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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
  
| Does anybody have any ideas that I can check into about why my mare is out in her neck so much? She has a naturally higher head carriage, short and very powerful neck, she's quite stout. I do ride her in a bonnet.
I'm exploring saddle fit, had her teeth done, have a great shoer, and spend a lot of time making sure she doesn't pull back (she has this tendency). She's super light in the face and doesn't need touched much during the pattern. She gets super stiff to both directions and her back gets tight when her neck is sore. I've had her to a great chiropractor that thinks the back issues are from the neck issues, and when he put her neck in, her back relaxed. This was about a month ago, and she's back out again. I have ridden her a couple times, but she's been largely turned out. My other horses don't have neck problems besides the odd pop in the poll. I'd really like to get to the root of the problem, as the only chiro within a distance is 3 hours away, pretty taxing on a 75 hour week.
Does anybody have any other ideas I could check into that might help her or be the root of the problem?
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 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | I don't have any great answers....but have you tried doing stretches with her. Perhaps the stretches will help loosen the muscles so she won't be as sore. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| The bonnet might be causing her neck to go out
If other horses are going out in the poll, have you been checked, sometimes a horse will throw a person out and vice versa.
Have you massaged her, sometimes massage will help keep them in.
Edited by cheryl makofka 2014-05-31 1:26 AM
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | I love the above replies. What is her ROM Range of Motion? Where can you get her nose to go with a carrot stretch? |
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Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I have been in physical therapy twice a week for the last two months with a Chiro getting work (I have early and advanced scoliosis), so that might be a definite cause! I've been doing much better, and my riding is gradually improving again.
I was on Google last night looking at stretches, she doesn't have full motion, it's much worse to the left. Gets about halfway then begins to resist. After about 10 minutes of back and forths though, she'll happily let you guide her nose to her rib cage with a handful of grain to each side. Seems she just needs to warm up well. I'm definitely going to continue daily stretching, and I have a Chiro appointment for her next week, with acupuncture.
She's been laid off a lot due to job and my own issues, so I'm hoping with getting her conditioned again and stretches and Chiro and my own improvement, her neck will stay in.
Also, she was ridden in a treeless saddle when I got her 6 months ago, I'm riding her in an Ed Wright that doesn't seem to pinch or be ill fitting. Any thoughts on that?
I won't work her on the pattern when I know she's sore, I'm determined to figure this out! |
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | I like your plan, just get her to increase that ROM and make sure you walk then trot to warm her up,then work her with an emphasis to increase her flexibility slowly. Make sure you take her long and low in the cool down then get off and stretch her well! Let us know what the chiro is thinking, sure like the accupuncture, just add a massage in there. |
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  Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | There's a great article on the web about being behind the bit in dressage. (google sustainable dressage) Your bonnet mare be causing your horse to travel with the poll lower than the Atlas. If you use the head/bit to round the back, you are using the wrong muscles. Research the nucal ligament also. |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Also stretch down between her front legs, along with the side to side.
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Too busy outside!
Posts: 5417
| Watch this video, it's not the best demonstration, but it shows that you can relieve the tension in your horses neck without having to rely on the chiro to do it for you. I personally believe that horse owners are going to have to start learning how to maintain their own horses and/or release the tension when necessary. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9sBLNYw18I&list=PLFBB1832EE426F643
eta: Carrot stretches don't really do anything- if the horse is stuck or "out" between say, C4 and C5, then they'll just bend at C2 and C6- and the rest just stays stuck anyway. Horses are masters at compensating.
Edited by trickster j 2014-05-31 8:34 PM
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