Re: RC: Re: "cinchy" horses

[JPascu@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/4/00 8:32:39 PM Mountain Standard Time, 
shajarah@cybrquest.com writes:

>  Reading the posts about tenderness in the girth area reminded me of my 
> friend's horse that is described as "cinchy."  He has the devil of a time 
> tightening the cinch although it seems to be the early part of the process 
> she objects to the most.  The horse also, both owner and trainer agree, 
feels 
> like she wants to buck just when she starts to canter.  
>          I think I have read or heard any explanation for cinchiness, like 
> maybe a nerve closer to the skin than usual.  Does that ring a bell?  Or 
does 
> anyone have an explanation for it that isn't rider related? 

I would propose a reason that is both confirmation and riding, not as much 
rider, related.
In the girth area is a muscle the Serratus Ventralis thoracic portion. This 
muscle is contiguous with both the Serratus Ventralis cervical portion and 
the Rhomboid. It goes from the ribs, under the shoulder to the upper, 
headward (cranial) border of the shoulder blade, to continue to attach at the 
spine. 

These muscles on the human are located on the side of the chest just under 
the armpit. They look like a series of ripples that go from the front portion 
of the side of the chest, where they attach at the ribs, under the shoulder 
blade to attach at the middle upper border of the shoulder blade and 
continue, with a different name, to the posterior spinious processes. Those 
bumbs on the back that most people call the spine. You can feel them on 
yourself. 

Back to the horse. If you run your hand in the girth area feeling down to the 
ribs and then backing up to the soft tissue, you'll be able to feel these 
ripples that make up the serratus (it's serrated like a serrated knife).
These muscles are part of the "sling" that supports the equine thorax between 
the two front legs. When a horse moves the thorax has to "rise" between the 
two front legs to shift the center of gravity more towards the rear. To do 
this effectively the shoulders have to move outwards (laterally) to allow the 
thorax to move up. In other words the whithers have to rise. 
When whithers rise between the shoulders there is undulation in the back, 
like a wave moving that is culminated in the rear end coming under the body. 
If this movement of the whithers in not allowed to happen by: The shoulders 
being bound to the whithers, tack not allowing movement, a rider not allowing 
movement or a combo of these things, then the serrati muscles and rhomboids 
will become short and the tension will be felt at the attachments of these 
muscles to the bone, ie. in the girth area and the area in front of the 
shoulder blade. 
The neck will take on a hollow look in front of the shoulder, and there will 
be a build up of tissue in the girth area, this is called a "false 
retinaculum" in Rolfing terms.
Because of the lack of movement of the thorax the lengthening required to 
accomodate rounding of the back, remember the wave above, will not happen and 
the horse will attempt to relieve the strain by bringing the rear end or head 
up. So we may see a ewed neck develop as the head is brought up to get some 
length in the back or a buck as the rear is brought up. In either case stride 
length is compromised as is rounding and appropriate weight transfer. The 
horse strides out behind without any possibility of true collection. 
True collection, in my opinion, is the ability to rise at the whithers and 
allow tissue length to accomodate pelvis coming underneath with a neck that 
is rounding in front. Not the false collection of driving the body into 
closed hands that forces a hinging at the lumbar dorsal junction. 
Sorry this is so long. To help a cinchy horse I look to releasing the 
shoulders and working freeing the soft tissue adhesions that have developped 
to accomodate the shoulder being stuck. Working the tissue banding that has 
developped to soften it.
So, if you look at this "cinchy" horse from the front and their shoulders 
describe an "A" then the whithers are going to be stuck. You'll need to work 
with the soft tissue to have them come more vertical " | | ". The free 
shoulder will move out (Laterally) and back during movement.

I hope this helps and would like to hear your opinions on this theory.

regards
jim pascucci
Advanced Certified Rolfer
www.equisearch.com/ibt