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Introducing Common Saddle Fit Problems in Arabian Horses

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Arabian saddle fitting can be complex

Achieving good saddle fit with Arabian horses can be challenging on account of some breed-typical features that make their backs somewhat complicated. You can correct one issue and run immediatley into another, for there’s often very little wriggle room when it comes to the Arabian back.

Of course, not all horses in a single breed are the same, as there are many variations in conformation and posture. However, saddle fitters usually agree that Arabians can be the trickiest of customers to fit.

This post introduces some commonly seen issues, so you can look at your Arabian’s body with a clearer understanding of what’s happening with a saddle (mis)fit, and what you need to be looking for as you try to move forwards.

The Arabian Horse and Saddle Fit Problems

Here are the conformational points that feed into many Arabian saddle fit issues. Arabians display some or all of these features:

  • Compact and short-coupled
  • Wide flat back
  • Well sprung ribcage
  • Long set back withers
  • High croup

The combination of these features varies between the main strains of Arabians as well as individual breeding lines.

Briefly, strains are breed subgroups, often named after the Sheikhs or tribes that bred them. Each strain has subtle variations in physical features, temperament, and abilities. Some are pictured in this post, purely to help us see the influences on modern conformation more clearly.

To make these features’ interaction in saddle fit easier to understand, I’ve organised these conformation points within three sections in this post.

1. A Short Wide Back

As a breed, Arabians probably come with more legends attached than any other. One of these is usually accepted without question: that the breed has one fewer rib than other breeds.

If you talk to an equine anatomist with decades of experience, you’ll hear that most Arabians have the regular number of thoracic vertebrae (18), but some have fewer lumbar vertebrae (five instead of six).

This does shorten the back overall and brings the last rib closer to the point of hip, creating a short-coupled horse.

The Arabian back is typically both short and wide. 

 

How does this affect saddle fit on its own?

First, the round ribcage may lead to the saddle rolling. As it is usually accompanied by a forward girth ‘groove’, choice of girth becomes especially important.

An anatomical girth that clears the elbows and is wider in the centre (for a wide barrelled horse with a flat sternal area) may assist with stabilising the saddle.

A short, well rounded back is evident in these images of the Kuhaylan strain. “Known for strength and a compact build, horses of this strain are considered the classic desert warhorse. They have a reputation for courage and endurance.”

 

So as well as clearing the wither, the saddle must be wide enough to accommodate the ribcage and well-muscled back in the fit horse.

Western trail saddles recommended for Arabians have shorter skirts with wider gullets, and a bit more curve along the length. English style saddles are usually wide, with wider, flatter and thinner panels.

This horse has more back length, yet still presents the long low wither and a forward girth line.

2. Low to Medium Withers

The saddle area is shortened by the long set-back wither, which is an aspect of the deep chest, high set neck, and laid back shoulder.

As well as being long, Arabian withers are frequently low and well-covered, with heavy muscle at their base.

A wide, hoop style tree is often the answer for English style saddles.

Western saddles, as well as being shorter with rounded skirts that won’t impact the point of hip, may have need to have more flare in the bars to accommodate the wide shoulders and scapular movement.

Long substantial withers are visible in The Dahman: “This strain is known for producing horses with a balanced combination of beauty, power, and endurance. Dahman horses are often prized for their strong, athletic build and good temperament.”

 

Arabians may also have withers of a more middling height, which also widen out into a rounded ribcage. If the horse’s back is fairly flat along the topline, then the tree and panels need to be straighter too.

These withers extend well back into the saddle area, with an extremely well-sprung rib cage.

 

With these horses, the saddle gullet needs to be higher, but still have enough width to accomodate the shoulder and rib cage. (Of course, if the horse is a lot finer, then narrow may be what is needed.)

Fitting around the broad muscle at the base of the neck is not achieved by simply widening a synthetic saddle by swapping gullet plates – doing so will make the saddle more curved along its length, which isn’t suitable for a horse with a straight back. On these horses, the saddle may rock.

3.  Height of Croup

Arabians are known for their relatively long, level croup (top of the hindquarters) and naturally high tail carriage. The height of the pelvis at the sacral tuberosities (the bony peak) may be as high as the withers, or indeed higher. This may be obscured in images where the horse’s hind legs are extended out.

This short-backed Arabian has a level croup that might become higher than the withers once the hind feet come forward.

