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Okay guys/gals, from an equine masseuse' point of view . . .what the canter
and trot do to the MUSCLES in the body.
I would assume that a trot, being performed by the perfect, balanced body,
no matter how much concussion it causes, is fairly EQUAL or symmetrical on both
sides of the body. Thus, the vet trot-outs to flush out lameness.
The vets would never canter out horses to determine lameness now, would
they? Cantering can definitely FAVOR the stronger side, AVOID signs of
lameness, or weakness or in my case with a boarding horse - he has severe ring
bone on one front leg and a swollen forever knee on the other front leg, he can
canter or hand gallop in the field when he's up to it - NOT TROT. Now when
I massage horses, very, very few are symmetrically muscled - like people who are
right-handed/right-sided, and left-sided. When a horse is tighter on
the right side of the back, it almost always seems to prefer it's right
lead. When it's tighter on the right side, that side's muscles are also
less flexible, therefore, do not want to stretch, and allow the horse to turn
the torso to the left side. Think about it. Of course I am sure you
all know about the canter on both leads equally, not just one side -- all you
have to do is watch hunters/jumpers at even the top shows in the country (just
saw some of the best at the Washington, D.C. International show and the Penn
National HS in Harrisburg, PA - when those horses are navigating the tight turns
in the ring, it usually terribly obvious which lead they prefer. And watch
the rider's butts being thrown all over the place on the bad lead
side. Watch a horse being lunged using the wrong lead. Ugh! Anyhow -
where am I going with this? A gait comparison from the body-balance point
of view. Trots demand more evenness of balance. When muscles become
overdeveloped on one side or one area, there's tons of compensation going on for
balance - like a zigzagged tower of building blocks that are trying to keep from
falling. Yes, I would think that it is more comfortable at first for
horses doing the canter, but all that pounding on ONE lead must stress out one
stifle, or one shoulder more than another - like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Think of the 3-beats of the canter. It's not an even 1-2-3, but a
one, two, THREE, which must be putting more weight and stress on the third beat
- the lead leg, right?
I am not sure of the cause, but I have worked on so many horses - and I
mean show horses - hunters and jumpers that have muscle atrophy in one shoulder,
and overdeveloped in the other, and incredible weakness one side of the butt -
especially right over the hips - so bad that they practically collapse when
palpated. Thank goodness the endurance horses are so much better trained
and worked. They, as a category, are the best muscled horses I have worked
on, except maybe STANDARDBREDS - and guess what gait they use? And
trotters/pacers seem to be able to trot full speed for a longer period of time
than thoroughbreds can run full speed. Of course that is all done on the
flats without all the variables thrown in like rough terrain, weather, riders,
etc. etc. as you have all experienced, right?
Just a collection of my thoughts concerning horse gaits and muscles and
soundness. Please correct me if I am wrong - just putting in my two
cents. Remember - I don't RIDE endurance horses - I see their muscles and
stress through my hands.
Karen Zelinsky, ESMT
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