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Saddling Up For Competition
With all the technological advancements in veterinary medicine, diagnostic tools, medical
treatments and research in equine biomechanics it is no wonder the competition gets tougher
and tougher every year. What used to win upper level dressage championships 15 years ago
wouldn't even enter the show rings today. Competitors need to keep up to date with research
and advancements in order to keep their competitive edge sharp.
Through this new and concrete information, the art and science of saddle fitting continues to
evolve. There are several schools of thought on how a saddle should fit, and now research
conducted by equine medical centres concludes these theories. Equipment such as MRI's,
high-powered ultrasound and digital radiology are a few examples of how veterinarians are
now better able to pinpoint injury and damage to the equine body. Far too often, ill-fitting
saddles are to blame.
A few examples of long-term saddle fit damage include:
i) Narrow gullet - results in spinal pressure, causing pain and swelling in the spinal cord.
ii) Incorrect tree angle/width - can impinge withers, affect gait, "nibble" at cartilage (of the
scapula), and cause extreme pain. (Horse may show negative behaviour at sight of saddle,
act 'girthy'.)
iii) Uneven pressure distribution along panels - can result in muscle atrophy, may also
contribute to exhibiting 'cold backed' symptoms.
These are only a few of the complications a horse may experience from an ill-fitting saddle.
The importance of knowing your saddle fits cannot be stressed enough! I recommend
considering saddle-fit as part of your horse's routine healthcare and having it checked at least
annually. Your horse will go through a multitude of changes, due to age, growth,
development, training, even seasonal changes. Minor adjustments can mean a major
difference.
As you well know, many obstacles can arise when training and conditioning our horses,
especially younger ones. Correct saddle-fit will promote proper muscle development,
enhance performance, and is important to rule out when dealing with behaviour issues. As
your horse develops mentally and physically it is imperative saddle-fit does not interfere with
their growth.
As owners, trainers and competitors, understanding saddle-fit should be of utmost
importance amongst several healthcare aspects. Saddle-fit to rider is equally important in
order to gain your competitive edge, but that is a whole other topic! Until next time, I wish you
Good Luck (and Fit!) in your 2007 show season.
Muscle Maintenance for the Equine Athlete
Considering massage therapy? Here is some food for thought.
Think about the lifestyles and daily routines of successful athletes.
They are extremely conscious about their diet, exercise, equipment,
and health. Our horses are athletes. In order for them to be
successful, we also have to be proactive in these aspects.
As a horse owner, you are probably already overwhelmed with the
number of ‘alternative therapy’ choices. We want what is best for
our horses, but we can only afford so much, and as you know, these
critters are expensive! My advice to you is to do your homework.
Word of mouth is great, but it may lack validity at times. Use it to
your advantage and when you hear of a therapy you are interested
in, start researching it. Once you’ve researched it you will feel
more confident including it in your horse’s healthcare. At that point
you already know someone who has a good reputation, and will
have a solid understanding of the therapy. One therapy of utmost
value is the equine massage. In human medicine, massage therapy
is an age old proven modality that is well researched and highly
respected by healthcare professionals around the world.
Applications range from injury recovery, pre and post event,
musculo-skeletal disorders and muscle maintenance (to name a
few!).
In order to choose an appropriate therapy, first clearly establish
which benefits you are trying to achieve. Enhancing performance,
early detection of injury and rehabilitation, conditioning and
maintaining healthy muscle tissue, all fall well within the scope of
massage therapy.
Early detection of injury alone is a reason to consider massage
therapy. As an animal of prey, the horse is a very stoic creature.
By nature, they generally do not exhibit signs of pain until it begins
to become unbearable (i.e. at a point where the injury is at an
advanced or chronic stage). The longer an injury (musculo-skeletal
disorder) persists, the longer the rehabilitation period will be.
Relatively speaking, an injury detected early will require less
treatment and time off. A massage therapist goes over the horse
with a ‘fine toothed comb’ noting areas of tension and tenderness.
The response of the tissues to the massage gives information on the
injury, how long it has been present, and possible cause. Once a
musculo-skeletal disorder has been detected, massage therapy has
several modalities in order to restore the body to original form and
function. Applications range through acute, sub-acute and chronic
stages. Whether the injury is a sudden overload, or overuse over
time in nature, the role of massage therapy is vital for recovery.
The list of benefits from the cellular level, circulatory and other
equine body systems, to bones, muscles and ligaments is endless.
Massage therapy should be considered a complementary therapy
and never take place of veterinary care. Always seek veterinary
approval prior to hiring a therapist, especially when dealing with an
acute injury. It is very important to research your therapist’s
credentials. In human medicine (in Canada) one must graduate
from a two year (2200 hrs) intensive program followed by board
examination in order to practice. Currently there are no regulations
in the equine industry controlling people from practicing with very
little education. It is up to you to look into their background.
Anyone with proper education will gladly share it will you. The term
‘registered’ indicates extensive training whereas the term ‘certified’
varies. For more information regarding therapists go to
www.ifremt.org.
Massage Therapy can be a vital tool in keeping your horse
conditioned and healthy. We invest so much in tack, board, farrier
and veterinary care. Preventing injury is far more cost effective
than treating it. We ask our horses to do many things they weren’t
originally designed to do, so keeping them healthy and comfortable
will ensure they continue giving us their peak performance.
Holly E. Barnett, REMT, CSFT
Registered Equine Massage Therapist, Saddle-Fit Technician, Flair Certified
The article is offered as information only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the IFREMT or individual members.
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