Flying Hooves Blog

Fascia and the Kinetic Chains

Sun, 27 Jul 2025 23:10:39 GMT

Fascia and Its Kinetic Chains - A Deep Dive

First, let's start with understanding fascia. Fascia is a web of connective tissue that runs around the body, enveloping and connecting organs, skeletal frame, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves... Basically, it connects all internal structures!

Fascia provides our horses with support, stability, movement and proprioception (awareness of where and how the body is stood or moving). It is made of collagen and elastin, which is why it responds so well to the red light therapy as this helps increase collagen production.

Unfortunately, fascia is easily damaged. Damage makes us think of cuts and grazes into the deeper tissue, but fascia is also damaged by bruising and other internal soft tissue injuries. We can see the physical result of damage from a cut, it forms a scar. This is also true to fascia. All of this damage creates hard, knotty fibres in the fascia. This in turn leads to restrictions in movement, then a compensatory pattern forms and, before we know it, our horse is really starting to struggle.

Fortunately, these areas of knotty bands in the fascia can be addressed and improved with myofascial release. Myofascial release involves the application of various techniques including pressure, release and movement, to remove tension and knots in the fascia. It is a "lighter" treatment than a deep sports massage but just as highly effective. If our horse has tight fascia it stands to reason that eventually the underlying muscles will become tight as the problem expands. Releasing muscle and not the surrounding fascia will not fully address the issue and tension will recur. However, treating the surrounding fascia as well as the muscle will allow the muscle to find its natural state and settle back into its equilibrium of contraction and expansion.

Fascia runs in bands around our horses' bodies, and ours! These bands are called kinetic chains. There are eleven kinetic chains in the horse's body and these chains help us understand compensatory patterns and where the root cause of an issue might lie. By releasing the fascia along these chains I can help improve the range of movement, ease discomfort, improve structural alignment and aid rehabilitation and healing.

➕ �� Plus... I have discovered that by using these chains I can help shift sticky energy and send Reiki around the body to help areas where your horse might be in too much discomfort to allow direct contact or direct energy work.

To wrap things up... Fascia and its chains... What an amazing feature of the body! �� And yes, "wrap things up", a total fascia related pun intended!

Understanding The Horse

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 21:57:28 GMT

How does understanding the horse’s body systems help me during a treatment?

Short answer, so I can help your horse perform to the best of their ability and remain healthy and strong for as long as possible.

To begin, I need to understand what “normal” looks like, things like breathing and heart rates. A horse that is rapidly breathing at rest indicates there is most likely something more than a tight muscle going on and I may recommend you speak to a vet.

Of course, I absolutely need to understand where the muscles are, their origins and insertions, and what each one does to be able to provide an effective treatment. For example a horse who is struggling with extending his foreleg may have issues with his digital flexor, but it could also be affected by the muscles through his neck, shoulder and back – possibly the rhomboids, trapezius, deltoids, the supraspinatus and infraspinatus and into the latissimus dorsi.

In cases where I work with a vet or another equine professional the terminology used needs to be understood by both parties so the diagnosis and treatment can be consistent and useful. This means his reports are written using standard industry annotations, including anatomical directions, to make sure your horse receives the correct care on the correct area at any given time by any professional. Have a look at my Glossary of Terms to understand these in more detail.

I have to be able to explain to you what is happening and why. For example, the after effects of a lymphatic massage may result in the horse appearing lethargic for a day or two post massage as the toxins leave his system. I have to be sure you understand this is normal and you must offer plenty of fresh drinking water and quiet rest so he can continue to flush the toxins from his system after the treatment has finished. Did you know a treatment continues long after I have left?

I need to understand the emotions of your horse. If he is highly-strung he will be more inclined to tense his muscles quicker and hold his head higher than a relaxed horse who will hold his head lower and breathe deeper. This helps me know what is normal for your horse so I can work with them to achieve the best result. It also helps me remain safe as I recognise the trigger reactions for the “fight or flight” response!

Understanding the horse’s systems enables me to understand the effects the horse’s exercise and care program is having on his body. Under exercise may result in swelling in the lower leg, while over exercising and irregular exercise may result in pulled muscles and, in severe cases, Azoturia (Monday Morning Sickness) where the muscles remain so contracted the horse is unable to move forward freely and, in severe cases, may shake and fall over. The name Monday Morning Sickness was given when it was realised horses were suffering from the effects of hard riding over a weekend following a week of no exercise. Racehorses used to be particular sufferers of this ailment after an intense build-up of lactic acid in the muscles from running causes them to remain in a contracted state. This is why warm-up / cool-down is so important.

