HorsePower Equine Services

05/11/2013

Rope Halter (Version anglaise du précédent article ):

All halters can pose problems, but my preoccupation today focus on the rope halter .We know more an area is thin less the pressure is distributed. If the pressure is localized it can become painful.

The Veterinarian Dr. Suzan Seeyle has, I think, done a very good summary:
"Rope halters are very light weight, which is nice, but the knots that are positioned in various places and number are very harsh and severe on the sensitive face of the horse. Rope halters can certainly demand a horse's immediate attention, but is communication through pain really what we are after? When was screaming more effective than whispering?"

A rope halter can irritate and temporarily stimulate pain receptors that are inervated by certain nerves, example for infra orbital nerve, the horse may show head tossing. (Thanks to Dr. Cook for the explanation) ... So I asked myself the question, where are
positioned these knots ?To get an idea, I have chosen pictures of horses with a halter rope, then I compared them with detailed pictures of anatomy of the nerves of the head of the horse... we see that some nerves seem to be targeted. ( I have not found scientific articles on this ,if you have one, I'd be happy to have a look)

The infraorbital nerve:
The infraorbital nerve is a sensory continuation of the maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve. This nerve supplies
sensory innervation to the ipsilateral upper lip, cheek, and nostril.

Ventrale buccale branch:
May & all said "This branch first runs within the intramandibular space before it enters the face with the facial vessels and parotid duct. These branches innervate the muscle of the cheek lips
and nostrils. the peripheral branchs join with the trigeminal nerve to combine motors and sensory fibers. In the horse, the dorsal and ventral buccal branches cross the masseter muscle ventral to the tempomandibular joint, which is a common site of injury. External
traumas most often affecting this site in the horse include crush injuries due to halter or bridles that are too tight"

The inferior alveolar nerve:
The inferior alveolar nerve (sometimes called the inferior dental nerve) is a branch of the mandibular nerve, which is itself the third branch of the trigeminal nerve.The trigeminal nerve is the largest of the cranial nerves but also one of the most sensible.
thes branches of the trigeminal nerve conducts sensation from the muzzle and face to the brain.

We understand better why the horse is so attentive...

But I was wondering if we could go further ...Do the knots which are in contact with so sensitive part can go further than the irritation of pain receptor?

Some people tie their horses although they are with rope halter,
or without necessarily attaching them, some horses walk on their lead rope,they can then feel prisoner, then panic and struggle and they get injured ...And as we have mentioned earlier the distribution of pressure compared to a flat halter is not the same.If you refer to the Merck Manual (below), trauma due to halters can involve paralysis .According to them Trauma is a common cause of facial paralysis in all species, in horses, halter can be involved..This injuries can have an inpact on the lips , nostrils, eyelids, ears, tear,saliva on they way they eat, drink ...

Let say :"Forewarned is forearmed"



References:
Merck veterinary manual
The facial nerve.(Mark May, Barry M. Schaitkin)
Anatomy of the horse. (Klaus Dieter Budras, W. O. Sack)

Special thanks to : JW.R Cook,ustine Harrison , Jayne Roberts

04/14/2013

http://www.thinlineglobal.com/kissing-spine-disease-dorsal-spinous-impingement/

The following is an article by Randy Frantz of Burlington Equine Veterinary Services, LLC, Vermont, on kissing spine disease, how to diagnose it and what to do about it. Here at ThinLine we have been working with veterinarians to improve equine comfort and recovery from many spinal issues including...

03/21/2013

Good to Know ... !!

Imbalanced Rider, Imbalanced Horse

- The rider’s TIPPED-FORWARD position places his weight in front of the horse’s center of balance, pushing him onto his forehand and making it difficult for him to balance himself. The rider’s seat bones are not in contact; the legs move back and forth. The rider is in front of the horse’s motion.
- The CHAIR SEAT places the rider’s weight on the back of the saddle and behind the motion of the horse. The seat bones are in a constant driving position. This is uncomfortable for the horse, which then hollows its back and raises it’s head. It cannot relax or round its back or move freely forward on the aids. Again, effectiveness of the rider’s seat and legs is lost.
- The rider MUST be BALANCED LATERALLY, as well. Some riders sit unevenly, collapsed through the waist, pushing the hips to one side and tilting the shoulders to compensate. Watch the rider from behind to check for straightness. The horse cannot be straight if its rider is crooked.

03/17/2013

𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘩, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

Checking a horse's bridle fit is as important as checking his or her bit fit and saddle and girth fit. It is something diligent riders and especially horse pros should be quite fanatical about as it acutely affects a horse's health.

It is important to do your due diligence and check and adjust nosebands, flashes and browbands carefully, making sure that no strap is uncomfortably tight, buckles do not push into joints (TMJ) or nerves - or are too close to the eyes - and that the poll strap does not push against the horse's ears (and of course check bit fit).

Bridle leather should be cleaned, conditioned ans checked for cracks or unraveled stitching that can irritate the skin, routinely.

No tack should be adjusted so tightly that it prevents the horse from moving its jaw and tongue comfortably, presses on its gullet or the base of his/her ears. Some horses require custom sized bridles or browbands and nosebands.

Regarding nosebands, you must be able to slide two stacked fingers between the leather and the nasal bone easily. The ISES recommends a gap of 1.5 to 2cm and you can purchase a "noseband taper gauge" online to help you if need be. Do not go by tools alone however, do what is comfortable for your individual horse based on conformation, history, preferences.

A quick look at what cranial nerves control reveals how important their health is and why properly fitted tack is paramount.

