LH Equine Motion

03/16/2026

Before and after video : This pony experienced a huge abscess in her left hind hoof . Working with owner, veterinarian and techniques right over the sight we were able to alleviate pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, improve her gait and she’s able to walk while weight bearing . The abscess
blew before getting there that’s the before video and 3 sessions after Acuscope is the after video !! The difference is amazing!! 🤩

03/16/2026

When you have a week off and promise you will finish your ebook only to realise the pictures you have already put in have now changed 400 times and you have to begin right at the beginning again.

Things I have done while trying to finish one project,

Designed clips for a rib cage.
Listened to 100 podcasts
Done more drawings
Updated my assessment sheets
Watched the new jurassic park film
Tidied my kitchen cupboards
Effed up my computer and printer so been chatting to Gemini into the small hours of the morning then got annoyed because I knew more than them 😅😅😅
Watched some more movies
Went and did some fencing, wanted some posts putting in and demanded my OH that it had to be done now 😎
Got gut ache from internilising all my anxiety 😅😅

And now i am back doing the ebook, that was going to be a course two years ago and now is just going to be a picture book because I know the time limit before I begin another project is short lived and I am already at 200 pages and I have to stop at some point 😅😅

Anyone else that cannot finish anything, please say yes so I am not the only wierd one😅


And if you want anything included speak up now while I am in the hyoerfocus stage again, wait i am posting on facebook🤔 damn the boredom is kicking in again😅😅😅

03/13/2026

When a horse needs strength, the last thing it needs to do is endless circles. There is an outdated idea that going in circles makes horses stronger. In reality, circles are for GYMNASTICS (suppling/coordination/balance) but not for CONDITIONING. Strength develops from straight, progressive loading through the whole body, where the limbs share weight evenly and a horse can push from behind without constant sideways torque or uneven load. Circles are not a weak horse's friend. To build strength you need:
- straight lines
-hills
-transitions
-poles
-varied terrain and paces

I realize I sound rebellious to glorify straight lines. But as someone who gets to help horses move and feel better every day, I have never seen them fail to make horses stronger. Trust me on this.

03/09/2026

The equine carpus.

More often than not in layman’s terms this is often called the knee yet it is more likely the equivalent of our wrist in terms of anatomical layout but also very unlike our wrist in function.

Anatomically its quite easy to remember the names of the bones as often they coincide with the names of their counterpart which they either sit below or above

They are made up of cuboidal bones which means similar shape.

The carpus supports weight, allows for mobility, absorbs shock and Offers stability, it helps with flexion, extension and a little lateral motion, it also prevents hyperextension and is part of the stay apparatus.

On the top row we have the radial Carpal, the intermediate Carpal, the ulnar Carpal bones and these coincide with the radius and ulna bone which is fused in the horse and the intermediate is the one in the middle (sits between)

On the bottom row we have the 1st Carpal bone (not always present, thought to be a evolutionary remnant) then the 2nd, 3rd and fourth coincide with the 2nd, 3rd and fourth Metacarpal bones or the medial splint, cannon and lateral splint bones.

At the back we have the accessory Carpal bone which is classed as a sesamoid bone. (Embedded within a tendon). It is held in place by strong ligaments.
See easy 😀

Often issues with the carpus can be missed as the base of the neck or the lower limb gets more attention, but you know me i like the middle.

Trauma can be one of the main reasons the carpus may get in trouble, it could be to much work to young, repetitive strain, chips and I find its mainly the left forelimb which takes the brunt whether trauma or compensation from somewhere else, I often say if you see the left in trouble other things have been going on a while.

Wear and tear as the horse gets older or premature aging of the joints from an unsuitable workload
The gait can seem choppy as the carpus becomes restrictive in the full movement of the lower limb, how do I explain it ??? The action seems normal above but creates a drill down instead of a free flowing forward movement, I often think it your horse has carpus issues you may want to look at the lower cervicals as well and vice versa.

