How can you support good posture? Constantly remind yourself and your horse to sit up straight? Not entirely. In order to support good posture you need to keep your horse’s muscles and soft tissues (myofascial system) prepped.
During the daily rigors of schooling, your horse experiences post-exercise soreness, pain and chronic tension resulting from the general progression of training and an increase in workload with the changing seasons. Many riders are not made aware of these physical restrictions until a significant training issue develops.
One of the most common causes of soft tissue pain and restriction is the development of trigger points within the skeletal muscle and/or the connective tissue fascia that envelops all soft tissue. A trigger point is a hyper-irritable point that is painful or tender upon palpation. The development of trigger points leads to muscle weakness and a
limitation in range of motion and flexibility. In humans, we often recognize trigger points as “knots” commonly found in our neck and shoulders. What can you do? Lots! Dr. Pat and Equine Wellness Magazine suggests pre-event, post event and on-the-road massages for your horse. This healthy routine will:
- Increasing the pliability and flexibility of soft tissues
- Increasing circulation, thereby enhancing the delivery of nutrients to the tissues and assisting in the removal of cellular waste
- Bringing balance to areas of weakness or hypertrophy
- Locating and addressing chronic tension and muscle shortening
Ready to release the power in your hands?
