How To Recognize Problem Muscles #1

How To Recognize Problem Muscles #2

CONTINUED....................
Horse 3
These 2 photos show knots in his neck and along his back to his hip


This shows knots in his rump, hip and a little baby knot behind his shoulder.

Now this is a short video, to help show you how to check your OWN HORSES top line. This is horse number 3, 1 week later.

The owner is now enjoying doing her own massages and the special bond they now have together.
Not all knots have a trapped nerve in them, but most are caused by something trapped, so they can not use that particular area as well as they should, so the will move in a way, that they don’t have to use that area and this is what causes OTHER sore muscles or problems.
You will notice that you do NOT go near the spine, and you DO NOT poke your fingers into a muscle.
You are simply seeing if the muscle is able to be used to its fullest potential, as you can not build up a tight muscle. The muscled should feel like a slightly over ripe tomato, SOFT but slightly firm.
The horse must have his head lowered and be in a relaxed frame when doing ANY muscle work.
You will see me make a wave from the muscle along the horses back, you start just behind the wither and work your way towards the hip in an upwards fashion, and try to make a WAVE. A horse with any problems with his top line muscle will NOT allow the wave to continue. His muscles will go into spasms and your soft wave will become like a quivering rock under your fingers. This just lets you know, that he has no opportunity to be able to build that muscle up as there is a problem (the problem is not in this area, but is normally caused from the hip or the shoulder area)

You will then see me pull the pin muscle out of the front of his shoulder. YOU CAN NOT DO THIS if he has his head up high or is tense. But if it does not pop out, it is letting you know it is trapped, and this is the result of a poll problem or a shoulder problem (which may all be the result of a tight hip or trapped nerve in the hip area)

Now you will see me checking his hip and rump area. You will see me kind or “roll” my hand over his hip and roll his muscle to his spine, then go from the spine to his hip. (most will find a “bump” just after you roll over the hip or are on your way back down towards the hip) this rather firm bump, is what is not letting your horse use his hip to the fullest, and is most likely the cause of your tight back and other problems, as he is unable to balance correctly or transfer the weight he needs to his hind quarters, so with this bump, you will find problems in his poll and shoulders. (If you press this lump directly, the horse will let you know loud and clear that that is a sore spot)


I do not believe you can find ANYONE who can fix any of these problems in one day, or one session. You can’t just pop muscles around or whatever and go dadaaa!!!
And the horse is not going to go dadaaa!!! Either.
The horse now has a “habit” of way of travelling, and the un-trapped muscles are weak and lack strength, so the minute the horse has been walked back to his yard, MOST of your work has just been undone.
YOU need to massage the horse at least 2 to 3 times a day and do special exercises to help strengthen the weak muscles so they get strong and stay un-knotted and soft.
ONLY SOFT muscles will build up, tight muscles just gets weaker and weaker and cause OTHER areas to become tight and sore.

One of the easiest tell tale signs, is if you tip your horse out for a spell, and they come back with no top line or fall away at the rump or even ewed neck, this is just letting you know, that your horse IS NOT using himself properly.

I hope this post is useful in helping you get the best out of your horse
Cheers

Hopefully this is a helpful and informative post regarding what knots and trapped nerves looks like.
Once they are pointed out, they are quiet noticeable. Knots are at their most noticeable when the horse is in a relaxed stand
These horses ALL had “ISSUES” and being quiet naughty for their owners, who had vets, chiro’s and bowen therapists out to check these horses, and where told they were fixed. NO 1 SESSION WILL FIX ANY MUSCLE PROBLEMS.
They all changed dramatically after the third day of being massaged and stretched 3 times a day into the cuddliest of loveable creatures.
Horse 1
This shows a horse that the near side had knots near his poll, neck, top of shoulder, hips and near his hock.

This shows that on the off side, he has knots in his hip and behind his shoulder

This is a short video, showing horse No.1 doing some stretches. You will notice that he still has the knots in his hips, but in 1 week there has been an overall change in his condition as his muscles start to supple.

Horse 2
This shows that the near side has knots in his neck, hip and at the top of his shoulder and in his shoulder.

This shows that on the off side, he has knots in his hip and in the middle of his shoulder.

TO BE CONTINUED.................

