 35, 36), and legs (SP 18, 19, 29, 30) as a result of tension buildup.

For treatment, follow the guidelines at the beginning of the chapter. Use proper posture, especially with these horses, to ensure that your body weight is used to reach the deeper muscle layers.

A solid understanding of the various breeds of horses will inhance
your ability to assess muscular tension in relation to the discipline
practiced by that animal.

16

KEEPING RECORDS

Keeping records of your massage work and findings after each session is as important as keeping records of farrier and veterinarian visits. It will help you better chart the progression of your work.

This chapter gives you a complete set of instructions on how to keep proper records, especially if you plan on practicing as a professional. However, if you will only work on your horse(s), once you have taken a complete initial case study, then you only need to keep updating your findings and work program.

For a complete case study (figures 16.1 to 16.4), your records should contain:

❖ History and background information (to the best of your knowledge) on your horse, such as previous training or accidents and injuries that might have taken place

❖ Personality traits, for example, nasty in stall, biting, kicking, cribbing, weaving,
etc.

❖ Medication(s), if any

❖ Type of training he is involved in at the present time, plus his tendencies during training, i.e., trouble picking up leads, bending, lateral work,
etc.

❖ Note the overall condition of your horse at the time of each massage. List the various stress points, trigger points, inflammations, swellings, if any, and the finding of your four T’s.

❖ If your horse gets hurt (either in training or at play), record what happened, how it happened, when it happened, and where on the horse the injury is located. Also note what treatment was given at the time.

❖ When changing tack (bit, saddle, bridle, harness), record when the change took place, and how the horse responded to the change over the following 7 to 10 days.

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This information will help you appreciate the progress of your horse following your massage treatments. By keeping thorough notes you will have a clear idea about any changes in the symptoms shown by your horse.

Good records will also give you feedback on the impact of your training program and changes in your horse’s life (e.g., traveling, competitions, new barn, etc.). Knowing your horse well will assist you in determining the best maintenance massage program.

With regular massage, you will become aware of signs and symptoms that will tell you when your horse needs veterinary attention much sooner than with just your usual practice of grooming.