There is already a potential issue because when the lumbar spine is short, it must sweep up to the pelvis at a steeper angle than with a longer lumbar spine.

Add to this a topline built from full curves – the Arabian’s famous flowing lines – and a definite dip in the thoracic spine (saddle area). The upward sweep to the pelvis is now more accentuated.

A postural issue also comes into play, as a naturally high head carriage dips the spine further (ie. hollowing the back).

 

The Hamdani strain. “Slightly taller and longer in frame … known for their powerful builds and strong backs, Hamdanis are excellent for endurance.”

Two things can now be happening.

If low broad withers are accompanied by a higher croup, there may be issues with the saddle sliding forwards. The saddle may be unstable and will roll easily on the horse’s rounded body – more so than if the croup is level with the withers.

The bigger issue is that the saddle may bridge between the lumbar muscles and the set back withers and muscles, creating pressure at these points.

If both of the above are happening at once, the saddle may both press into the shoulders and roll from side to side, creating a very uncomfortable and potentially painful experience for the horse, and little stability for the rider.

Away from the show ring and equine sports, extremely high croups can be seen in domestically bred horses. (c) J Clothier

 

In these cases, saddles may need shorter tree and panels to avoid resting on the upswept lumbar spine.

But it can’t be small: it still needs sufficient width to clear the spine and the withers, and to sit across those wide back muscles with a good, even contact.

 

The Complex Arabian 

As we can see, the combined issues that can arise with Arabian conformation require us to think about the shape of the saddle tree along every inch of its length and width.

Only once their complicated conformation is understood, can great saddle fit be achieved.

 

 

Thankfully, there are many saddles out therem including Arabian-specific models, which are becoming more and more finely tuned.

It has to be said we must thank the world of endurance riding for many of the more innovative solutions, with special designs created to accomodate the conformation and movement of this remarkable breed.

 

Useful saddle fitting resources

This article introduces the problems, so what about solutions?

The following resources provide more information on getting your saddle fit right (I’ll add more soon!)

Western Saddle Fit – The Basics 67-minute video on DVD or Vimeo streaming from Rod and Denise Nikkel

Western Saddle Fit: Well Beyond the Basics 6 hours for equine professionals from Rod and Denise Nikkel

The Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book eBook from Joyce Harman DVM

The Western Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book Soundness and comfort with back analysis and correct use of saddles and pads, from Joyce Harman DVM

Saddlefit4Life YouTube channel presents numerous educational videos, from Jochen Schleese of Schleese Saddlery.

When Half Breed Saddles Fit The Rider But Not The Horse

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Although hugely popular, the Half Breed saddle is harder to fit to horses than its simple appearance seems to suggest.

As the love child of the Australian stock saddle and the Western saddle, its origins are on the station or farm, where riders spend long hours working cattle.

It offers the rider a lot of stability and security, while allowing freedom of movement when needed in stock work.

In Australia, it’s favoured in sports including campdrafting, team penning, or polocrosse. There are also many variations in endurance riding, while many leisure riders love this secure saddle.

However, its design does throw up some oft-seen fitting problems horse-side.

Caveat: If your saddle fits well, you’ve no reason to be concerned with what I describe here. If you’re not sure, then the following points are something to be aware of. It’s not an attack on this style of saddle or the sports that use it.

 

Why are Half Breed saddles so popular?

Note: This style is often called a Swinging Fender, which is becoming a catch-all name for a group of similar styles. Strictly speaking, the ‘Fender’ saddle has stuffed panels like the Aussie stock saddle – that’s not what we’re looking at here.

This style is favoured by many riders for a few reasons. I’ll hazard a few here:

  1. It feels safe and secure, thanks to the knee pads.
  2. You sit where it puts you, thanks to the knee pads.
  3. The seat is open and wide, therefore comfortable.
  4. It’s functional for working stock.
  5. It’s lighter than western saddles.
  6. It apppears to be easy to fit.
  7. It’s a good-looking saddle.

The sticking point is its apparent simplicity when it comes to fitting. There’s a prevailing belief that if it’s wide enough, it fits.

That’s simply not true. And nor does it become a better fit through the addition of a thicker pad.

 

What are the features of a Half Breed saddle?

The tree is closer to a Western tree, but with a more forward-angled swell (ie. pommel area). It also has fenders and skirts like the Western, with an unpadded underside (which is why it’s always used with a thick saddle pad).

