Inspiritus Equine, Inc.
Integrated Soundness Solutions (sm)
...Reveal the Equus Within!
Dr. Joanna Robson, DVM, CVSMT, CMP
707-738-7110
Did you know that your horse's scapula (shoulder blade) has its own range of motion? The top rear
border of this bone (capped with cartilage) may move back 3-4 inches during its range of motion. To
check this, feel the border of your horse's scapula as he is standing still. Mark the area with chalk, or in
the dust on his coat. Then, raise the front limb and bring it forward, as if your horse was extending in the
trot, or square over a jump. Do you notice how far the border has moved? Does your saddle allow for
this?

Think of a stallion readying to breed a mare. What does he do? He bites her on the back of the neck.
This causes her to stand still, hollow through the back, and open through the croup. Imagine that your
saddle does the same thing. Now how is your horse supposed to flex through his poll, round through his
back, and come beneath himself?
























Your saddle sits primarily on two different muscle groups.  The front/pommel of the saddle rests on the
trapezius muscle, which extends up the neck and down the thoracic spine.  If you pinch your horse in
this area, where the tree points in most ill-fitting saddles rest,  your horse's back will tighten and
drop, and the head will come up.   The accessory spinal nerve exits the trapezius in this area, and is
responsible for innervation to the muscles around the neck and withers.  The trapezius allows elevation
of the scapulae, flexion and extension of the scapulae, and some abduction.  If this area is pinched, then
a horse will compensate for his inability to freely flex and extend his front limbs by adopting a side to side
motion.

As pain and damage to innervation in this area persists, a horse may begin to show other signs of
physiologic pain or performance changes.  A horse may get nervous when saddled, trip under saddle,
refuse fences or chip jumps, develop lumbar pain due to inappropriate back carriage, and even have
hoof changes due to altered movement and growth.

My own horse who suffered from a pinching saddle earlier in his career developed crippling back pain,
had difficulty  holding  his hind limbs up for the shoer, became cold-backed, was nervous when saddled,
and had uneven forelimb extension over fences.  Resolution of these signs was made possible through
careful rehabilitation, a properly fitting saddle (schleese.com), careful shoeing, my work with VSMT, and
a team of healthcare professionals with one common goal - the whole animal approach.  While many
thought he'd meet an early retirement, he was back to competing and winning thanks to professionals
sharing their knowledge and working for the love of the horse.  

See the following article for more information:
http://www.schleese.com/articles/Why%20does%20my%20saddle%20need%20to%20fit.pdf
...Reveal the Equus Within!
Dr. Joanna Robson, DVM, CVSMT, CMP, VA, SFT
707-738-7110
Joanna Robson, DVM,
CVSMT, CMP, VA, SFT
707-738-7110