A horse on box rest may suffer with “filled legs” as he is unable to mobilise and use the fetlock’s natural pump action to drain excess fluid, so he will benefit from deep effleurage, which will help with the efficiency of the lymphatic system and aid the draining of fluid from his legs.

Knowledge of the horse’s conformation helps me decide whether the horse requires any special exercise or riding requirements. A horse with weak hindquarters might be given some walk exercises to do over poles to encourage him to pick his feet up thereby strengthening the muscles along his back or to help a horse who is weaker on one side, one side of the poles may be slightly raised to encourage that particular side to lift higher and build muscle.

Alongside knowing what good looks like, there is the need to be able to spot contraindications. Sometimes these can prevent a treatment going ahead especially where open wounds and lameness are apparent. I will write about contraindications in another post if you wish to learn more.

As long as any equine professional has a good understanding of the horse’s systems they will be able to ask the right questions to ascertain what is troubling the horse, apply the knowledge of the systems during the appointment to read the horse’s body and ensure he is receiving the appropriate treatment, and then easily convey back to you the information including his aftercare and any particular beneficial exercises or on going treatment he might require.

Your Reports - Glossary of Terms

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 19:38:21 GMT

To help you understand your reports, I thought I would write some helpful guides starting with a glossary of terms.

Here you can find the list of all the weird abbreviations I use in your reports along with their brief meanings. I will keep adding to this list, so please keep checking back and look out for further blog posts titled "Your Reports" for even more information.

So, grab your last report, get comfortable and let's unravel some of this terminology!

CFF cross fibre friction

DP direct pressure

HQ hindquarters

SP stress point -

ASP active stress point

DSP dormant stress point

TFL tensor fascia latae (located in the hindquarters)

TP trigger point

ANATOMICAL DIRECTIONS

Caudal towards the tail

Cranial towards the head

Dorsal towards the back

Ventral towards the underside

Rostral towards the nose

Palmar towards the back surface of the lower front limb

Plantar towards the back surface of the lower back limb

Lateral towards the outside of the body

Medial towards the mid-line of the body

Proximal towards the point of attachment to the body

Distal away from the point of attachment to the body

Veterans - an introduction

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 19:27:13 GMT

Age really is just a number.

This photo of my girl and I is one of my favourites, just us enjoying the sunshine. I'm sure you've all seen it before, but my point is when this photo was taken she was well on her way to being 30 years old!

She has been with me for 22 years and has played various roles - happy hacker, dressage, jumper, western, natural horsemanship, practice horse for my massage studies, she was one of my case studies during Covid, and now a model for my business. She has been a challenge at times, but also immensely rewarding.

So, this being said, I wanted to use this section of my blog to talk about horses that are very special to us, the veterans.

The question is, when is a horse a veteran? I remember growing up that horses over 15 were classed as veterans and then it went to 18, now it is more like 25+. Horses are living longer thanks to advances in nutrition, joint supplements, veterinary treatments, the list goes on.

I have treated horses that are technically "veterans" but are still successfully competing and happily being ridden. I think this is absolutely fantastic!

Age really is just a number. A veteran horse does not need to be retired off as soon as he/she hits "that age". We must be guided by our horses and determine when we feel the time is right to retire them and then to ask, what does that retirement look like?

Splenius

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 19:23:06 GMT

Easy way to think about this one is “the splenius helps with a splendid outline”! Love these memory aids haha

So, from my little ditty, I know you are thinking, “Ah, I bet the splenius is located in the neck and possibly along the top line as it helps with the outline?” Well, you’d be right!

It originates from the thoracic vertebrae, notably vertebrae 3-5, the dorsal scapula ligament and the nuchal ligament inserting into the cervical vertebrae, 3-5 again, the atlas and the nuchal crest. Although it is a superficial layer muscle, it is worth noting its origins slot under the cervical trapezius. The picture above shows it highlighted in yellow.

The splenius is responsible for elevating the head and extending, straightening and laterally flexing the neck.

When the splenius gets tight or injured you may find your horse is trying to avoid movements to the opposite side.

For example, when ridden they may want to pull their head towards the side that is sore to prevent the tight side of the muscle stretching and relieve tightness. When they are resting, they may stretch their neck downwards for prolonged periods to relieve the discomfort.

During treatment you will see me using a lot of petrissage movements including kneading with thumbs and skin rolling, these loosen the fascia from the muscle and help return flexibility to the area. A good indication of a tight splenius shows up during the palpation stage of the treatment when there can be a knot at the insertion side of the muscle causing the horse to react by swiftly moving his head away from the pressure.