There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves. They have a role in:

▶️ Balance
▶️ Sensory and motor control of viscera including heart, lungs, and bowel
▶️ Heart rate
▶️ Gastro-Intestinal peristalsis
▶️ Hearing
▶️ Smell
▶️ Vision
▶️ Eye movement
▶️ Neck muscles that move the head
▶️ Sensation from the face
▶️ Motor to the muscles for biting, chewing
▶️ Facial expression
▶️ Taste from the anterior 2/3rds of the tonque
▶️ Taste from the posterior 1/3rd of the tonque
▶️ Tearing (lacrimal gland)
▶️ Salivation from the parotid gland as well as not from the parotid gland (different nerves)
▶️ Sensation and some motor to the pharynx
▶️ Swallowing (motor to the muscles of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx)
▶️ Vocalization (motor to the muscles of the soft palate, pharynx and larynx)
▶️ Tongue movement

Artist Diane Schell created this useful illustration showing the 12 pairs of cranial nerves and where they are in relationship to bridles potential pressure point. Thank you Diane.

Source: HorseAdvice.com and the Merck Veterinary Manual and an in-depth online article from Tuft university which is unfortunately no longer available (http://www.tufts.edu/vet/sports/neuro2.html)

PS: There is an important nerve Diane did not highlight in red. It comes out on the side of the lower jaw. If you look at the skulls we posted earlier this week, you can see it quite clearly on both side. It is a general sensory nerve for the skin of chin, and lower lip.

Image © Diane Schell

3/12/2013 - VETERINARIAN Massimo Da Re Follows up with More Insights on CRANIAL Nerves, the Brain and Limbic System

The head of all vertebrates is one of the most important parts for the life of the individual: It is home to the brain that has the delicate task to process the information that comes from the body and from the outside world and return to the various parts of the body with essential indications for life.

The brain encodes what the sense organs perceive and organize the existence of the individual. The brain also reads the feelings of the heart which is the true center of life.

In the head are located vital organs: hearing, smell, sight, taste, touch. ( and breath)

Think for a moment about your horse, observe how important its highly mobile ears, his large nostrils, his very expressive eyes are for its essence.

Finally the mouth. The horse lives with his mouth: eats, vocalizes, works, relates to the outside world. It contains more than 4 billion nerve endings and is closely associated with a portion of the brain called Limbic System, responsible for the control of emotions and learning: think about this before acting with your hands on your horse's mouth.

There are no horses "deaf" or "hard" in the mouth, pain receptors can not be deleted nor go out: horses fight oral pain in different forms: some rear, others pull on the reins, while others seem to be resigned and have a heavy mouth.

Study well this beautiful and useful image and use the equipment on your horse with awareness and respect : avoid too tight nose-bands, make sure briddle and bit fit well.

Be careful with the halter, especially if it is made in rope or fabric that are too thin: they can lead to excessive pressure on the nerves of the face; always remove the halter when the horse is free, in stall or outside in the field. Be gentle with your hands, both when you lead the horse and when you ride.

The subject is vast and deserves full days of discussions!

Thank you Massimo! and Tellington TTouch Cavalli Italia.

𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘𝗦

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/inhandlessonswithmanolo

FOR EQUINE WELLNESS PROS

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/improvedhorseperformance

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/equinewellnesscourse2013

©ProudHorse Connections .2013

02/23/2013

Barefoot is beautiful..........

01/06/2013

Happy New Year! Here's to happy, healthy horses and the blissful moments spent with them.

11/04/2012

I don't make it a habit to work on a Sunday, but I did make an exception for a 4H group this afternoon at http://www.wb-farm.com/ (Willow Brook Farm, Plainfield NH).

10/30/2012

SO very proud of this partnership, Emily & Toro. Even more proud to be part of their 'team'. My regular appointments with Toro are definitely a favorite of my Horse Days. I always look forward to seeing him. He's a HAPPY, HAPPY horse who loves his home, Emily and those that work with him.

Emily Kannenstine & Tornado Da Raposa
by Sarah Beard Buckley
www.sbbphotography.com

08/11/2012

Even a Gold Medalist thinks helmets are the way to go: "“It’s going to be a rule, I think, for wearing a crash hat (helmet) and I actually fractured my skull through not wearing a hat,” she told the BBC in an interview. “I was so lucky to escape from that and now, it’s something I always do.”

http://www.riders4helmets.com/2012/08/charlotte-dujardin-previously-fractured-skull-in-fall-while-riding/

Olympic dressage team and individual gold medalist, Charlotte Dujardin, has stated that she wears a helmet while riding due to previously fractured her skull in a fall from a horse. Dujardin became a global role model for safety after she donned a helmet to compete in the London 2012 Olympics. Dujar...

08/05/2012

Addy loves to "groom" something (or someone) while getting her massage.

07/17/2012

Back down to one horse day a week, starting today. And what a HOT horse day it'll be! Why do neither of my jobs involve air conditioning?! I hope everyone, and their horses stay cool and hydrated. Bring on the rain & cooler temps!

07/11/2012

After this week, I am lessening my horse days to just one again. I have the horses to sustain more than one - however, I'll be taking on more work at my "other" job and gaining health benefits in doing so because paying for private health care is pricey here in NH. This will affect my clients in the sense that I'll have less room to just add another horse, and my most regular clients have first dibs on appointments. Weekly clients, then bi-weekly and so on. I've done just one horse day for years, so this won't be strange territory for me. Thank you ALL for your support!