Equinacentro Valencia

08/07/2025

27/06/2025

02/05/2025

According to certain definitions, fascia is described as “a sheath or sheet of connective tissue.” While fascia can be separated into sheets or sheaths during dissection, this separation is merely an artifact of the dissection process.
The image shows a superficial layer of thoracolumbar fascia that has been DISSECTED, SEPARATED and ISOLATED from the surrounding tissue.
It is important to note that in the body, nothing exists in isolation!

01/05/2025

The stunning BROOKLIN (stallion by Coltaire x Le Tôt de Semilly) just sold for 550000 euros 💫 Top Price of this 2018 edition !

27/04/2025

Ok final draft of pictures
I took on board your thoughts
Added insertion and origin points colour coded
Found my new hyper focus which is transparent background so now added a little hyoid and going to put in skeletons and my logo and anything else I can make transparent so get ready for the 100 posts of transparent images 😃😃😃
I like it and not changing anything now as i am someone who always thinks things are not good enough
There you go xx
Remember flashcards will be a free element of this course you wil have access to them via a link so you can
It is getting there but I don't think people realise how much effort it takes to do a course especially when you do all of it yourself

15/04/2025

09/04/2025

Quadratus Lumborum, the Harry Potter with a supermodel walk muscle.😀

What is the one thing we need to do in order to move more fluidly ??? We got to have a wiggle to our walk yet horses like us often wherever the pain is will lock down that lumbar and the wiggle becomes a waddle.

Why the Harry Potter muscle?? Simply its how I remembered it because if you pretend you have a wand and say it like a spell then you won't forget it 😄😄 go on do it its fun and when we smile we are working our facial muscles 🫠

You know humans in pain or who are even depressed will not swing their arms in walk, now how many horses do we see with a shuffle than a big stride, and for me I think when we ground work we often in order for us to feel safe we keep the horses movement less fluid, to slow, just not enough bounce😊 and if we are talking fascial health bounce is better. Do it yourself see how hard it is to utilise your lumbar when you really slow down the faster you walk the better the wiggle, walk with your arms to the side then seing your arms see how your wiggle improves, So slow and fast is needed.

So what is it??
Now I preface this with it's really hard to find a definitive of origin etc because it just is not talked about enough, in anatomy small is usually classed as insignificant, and often this muscle takes second place to the more popular illiopsoas but the Quadratus Lumborum is small but mighty.
So this is my own thoughts and if it's wrong then sue me 😀

It's a very short muscle but look what it spans and look at where it connects, it's probably the most common areas where we see issues the SI, Lumbosacral area, and the lumbar even if the issue is somewhere else often secondary issues will show up here.
We often think the Illiopsoas is the only muscle in that area that aids in respiration yet the QL is connected to the last ribs (can attatch to more) and ribs have to move in order for the quality of breath.

If we think it contributes to extension, lateral bend, stability of the spine and helps the Diaphragm contract with less effort so it's a pretty important pair of muscles.
It can create pain in the lower back and hip you know we have all felt that dull ache in our lower back because the big mover muscles are like bodybuilders they have strength but will fatigue quickly, its the small closer to the spine muscles which help with longevity.

Each muscle in the horse is designed to do a specific job, to work in a pair, to work in a chain and to work as a whole if we restrict our vision of the whole horse then we lose our focus on the bigger picture.

Pelvic angles can often be tipped a little forward often due to the work the horse has done, or discomfort at some point and on assessment I will utilise the reflex points to assess the area making sure I stop when I feel that restriction before beginning work, most horses will be very sensitive so it's advised to ask your professional and not to just get that cat like arch that we so often see.

Gentle mobilisation exercises can help and I am not keen on pushing a horse from the front to rock back but prefer to get that full rock by allowing the flow from us through to the horse

I have included two great exercises that are easy to do, and as always if your horse says no simply stop or slow down and allow them to understand your ask before you repeat the question
The link is in the comments as Facebook doesn't like direct links and if you watch the 1st exercise the second one will load automatically

Hope this helps and enjoy, as always this is my own opinion and thoughts as I see out in the real world 😀

08/04/2025

Do we really need to be relaxing the illiopsoas or is it just weak and lengthening and strengthening could be the a better option for that all important hind end function and the ability for the breath to reach where it is needed.

We often could be mistaken to believe that the illiopsoas is the only muscle that sits under the lumbar and the only muscle responsible for the movement of the hip, yet it is only one part of the puzzle and if we ignore the rest to only achieve our blinkered view we may just be chasing our tails in the progression of our horses better body.

