Input from SaddleRight:
Saddles are major problems for all horses. Here's why:
Saddles just can't fit horses correctly.
If you look closely at your horse's back, you will
see signs of atrophy in the back and hip muscles
(muscle shrinkage.) These muscles must build and
develop under saddles. Every time I examined horses, I
almost always found the trouble in withers and
surrounding areas. The low side must be allowed to
build up and even out the top line.
In human athletes, pelvic girdle and leg muscle
problems stem from neuro lymphatic reflex centers and
acupuncture meridian connectors. These centers are
located on our upper spine; on horses, these sensitive
spots lie exactly where saddle bars rest.
This constant pressure over-stimulates muscle
groups, reducing muscle efficiency, especially in
pelvic girdle muscles (rear end), forcing horses on
the forehand, favoring leads and diagonals, among
other things.
Decreased circulation is only one problem that can be
caused by using wrong saddle pads. Check your horse
using these simple tests:
* Look at your horse. Sit on him bareback and look
down at his upper shoulders (below hollow of withers).
You will see that one shoulder is more developed, with
larger muscles.
* Place your hands on his shoulder blades, (left
hand on left blade, right hand on right blade). Have
someone lead your horse off. You will feel one
shoulder dropping lower as your horse moves. Now get
off and have someone lead your horse away from you.
* Observe your horse's hip action. Do both hips
rise and fall equally? Does one side remain lower with
each step? (Unequal hip action gives you early warning
of Hock, Stifle, Leg problems.)
If your horse shows uneven conformation, as virtually
all horses do, you will see immediately why saddles
CAN'T fit horses on both sides. No "even" saddle, no
matter how well made, can properly fit an "uneven"
horse.
Even worse, with riders mounted, saddles ROLL, placing
more weight on lower shoulder muscles, which are very
large, important muscle groups. This constant stress
interferes with proper blood flow and blocks certain
reflex centers, causing impaired function.
Trying to escape this pressure, horses pull affected
shoulders further down. This unnatural motion not only
promotes muscle shrinkage, but causes mechanical
imbalance, stressing the entire equine body
(especially the rear -- again, Hocks, Stifle, and
Legs).
A stressed, unbalanced horse can no longer be a free
flowing, supple mover. It might tire quickly, leads
may not come easily, and its attitude could
deteriorate. These effects are especially serious in
strenuous competitive conditions. Your horse can never
reach its full potential, and problems started when
that first saddle was cinched on.
Judy
http://iceryder.net
http://clickryder.com
