Equine Sports Massage Therapy

10/28/2025

Hope this helps when thinking of the spinal cord
Nice and simple xx

I am full of a stupid cough yeah love my s**t immune system

But back to the doom phase of putting things together 😃😃 on the positive side of things if I never got ill i wouldn't of begun drawing to pass the time 😅

If you like it then hitting the like button means I can keep putting free stuff out as I am monetised so if you share please share the original xx

Oops had to edit as got the ventral and dorsal branch the wrong way round 😃 thank you to who pointed it out i appreciate it xx brains get frazzled

10/16/2025

DOMS in Horses: Understanding Muscle Soreness & Recovery

After hard or unusual work—like hill work, collection, jumping or competition—horses may experience muscle soreness that develops hours later and lasts for a few days. This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

🔬 What happens in the muscles:

• Intense or eccentric work creates tiny micro-tears in muscle fibers.

• The repair process triggers inflammation, swelling, and stiffness.

• Glycogen (the muscle’s energy store) is depleted and refills more slowly after this type of work, delaying full recovery.

• This can leave horses with reduced power, stiffness, or altered movement for 24–72 hours post-exercise.

🐴 How we can support recovery:

• Ensure good nutrition: adequate forage, plus carbohydrates and protein to replenish muscle fuel and aid repair.

• Massage therapy helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation, ease stiffness, and support muscle recovery.

• Provide active recovery: light movement, turnout, and gentle exercise encourage circulation and reduce stiffness.

• Adequate hydration and rest are essential for tissue repair.

👉 Takeaway: DOMS isn’t just about sore muscles—it’s about energy (to perform, to heal, etc), inflammation, and tissue healing.

Incorporating massage and smart recovery practices helps horses more comfortable, balanced, and ready to perform at their best.

https://koperequine.com/how-inflammation-in-muscles-and-fascia-affects-energy-restoration/

10/12/2025

🙌 Serious question - how might you support this horse? 🙌

Can you recognise the distortion and do you understand the long term consequence’s?

Following on from this weeks exploration of welfare focused hoof care, versus a fixed belief and faith in any particular method or style of hoof care, I am sharing this to highlight the consequence’s of loss of 3-D balance on hoof and bone health, and what the appropriate intervention might look like.

Here is a front hoof with a medial lateral imbalance, leading to loss of equilibrium around the coffin joint. I love Daisy Bickings water balloon analogy taught at the School of Integrative Hoof Care (link in the comments) to help understand how the forces received by a hoof impact the flow of nutrition (think lymph and blood, with oxygen, white blood cells to fight infection, nutrients to repair and grow tissues and carry away by products of this process).

A hoof with healthy morphology with neutral limb and global posture, development, healthy gait and equilibrium around the coffin joint, will receive evenly distributed forces from above and below, resulting in even distribution of blood and nourishment around the hoof.

THIS results in EVEN GROWTH AND WEAR

BUT - Where there is uneven load, in any dimension, the result is UNEVEN GROWTH, WEAR AND EXCESS WEAR AND TEAR on the digit, limb and body.

First, soft tissues are impacted, the blood, lymph and nerves themselves, but over time, the changes in nourishment negatively other ‘soft’ tissues (such as ligaments and tendons) then dynamic tissues (think h***y structures such as the frog, walls, sole and bars and also the ungular cartilage and joint surfaces in the digit), then lastly, static tissues which of course are the the bone themselves which alter their conformation in order to adapt.

Once the coffin bone has lost bone mass and form, it doesn’t ever grow back.

In addition, healthy ideal blood flow assists with correct dissipation of kinematic energy created through movement. If blood flow is disrupted, the haemodynamic function becomes impaired and excess energy increases the risk of trauma, injury and tissue breakdown.

As the disease process due to impaired blood flow continues, the coffin bone thins like Swiss cheese and pieces of it may even break off and the hoof develop painful abscesses to try and expel it…

Read the last 3 paragraphs again.

The uneven growth and wear creates uneven pressure on the coffin joint surfaces and in the joint higher up the limb. To relieve pressure, the horse will alter its posture and gait, potentially standing wider in front. The horse’s entire development will adapt causing loss of ideal global balance and stability. Typically, the uneven load causes ossification of the ungular cartilages, called side bone, in attempts to stabilise the capsule and remove unhealthy load from the coffin joint surfaces and associated ligaments, in and around the joint and navicular apparatus which may become inflamed and injured.

So, with welfare of the horse a priority, how might you help this horse?

I also challenge you to communicate in the comments with compassion for the situation, kindness, fairness, clarity, and if you are a professional, communicate professionally!