We often forget the shorter deep muscles that if you have ever felt that familiar dull ache in the lower back it's often these that are weak, and the more powerful movement muscles have taken over yet these big mover muscles have strength but not stamina and soon tire bringing the dull ache as the weaker deeper muscles cannot take over so why would we want to relax the very muscles that need strength?? Wouldn't we want to be taking the strain off the more superficial big movers ??

I think we have all slight obsession that relaxation is the ultimate goal in every thing we do with horses yet the very fact we manipulate them into what we think is a pleasing posture and will pull, push and tweak until we have achieved this yet however gentle the ask and however subtle the resistance if the horse resists and we keep asking the question then although we may have achieved an external image of "relaxation" the homeostasis may be out of whack, and if there is one thing that is apparent it is the lack of awareness when it comes to the subtle shifts in behaviour that tells you quietly but firmly NO.

On assessment while we cannot palpate the illiopsoas if the lumbar is rective yet other areas are not then it may not be the illiopsoas, we can certainly assess the range of motion in the hindlimbs and if your horse can protract (bring forward), retract(bring back), circumduct (move in a circular motion), and come across the midline then that usually indicates the Illiopsoas may not be the "problem", so what could it be ???

Quadratus Lumborum (the Harry Potter muscle because it sounds like you are saying a spell, i know you have all just said it like that 😀),
This is a short muscle that sits deep on either side of the lumbar spine, it helps lateral flexion of the spine, stabilizes the lower back and also aids in respiration and movement of the pelvis (tilt laterally so important we assess this), it works with the illiopsoas to help with shock absorption. It is the supermodel muscle as if it is good your horse should have a wiggle like it is walking down the catwalk 😃 if there is stiffness or pain this could also be in the usual suspect line up.
And why when we walk you got to swing those arms and wiggle your butt because if you free your wiggle you emotionally feel better 😃

Gut issues like this is a huge culprit if we are looking at a common denominator then this bad boy is in the top 3, the Ceacum sits on the right side, again how many horses struggle with their right hind if you palpate and get a reaction on behind that last rib coupled with reactivity abd restriction through the hip then no bodywork/training, doing a dance when the sun is rising is going to help it until the gut has been addressed, and looking after the gut is not a one off thing as seasons, coat, mental wellbeing being changes then so to will the gut reactivity

Saddle fitting can affect the lower back as can the rider.

Respiratory issues will always affect the lower back especially if the horse has to work harder to breathe engaging the muscles to work overtime when the Diaphragm is under strain.

Pain anywhere else in the body will often make posture only suitable for relieving pain rather than for a functioning healthy movement, and while in the short term the body may need this posture to help alleviate the pain in the long term it brings its own compensatory issues.

Again if we only think the answer to all the hind end issues is to simply focus on one group of muscles we could do two things, miss the bigger picture and often in our effort to focus on one area we could simply lose our focus on the whole horse.

When we talk about hind end movement it's like a pick'n'mix of muscles and which one to choose as so many do a similar job, its easy to pick one and declare that again fix this and every thing will be fine yet in reality it's only a dream that it can be that simple.

Muscles that get sore when asked to do a normal pattern of movement maybe "tight" yet the more likely result is that they are weak they are not doing their job properly therefore we do not need to relax them we need to strengthen them and in that we help the other muscles who have become sore due to overuse, the enemy of the illiopsoas is a sedentary lifestyle, relaxation will only offer temporary relief, find the cause then address the cause, allowing your horse access to a full range of movement through all gaits for the majority or even better all of the day will always outweigh the short time we spend in a school.

07/04/2025

Multiple studies have shown that increased flexion of the neck during riding or lunging can have many negative effects on the horse’s body and is a welfare issue. Please read this comprehensive article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-72766-5

Image:
Riding behind the vertical or lunging while restricted with side or draw reins can also damage the nuchal ligament. The nuchal ligament is the main ligament of the neck, running from the occipital bone to the thoracic spine with attachments to the cervical vertebrae. It plays a crucial role in supporting the neck during locomotion and allowing for energy-efficient movement.

