Equine Massage: A Practical Guide (32 page)

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The weight of the hindquarters flexes the stifle and the hock joints.The peroneus tertius muscle counteracts this effect by tensing up. It is assisted in this action by the gastrocnemius muscle, which acts to prevent the flexion of the hock.The gastrocnemius is assisted by the superficial digital flexor muscle. The play between the peroneus tertius muscle and the superficial digital flexor muscle ensures that the stifle and hock joints reciprocate their actions; for example, when the stifle flexes, the hock flexes as well.

At “stay,” the stifle joint is fixed by the contraction of the quadriceps muscle and a locking mechanism involving the patella, which comes to hook on top of the enlarged upper end of the inner trochlear ridge of the femur. When locked, the hind legs maintain a steady position with very little effort.

A simple contraction of the quadriceps muscle and of the tensor fasciae latae muscle unlocks the patella, lifting it up and laterally off the ridge, thus freeing the stifle so the horse can move.

Study figure 7.13 to familiarize yourself with the stay mechanism. This way, when massaging or assessing a horse in the stay position, you will know what muscles are involved.

A solid knowledge of the muscles involved in the different movements of the horse will help you to better locate the muscular tension and possible muscle knots in your horse. The information
contained in this chapter will also contribute to you better analysis
of all the equine gaits.This better understanding of equine kinesiology will give you confidence when assessing the muscular fitness
of your horse.

Kinesiology of the Horse

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8

STRETCHING

Horses instinctively know how to stretch; they stretch spontaneously, continually, and naturally, tuning up the muscles they need to use most. In normal conditions, a horse will not overstretch.

With your knowledge of the bones, muscles, and kinesiology of the horse, we can now talk about the reasons why stretch moves should be part of your massage routine. Our stretching routine will, of course, be timely, gentle, easy, and safe. Regular stretching will benefit your horse and will give you feedback on his condition. Here are some of the benefits of stretching exercises:

❖ Relaxation

❖ Reduction of overall muscle tension and stiffness

❖ Increased circulation of both blood and lymph fluids

❖ Increased oxygenation and nutrition in the tissues

❖ Increased elasticity of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments

❖ Increased flexibility and range of motion of the joints

❖ Improved coordination

❖ Reduction of muscle strain and ligament sprain

❖ Improvement of the stride length

❖ Improved reflex time response

Note:
If your horse has had any recent physical problems that affect the joints and muscles (a fall, direct trauma, kick), or surgery, consult your veterinarian or equine massage therapist before you start a stretching program.

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Reasons for Stretching

Physical

Stretching improves the tone of the muscle fibers and the elasticity of the ligaments and the joint capsules. Stretching reduces muscle tension, and therefore prevents muscle pulls. A strong pre-stretched muscle resists stress better than a strong un-stretched muscle.

Stretching prevents ligament sprain and loosens the joint capsules; it makes the body feel more relaxed. It releases muscle contracture due to old scar tissue, helps relieve muscle pain from chronic tension, and reduces post-exercise soreness.

Better elasticity of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments allows for freer, easier, more controlled, and quicker movements—all resulting in better coordination overall.

Muscle stretching increases circulation, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the body parts; it prevents inflammation and adhesion (scar tissue) formation, trigger point formation, and stress point buildup.

The physiological benefits of stretching exercises upon the body are immediate.You should apply them regularly with your various massage routines and include them in your massage treatments when applicable.

Cerebral

When we say “cerebral” we refer to the nervous system, which is controlled by the brain and spinal cord. A horse’s “body awareness” is, of course, cerebral. One aspect of stretching can be called cerebral since the activity develops body awareness. And as you stretch various body parts, you help your horse focus on them and become mentally “in touch” with them.This process develops the animal’s self-awareness, thereby improving his coordination and locomotion. The stretching of muscles sends relaxation impulses via sensory nerves to the central nervous system and it will also decrease tension throughout the body.The animal will relax both physically and mentally, an important factor when dealing with animals that have been in accidents or are frightened or in pain.

Furthermore, stretching will give you feedback on the condition of the muscle groups and ligament structures, particularly regarding their elasticity and tone.

Stretching

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When to Stretch

Always stretch when the horse is warm.
Muscles, tendons, and ligaments (eventually joint capsules) risk damage if stretched when cold. Stretching a horse after a warm-up period will limit the risk of injury from overstretching. Again, if your animal has had any recent physical problems or surgery, particularly of the joints and muscles, or if he has been inactive or sedentary for some time, consult your veterinarian or massage therapist before starting a stretching program.

Keeping in mind the warning just given, you can stretch your horse at any time. Stretching should be done every day after every training or massage session.

Always warm up before beginning a stretching session.Walk or longe the horse. After warm-up and before heavier physical activity, stretching will trigger benefits such as loosening of the muscle fibers, vasodilation to bring more blood, and greater flexibility of the joints.

If you need only to stretch a specific area during a localized massage treatment, that area can be warmed up with a hot towel (see chapter 4) or simply by massage (effleurages, wringings, compressions, or shakings).

Stretching can be performed as a cool-down immediately after the main exercise or training program. This is actually the best time to stretch because the whole locomotor structure is warm.

Stretching will increase circulation, promote relaxation, and cut down on any muscle contracture developed during an intense workout.

How to Stretch

To attain best results, you need to respect the structures you are working on. To manipulate correctly, it is important to be concerned with the animal’s natural body alignment.You should also be concerned with your own alignment and posture in order to work at your best.

Stretching is not a competition; you do not have to push limits or see how far you can stretch each time you do it.The object of stretching is to relax muscle and ligament tension in order to promote freer movement and other benefits. To achieve all this, you need to stretch safely, starting with the easy stretch (see below) and building to a regular, deeper stretch. Never go too far; otherwise the
stretch reflex
(a protective mechanism within the muscle) will cause the muscle to contract in order to prevent its
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being overstretched and torn. Instead, just hold the stretch in a relaxed manner and for a longer period of time.The horse’s flexibility will increase naturally when you start stretching regularly.

Stretching Safely

The first time you stretch your horse, do it slowly and gently. Give the horse time to adjust his body and mind to the physical and the nervous stress release that stretching initiates. The stretch should be tailored to the animal’s particular muscular structure, flexibility, and varying tension levels. Be careful not to overstretch.

When you release a stretch, gently return the hoof to its original position on the ground. Do not let go of the leg halfway down. The horse could snap his hoof on the ground, damaging ligaments and tendons.

Note that many horses show varying degrees of sensitivity to handling. Understand that how you handle your horse from the beginning has a very definite impact on how you will be able to handle him in the future. Learn to make a distinction between a horse’s reaction to pain and an objection to being handled.

The Easy Stretch

Always start with the easy stretch, during which you stretch only 75 to 80 percent of the total stretching capability of that particular body part, and hold it for just 10 to 15 seconds.Your horse will enjoy this gentle approach. Be steady in the development of your work. Never work hastily or with jerky movements.

Take hold of your horse’s foreleg as you would to clean the hoof and gently guide it through its normal range of motion (forward or backward as needed), bringing it to its natural stretch point. There you should feel a mild tension. Then release your traction slightly. Hold that position for 10 to 15 seconds, during which the tension should subside. Then gently return the leg to the ground. Do not pull excessively on the leg because you risk straining the muscle fibers and tendons by overstretching.