Exercises for Correcting Sacral & Hind End Weakness in your horse.
by Mary Ann C. Simonds
The large muscles of the hind end are critical for most performance sports, but many horses have
difficulty developing these muscles correctly. Even without exercise, the
muscles of the hind end should all be in similar shape and tone, but this is
often not the case.
Aside from conformation
irregularities, one of the most notable traits
in horses incorrectly using the hind end is the over-development of the
semitendinosus and biceps femoris muscles and the lack of development of the
middle gluteal muscles, particularly the medial gluteal..
The neurological communication to the hind
end is limited compared to muscles in the front end making it more difficult to
target specific muscles. While the nose, eyes and ears of the horse have
specific muscle fibers per motor neuron communication, the large gluteal
muscles of the hind end may have thousands of muscle fibers relating to one
motor neuron.
Thus, it is difficult for the horse to have
awareness of what muscles it is using in the hind end. If there is discomfort,
lack of balance, poor conformation, or injury, the horse can easily compensate
for movement by overusing some muscles and under using others. This
compensation pattern is very common for dressage, jumpers and racehorses where
you see the over development and tension of the bicep femoris and the
semitendonosis and atrophy of the medial gluteal and deeper muscles.
Unfortunately, you cannot “make “ a muscle do
something when there is no communication. No amount of tack will engage a
muscle that is shut down. All that will happen is to build up resistance in
certain muscles, while others atrophy. Trying
to “engage” a horse’s hind end when there is poor communication will result in
resistance both physically and behaviorally. This resistance often will be
communicated through behavior such as bucking, rearing, grinding teeth, lead
swapping, resistance to taking a particular lead, head tossing, pulling, and
“getting quick”. All of these reactions demonstrate the horse’s discomfort
trying to communicate it cannot engage the muscles the rider has asked it to
use.
If balanced hind end muscle development is
not correctly achieved, the pelvis may start to tilt forward or to the side
causing imbalances to be felt in the low back. Standing your horse ups square
and measuring from the point of the hip to level ground on both sides will give
an indication of whether any compensation is taking place with the pelvis.
This abnormality is common among many sport
horses and gives the appearance of being “strung out” behind. Horses seem to be able to function, but they
do so with various degrees of discomfort, primarily appears in the low back,
although stifles and even hocks can become sore.
Because it is easier for a horse to run
forward than to engage upward, even without the addition of riders, some horses
do not have balanced muscle groups. So it is important to condition all the
muscles equally before starting any sport to ensure comfort and proper muscle
function. Weak back muscles may often be related to a tipped sacrum, so building
correct communication and strength in the hind end to hold the sacrum upright
in place, will allow the back to come up and develop strength, the energy of
the spine to stay open and move freely to the hind end, and prevent problems
from developing.
Although hill work can help develop hind end
muscles, not all people have hills to work their horses on and such work is not
always muscle specific. Horses with
overdeveloped semitendinosus muscles will still tend to push forward and limit
the use of their middle gluteal muscles.
Thus, after years of research conducting various muscle exercises with
horses, one exercise seemed to hold and assist almost all horses with related
low back and hind end disorders.
I’ll walk you through an exercise that I’ve
had great success with. To get started
you’ll need the following equipment: ankle boots, soft 1-2 pound sand weights,
polo wraps, two 12 foot poles; a two foot bucket or jump standard. Optional
equipment kinesiology tape. }
Mary Ann Simonds
Kinesiotape on horse hind end
related low-back and hind- end disorders.
This method of developing targeted muscles is similar to weight-training for bodybuilders. By isolating the muscles and telling the brain to pay attention to these muscles, the body engages physical muscle, neurological memory, and mental memory. The object of this exercise is to encourage your horse to lift its leg up and over a pole, while lightly bending in the direction of the circle. This engages the deep gluteal muscles, which are difficult to activate and essential for balancing the hind end.
Exercise 1 -Proprioceptive learning, tactile stimulation
First, set two poles on opposite sides of a bucket or jump standard. Poles should be no higher than two feet at the high end, allowing the opposite end to slope to the ground. Depending on the condition and comfort of your horse, you may want to start off with a simple leg boot to get your horse used to both the feel and the exercise. Any tactile stimulation on only one leg (not both) will create awareness in the brain and direct neuron to pro-preceptor connection.