Meanwhile, the raised knee pads that offer so much security hark back to the Aussie stock saddle. A critical difference is that in the Half Breed saddle, they’re angled forwards.

 

Western (left) and Half  Breed tree (right).

 

But what’s also important is this.

Like the Western saddle, the Half breed’s fit is harder to check underneath than English and Aussie stock saddles. It can often look fine from the outside, even when it’s not fitting the contours of the horse’s back at all.

Here are the varied ways and the reasons why Half Breed saddles can fail to fit. As you’ll see, they overlap and interlock to a surprising degree.

 

The forward sloping angles of the fork

As we’ve just seen, the swell of the Half Breed saddle (ie. pommel area) is angled forwards.

This provides a base for the knee pads, which suit a forward leg position for the rider.

The difficulty is that the bars frequently restrict the shoulder action, as the structure either extends forward above over the scapula cartilage or digs in behind it.

The forward angled bars frequently extend over and restrict the scapula cartilages.

The Trapezius and Rhomboid muscles are affected, with horses often showing tension and muscle maldevelopment, along with ‘hollowing’ along the topline.

Even so, the shoulder action can still lift and tilt the saddle back, which then causes it to slide back. It’s quite common to see the saddles used with breastplates for extra stability.

On top of this, the fixed position of the knee pads can force a rider’s butt further back as they adopt a ‘chair seat’. This leads to or contributes to a number of problems – more on this below.

 

The width and angle of the Half Breed saddle tree 

Half Breed saddle trees are often narrow in front and steeply angled.

These may suit lower weight, hard-working stock horses of Thoroughbred type, but can be disastrous for heavier horses, such as Australian Stock Horses with more Quarter Horse influence.

The shoulder action is often even more restricted by this narrowness. Once again, the saddle may be lifted in front and the saddle can tip back.

Alternatively, if the bars are pushing in behind the scapula, muscle atrophy can occur and then the saddle drops down in front. Thicker saddle pads may be added by a well meaning owner, but this doesn’t solve the problem – it compounds it.

 

The profile across the back of the tree

As mentioned, the back of the saddle gives the illusion that it’s simple to fit.

The plain skirt suggests that ‘what you see is what you get’ when compared with European saddles or Australian stock saddles.

However, there’s a solid tree in there, and the contour across the back of the tree needs to match that of the horse’s back.

When the tree is too wide and flat, there’s often too much contact adjacent to the spine, and little to no contact further out.

This creates a higher level of pressure in the narrow contact areas.

If the saddle is already being tipped back, we have potential for a lot of postural change throughout the lumber spine and lumbosacral region of the horse.

 

The bridging Half Breed saddle

Can it get worse? Yes. Compounding all of the above, the saddle may bridge due to its close fit over the scapula cartilage.

Bridging means there are areas of strong contact and high pressure at the front and back of the saddle, and little in the middle.

It can sit clear or almost clear (you don’t need to actually see daylight) above the spinal curve beneath the saddle.

Add this to all of the above and things are getting pretty unpleasant for the horse. It’s certainly not unusual to see this, especially when bigger saddles are placed on horses that are croup-high, or downhill in conformation.

 

The seat balance of the Half Breed seat

Back to the angled swell and knee pads. These provide security for the rider, but leaves them little option but to sit further back.

This means they’re positioned some behind the centre of gravity ‘sweet point’, which is close behind the shoulders and withers.

The rider’s weight is levered to the back of the saddle, loading the back of the thoracic spine and possibly the more forward lumbar spine.

 

Photo by JS Photography. Cropped for privacy.

The horse’s tendency is to hollow or straighten the lumbar spine in an effort to manage the rider’s weight.

It’s common to see overdeveloped and hypertrophic lumbar muscles, along with an overstraight or raised lumbar spine.

This is not a criticism of a riding style. All saddles place the rider behind this sweet spot (as discussed in this earlier article),  but the issue is how far behind. Some saddles are more angled than others.

 

Useful saddle fitting resources

This article introduces the problems, so what about solutions?

The following resources provide more information on getting your saddle fit right.

