Need the hive mind to help me solve this. Chiro/acupuncture, massage therapist and PEMF practioners have seen him. (they are all top of their field in this area.) Saddle fits - in fact, this is the third saddle I have had on him with the same issue. All saddles have been fit by professionals and brand-trained fitters - most recently is a schleese. I cannot count how many girths I have tried, from 24 inches to 28… anatomic to mohair to stretch tec… fleece covering the buckle areas…
Bravo is ALWAYS sore behind his right elbow. Does not matter which side I girth from or tighten last, and since he is an air bag, the girth is often loose (my trainer is amazed I stay on). Not only do i NOT knw why, I also dont know what muscle is there and how to stretch it. I have tried the vibrating massagers, and he will tolerate it but it does not solve the problem.
All ideas welcome.
We are showing PSG and schooling I-1
(massage therapist coming in 10 days…)
TIA
You’ve got some abdominal muscles and the pectorals and intercostal muscles. And then triceps on the upper part of the leg. You can do some stretches with the front legs. Stretching them out and forward with joints bent will get these muscles more—straight leg will get triceps but also more of the muscles around the scapula. And then you can also do some shoulder mobilization when the leg is held up as if you were picking out the foot.
The pecs run underneath at the sternum. And there are ways to massage behind the elbow. You can use the palm of your hand to slide downward into the elbow area.
It would probably also be worthwhile to do sternal lifts, forward bending carrot stretches and other general core mobilization exercises to strengthen the multifidus and the other muscles supporting the back.
And you may want to take a look at the bottom of the front panel of your saddle and your blocks on the saddle. Are these hindering the shoulder at all? Could you add some more shape to the flocking? This is an unforgiving area on many dressage saddles, and it’s independent of how the tree sits on the back. Some horses like a short front panel so they get some more room behind the shoulder above the girth.
My horse who tended to be sensitive there also liked the Total Saddle Fit stretch tek girth I think because of the added stretch and the sternum. I also got a saddle with foam panels and shorter front panels with more shape to them.
And finally, check to see if your horse has a good fat pad there or not. A fat roll there won’t help your problem…just ask my current horse how I know. Lol
Have you tried a boil boot on that side? Most horses lay down in the exact same way everytime. If he is laying down and tucking his hoof under the his elbow, he could develop a sore spot. It can appear as an elbow bursitis or as a muscle bruise if he is resting on the shoe/hoof.
never thought of that!!! I’ll see how he lays down, dont really remember, he lives out most of the time. Thanks!
yes to the fat pad!! LOL. And thanks for the reminder re: leg stretches. I do belly lifts and the carrot stretches tot he side and to the belly underneath, but often forget the front leg stretches… Saddle is a schleese and new to us. Saddle fitting scheduled in two weeks when they come through. With this saddle his shoulder is freer than ever… But this predates this saddle… Thanks!!
This… I knew a gelding who had a lot of trouble with shoe boils (aka capped elbow) and this boot did the trick.
How do you know he is sore? (From touching, by the way he moves, is there a rub?) Can you notice it or is it only when someone works on him?
Just curious if it is soreness that impedes his work, or more like over sensitivity when prodded.
I agree that it could be the way he lies down, but it would seem hard to believe a horse would make themselves very sort and keep doing it. (I mean, yeah, I know, they are horses.)
Yup, shoe boil was my first thought too.
no rub, just angry faces and moves away from me when I touch or brush the area. Does nto seem to impede work. I thought shoe boils were open sores? THis is not.
The usual presentation is a capped elbow, you can also have an open sore but a sore spot with no disturbance to the hair is also possible.
its not his elbow; its the area on his torso right behind the elbow, where the girth goes. But I need to see what side he lays on, I never really noticed…
If he lays down with his hoof on that area,there may be some deep seated soreness. You may need to do a shockwave treatment or a laser treatment, or even some mesotherapy to break the cycle - and then rely on the shoe boil boot to keep it from reoccurring.
thx. PEMF is on the way next week, as well as massage therapist, and ordering shoe boil boot… fingers crossed
