The crooked horse 3 common causes

Image by Free-photos from pixabay

3 Common causes

Crooked definition: Bent or twisted out of shape, out of place

There are many reasons horses become crooked, which happens in varying degrees, there are horse’s where this is undeniable. However there are other’s where their lifestlyle and ridden work are slowly molding them into this posture. One thing to remember this is always a whole body event as the body works in patterns not parts. This blog will cover a few of the rider’s influences.

Crooked - an inability to move straight due to altered whole body alignment and function, effecting the body structure both internally and externally.

3 Causes

• Riders with alignment issues can develop their horse into a crooked frame. As the horse can only move around the rider’s position in the saddle. The posture the rider takes to the saddle dictates the way they displace their weight of their body parts from their postural positioning through the saddle. Which has the potential to allow or block the horse’s movement. And so the rider’s alignment (where parts need to be to work together and correctly) is a major factor in the horse’s development.

• Training that is hurried, giving the horse entire body insufficient time to develop is another leading cause.

• Previous injury that hasn’t been rehabilitated fully can leave the horse with an inability to move straight, as the body is still to an extent moving around the previous injury.

Force production throughout the body changes when a horse has adapted into a crooked frame. Progression occurs like the preverbal rolling stone catching moss throughout the body. Leading to a situation where the body is almost fighting with itself. Areas will be overworking, under working, overstretched, contracted, hypersensitive, hyposensitive, atrophied, over developed and many more. The complexity of these cases in both human and horses takes time to unravel and redevelop. But in contrast especially in the case of the horse, poor posture can be developed in a relatively short period of time.

Multiple changes throughout the body lead to a carousel of confusion. Attempting to take away one set of symptoms continuously brings others to the surface. The whole body has to have conscientious consideration in this process. The body is capable of millions of movements, their use patterns can change from their original role which it is not designed to do.

Imagine trying to put up a tent that has been distorted, some areas have been overstretched, and some have shrunk. The possibility of successfully erecting this tent and being protected from the elements would be low. Parts of the tent would be able to be fixed to the ground, but the material is overstretched and weak, vulnerable to damage. The shrunken areas can’t provide support, putting more pressure on the overstretched areas. The whole shape and function of the tent has altered.

The same happens to the human body when alignment is altered, organs have to distort to the change in pressure and space, pressure chambers capacities alter. You can now comprehend how your external structures affect your health. So whats happening on the outside of both the horse and the rider’s body is effecting the internal structures.

Both you and your horse have continually adapting bodies. Think you are out of shape? You are in the exact shape your daily movement and non-movement and environment you perform them in has molded you into. Tissue is highly adaptable, and bone remodels and adapts to the stresses and strains placed upon it. Muscles will develop in the ranges of motion we use them in, muscle wastage will occur in the areas you don’t utilise, and so will your connection to those areas. The good news is you can change this ever evolving adaptation to your advantage at any age.

This picture shows beautifully how the horse is adapting and loading its body to support and balance around the altered position of the rider. I feel that through this picture you can understand, that your balance as a rider has a huge effect on your horse's movement. Even subtle balance issues will alter the horse’s movement and development.

Do you have certain habits when you ride? Certain things you find difficult? In the case of the crooked horse and rider think about how much extra wear and tear that places on over worked areas(joints and soft tissue structures). Straightness training for horses is well recognised. I want to also welcome you to straightness training for riders!