11/04/2023
“If you go through hell, keep walking.”
(Sir Winston Churchill)
Muscles evolve fast. Central pattern generators and fascia take much longer. It takes longer for a horse than a human because a human knows the benefit of the therapy and accepts initial discomfort or pain.
“Movements are generated by dedicated networks of nerve cells that contain the information necessary to activate motor neurons in the appropriate sequence and intensity to generate motor patterns. Such networks are referred to as CENTRAL PATTERNS GENERATORs, (CPGs). The most basic CPGs coordinate protective reflexes, swallowing or coughing. At the next level are those that generate rhythmic movements. Some, such as respiratory CPGs, are active throughout life but are modulated with changing metabolic demands. Others, such as locomotor CPGs, are inactive at rest but can be turned on by signals from command centers.” (Sten Grillner, The Motor Infrastructure From Ion Channels To Neuronal Network.)
The locomotor CPGs are inactive at rest. This is one of the reasons why I emphasize therapies through educated motion. Training the CPGs properly and, even more, retraining the CPGs is often frustrating. If the work is good, the muscles change rapidly, and the initial progresses are encouraging. Then we reach a plateau or even hit a wall. Not only does the horse not progress, but the horse appears to regress. Soon we lose confidence and question the approach. Instead of falling for the pretenders selling you the evangel, keep walking and take a look at reality as you walk.
The horse’s nature is to protect familiar patterns and compromises that damage the horse’s physique over time. The horse explores at first as it is new and intriguing and even provides some comfort. Soon the CPGs and the fascia question and even revolt against the novelty, and we don’t understand because the horse was doing so well. It takes a long time to reeducate the fascia. Familiar patterns are imprinted in the fascia, and regular training techniques don’t educate the fascia. Reflect on the horse’s difficulties and nuance your approach but keep walking. Don’t make a U-turn back to hell resting the horse or returning to your familiar riding and training technique. Even if progresses are slow, the horse is evolving. It takes courage for a human to explore the unknown and even more for a horse. The physical comfort is not there yet for the horse. The horse tries because you ask, but his CPGs and fascia tell him to resist and protect. If you change course, you lose. It can take up to a year to change fascia. Choose a form or training that educates the fascia. Repeating a movement o fit literature or judging requirements does not educate the fascia or the CPGs.
What educates the horse’s CPGs and fascia is soundly understanding the athletic demand and how to develop and coordinate the horse’s physique for the athletic demand. All the fascia training research understands that a repetitive movement does not educate the fascia. Suppose you practice half-pass, focusing on crossing the forelegs above the knees. You just repeat gym-type of training. Instead, if you extend your knowledge and understand how the whole horse physique needs to be coordinated to benefit from the movement. Then your education is effective. But even so, it will take time. The horse will do well at first, and then, the horse will question everything and even resist. You are not making an error. You have not lost all your skill. You are just walking through reality. Understand your horse; give him time, and by time, I mean weeks or even months. Refine your approach, but if you change course. You and the horse return to hell.
Jean Luc