I/we will NOT tolerate rude, unhelpful, unkind or allow factually incorrect information shared as facts on this page. We are here to support compassionate equestrianism, equine welfare and empowerment of humans seeking the same for horses.

I will post more info tomorrow.

Www.holisticequine.co.uk - supporting and promoting compassionate equestrianism for the benefit of all 💚🙏🐴

10/10/2025

The Interplay Between the Thoracic Sling and the Fascial Sleeve of the Forelimb

The horse’s forehand is a marvel of suspension and flow — a dynamic system that relies on the thoracic sling and the fascial sleeve of the forelimb working together as one continuous, responsive unit. The efficiency, elasticity, and comfort of the horse’s entire front end depend on how these two systems share load, tension, and sensory feedback.

🩻 The Thoracic Sling: The Horse’s “Living Suspension System”

Unlike humans, horses do not have a bony joint connecting their forelimbs to the trunk. Instead, the thoracic sling — a network of muscles and fascia — suspends the ribcage between the shoulder blades. Key players include:
• Serratus ventralis cervicis and thoracis
• Pectoralis profundus and subclavius
• Trapezius and rhomboideus
• Latissimus dorsi
• Related myofascia

These structures stabilize and lift the trunk during movement, absorb impact, and allow for fine adjustments in balance and posture. A supple, strong sling lets the horse “float” the ribcage between the shoulders rather than brace against the ground.

🩹 The Fascial Sleeve of the Forelimb: A Continuum of Force and Flow

Each forelimb is encased in a fascial sleeve — a continuous, multilayered sheath of connective tissue that envelops every muscle, tendon, ligament, and neurovascular pathway from the scapula to the hoof.

Rather than separating structures, fascia integrates them, distributing tension and transmitting force both vertically (hoof to trunk) and laterally (across the chest and back). The fascial sleeve is both a stabilizer and a sensory network, richly innervated with mechanoreceptors that inform the central nervous system about position, pressure, and movement.

🔄 A Two-Way Relationship

The thoracic sling and the fascial sleeve of the forelimb form a mutually dependent system.

When one is tight, weak, or imbalanced, the other compensates — often at a cost.

1. Force Transmission

Each stride begins with ground contact. The impact and rebound forces from the limb travel up through the fascial sleeve, into the shoulder girdle, and directly into the thoracic sling.
If the fascial sleeve is supple and well-hydrated, the sling can absorb and redistribute force smoothly.
If restricted — for instance, by myofascial adhesions or muscular guarding — the load transmits as sharp, jarring impact into the sling, leading to fatigue and microstrain.

2. Postural Support

The sling lifts and stabilizes the thorax between the shoulders. But that lift depends on the integrity of the fascial tension in the forelimb.
If the limb fascia loses tone or the deep pectorals shorten, the ribcage can “drop” between the shoulders, leading to a downhill posture, shortened stride, and overload of the forehand.

3. Neuromuscular Coordination

Fascia houses thousands of sensory receptors that communicate constantly with the nervous system.
The thoracic sling relies on this feedback to coordinate timing and symmetry of movement.
When fascial tension becomes uneven — say, due to unilateral limb restriction — proprioceptive input becomes distorted, and the horse may appear crooked, heavy on one rein, or unable to maintain even rhythm.

4. Reciprocal Influence
• A tight thoracic sling can compress the fascial pathways through the shoulder and upper limb, restricting glide and muscle contraction below.
• Conversely, a restricted fascial sleeve can inhibit normal scapular rotation and ribcage lift, forcing the sling muscles to overwork.

💆‍♀️ Myofascial Release and Massage: Restoring the Dialogue

Manual therapies that target both regions — not just the limb or the trunk in isolation — are key to restoring the horse’s natural balance.

Effective bodywork can:
• Release adhesions within the fascial sleeve to restore elastic recoil.
• Improve scapular glide and thoracic lift.
• Normalize sensory input through mechanoreceptors, refining coordination.
• Encourage symmetrical movement and postural awareness through gentle, integrated mobilization.

When the thoracic sling and limb fascia move as one continuous system, the horse’s stride lengthens, the topline softens, and forehand heaviness diminishes.

🧘‍♀️ Training and Conditioning Support

Beyond manual therapy, proper conditioning maintains this balance:
• Hill work and gentle pole exercises enhance thoracic sling engagement.
• Lateral work improves scapular mobility and fascial elasticity.
• Regular checks of saddle fit and rider symmetry prevent recurring restriction.

