
Pain in the traps can make a horse shorten his stride, have problems with lead changes and react when the cinch is tightened.
What signs and symptoms does a horse exhibit when experiencing trapezius muscle dysfunction?
- Horse will react when girth is tightened (cinchy)
- Soreness in the withers area
- Shortened stride
- Problems picking up or changing leads
- Loss of power in the front leg
Where is the trapezius muscles located?
- The trapezius attaches the neck (cervical) and mid back (thoracic) vertebrae to the shoulder blade (scapula).
What movements are attributed to the trapezius muscle?
- Raises the shoulder blade (scapula)
- Cervical portion moves the shoulder blade (scapula) forward
- Thoracic portion moves the shoulder blade (scapula) back
Activities that cause trapezius muscle pain and symptoms in the horse:
- Excessive rein pulling by the rider ( lesson horse, rental horse)
- Landing when jumping (jumpers, event horse, steeplechase)
- Sudden starts, quick stops, sudden change in direction (race horse, polo horse, reining horse, cutting horse, work cow horse, barrel horse, gymkhana horse)
- Gaited horses will often exhaust these muscles
- Saddles that fit poorly
- Riders who drop down in the saddle
- Riders who bounce up and down on the horse’s back
Recommended Books About Horse Anatomy
Learn Equine Anatomy
If you are someone who wants to understand your horse inside out, this book is for you! Clinical Anatomy Of The Horse is the most comprehensive visual equine anatomy book on the market. Images are not diagrams, they are pictures taken while examining live horses and photos of autopsies performed immediately after death. The photos are very graphic so viewer be warned. But if the site of a dissected body does not bother you, I highly recommend this book. It will give you a visual map of the anatomy and physiology of your horse
Discover How The Skeleton and Muscles Move When Your Horse Is In Motion
How Your Horse Moves: A visual guide to improving performance, should be in the library of everyone who rides and takes care of horses. Author Gillian Higgins paints the skeleton and muscles on live horses with amazing precision. The photos allow you to not only see exactly how your horse’s bone structure is put together but also shows how the muscles move as the horse is in motion. Ms. Higgins also provides information about the skeletal bones, easy to understand information about muscle and soft tissue bio-mechanics explanations of movement, a trouble shooting guide and simple but effective stretches for not only your horse but you too! If you are an equine massage therapist, physical therapist, or chiropractor, this book is a must have.
Learn Basic Equine Massage Techniques To Help Your Horse
The Basic Principles of Equine Massage/Muscle Therapy is book for those who want to learn to help their horse with basic massage techniques. The first part of the book explains massage theory and equine anatomy in an easy to understand format. The next section of the book is a pictorial of Mike Scott working on a horse. Mike shows which technique to use, placement of hands and gives an idea of how much pressure to apply. The book ends with sections on stretching your horse and proper saddle fitting. Though the book is geared to beginners, professional equine massage therapist will glean knowledge and tips. This is a good book for beginners and a great reference book for the experienced equine bodyworker.
Anatomy Study: Origin, Insertion, Action and Innervation Trapezius Muscle of the Horse:
- Origin: The supraspinous ligament,from the 3rd to the 10th thoracic vertebra.
- Insertion: The tubercle of the spine of the scapula.
- Action: Acting as a whole, to elevate the shoulder; the cervical portion
draws the scapula forward and upward and the thoracic portion draws it backward
and upward. - Innervation: Spinal accessory nerve (cranial nerve XI)