SPINE

The vertebrae of the spine move into three directions:

a) flexion and extension,
b) sideways,
c) and rotating.

The movements between the individual vertebrae are small due to the firm ligaments and the sizeable muscles that surround them. The sum of all the movements of the vertebrae still is a considerable movement of the back. The degree of this movement can vary; e.g. the flexion and extension of the hind thoracic spine will be greater there than at the withers, and it will be the greatest in the area of the transition from lumbar spine to sacrum. This fact is especially important when it comes to canter, but also for Untertreten of the hind legs in other gaits. The movements to the side and the rotation reach their maximum between the 9th and the 14th thoracic vertebra, which is exactly the location of the saddle.

 
 

Not a back problem yet, but the spine is already noticeable. The back musculature is not fully developed.

If in addition the musculature of the lower neck is very pronounced or if the trapezius muscle is damaged we have serious cause for concern.

 
 

If the first hints of damage are ignored or not perceived, and if training habits are not changed, it is only a question of time until the back will take this pitiable shape.

As most of our horses are indulgent beings, they will still let us ride them in this condition.

 
 

Beside the upper nuchal ligament cord there is also the lower nuchal ligament cord, which consists of the lower neck musculature and especially the abdominal muscles. The upper nuchal ligament cord can be activated by bringing the head and the neck to the fore, which, via neck and back ligament, causes a tension of the spinous process of the withers. It can also be activated by an active use of the hind legs through the tensing of the abdominal muscles.

This enables the back musculature to alternately flex and extend, which is called “supple back” – the horse walks supplely. If the horse has to carry its own and the rider’s weight only by the tensed back musculature this has an influence on the movement of the fore legs and hind quarters. Short, rigid movements are the result and a “supple back” is not possible anymore.

A vicious circle begins. As the back has to be regarded as a very complex system, a diagnosis is difficult. Not every problem that a horseman suspects to be a back problem is really one. Rather, many back troubles develop secondarily to a different problem and vice versa.

This topic is very complex. At the Vetsuisse faculty of the Zurich University, a group of specialists consisting of several veterinarians (“SattelDruckMessGruppe”), supported by the ”Stiftung Forschung für das Pferd” (a foundation fostering horse-related research), deals exclusively with the topic of horseman-saddle-horse. If you would like to know more about this or if you want to find a solution for your horse together with your saddler, we would like to refer you to the internet page www.forschungpferd.ch where you will find detailed descriptions of the services as well as the research.

  
  This horse, which does dressage showing, has a great muscular system but it has "dents" as big has a hand where the padding usually lays – a clear sign for concern. At least during training an entirely different saddle type should be used to make the regeneration of the damaged muscles possible.  
 

Such a catastrophe can become out of an initially small dent. The back musculature is extensively damaged, the spine is extremely prominent.

Clearly visible is the saddle’s location. This influences the entire nuchal ligament cord.

 
 

Rhythm errors, head bobbing, aversion, and the “coming apart” of the horse are not surprising. Training with the old saddle is impossible in this condition.

 
 

If a horse has weak muscles like this one and if the spine is very prominent, any training with saddle and equestrian is a strain for the vertebrae in the saddle location.

As in this example, when the horse is bent left, the left padding bears intense pressure on the spine. With an equestrian, in trot or gallop even more.

 
  Goal-oriented training at the lungeing rein and the double lungeing rein respectively, in “forwards – downwards” mode with a forceful Untertritt is now advisable. To reactivate a pitiable back is an art and a long-winded process.  
 

Modern synthetic tree, in this case for a dressage saddle. Being very firm, the tree is not able to move just one millimeter.

The short fork is in our opinion responsible for many damages of the trapezius muscle. Similar trees exclusively put a strain on the muscles directly beside the spine.