Western Saddle Fit – The Basics 67-minute video on DVD or Vimeo streaming from Rod and Denise Nikkel

Western Saddle Fit: Well Beyond the Basics 6 hours for equine professionals from Rod and Denise Nikkel

The Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book eBook from Joyce Harman DVM

The Western Horse’s Pain-Free Back and Saddle-Fit Book Soundness and comfort with back analysis and correct use of saddles and pads, from Joyce Harman DVM

 

 

The Crazy Logic of Saddle Fitting That You Probably Haven’t Thought About

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There’s a basic premise of saddle fitting that hasn’t occurred to a lot of people. It can’t have done, not if the tack they’re riding in is anything to go by.

To start, let’s remind ourselves that the horse’s back wasn’t designed to be sat on and it certainly wasn’t designed for saddles. This isn’t to pursue an argument about what is natural for horses or not. Yes we ride them and it’s not natural, ta-de-da.

The reason for this statement is simply to highlight the fact that inserting a relatively static piece of equipment between two living organisms in motion is, at best, always going to be fraught with complexity.

 

We have to acknowledge that when it doesn’t work, it’s usually to the horse’s detriment. Yes, sometimes also the rider, but if the rider’s copping it, the horse is usually getting it too.

 

One of my favourite statements about saddle fitting

It’s possibly a bit odd to have a fave sentence on this subject, but here’s one that leapt out at me a few years back and is still hanging around.

Ken Lyndon-Dykes, Master Saddler expressed this particular concept so succinctly in his book, Practical Saddle Fitting. Enjoy this – it’s a biggie:

“The best designed, most beautifully crafted saddle made specifically to fit an individual horse will not improve the horse’s ability to perform, benefit his welfare or increase his comfort.”

Say what? Do you feel the impact of that? Maybe you knew it already, but it never hurts to have certain truths reflected back at us as a reminder.

Certainly, having used this quote on a presentation slide in my Saddle Fit Essentials for Horse Owners clinics, I’ve found that these words often pull people up short. There’s usually a moment or two when you can almost hear the implications sinking in.

 

Let’s take that sentence apart a bit.

“The best saddle will not improve the horse’s ability to perform …” 

Let’s be clear, this is when compared to how the horse performs when free of its saddle and rider. The horse is always going to move better with no restriction or load on its back.

“…benefit his welfare… “

Again, nope, we’re not improving the horse’s welfare, but minimizing and ideally eliminating the negative impact on the horse’s welfare that comes with restriction or pain due to poor saddle fit.

“… or increase his comfort.” 

Same. When did you ever see a horse look more comfortable after you put the saddle on? What we are aiming for is simply neutral, in that the horse is as comfortable with the saddle (and rider) as it is without.

 

The fact is that saddles are there to assist the rider and beyond that are an exercise in damage limitation to minimize the effect of their own presence. 

And that’s it. There’s the crazy logic, right there.

It’s a paradox, the definition of a parodox being “a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement or proposition which when investigated may prove to be well founded or true.”

Saddles may not make a horse go better, but the well-fitted saddle definitely minimizes the negative effect that a saddle and rider may have in preventing normal action and, at worse, causing discomfort and pain.

Interesting, isn’t it? Yet once we recognize this fundamental truth, the more likely it is that we’re on the road to making wise and sensible choices that increase comfort for our horses and improve performance as a result.

How Much Do You CAIR What’s In Your Saddle?

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How curious are you as a horse owner? Do you want to know how things work, what they look on the inside, and if they’re as good as the makers say – right the way through?

The guts of any piece of equipment are usually less pretty than the exterior, but nevertheless, we’re often happy to take the manufacturer’s word on trust.

Yet when the marketing message is that a particular brand is actually healthier for the horse’s back on account of its inbuilt ‘systems’, it’s definitely time to take a closer look. Consider a message such as this:

“Naturally, horses will demonstrate a marked improvement in performance when changed to a saddle featuring CAIR®.”

http://www.easychangefitsolution.com/saddle_brands/wintec-saddles.html (13/3/2017)

That’s pretty grand, isn’t it? How wonderful if it were only true. But working in Australia, birthplace of Weatherbeeta, Bates and Wintec, and a chain of saddlery stores that sells and fits these saddles, which is owned by that same company, I do find much evidence that persuades me otherwise.

At this point, I must make my usual disclaimer: I have no problem with any saddle that genuinely fits the horse. I do have a problem with misleading claims, intentional or otherwise, as expressed in my earlier article, Debunked: The Lie That’s Told About Adjustable Saddles.

© All text copyright of the author, Jane Clothier, https://thehorsesback.com. 

 

CAIR for the horse – or EASY-Marketing?