🐎 The Takeaway

The thoracic sling doesn’t work in isolation — it’s an extension of the fascial sleeve of the forelimb, and together they form the foundation of forehand function.
Healthy fascia enables the sling to lift, absorb, and respond.
A supple, responsive sling protects the fascia from overload.

When they operate in harmony, the horse moves with effortless balance — powerful yet soft, grounded yet elevated — the way nature intended.

10/08/2025

🙌 long toes = reduced equine welfare state 🙌

Don’t believe everything you are told. Including everything you read here.

Instead - seek to understand the welfare state of the individual horse

Instead - use critial thinking, discernment, and empathy for the horse

Instead - learn how to objectively assess horses welfare parameters of posture, physiology and behaviour

Long toes are associated with poor welfare state, pathology, lameness, pain, stress

Long toes are prevalant, common, endemic, and normalised, and even sought in some communities.

Long toes are indentified as a longer base length in proportion to the heel base length, around the centre of balance (a point 25% down the coronet band from front to back) - example in the comments.

Long toes are often accompanied by low palmar and plantar P3 angles. Eliashar (2004) stating that for every degree away from the ideal there was an increase in strain on the DDFT of 4%.

If you are welfare focused, and care about the horses lived experience, I recommend paying attention to the credible science which is proven, tested, and sadly, poorly understood by the general equine population, (and many professionals too!).

Those who disagree cannot provide externally verifiable objective documentation and data to support what they say, because what they say isnt externally verifiable. Think about that very carefully before defending those opinions…

Some credible science is listed in the comments. Check it out before disagreeing. If you disagree, please provide science and data to support your opinion.

Just saying it is so, doesnt make it so, yet so many are quick to believe, because of propaganda, fake news, emotional manipulation and businesses seeking to profit from distraught owners of lame horses.

Propaganda has no place in equine welfare. Learn the facts. Become empowered. Make informed decisions.

Www.holisticequine.co.uk - supporting and promoting compassionate equestrianism for the benefit of all 💚🙏🐴

09/20/2025

Finally I am onto the hind end, well dabbling in and out.
We often forget about muscles like the Gastrocnemius yet look where it merges to create part of the Calcaneous tendon 👀, we often look at how the foot lands as just as foot problem yet it can often be further up that is creating an instability, we look at a gluteal issue as a top end problem without looking at why a group of muscles are struggling to create a more even pattern
As someone who suffered a Gastrocnemius tear it literally stopped me in my tracks the pain was immediate and high on the scale of ouch 😃, and it took ages to heal as the tendon had been affected it was a fine line of always maybe doing to much but not knowing was how much
We always forget the middle 😊, looking at how the hocks are moving, looking at how the hocks orientate when stood still can say alot about how the horse is loading the whole hind end, and if the springboard cannot spiring then how can we ask for correct movement without something else compensating for the slack (or wobble)
Remember hocks only tell part of the story and why hip, stifle, hock, fetlock often mirror each other's issue
Try it yourself stand up rotate your hips Inwards and outwards and see how your legs move to accommodate the angle, try walking, then trotting 😉 how long is it before you become uncomfortable, what happens to your ass they either squeeze together or your lower back goes like a duck then what about the sacriolliac joints ??? How many horses stand with their tail stuck in their butt??? Could you run with your knickers doing a wedgy ?? How many horses when you pick up the hind limb over abduct or abduct what about all the other muscles that have to work as a team if one team member is down then the others have to pitch in and then maybe they become tired quicker while multitasking.
It's why I get a bit annoyed when people diss injections because sometimes horses need immediate pain relief and that sometimes comes in the form of an injection
And we havent even hit on any compensatory issues that maybe why the hocks were in trouble right from the start

09/15/2025

Lots of my drawings go in the
"I dont like it enough yet" bin
This is what takes such a long time its not putting it into a picture its the jiggling about to make it clearer and not to busy this is the 5th attempt😃 I then usually go watch some tele and come back to it and usually it then falls into place

It's a bit like working with horses if you try to hard you often miss the easier option, often if you stop, go away and then come back to it the puzzle does not seem so hard, maybe its because when learning we often think of giving our horses time to process the ask but we forget that often we need that time aswell so if you are struggling sometimes stopping, regrouping and trying again with a new mindset can make the difficult easy.

Off to do draft number 6 😄😄😄
Sometimes its not skill its the determination that keeps us going 😄

Not finished yet so dont reprimand me until i have finished 😀😀

09/07/2025

What is hyper focus look like?? erm this at 2.30 am in the morning
92 pages done so far !! and I have given up drinking coffee 😱

08/30/2025

08/25/2025

08/20/2025