Foot balance is super important as this will affect how the carpus aligns for function not pretty.

What you can do
Visually, again if you have more than one we can simply compare while all limbs may have a teeny variation there shouldn’t be anything that stands out.

Feel, feel both at the same time with each hand, its easier to feel a difference when comparing at the same time.

Can the back of the hoof reach the elbow?? Or do you feel resistance when asking slowly?? It doesn’t like everything it doesn’t mean there is something wrong but it could indicate the horse needs to be more supplement if you are going to ask for that hard schooling exercise

How does your horse feel about you working around the area??. Behaviour may indicate pain, be careful though especially if you have a c**t or young horse they often play by biting knees so it may be a young horse thing rather than a pain response.

Stiffness, most horses who have access to the freedom to roam shouldn’t be stiff when you ask for work, but again an older horse may move differently to a younger horse, common sense can often be the catalyst to not panic, if you are riding and it feels like to much up and down and not forward and both you and the horse are knackered but not gone far maybe the horse needs a once over by a professional (unless its a breed specific thing)

Like hock lameness, lameness due to a carpus issue is usually pretty easy to spot and first call (I know i sound like a broken record) is the vet who will assess and often confirmation with an x-ray. All lameness should be investigated by a vet first!!!

And keep things in context, often one thing may mean another so we often put the pieces of the puzzle together before making a declaration, and only vets can diagnose so its not that your therapist thinks something is critically wrong when they refer your horse it simply means they are sending your horse to the right person in order to progress forward

Hope this helps xx

03/08/2026

The Hocks.

How do I explain simply to owners about the importance of hock health in the horse??

Say you walk onto a diving board, to get the power for the dive you need vertical bounce building up for the power of the precision and quality of the lift
Now say you walked onto to the diving board and instead of the spring going up and down the board was wobbling side to side, you lose power you lose balance, how many horses do you see with a huge hock wobble creating instability both below and above as the other joints compensate.

Now look at the horse while the Hocks absorb downward energy to produce upwards energy, if the horse feels unstable to load the joints correctly then overcompensating can happen, the knees may overexagerate their action, the Hocks hesitant to load through pain or restriction will wobble before loading and often the fetlocks will follow the Hocks with exaggerated twisting leading to imbalance in the hoof.

Instead of a clear path from hind to front foot, the stride is shortened in both front and hindlimbs, no power means less lift so toe dragging may occur, range of motion can be affected on protraction, snatching of hindlimb, as remember its not just bone and a joint, we have connective tissue, muscles etc that will all have a domino affect on the whole horse.

If there is pain you may even see a shift through the body where you can see clearly the assymtry through the torso, eventually leading to a diagonal front limb issue.
We have collatral ligaments keeping the joints of the hock from both medial and lateral preventing overextension and hyperflexion, a dysfunction in the hock will not only put strain on the joint but also the surrounding ligaments.

The Calcaneus tendon which attaches on the point of hock has connections not only to the muscles above like the gastrocnemius but also to the superficial flexor muscle which is part of the reciprocal stay apparatus (the ability to lock the the limb to rest) so maybe the hock issue could be a rest issue??

Age related wear and tear, what we do with our horses may bring an earlier wear and tear on the body, if your horse is jumping or doing strenous, repetitive work before the growth plates are closed we pften only think of bone health, yet muscles can get fatigued or torn, ligaments will be soft and pliable, joints are supported by these structures. Yet like us even if we do eveything right as horses get older the maintenance required to repair the body can slow down.

Confirmation has a huge affect on hock health, so while we may help with maintenance we often cant change the make up.

Soft swellings, we often are led to believe that some swellings are ok, while some may not be as hazardous as others, swelling is often there to protect an area under duress so do not ignore swelling especially if there is heat.

What to do???
Hocks are probably the most easiest to spot out of all the limb issues, first if there is lameness always consult your vet first before anyone.