Easy flock? More details below…

Google CAIR and you’ll find it described as the “revolutionary CAIR® Cushion System for the ultimate performance panel”.

Navigating a range of websites, you might also discover that it is accompanied in saddles by the EASY-CHANGE® Gullet System and the EASY-CHANGE® Riser system.

Together, these three comprise the EASY-CHANGE® Fit Solution.

Confused yet? No matter, as you can read all about it on the EASY-CHANGE® website…

Crazy as I find the labelling, and let’s be honest, the brand marketing department has gone a bit nuts, what really bothers me is that these much vaunted systems are not doing what it says on the packet. Nowhere near.

 

The problem with systems…

In my view, systems often evolve to the benefit of the people who operate them. That is fine: they make problems easier to understand and easier to navigate – and saddle fitting is certainly a problem when you can’t find the right fit for your horse.

So if a system results in a better saddle fit and, as the website suggests “your horse’s absolute comfort and your peace of mind”, all well and good.

But where systems go wrong is when the function of making life easier for people is given more importance than the problem they were originally intended to resolve.

Or, indeed, when they become an effective way of achieving increased sales through the handy marketing push they make possible.

And this bugs me because the horse’s much vaunted comfort is usually by this stage sliding further and further down the importance pile. Like a growing number of equine professionals, I’ve taken a look inside these saddles, and something simply isn’t adding up between the message and the reality.

At this point, I will say no more, but instead present some of the website content I’ve been reading this month. Alongside it, you’ll find some photos that I and others have taken.

Beyond the photo captions, I’ve made no comment until the last section on flocking. I found that had no choice, because the ‘secret flock sock’ is so secret, I can find no website content about it… Let’s just say that seems a little unusual.

 

“The CAIR® Cushion System”

CAIR panels removed from a Wintec, 5 years ago. Manufacturer’s own parcel tape.

“Fluidly working with your horse’s muscles, the revolutionary CAIR® Cushion System replaces traditional fillings in your saddle with air. The cushioning nature of air encourages your horse to soften, relax and engage. Seated closer to your horse, you become simply an extension of one another. Transcend into a new world of opportunities through the power of true connection. Empower your horse with the ultimate in comfort, and explore your true potential together with the CAIR® Cushion System. ”

http://caircushionsystem.com/noflash.htm  (13/3/2017)



“CAIR: The Power of True Connection”

CAIR panel on original board backing, sliced to show open cell foam inside. 

“Finally a panel system that understands the mechanics of the equine back and the impact saddles have on horse and rider performance. The revolutionary CAIR® Cushion System replaces the traditional fillings in your saddle panel with air. There are two independently sealed Air Cushions within each Saddle Panel. The concept of air, as the ultimate in cushioning for the horse is simple.”

http://caircushionsystem.com/whatIsCAIR/index.htm (13/3/2017)

 

Vinyl sleeve and parcel tape – the tape affected by Australian heat.

“Air being a fluid medium will constantly adapt to the horse’s working muscles. This means that your weight will be distributed evenly across the entire length of the cushion, virtually eliminating pressure points. This extraordinary comfort results in freer movement, better carriage and a happier horse. For such a simple concept the dramatic difference the CAIR® Cushion System makes to a horse’s comfort and performance is profound.”

http://caircushionsystem.com/whatIsCAIR/index.htm (13/3/2017)

 

Foam panel insert, now renamed the EASY-Change Riser System. 

“The award winning CAIR® Panel Insert System was launched to retailers and saddle fitters around the world. Together with the tree adjustability of the EASY-CHANGE® Gullet System, this delivered a whole new level of adjustability in saddles. The insert system enabled retailers and saddle fitters to make adjustments within the panel effectively, efficiently and to the highest professional standards.”

http://www.easychangefitsolution.com/easy-change-story.html (13/3/2017)

 

More recent CAIR panel – outer sleeve and foam insert. (Note: panels are opened, so no air is present in these images.)

“The challenge lies in developing an air system that limits any opportunity for human interference on the performance of the panels.

“The cutting edge Research and Development Team at Bates Australia have spent many years refining and perfecting techniques for incorporating an air cushion into a saddle panel, before reaching a breakthrough in manufacturing method.

The CAIR® Air Cushions are shaped and refined at the point of manufacture to provide an even thickness throughout the panel….”

http://caircushionsystem.com/
whatIsCAIR/evolution.htm (13/3/2017)

Another close up of that foam.

