Strength, Stability & DME's

Supporting your horses health through a range of carefully thought-out therapeutic exercises & dynamic mobilisation exercises. 

Stability ~ Contrary to popular belief horse’s backs were not designed to be sat on. Placing any load onto the horse’s back compromises their stability, balance, posture and causes their spine to go into extension, pushing the dorsal spinous processes closer together, leaving the horse vulnerable to illness, injury and compensatory patterns of movement. An unstable body leads to loss of performance and stress on all bodily structures. Horse’s need time to develop strength and stability and if they are not first prepared correctly, the stabilising musculature will be weak and poorly functioning, again, likely leading to injury, illness, poor performance and poor health. 

❓🤔 So which muscle is an important stabiliser in the horses back? 

Multifidus –This is a deep spinal stabilising muscle, lying on both sides of the vertebral column, playing a vital role in support and balance. It attaches the base of each individual spinous process to the bodies of neighbouring vertebrae. Rich in its nerves supply it is easily affected by any changes in segmental alignment. If this muscle is weak then m longissimus works extremely hard to compensate- which is not equipped for this role of spinal stabilisation, leading to muscle spasms, pain, changes in gait patterns and unnecessary load on other structures, leading to a continuous cycle of pain, risk of injury, possible muscle atrophy and poor health.

In a recent study hypertrophy of multifidus occurred over a 3-month period in which dynamic mobilisation exercises were the only exercise performed. Dynamic mobilisation exercises increase cross sectional area of musculus multifidus, N. C. Stubbs, L. J. Kaiser, J. Hauptman & H. M. Clayton. 

Did you know that atrophy of the multifidus muscle occurs rapidly after injury and is apparent within 3 days (Hodges et al. 2006). Multifidus remains dysfunctional and atrophied even after the inciting episode of back pain has been resolved (Hides et al. 1996) and intervertebral instability persists unless specific physiotherapeutic exercises are used that teach the patient to stabilise the spine by reactivation of the multifidus muscle and transversus abdominis in anticipation of movement (Hides et al. 2001). 

Performance of these exercises has also been shown to reduce the risk of reoccurrence within 12 months after the first episode of acute back pain from 84 to 30% (P<0.001) and to reduce the risk of recurrence over the next 2-3 years from 75% to 35% (P<0.01) (Hides et al. 2001) 

❓🤔 So what else supports the back? -

The core muscles, which play crucial roles in posture, stability, balance and most importantly supporting the weight of the rider. Weak core muscles leave the horse susceptible to injury-particularly of the neck, back and pelvis, weak balance, instability, fatigue and poor function and movement. Multifidus is a key part of this system along with the following muscle groups: -

Thoracic Sling muscles–  

· Transverse Pectoral  

· Descending Pectoral

· Deep Cranial Pectoral

· Superficial Pectoral

· Cervical & Thoracic Ventral Serrate

Abdominal muscles–  

· Rectus abdominis 

· Internal & External Abdominal Oblique

· Transverse Abdominal Oblique

Pelvic & Hip Stabiliser muscles–  

· Psoas Major 

· Psoas Minor

· Iliacus

· Piriformis

· Biceps Femoris

❓🤔So, what can we do to help? 

After treatment, by following the prescription of DME's and specific exercises that I have carefully thought-out for your horse (& demonstrated the correct method of practice), and importantly including the frequency, they will all support these key areas of stability, strength, balance, posture and proprioception,  they will also address other specific muscle groups and areas that I have identified as weak/hypotonic/hypertonic/atrophied etc. 

Please follow this prescription until your next visit and note down any observations and differences you may notice e.g. if your horse is struggling with one side more than the other or any behavioural changes. Please contact me immediately for any concerns that your horse is finding any particularly difficult and I can advise you and/or change the prescription.