tobiano1984
Well-Known Member
My special supercob, formerly Emotionally Damaged Cob, who lots of you will have seen/read about on here, has come up against a slight hurdle. Very short background as I've typed it SO many times before!
Bought him from hideous dealer 2 years ago, sold as unrideable and due to go to auction. Didn't like people getting on, didn't like new people, didn't like turning right. Strong suggestions of abuse in his past. Lots of tightness, twisted pelvis, locking stifle etc. Sorted through lots of osteopathy and love and remedial work. Has since won up to Novice dressage and won first ODE, also loves jumping now having been unable to get off the ground last year.
So all going well, I had the osteo out to check him a few weeks ago and she said nothing structurally wrong, just very tight muscles - as she knows his workload (not exactly high pressured) and how we do things, she thinks it's more mentally triggered tension rather than exercise induced. It got worse a couple of weeks ago after I clipped him - he's very good and quiet but it obviously frightened him (he's not the sort to react, just shuts down so sometimes it's hard to tell), and then that has shown through in his ridden work - bit tense when getting on, fine in walk and trot but bit tense in canter (but totally sound) and then more tense in trot after cantering.
At the moment he's on light work - just hacking out several times a week and maybe one session in the school doing stretchy stretchy. We are hoping to BE him in the Spring if all goes well.
So - long and low and stretchy ridden work aside, I'm wondering if there's anything supplement/topical application-wise that I can give him to relax these muscles. If he was a person (and I spoke to my human physio about him!) he'd need something like aromatherapy massage and meditation - but how do you translate that to a horse...! I'm currently training as a vet phys so finding it interesting trying to sort this boy out. Unfortunately I'm only in my first year of the MSc so not much help myself.
It's particularly his brachiocephalicus muscle under his neck that seems very tight, but when you palpate all over he's just generally tight - and usually when you do so he gets tighter!
Hope someone has some ideas to try! It's not like he's unsound or injured or anything, he's just the sort to get in a vicious cycle of tension and I want to try and get him out of it.
Thanks!
Bought him from hideous dealer 2 years ago, sold as unrideable and due to go to auction. Didn't like people getting on, didn't like new people, didn't like turning right. Strong suggestions of abuse in his past. Lots of tightness, twisted pelvis, locking stifle etc. Sorted through lots of osteopathy and love and remedial work. Has since won up to Novice dressage and won first ODE, also loves jumping now having been unable to get off the ground last year.
So all going well, I had the osteo out to check him a few weeks ago and she said nothing structurally wrong, just very tight muscles - as she knows his workload (not exactly high pressured) and how we do things, she thinks it's more mentally triggered tension rather than exercise induced. It got worse a couple of weeks ago after I clipped him - he's very good and quiet but it obviously frightened him (he's not the sort to react, just shuts down so sometimes it's hard to tell), and then that has shown through in his ridden work - bit tense when getting on, fine in walk and trot but bit tense in canter (but totally sound) and then more tense in trot after cantering.
At the moment he's on light work - just hacking out several times a week and maybe one session in the school doing stretchy stretchy. We are hoping to BE him in the Spring if all goes well.
So - long and low and stretchy ridden work aside, I'm wondering if there's anything supplement/topical application-wise that I can give him to relax these muscles. If he was a person (and I spoke to my human physio about him!) he'd need something like aromatherapy massage and meditation - but how do you translate that to a horse...! I'm currently training as a vet phys so finding it interesting trying to sort this boy out. Unfortunately I'm only in my first year of the MSc so not much help myself.
It's particularly his brachiocephalicus muscle under his neck that seems very tight, but when you palpate all over he's just generally tight - and usually when you do so he gets tighter!
Hope someone has some ideas to try! It's not like he's unsound or injured or anything, he's just the sort to get in a vicious cycle of tension and I want to try and get him out of it.
Thanks!