“What is Inside an Air Panel?”

“Air is captured at atmospheric pressure in an open-celled foam and sealed in the Air Panel. Once the air panel is welded the open-celled foam becomes irrelevant, as it is the air trapped in the panel, which is doing the work.

Furthermore, the balance of saddles with the CAIR® Cushion System is easily altered without compromise to the performance of the air panels.”

http://www.caircushionsystem.com/faqs/index.htm (13/3/2017)

 

** Questions, thoughts or comments?
Join us at The Horse’s Back Facebook Group. 

“How adaptable are the saddles for achieving an optimal fit?”

The riser/shim, board, and CAIR panel combination.

“Extremely, Saddles that feature both the CAIR® Cushion System and EASY-CHANGE Gullet System are unsurpassed in the flexibility they offer for achieving an optimal fit.

Once you have selected the correct gullet size for your horse, the CAIR® Panel Insert System enables you to alter the balance of your saddle without compromising the performance of the Air Panels.”

“Official Fit Disclaimer”

The riser/shims, used to add depth to flat panels (between 2 and 12 have been found in saddles).

N.B whilst the innovative EASY-CHANGE® Fit Solution offers unsurpassed flexibility in achieving an optimal fit, no one saddle can claim to fit every horse. It is always recommended ongoing professional advice is sought on the fit and in meeting the unique needs of each horse/rider combination. Global patents and design registrations apply.

http://www.easychangefitsolution.com/easy-change_fit_solution/index.html (20 Sept 2015)

 

Newer CAIR panel.

“The Current Day…”

“Bates Australia has now developed a means of offering these saddle fitting systems in both saddles featuring high performance CAIR® panels, as well as traditional flocked panels.”

http://www.easychangefitsolution.com/easy-change-story.html (13/3/2017)

 

 But Hang On… “Traditional flocked panels”… What are they talking about?

The current ‘flocking’.

OK, this is where I break my silence. This is where I introduce the flock panel insert.

The thing is that for the past 2-3 years, other company saddlers have been finding these rather strange, stuffed fabric panels inside Wintec and Bates saddles brought in by customers requesting reflocking.

These fabric sleeves, which are the same shape as the vinyl CAIR sleeve, are packed hard and tight, meaning that the usual benefit offered by flocking – ie, ability to mould to the horse’s shape – is lost altogether. You won’t hear about that though, because this is a manufacturer’s secret (shhhh).

 

Where Can We Find the Flocking Info?

The flock sock is well-packed with balls of  synthetic flocking. 

Oddly, and strangely given all the Easy web pages, this ‘flock sock’ doesn’t have its own page and isn’t photographed on any of the Wintec, Bates and EASY-whatever websites.

Why? I’d speculate that the sock removes considerable time and dollars off the manufacturing cost of flocked saddles, without adding much that’s positive at the horse end of the equation.

[ed note. I’ve removed the detail about pricing here, because I made a mistake with it. That obviously isn’t good enough. I’m sorry about that.]

So, why is nobody hearing about this little innovation? The company don’t want to add flocking to saddles as it’s less profitable, but is offering ‘flocking’ (or their own version of it) simply to satisfy customer demand. Unfortunately, with this inner working of the saddles kept out of sight, the customer simply doesn’t know what they’re paying for.

And how good is that for the horse’s interests, we must ask?

 

VIDEO – CLICK TO OPEN URL IN NEW TAB

 

** Questions, thoughts or comments? Join us at The Horse’s Back Facebook Group. 

Meet Spinalis, the Forgotten Muscle in Saddle Fitting

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Spinalis Header

It’s barely mentioned in saddle fit or anatomy books, yet the muscle Spinalis cervicis can hugely impact on the spinal health and movement of the horse, particularly with poor tack fit.

Meet muscle Spinalis cervicis et thoracis, a far more important muscle than is generally realized. As a deep muscle, it’s influential in mobilizing and stabilizing that hidden area of the spine at the base of the neck, the cervico-thoracic junction, deep between the scapulae.

 

Where to Find this Muscle

As part of the deeper musculature, Spinalis is as hidden in books as it is in life. Usually, it’s a single entry in the index.

Spinalis StandardAt best, it has no more than a bit part in anatomical illustrations,  usually as a small triangular area at the base of the withers. This is also where we can palpate it.