During hyperflexed head and neck positions, there is increased tension on the cord portion of the nuchal ligament and its attachment to the occipital bone. In horses ridden behind the vertical, the nuchal ligament does not function as a unit, with both parts – the cord and lamina- complementing each other. The cord is under increased tension, which over time can lead to degenerative changes in the ligament and bone changes at its attachment site, resulting in new bone formation – exostoses.
Between the first cervical vertebrae and the nuchal ligament are often developed nuchal bursae, cranial that is above the atlas, and caudal nuchal bursa between the cord and axis. When the nuchal ligament is under extensive tension, that can also initiate inflammation of those thin-walled structures. Cranial and caudal nuchal bursitis can be confirmed by ultrasound.

https://vetmed.agriculturejournals.cz/pdfs/vet/2020/08/01.pdfhttps://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/237/7/javma.237.7.823.xml

Links to my work:
Patreon page that supports my work
https://www.patreon.com/equineanatomyinlayers

Whole Horse Dissection online (12 months access)
https://ivanaruddock.podia.com/the-equine-anatomy-in-layers

Atlas of the Equine Musculoskeletal system
https://ivanaruddock-lange.com/equine-atlas/

20/03/2025

Tails tell a story

I thought I would add a little more in

Often tails are forgotten when we look at the horse we may pull them, or use them as an access point for other parts of the horse but often tails and how they sit in line with the rest of the body can indicate other things which may be happening

Anatomy

The tailbones are called the COCCYGEAL and on average there are 15-18 bones which begin at the end of the sacral bone, the first two are located internally and often the little triangle above the tail will indicate where these are or by moving the tail up and down you can usually feel where the sacrum begins as this is not as mobile as the tailbones
The tail can move up and down and side to side, it has muscles which can help with posture (slow twitch) and movement (fast twitch).
Even though there is no spinal cord here it still contains many nerves and also many soft tissue connections which reach further forward along the horse
Tails are great for communication we can tell alot by the tails movement and not just when riding, fly swatting and balance
If we look at the connection between the big ligaments that are effective between the tail and sacroiliac joints then we often find restriction in either will have an effect on the other and also a more global effect

A tail should feel like there is some resistance then relax when we work on it a bit like goldilocks and the three bears it should not feel to rigid nor to relaxed it should be just right 😁

I think of the tail as a rudder of the ship its used for balance, can indicate how your horse is feeling and we often only think of diagonals with a compensation pattern a straight line from right to left or vice versa when often when we look its usually a zig zag pattern as the horse tries to find a more normal pattern throughout the body sort of trying to right itself at each junction and more often than not if we have a tail off to one side the zig zag pattern of compensation will end up with the head favouring the same side that the tail is sat

Tail off to one side

Often this usually happens way before your therapist comes to work with your horse and its already a deep established pattern throughout your horses body, remember the tail and sacrum are interlinked so usually I come across this if the horse has had some strain around the pelvic area, maybe the horse had a slip or a fall as a youngster and that is why it is so hard to correct it as its usually been a long standing issue and a pattern is ingrained into the body, it's now the horses normal crooked tails are still not well documented as to the whys
So it's important if you see your youngster slip in the field to get it checked, often the bony landmarks hit the ground and you can see its all connected and mostly what I see is the Tuber Coxae that is most affected is the nearside and most tails I see are always favouring to the left side

Tail rigid and stiff

Again for me this may be an indicator that the horse is trying not to move things too much in this area think of the rudder of the ship if it is stuck in one position often intricate movements are hard, the horse is usually ok in straight lines but may struggle with schooling moves, again do not just think of the tail as a single entity you have to think of the connections and muscles in the tail can have connections further up the back

Clamped down tail

This is usually the polar opposite of the rigid tail but again is the horse trying to keep the area as still as possible often the engine is switched off in these horses so they often struggle to power their hind end as the easiest way I explain it to clients is pull your knickers up your bum and then try to run, it's not so easy

Different breeds will have different tail carriages, and different personalities will have different tail carriages as well but we must remember the tail is an indicator of the mobility of your horses spine, and the health of the soft tissue, a non-moving tail is trying to protect an area and like I say we come in much later so there may be no pain but a restriction and it's important we do the work in small parts to allow the horse to adjust and reset

We also have to think of the huge fascial sheets across the horse and the effects of fascial restrictions and patterns throughout the body remember we have to work on the whole horse even if we think it’s a hind end or front end or middle part of the horse for the connections of the tail go much further than the tail bones, think of the top of the tail in a little fascial pop sock

We often only think of steering is a front-end issue but if the rudder fails then the steering will never be right the tail should be able to move with the body counterbalancing the body and we have to work with what we have in front of us, often the owners have done all the vet checks and we are just trying to bring more balance to the body without it having to work so hard

20/03/2025