Xrays are usually the easiest way to spot any potential issues, we cant just guess, we always need to see what we are dealing with to be able to get the correct treatment or else everyone is just throwing darts at the board and hoping one lands.
If yout vet suggests it it is probably because they already have an inkling as to what is going on but they need to know where to treat, what changes have occured, or changes that may affect future performance like bone spurs etc.
Better does not always mean the issue has gone away the intermittent lameness, the decrease in lameness could mean that changes inside have settled down, but the vet can tell you if there may be more issues to come.

At least once every 3 months video your horse walking away, and turning a small circle in each direction, horses should be able to step across the midline with their hindlimbs, it may not be a hock issue but if they cant do this it maybe time to call your bodyworker.

Pick up a forelimb and bring it forward (not a stretch just slightly forward) does your horse rebalance the hind end and stand square on both hind feet or are they going from heel to toe or resting the hindlimb again maybe not a hock issue but it is a comfort issue.

Walk your horse and bring it to a natural stop note their posture repeat it a few times, do they always stop in the same stance then that is information

Feel those limbs, our hands can detect the slightest changes my top tip if you feel something on one limb and it ain’t there on the opposite limb it probably shouldn’t be there. Heat is often the first indicator way before swelling so do a daily check as the earlier we find something the quicker we can get it sorted.

Is your horse always catching its front shoe with the hind foot ?? We often think its a forelimb issue but again look at the power if there is no power from behind then the forelimb will not have the correct stride.

Vet first is always a priority if you suspect something they have the tools to see beneath the skin, it may need pain relief it could need medicating, before we come in and begin our work we may prolong the treatment the vet has prescribed, by keeping the body to maintain a more beneficial movement pattern. I have clients that have gone from yearly injections to 2 year timespan yet the owner begins to be aware when the horse needs a little bit more than bodywork. We may not be able to stop change but we can often help delay it.
Hope this helps.
If I got the ligaments wrong then try and write talocentraldistalmetatarsal 10 times at 4am 😅😅

02/24/2026

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Shipping at buyers expense. ($12.50 for tshirt , $15 for sweatshirt/hats .)

02/18/2026

Rethinking Collection: Forehand Organization in the Research of Hilary Clayton

Modern equine biomechanics research increasingly supports what massage therapists, bodyworkers, and skilled trainers have recognized for decades: true collection develops through the horse’s ability to lift, stabilize, and suspend the trunk between the forelimbs.

Seventeen years of kinematic and kinetic investigation led by biomechanics veterinarian Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, DACVSMR, MRCVS, at the McPhail Centre for Equine Performance at Michigan State University have produced some of the clearest objective descriptions of how horses organize their bodies in collection.

Clayton’s findings consistently demonstrate that collection arises from the coordination of the entire horse.

Force-plate and motion analyses show that:
• the hind limbs increase flexion
• they step further beneath the body
• and these adjustments contribute to a broader redistribution of forces

Collection, therefore, is a whole-body event.

The hindquarters provide propulsion and articulation while supporting elevation of the forehand through coordinated interaction with the trunk and front end.

Weight Distribution Explains Why Forehand Organization Is Essential

The average horse carries approximately 58 percent of its body weight on the forehand and 42 percent on the hindquarters. This inherent distribution clarifies why the development of forehand organization is central to achieving an uphill balance.

Clayton’s research demonstrated that the horse learns to direct force upward through the forelimbs, enabling elevation of the trunk. In this arrangement, the hind legs support the body and generate propulsion while the thorax remains lifted.

In simple terms:
• the hind legs push
• the forehand lifts
• the trunk is suspended between them

The Trunk and Chest Are the Keys to Elevation

Clayton’s work showed that during true collection:
• the ribcage and sternum rise between the forelimbs
• the center of mass elevates as part of this action

This occurs through active engagement of the thoracic sling, which raises the body higher between the limbs.