The reality is quite a bit more interesting. It’s actually a muscle of three parts – dorsalis, thoracis and cervicis. These names denote its many insertions, for it links the spinous processes of the lumbar, thoracic and cervical vertebrae.

  • Bradley_2.1Further back along the spine, it lies medially to Longissimus dorsi, and in fact integrates with this larger, better known muscle, attaching to the processes of the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae.
  • When it reaches the withers, it becomes more independent, attaching to the processes of the first half dozen thoracic vertebrae (T1-T6). Here, the cervical and thoracic portions overlap and integrate to share a common attachment. (The part we palpate, at the base of the withers, is the thoracic section.)
  • Heading into the neck, as Spinalis cervicis, it attches to the last 4 or 5 cervical vertebrae (C3/C4-C7). Only the lamellar portion of the nuchal ligament runs deeper than this muscle.

Dissection 2Its integration with other muscles is complex, and its close relationship with Longissimus dorsi partially explains why it doesn’t get much consideration as a muscle in its own right.

It is the more independent section, Spinalis cervicis, between withers and neck, that we are interested in, although its influence is present along the entire spine.

© All text copyright of the author, Jane Clothier, https://thehorsesback.com. 

What Does Spinalis Do? 

In his 1980s’ Guide to Lameness videos, Dr. James Rooney, first director of the Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, referred to Spinalis as part of the suspension bridge of muscles supporting the spine (Longissimus dorsi achoring from the lumbosacral vertebrae, Spinalis thoracis et dorsalis from the upper thoracics). He also refers to this extensively in The Lame Horse (1988).

In fact, the suspension bridge analogy only really makes sense if Spinalis dorsi is considered.

Spinalis cervicis is usually credited with a role in turning the head to left to right, and raising the head.

Bradley Spinalis-1Older texts, such as Bradley’s 1922 veterinary dissection guide, Topographical Anatomy of the Horse, mention its role in stabilizing the spine.

This creates a point of interest. Given that the nuchal ligament (lamellar portion) doesn’t attach to C6 and frequently only weakly with C5 (see the findings of anatomist Sharon May-Davis, in this earlier article ), Spinalis cervicis suddenly appears pretty important in stabilizing and lifting the base of the neck, particularly as it does so at the point of greatest lateral bending.

 

Spinalis and Poor Saddle Fit

Anyone who has been involved in close examination of the horse’s back will recognize Spinalis thoracis where it surfaces close to the skin, on either side of the withers.

When a horse has been ridden in an overly tight saddle, this small area of muscle can become pretty hypertrophic – raised and hardened. Typically, the neighbouring muscles are atrophied. When Spinalis is palpated, the horse often gives an intense pain response, flinching down and raising the head.

GerdHeuschmanWhat often happens is this. An overtight saddle fits over the base of the withers like a clothes peg, pinching Trapezius thoracis and  Longissimus dorsi. However, it frequently misses Spinalis thoracis where it surfaces, wholly or partially within the gullet space. Often, the muscle is partially affected.

It’s as if the neighbouring muscles are under lockdown. Free movement of the shoulder is restricted and the horse’s ability to bear weight efficiently while moving is impeded. In response to the surrounding restriction and its own limitation, this muscle starts to overwork.

Result? The horse, which was probably already moving with an incorrect posture, hollows its back even further, shortening the neck and raising its head.  As this becomes even more of a biomechanical necessity, all the muscles work even harder to maintain this ability to move, despite the compromised biomechanics.

Working harder and compensating for its neighbours, Spinalis becomes hypertrophic. It is doing what it was designed to do, but it’s now overdoing it and failing to release. We now have a rather nasty vicious circle.

 

Spinalis photo

Here, Spinalis thoracis stands out due to atrophy of the surrounding musculature. In this TB, a clearly audible adjustment occurred in the C4-C5 area after the muscle was addressed. 

 

 

Vicious CircleThe Inverted Posture and Asymmetry

Of course, saddle fit is not the only cause of an inverted posture. However, any horse that holds its head and neck high for natural or unnatural reasons is more vulnerable to saddle fit issues, thus starting a cascade effect of problems.

Are there further effects of this hypertrophy? Consider the connections.

