04/11/2025
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.