Great post Smash...whats sort of massage do you recommend for the knots? And what about horses that are a little sore behind the saddle?

smash that is brilliant thank you so much. I can do some of that on my girl tomorrow

I have no doubt it will help her.

hi babe, if your horse is actually sore in a certain area, it will not be where the problem is. if you run your hand along their backs to form a wave (in the video on section #2) you will see when you hit that area (where you think they are sore) another area will "quiver" that is where the problem will be, (usually in the hip area or middle of the girth area)
babe, it is very difficult to "recommend" or explain a certain way in writting, but if you have a "professional" out to go over your horse, you can check if he/she did or did not help by knowing "how to check", and then as the owner, you can grab as much helpfull information from this person to CONTINUE this on your own.
it is important to UNDERSTAND as much as you can about your horse (talking muscles here) so if he is a bit tight somewhere, you can have the understanding that he may be a bit stiff one side or limited in what he can give you under saddle.
this is NOT AN EXCUSE to get away with bad behaviour, but with better understanding, the rider may not "expect" so much at this time, and work him a bit different to help him warm up or loosen those tight areas a bit longer before asking what is expected from him.
i hope this makes sense ?
just dont want people to think that this is an exscuse to get out of work, it is more of an understanding to the horses limitations at the time.

Smash...thanks again...very helpful!
A question..I couldnt tell when you ran your hands in teh wave over the horses back...how close do you go near the horses spine?
And you say you dont poke your fingers in? so a few fingers together to do the wave?

Absolutely agree with you about the excuses. I was actually out massaging my boys back tonight....so this thread is great! Thank you
His muscles felt nice and firm but realxed after the massage...but there was an area behind the saddle..on the near side that felt a bit tight...and a little dippy. Have recently been using an old picador pad under my saddle and he has started falling in to the right...so I am thinking this may be connected somehow.

ha ha babe, you can make ANY HORSE dip away from pressure, it is why it is importand to form a kind of smoothness in your hand *boy that is hard to explain* lol
if you have ever had a massage yourself, you get the best relief from a "soothing" rub, getting the blood flowing within your aching muscle. there is a lot more to "sorting" out problems, and a professional, will help you a lot in that area. this is more about Recognizing "if" your horse has a problem in the first place and the roll the owner plays in it all (not just get a professional out and all is fixed) as that is NEVER the case.
oh and you are working about 4 inches from the spine.
cheers

Ohhh you read my mind! I was just going to ask how you can tell your horse has bad muscles!!!! I was looking at Harry today and pretty sure he is knotted on his hip area (again) Thanks heaps Smash

Great Smash...unfortunately where I live we dont have any massage specialists so we have to fend for ourselves. I have picked up a few things from visiting massage people...and use the same technique you do on the hip area. But the back I was told to run your fingers close to the spine..eeekk...no wonder he dipped!

4 inches sounds better...and yes I know what you mean about teh smooth pressure...maybe he not as sore as I thought he was...lol...no excuse for the falling in then..

Awesome info! Thank you again!

oh you are a good girl babe,
i have had the same problems and found this saddle blanket under ANY SADDLE to help amazingly with this problem




the blue things (feel unreal) really help take the "pressure" points from the saddle, better than ANY GELL PAD.
i hope that is helpful (oh and before you ask me the name, it is in the photos, stephen something)
no worries beau, i hope it is helpfull, it is funny how the knots stand out like dogs balls one they are pointed out, hey LOL
cheers

Okay cool! Sorry seem to be jumping from thread to thread here...lol

Ive just ordered a thinline pad so will see how that works....before using the picador I used normal half numnah and he seemed happy in that...thought he seems happy in the picador too...so not sure what the falling in at the canter is about

Have just saved both these pages to my favourites. Harry and Lala are going to have "massages" (lol from me) tomorrow

babe, if you are game, put a photo of each side of your horse up, and i can circle where/if their may be a problem.

Fantastic Smash....I have just come in from teaching a lesson and found that the one horse had this problem.....but trying to explain it to the owner....another thing altogether, this will really help the owner understand!

Thanks.....

exellent work smash - more education on this topic to owners/riders of equines is definitely a fantastic asset **)

It is such a, generally over looked area when soundness, performance and behaviour is in question.

Eoroe said:

exellent work smash - more education on this topic to owners/riders of equines is definitely a fantastic asset **)

It is such a, generally over looked area when soundness, performance and behaviour is in question.

Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head there Eoroe!!!*

Would love to do this...but I dont know how to post pics...Can I take a few pics of him tomorrow and email them through to you?

Great threads smash very interesting and informative!
P.S. can I put a photo up for you to look at too?

yes please do mayasmum

thank you mode3 for joining them for me.
much appreciated