  • When saddles are too tight, they’re often tighter on one side than the other. This can be due to existing asymmetry in the horse, such as uneven shoulders, uneven hindquarters, scoliosis, etc.
  • On the side with greater restriction, the muscle becomes more more hypertrophic.
  • With its attachment to the spinous processes of the lower cervical vertebrae, there is an unequal muscular tension affecting the spine.
  • Without inherent stability, the neck and head are constantly being pulled more to one side than the other, with the lower curve of the spine also affected.
  • Base of neck asymmetry affects the rest of the spine in both directions and compromises the horses ability to work with straightness or elevation.
  • There is also asymmetric loading into the forefeet.
  • We haven’t even started looking at neurological effects…

This isn’t speculation. I have seen this pattern in horses I’ve worked on, many times over.

 

So, How Do We Help?

In working with saddle fit problems, the saddle refit may be enough to help the horse, if the riding is appropriate to restoring correct carriage and movement. Obviously, the horse’s musculoskeletal system is complex and no muscle can be considered in isolation. As other muscles are addressed through therapeutic training approaches, with correct lateral and vertical flexion achieved, M. spinalis will be lengthened along with the surrounding musculature.

I hold with a restorative approach:

  1. Refit the saddle, preferably with the help of a trained professional,
  2. Remedial bodywork, to support recovery from the physical damage,
  3. Rest the horse, to enable healing of damaged tissue and lowering of inflammation, and
  4. Rehabilitate the horse, through the appropriate correct training that elevates the upper thoracics while improving lateral mobility.

This is particularly important where saddle fit has been a major contributor to the problem. I have frequently found that in these cases,correction will take longer to achieve, as the debilitating effects of poor saddle fit (especially long-standing issues) can long outlast the change to a new, better-fitting saddle. In bodywork terms, the hypertrophic M. spinalis cervicis is often the last affected muscle to let go.

It’s as if Spinalis cervicis is the emergency worker who will not leave until everyone else is safe.

 

Bodywork Notes

I am fortunate, in that my modalities enable the gentle release of joints through a non-invasive, neuromuscular approach.  The responses I’ve had from horses when M. spinalis cervicis et thoracis has been addressed in isolation have been hugely informative.

** Questions, thoughts or comments? Join us at The Horse’s Back Facebook Group. 

Appendix: Spinalis in the Textbooks

I’m going to add Spinalis references to this post on a regular basis, as I come across them. It’s interesting to see how much, or how little, the muscle is referenced in various textbooks.

 

Equine Back Pathology

This image, from Equine Back Pathology, ed. F Henson 2009, shows acute atrophy of Longissimus dorsi due to neurological damage. It’s still possible to see the raised attachment/origin of Spinalis cervicis et thoracis – the highlighting is mine. Spinalis does not appear in the book’s index. (added 23 Dec 2016)

 

nuchal and spinousI have also altered this image, in order to show M. spinalis cervicis more clearly. This is Fig 2.16 from Colour Atlas of Veterinary Anatomy Vol 2, The Horse, R Ashdown and S Done. Spinalis cervicis is within the bounded area and it’s possible to see how it overlies the lamellar part of the nuchal ligament, lamellar portion. (added 23 Dec 2016)

 

S&GThe muscle is tinted green in this image from Sisson and Grossman’s The Anatomy of Domestic Animals, Volume 1, fifth edition 1975.  Here, it is labelled Spinalis et semi-spinalis cervicis. This anatomical figure is credited to an earlier text, Ellenberger and Baum, 1908. (added 23 Dec 2016)

 

 

James Roony dedicates two pages to the ‘suspension bridge’ theory of the vertebral column in The Lame Horse (1988). His interest is in Spinalis dorsii section of the muscle and its effect behind the withers, in conjunction with  Longissimus dorsii. (added 4 Jan 2017)

 

 

 

Schleese diagramMaster Saddler Jochen Schleese refers to Spinalis dorsi and its function in stabilizing the withers in Suffering in Silence, his passionate book about saddle fitting from 2014. “This muscle area is especially prone to significant development – especially with jumpers – because it is continually contracted to accommodate the shock of landing”. The surface area of the muscle is indicated in the anatomical figure, reproduced here. (added 23 Dec 2016)

 

In his seminal text addressing issues of modern dressage training, Tug of War, 2007, Gerd Heuschmann includes Spinalis cervicis in the triangle formed by the rear of the rear of the cervical spine, the withers, and the shoulder blades, “… an extensive connection between the head-neck axis and the truck… it explains how the position and length of the horse’s neck directly affects the biomechanics of the back.” (added 31 Dec 2016)