Conformation – Overall balance of the horse . Length of the bones, angles of the joints, and how their muscles are proportioned.
There have been a lot of clients that , do not see eye to eye with me on how horses are not born with the conformation issues but they have ,when I get my hands on them.
I hear all the time, “its just their conformation” ( the way they move) , “It’s the way they were born”, “They are breed this way”.
When horses are born, they will have a perfect body (unless born with a birth defect). They have a nice topline, croup, shoulders, legs and so on .
Once they start growing many things can happen.
– they grow to fast and muscles cannot keep up
– there feet are not trimmed correctly
– they can hurt themselves to cause compensation in their body.
– and so much more
Then when it comes time for training or horses being horses and playing too hard, these thing can cause their body to change.
– improper equipment is used
– being broke to soon where the bones are not develop all the way
– improper saddle fit
– being worked to hard to fast
– throwing them out in the field after a show season
– bucking to hard while playing
– running to hard in the field
– slipping out in the field
– and so on
Their bodies start to change because they are using their muscles more and more. The muscles WILL Pull the skeletal system and cause some misalignment issues, if not stretched or treated by releasing the Muscle tension.
It’s no different than our body going thru the same thing when we start exercising, training for a sport, doing a activity more than normal.
So why do we think horses dont go through the same thing? They are not born (again this is a baby not born with any birth defects) with Stifle, Hock, SI Injuries, Kissing Spine, Pelvic Rotation, Groin Issues and the list goes on and on.
Now things they can be born with that can cause Conformation issues are :
– Club Foot
– Being Toed in ( Pigeon Toed )
– Toed Out ( Splay Footed )
– Knocked Knee
– Bow Legs
– Calf Knee
– Over the Knee
– Standing with their legs to close or wide
– Straight Hocks
– Parrot Mouth
– and again the list goes on and on
We can still release tension in the muscle to help with over all discomfort in the horse. Every horse has muscle soreness / tightness.
This is why its good to get your horse worked on at least once a month no matter if you are showing or not.
About the author:
Morgan Billings L.M.T & C.E.S.M.T. I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist and Equine Sports Massage Therapist for 15 years. I went to school at ITMM in Nashville TN to become a Licensed Massage Therapist , once I graduated I went to Ocala Florida to learn how to do Equine Massage back in 2002.
I was an instructor at a Licensed Massage Therapist in a school in Columbia TN. I decided to branch off and teach Equine Sports Massage to owners/ riders and trainers.
I am Certified in all areas: Myofascial Release and Craniosacral Therapy, Red light Therapy, Kinesiology taping, Canine Massage, Myoskeleton Alignment, Energy Work. I also use Aculife Patches. My background is with race horses (exercise rider) and Hunter Jumpers, Barrel Racing, Poles and training all types of horses for riding or correcting a problem. As once a INSTRUCTOR FOR HUMAN MASSAGE gives me the knowledge and training to train you to work on horses!
I have been riding since 1985, and my first trainer was Jennifer Ballard at Willow Hall Stables in Franklin TN. I started out in English and showed for many years. Took a break and started riding western and training Race horses and steeplechase horses… Been giving lessons to beginners and advance riders for show or just to have fun since 1991.
I own and operate Promise’s Kept Stables since 1999. I have made it to a Rehab Center for horses to help them be comfortable, and learn to use their bodies correctly, and for the ones that people throw away.
Morgans contact details for more information on her classes
