DALY Equine Therapies

14/03/2023

07/03/2023

23/02/2023

Nuchal Ligament Part 2 - Role in locomotion
The nuchal ligament is made of very elastic tissue, which means when it is stretched it stores 'strain energy'. When this strain is released movement occurs due to the energy stored, the beauty of this energy is it requires very little effort. Due to the neck of the horse being very long and heavy the nuchal ligament plays a very important role in lifting the head, especially from a grazing position to upright, which is important for a prey animal to be able to do quickly.

From a riding perspective you can see that the position of the neck will change the strain not only on the nuchal ligament but also the supraspinous ligament, which effects several areas of the body such as the sternum and spine.

In one study ( Effect of Different Head-and-Neck Positions on Nuchal Ligament Dimensions in Fetal Foals, Nestadt et al. 2015) dimensions of the nuchal ligament (the lamellae and funicular cord) were measured in relation to different head and neck position in the cadaver foetal foal. To briefly summarise, it found that different positions change how the nuchal ligament stretched. In a more flexed positions such as behind the vertical and in extreme elevation the nuchal ligament was slack in the caudal portions and had a greater increase in length in the dorsal portion (greater stretching over the poll), this proposed that in these positions there was less support of the cervical spines in the dorsal neck (now relate that back to post 1) and potentially greater strain over the poll. In a correct 'on the bit' position there was little change in the nuchal ligament dimensions compared to neutral, meaning the nuchal ligament could function normally along with muscle recruitment to support the head and neck. In a long and low position (head in front of the vertical) even stretching of all the lamellar bands was shown, this was thought to support the neck structures via the elasticity of the nuchal ligament, therefore allowing the muscles to relax.
(Image from Denoix and Pallioux in Willem & Clayton Equine Locomotion)

*on a side note, when the neck bends laterally it will also rotate, in some horses you may notice a flick of the mane to one side when the neck is bent laterally, this may be due to a lack of attachment of the NL on the spinous processes (top of vertebrae) or a lack of attachment over the bursa (fat pad) which sits over the axis (2nd CV). I do question if there is lack of attachment that there is a greater amount of rotation/instability and therefore a greater need to ensure the surrounding muscular is functioning in a healthy way to support the neck.

10/02/2023

10/02/2023

05/02/2023

Did you know that a horse that hasn't been taught how to properly support and carry the weight of a rider will instinctually hollow their back away from the weight of the rider? Many riding horses spend their entire careers going around with hollow backs, even upper level competition horses.

Carrying weight with a hollow back is, at best, uncomfortable for the horse, and in many cases is actually quite painful. Many horses tolerate this discomfort because they don't know any alternative. Other horses develop behavioral problems and become labeled as bad horses.

For a horse to remain healthy and comfortable in his work he must be taught how to support the weight of a rider with first a neutral back and then later on with a lifted back. This is a process that takes time, as you can't rush muscle development.

I've found that the best way to teach a horse to lift his back is on the ground first, through classical in hand work. Without the extra weight of the rider, it is easier for the horse to learn how to lift his back and it is easier for him to develop the strength that he needs in order to maintain a lifted back for an extended amount of time.

Once the horse has an understanding of this healthier posture and has developed some strength, it will be much easier for him to accomplish the same thing with a rider on his back.

The horse will then feel more comfortable and have an easier time performing his job. He will be less prone to injuries and behavioral problems and he will be able to continue doing his job for much longer than if he never learned to move in a healthy way.

As stewards of our horses, we owe it to them to give them the best lives possible. That includes taking the time to teach them how to move in a way that is healthy and comfortable for them.

Want to learn more about the horse's back and how you can teach him a healthy posture? We invite you to join our Healthy Movement through In Hand Work course, available in our Virtual Classroom. You'll learn how you can help your horse to move in a healthier way through the use of In Hand Work.

This work is beneficial for horses of all ages, breeds, and disciplines and no previous experience is necessary.

Learn more and sign up here- https://tuskeydressage.com/register/virtual-classroom/

04/02/2023

Did you know that diet affects the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and health of the GI tract is linked to laminitis!?

Laminitis describes the localised inflammation of the vascular components of the equine hoof. Though the pathogenesis it is believed to be systemic, originating in the gut (Elliot & Bailey 2006, Steelman & Chowdhary 2012). The localised inflammation can lead to disintegration of the dermal-epidermal junction, which can cause the third phalanx to detach from the hoof wall.

The horse is a hindgut fermenter, with ~60% of the gastrointestinal tract comprising of the large intestine, with fermentation occurring in the caecum and colon. The microbial population in the hindgut is responsible for fermenting fibrous feed and converting it into energy in the form of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA’s) (Dicks et al., 2014).

Other roles include antimicrobial compound production, including antimicrobial peptides (bacteriocins) which keep a healthy microbial balance and prevent the growth of pathogens. Stimulation of the immune system may also be initiated by lactic acid bacteria (Dicks et al., 2014).

Thus, disturbances in the hindgut microbial populations may impede correct function of the inflammatory pathways and may imbalance microbial populations and allow pathogen growth.

Disturbances to the entire gastrointestinal tract, not just the hind gut, and the microbial population therein is related to both acute and chronic forms of laminitis, and thus dietary management is crucial to managing laminitis risk, as it can affect the health of this system.

Join myself and Nia A. Cooke this Sunday at 5pm where she will bring more brilliant information on species specific feeding, the rest of the GI tract, and how important it is in horse and hoof health!

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/species-appropriate-feeding

31/01/2023

I had to share this juicy and digestible tidbit for my non reading friends out there 📖 🐴 👀

Categorical Perception:
The natural tendency to organize sights, sound, taste, touch, and smell. The human brain categorizes different physical views into one group automatically (a door will look like a door to us in all angles). We group separate items instantly without thinking.

Equine brains don’t have much categorical perception. This is why they notice and spook at items that we would group in one category (hose they walk by every day, to us it’s just a hose but to them the way the hose hanging IS different each day).

When we say the horse has seen this a million times, he hasn’t. He’s seen a slightly different view of the object many different times. We are the one whose brains assumes those different views all represent the same object.

Their lack of categorical perception is one of the reasons horses don’t need to have precise visual acuity or great hearing, their brains notice tiny differences instead which allows them to survive.
- Janet L Jones, PhD Horse Brain, Human Brain

29/01/2023

Don’t 👏 keep 👏 pushing 👏horses 👏 that 👏 aren’t 👏 posturally 👏 ready 👏

That’s my 2p for today 😁

There are too many horses out there with notable asymmetry’s and inadequate muscle tone and mass for the level of work they are in.

If there is any concern that your horse doesn’t feel confident in their work, is struggling or even if you think your horse may be trying their best despite not being as physically comfortable as they should be (whether this be physically, saddle, mentally…)… stop 🛑 and take everything right back.