24/09/2025
Often clients have concerns for their horses
Poll . This article writen by Helen Thornton gives great Insight to the anatomy and function of that region and its vulnerability for strain .
Many horses are subjected to bad pull backs where the horse fights the pressue till sometjing breaks. When i examine a horse it isnt uncommon to find tight sore necks and poll areas sensitive to being touched.
Previous pull backs sometimes from years ago , usually come up when i ask.
Enjoy the artical and spread the word to be gentle on horses polls ๐
Also as I always say โฆ. get your horse treated soon after any strain to reduce further problems manifesting !
T๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ & ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐๐
An anatomical structure far more clinically relevant than many realiseโผ๏ธ
๐ ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐?
Myo = muscle
Dural = dura mater (protective membrane around the spinal cord)
๐ The myodural bridge = a direct link between the re**us capitis posterior minor muscle and the dura mater.
๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป:
Atlas (C1) & Axis (C2)
Atlas & Occiput
โ ๏ธ This region is one of the few places where the spinal cord is not fully protected by bone.
Also โ the greater occipital nerve runs through here โ vulnerable to irritation & strain.
โก ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐?
Because of its proximity to the brainstem, dysfunction here can affect:
Hearing ๐
Swallowing ๐ฎโ๐จ
Eye control ๐
Muscle tone ๐ช
Chronic irritation = hypersensitivity to sound/light, swallowing issues, abnormal muscle responses.
This explains why horses with poll trauma or pull-back injuries can show long-term behavioural and physical problems that seem disproportionate to the original event.
โ๏ธ ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ก๐ผ๐๐ฒ!
If your horse (especially a young one ๐ด):
Pulls back while tied โ
Shakes its head immediately after โ
๐ Call a qualified equine osteopath within 1โ2 weeks!
And never teach young horses to tie to something solid. ๐ซ
๐ฅ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ:
๐๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ช๐ต๐บ: spooky, noise-intolerant horses after poll injury
๐๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ข๐ณ ๐ช๐ด๐ด๐ถ๐ฆ๐ด: tracking problems, blink changes, head-shy behaviour
๐๐ธ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ/๐ฃ๐ช๐ต ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ด: sudden bit resistance, choking, tongue thrusting
๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ช๐ค ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ/๐ค๐ฆ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ: guarding even at rest
๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ช๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ด: anxiety, head tossing, hypersensitivity at the poll
โ ๏ธ ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด:
Halters & bridles lie directly over this region
A single pull-back = potential trauma to spinal cord + brainstem
Some dressage โtechniquesโ (like the nuchal ligament flip) can strain this area โ long-term dysfunction, pain & instability
๐ซ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐:
Disturbance of the CO junction & myodural bridge isnโt โjust muscular.โ
It creates a cycle of neurological stress, pain, and sensory overload.
๐ Prevention > cure.
Avoid hard tying & training aids that compromise this region.
โจ For horse health, behaviour, and performance โ protect the poll.
๐ฆ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐: https://helenthornton.com/conta
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