A sore or tight splenius can be due to rider imbalance, hanging heavy on one rein or sitting unevenly in the saddle. It is prevalent in dressage horses from holding their fantastic outlines for prolonged periods, especially when a lot of elevation and flexion is required – think half pass, extended trot etc. If you want to work these moves, ensure your horse is fit and strong enough to balance himself equally through his body while he performs them.

As with all muscles, make sure the splenius gets thoroughly warmed up and cooled down after work – stretches are really useful for this muscle, preventing it from knotting up and allowing more blood flow through the belly of the muscle. Think about how your neck and upper back feels when you stretch your head down after sitting at the computer for too long, feels good right?

An under developed splenius can make the horse appear ewe-necked but with the correct work carried out regularly it can easily be improved.

Have a look at the 3 images of the horses attached, these really highlight how the splenius works and how it can be harmed from hyperflexion. My favourite is the collected western, how happy does this horse look?

Remember, all the horse’s muscles work as one unit, and the root cause of splenius issues can stem from issues elsewhere in the body as the horse learns to compensate his way of going to reduce pain.

If you suspect your beloved friend has any issues with this, or any muscle, please don’t attempt to treat it yourself, give your local registered therapist a call and get it sorted professionally.

Brachiocephalicus

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 19:09:49 GMT

Here is a dinosaur!

But what on earth does a dinosaur have to do with this, I hear you ask?!

Well, say hello to…

THE BRACHIOCEPHALICUS!

I love this one! The name and its location just makes me think of a Brachiosaurus!

From that I bet you can guess where it is located?

Yes, it’s located in the neck. Specifically, along the lower part of the neck, originating from the atlas bone, temporal bone and the 3rd-4th cervical vertebrae, inserting into the humerus. It’s a superficial layer muscle, following the path of the cervical vertebrae, which is why you will see me being very careful when I am treating this area. The picture below shows it highlighted in blue and you can see just how large this muscle really is.

Rhomboids

Sat, 19 Nov 2022 13:13:25 GMT

The rhomboids are a muscle that you will most likely see mentioned in detail in your report, usually with a mark along it denoting some sort of tightness or stress point.

This deep layer muscle is located along the top line of the neck and follows the crest. The area is outlined in red in the image above. It originates from the occiput and the nuchal and supraspinous ligaments, inserting into the top of the scapula. The image below shows these ligaments.

The rhomboids are responsible for lifting and lowering the shoulder, moving the shoulder forwards and elevating the neck.

The rhomboids are prone to stress points around the wither area causing the horse to react on palpation. The stress point can exacerbate any tightness that might be felt through the shoulder, from the withers down through the scapula area. During palpation I often find tightness throughout the whole of this muscle, especially around the mid-point.

A good indication of tightness in this muscle is a loss of flexibility in the shoulder muscle and the feeling that your horse does not quite have the front end power he used to have when you are riding.

Treatment for this muscle can vary from horse to horse. As it is a deep layer muscle some horses are happy for me to work deep into the muscle while other prefer a more superficial approach. I will always start soft and build up. Techniques include wringing, hacking, squeezing, kneading and planing/circling.

The best reaction I have seen during a treatment was from a horse who does not like her neck worked too deeply. She had a really large active stress point halfway along the muscle on the offside of her neck. I released it by using light hacking motions over the area. The whole of the rhomboid muscle unravelled before our eyes in a big wave like motion. The horse took a big breath and completely released. I wish we had captured it on video!

A sore rhomboid muscle can derive from many things, including;

- rider imbalance; causing the horse to use his head and neck to help him balance

- poor fitting saddle; the back dips down away from pressure causing the head to push up and back through the neck

- schooling; poor warm-up / cool down before or after schooling or if the horse is unfit and schooled too hard

- jumping; take-off and landing stress through the shoulder causing the horse to tense up through the neck

Breaking up schooling with stretches really help when working this muscle. I often recommend asking your horse to really drop his nose and stretch his neck forwards when riding and, of course, this will benefit the whole of the horse.

An under developed rhomboid muscle can make the horse appear ewe-necked and potentially cause him to work in an incorrect posture but with the correct work carried out regularly it can easily be improved.

The photograph below of the mare and her foal, as well as being really cute and a lovely picture, highlights the rhomboids along the mare’s neck really well. Can you see the line from her ear down to her shoulder? The other muscles that you see defined are the splenius and the brachiocephalicus that are discussed in separate posts.

Remember, all the horse’s muscles work as one unit, and the root cause of brachiocephalic issues can stem from issues elsewhere in the body as the horse learns to compensate his way of going to reduce pain.