Back pain is a common problem in riding horses. (Jeffcott 1979). While it has been known for centuries that horses have back pain, the technology to accurately diagnose the cause of primary or secondary back pain has only come about in recent years, and even this insufficient. The main problem in the traditional treatment of horses is the LACK OF EDUCATION of horse owners and riders. Here in Academia Liberti, we are trying to build the bridge between equine science and the average horseman who sees horses for use and riding. I am convinced that as soon as the avarage horsemen GET TO KNOW about the anatomy and the biomechanics of his/her animal, and HARM which he/she causes through riding, that riding a horse will be seen by all respect, as a barbaric act of the illiterate and simpleminded horseman.
Let us take a look at the horses vertebrae closely to be able to understand what happens there, and what we have to take responsibility for. The thoracic vertebrae are designed with a series of rib joints and planes which are built through caudal costal fovea (fovea costales caudales). They are very deep in the cranial area of the thoracic vertebrae, and become shallow towards the caudal area. In the last three thoracic vertebrae, fovea costalis cranialis merge with fovea costalis tranversalis in the transverse processes. The mobility of the single vertebrae with oneother reduces as it moves distaly down the spine. The reason for this is that joint planes of the articular process in the cranial part of the thorscic vertebrae st are tangential (mearly touching), and further caudal they rotate and the last two thoracic vertebrae are sagittal (more solidly connected). (Jeffcott and Dalin 1980; Towsend 1985;). Fom this area they are merge with the mamillary process of the lumbar verebrae to the secrum.
Extremitas craniales and caudales (spaces between) are narrow and the vertebae are connected with epiphyseal plates (cartilage). In areas of the sensitive and fragile crista ventralis (ventral crests) of thoracic vertebrae 10 thru thoracic vertebrae 15( which is the saddle/rider area), under a weight load - exostosis (boney growth) and osteophytes (bone spurs) develope. Over time this will often lead to the complete fusion of the vertebrae. Spatium interarcuale is the dorsal (upper) space between the the vertebral archs of each vertebrae. Under the weight of a rider, the vertebral archs overlap and there becomes no space between.
The length of time for complete growth of the epiphyseal plates (cartilage) in the body of the lumbar vertebrae of thoroughbred horses for example, is not until they are (on average) between 6 and 9 years old! (Wissdorf, Gerhards, Huskamp, Deegen, 2002)
In the thoracic area of the spine, the spinous processes thicken and grow upward forming tuberositas. This building of the spine of the vertebrae (spinous process) starts at the age of six months to one year, and generally takes until end of the horses third year reach their end shape. The complete building of the epiphyseal plates can take anywhere from 7 to 15years! (Grimmelmann, 1977)
This leads to the conclusion that NO horse should be mounted before AT LEAST 5 years of age. The common practice is that horses are, at the latest, broken by 3 years of age… many even at the age of 2.
This is not acceptable.
This must be changed.
This question is unavoidable... Why do vet’s not educate people about this?
Why do they recommend riding as therapy to help horses who have health problems?
Why are they not fulfilling the aim of their calling?
Why do they not help horses which are ridden, and with this tortured and misused, whos health is HARMED right in front of their eyes?
I would like to ask you all to write down these facts and ask your vet these questions. Please write your report in the “Riding Harms Horse and Human” topic on our forum.
Flexabiliy
The columna vertebralis of the horse is not very flexible. The following directions of movement are possible:
- Lateroflexion (movement to right or left)
- Dorsoflexion (sinking of the back)
- Ventroflexion (bending upward (lifting) of the back)
- Axial rotation (rotation around longitudinal axis)
Towsand and Leach (1984) investigated mobility of the vertebral column without soft tissue on it, same as Krueger did with the muscles on it (1939). The conclusions are:
- T1-T2 good dorsoventral flexion
- T2-T17 MINIMAL dorsoventral flexion, distinct axial rotation and lateral flexion
- T17-L6 reduced axial rotation. Through the transverse processes lateroflexion is NOT POSSIBLE.
- L6-S1 good dorsoventral flexion
Through the movement of the vertebral column in a dorsoventral (up and down) motion, the space between the spinous processes change. Dalin and Jeffcott (1980) recorded these changes by measuring the space between the spinous processes in the area of thoracic vertabrae 10 through lumbar vertebrae 2. By manipulating the spine to a maximum dorsoflexion state, the change in the distance between the spinous processes was 0.8-3.8 mm, and by manipulating the spine to a maximum ventroflexion state, the spaces between was 1.1-6.0 mm. The narrowest spaces between the spinous processes were measured in the middle area of the back (thoracic13- thoracic15), right where the saddle area is.
During dorsoflexion of the back, the spinous processes of the vertebrae come close to eachother and the vertebrae bodies move away from each other, and are only held by the ventral longitudinal ligament. When the horse is ridden (without NATURAL, FREE collection) the dorsoflexion is EXTREME, and after a very short time (depending on the weight of the rider) the horse feels PAIN. The intervertebral discs are also heavily stressed. Horses that are not taught through fear and punishment, show this pain CLEARLY.
Free horses have free will, slaves have no free will. Slaves have no voice.
To be continued.
Preface The horse is not made to be ridden. The horse should not be ridden at the cost of his health. This is a daily practice preformed by people who even claim to love their horses. Love which causes damage and pain to another creature is a sick love. Throughout the whole of human history, people have done horrible things to animals and to each other out of lack of education and lack of development. Now, in a time of abundant knowledge and developemental growth, it is time to show that this damage and pain is still happening with horses… through the people who ride and use them for their own pleasure or profit. I state that there is no one, single horse who likes to be ridden. We would like to believe they like it, but that does not make it true. It is time to rethink tradition and to face the facts.
Damage to the epaxial (muscle) tissue above and surrounding the vertebral column is the most common cause for backpain in the horse. (Jeffcott 1993) To make the this study complete, we also need to involve the muscle tissues in the thoracic and lumbar area. Jeffcott and Dalin (1980) divide the main muscles in the horse’s back into three groups: - Superficial muscles: trapezius, and cutaneus - Deep muscles : serratus dorsalis cranialis, serratus dorsalis caudalis, longssimus dorsi, multitidi dorsi, iliocostalis dorsalis, and intertransversais lumborum - Sublumbal and gluteal muscles : psoas minor, psoas major, iliacus, quadratus lumborum, and glutealis medialis
Thorakales Interspinales Syndrom (TIS)/Kissing Spine Syndrom (KSS)
Natural Asymmetry by definition, is a slanted propulsion of the hind legs of the horse, by which cause a lateral shift or offset in the front legs. There is assumption that the reason for this is the location of the foal in the womb.