You could also use taping to activate the brain’s awareness. If your horse has difficulty walking up and over the poles, then do a body check for muscle soreness and balance as well as a back check. Your horse may have physical or energetic blocks higher up preventing the horse from adequately engaging the hind end muscles.
You can also engage the horse in leg stretches for front and hind to activate the muscles to be more aware. Some horses will have difficulty lifting their shoulders up and over the pole, so this exercise can target more than just the hind end muscles. The deep muscles of the shoulders will also benefit as well as the coordination of the horse’s proprioception and use of his/her body.
Start off either on the ground or riding and walking the circle to the outside to allow the horse to step up and over the smallest lift of the pole. If your horse has trouble, then check your horse’s body. Gradually move to the middle, bending the horse to the inside and spiraling in to the middle where the poles are the highest. This all be done at the walk and mindfully talking and encouraging your horse enjoy the exercise.
Start off with three mins in each direction. You can mix it up if you want to take a break in between so your horse does not get board. This is like you going to the gym and doing a certain number “reps” on a targeted muscle. You start out slow and then increase your reps and difficulty as the muscles get activated.
Note: Start off with the non-weight “tactile” exercise first, and
once your horse is used to the exercise and doing well, then add you can a small
amount of weight. It you horse is having difficulty without any
weights, then do not add any until the horse can left up an over the
poles easily. If your horse continues to have difficulty, then make sure
you check other muscle groups and the back and discontinue the exercise
until your horse is checked by your vet or health care professional.
Mary Ann Simonds
Exercise 2 Targeted muscles with weights
Be careful to apply the weight along the leg and not just around the ankle. Too much too soon can stress tendons and ligaments. Make sure your horse is comfortable with wraps and weights on the hind legs before doing this exercise.
Sand-filled weights are soft and flexible, and can be found at any stores that sell weights for people. Use a 1-2 pound ankle or wrist weight to start. You do not need much weight to start and and make sure the weight is applied up and down the leg not around the ankle as tendons and ligaments can be stressed too soon. Remember you want to start slow and condition your horse to build up targeted muscles.
Use a leg wrap or comfortable boot to secure weight. Hold the weight parallel to the leg and wrap securely. You do not want your horse to pull anything, so recognize the lower the weight is positioned on the leg, the more difficult the lift will be.
Start off with three minutes in both directions, with the weight applied only on the hind leg in the direction you are turning (i.e., if you walk your horse left on a left circle then the weight should be on the left leg). The hind brain will notice the difference in weight if the weight is only on one leg at a time.
Mary Ann Simonds
Begin by walking your horse at the far outside of the circle, where the pole touches the ground. As your horse becomes stronger, you can work up over the inside part of the circle where your horse will have to lift its leg higher. If your horse has difficulty at the low part of the pole, assess its body for imbalance, and do not ask for higher stepping until the horse is able to do the lower level. You could also start with less bend to make it easier.
The object of the exercise is to engage the deep muscles of the hind end, which attach to the sacrum. For optimum muscle development, your horse’s head should be rounding in the direction of the bend. This will also help the back muscle.
It is critical that your horse lifts, bends and breathes during the exercise to have the most benefit. You can do this exercise on the ground or on your horse and help your horse by visualizing what you want and breathe and lift as well. If you want to add more “communication,” you can tape a paper plate or adhere kinesiology tape to the middle gluteal muscles to give more recognition to the brain about which muscles need to be engaged. Again, be careful to introduce your horse to new exercise carefully as you want your horse to be as fully aware and engaged in the exercise as possible.
Exercise 3 Back and lifting the back
Many horses learn to back with a rider on their backs and will frequently hollow their backs and slide backwards rather than lift their backs and engage the hind end in backing. Since all the muscles of the back to the hind end are connected, it is critical to engage all the correct muscles not just one or two. Backing increases proprioception of the hind end and allows your horse to focus on what muscles he/she must use to back.
Two weeks of exercising 5- 15 minutes a day
will show noticeable results in most horses.
Some people have even referred to their horses as “apple bottoms” after
only two weeks of consistent exercising.
By strengthening the hind end, this exercise helps to hold the sacrum in
place, and takes some of the pressure off the stifles and hocks as well. By developing the middle gluteal muscles, you
should notice a more round and balanced appearing hind end, as well as seeing a
relief of back pain in your horse.
The middle gluteal muscles may be sore at
first when starting the exercise, so you may want to add supportive therapies
such as massage, or arnica homeopathic or Sore-No-More to help prevent soreness
as the muscles develop.
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