The Thoracic Sling as a Primary Balance System

Unlike humans, horses lack a clavicle. No bony strut joins the forelimbs to the trunk. Instead, the thorax is suspended in a muscular and fascial apparatus commonly referred to as the thoracic sling.

Clayton’s studies confirmed the importance of this system, including:
• the serratus ventralis
• the pectoral musculature
• associated stabilizing tissues

Together, these structures:
• support and elevate the trunk between the scapulae
• demonstrate high activity during collection
• underpin self-carriage

Functional integrity of the sling is fundamental to the development of collection.

This interpretation aligns closely with osteopathic and myofascial models that describe the horse as a suspended, integrated structure.

Forelimbs as Active Participants

Clayton’s work further illustrates that the forelimbs continue to bear substantial load in collection. What changes is the strategy by which that load is organized.

With effective sling function:
• shock absorption improves
• limb timing becomes more elastic
• scapular mobility increases

These adaptations help explain why collection built around trunk elevation is frequently associated with enhanced durability.

Sling Asymmetry and Crookedness

Crookedness may arise from multiple contributors, among them asymmetry within the thoracic sling, particularly in developing horses.

The serratus ventralis spreads from the scapula onto the ribs and toward the base of the neck. Differences in function between sides can influence:
• the height of the withers
• shoulder path
• trunk position

Straightness therefore develops through attention to limb alignment together with symmetrical sling activity, allowing the chest to remain centered and buoyant.

The Role of the Pectorals in Forelimb Control

Clayton also observed that the pectoral muscles increase in strength and cross-sectional area as the chest organizes upward, especially during:
• smaller circles
• accurate turns
• lateral movements

These muscles stabilize the limbs in stance and guide crossing in swing. Their development reflects a posture that is carried rather than held.

Collection as a Coordination Challenge

According to Clayton’s data, collection is supported by:
• neuromuscular coordination
• precise interlimb timing
• trunk stability
• elastic storage and return of energy

Structure and function operate together, and balance emerges from the orchestration of the entire system.

Rider Education Matters

Because thoracic elevation is not always visually dramatic, Clayton emphasized the importance of informed riding.

Her research indicates that:
• thoughtful cues assist the muscles of balance
• rider posture influences trunk mechanics
• stability in the rider encourages stability in the horse

As understanding improves, riders cultivate lift, elasticity, and coordination. Collection then appears quieter, lighter, and more sustainable.

Where Massage and Fascial Therapy Fit

Understanding that collection depends on tissue elasticity and precise neuromuscular timing naturally raises an important question: how can we prepare the system to perform these tasks more easily?

The thoracic sling represents a continuous myofascial network linking limb, trunk, neck, and sternum. Within this network, fascia contributes to force transmission, elastic recoil, and sensory communication.

For effective elevation, tissues must be able to:
• glide
• adapt to changing load
• transmit force efficiently
• deliver accurate proprioceptive information

When these qualities diminish, coordination becomes more difficult.

Massage and myofascial therapy support the conditions that allow coordination to emerge.

By encouraging hydration, sliding surfaces, circulation, and mechanoreceptor responsiveness, bodywork may help the horse access:
• greater trunk freedom
• improved shock absorption
• elastic joint behavior
• refined body awareness

Manual therapy prepares the conditions that allow collection to develop.

The Big Takeaway

Clayton’s research positions collection as the lifting, stabilization, and suspension of the trunk through the thoracic sling.

These findings provide objective biomechanical context for observations long shared by osteopaths, bodyworkers, and accomplished trainers:
• balance precedes power
• elevation precedes engagement
• posture reflects neurological organization expressed through tissue

Together, they continue to shape modern approaches to sustainable performance.

https://koperequine.com/the-bow-the-string-and-the-corset-how-equine-ligaments-and-myofascial-systems-support-movement/

02/18/2026

02/18/2026

02/18/2026

The semitendinosus
Why is it always the middle one??

As always the horses body is like a story book, or even sometimes an archeology site for looking at the superficial often tells us of the history of the horse as we dig deeper into the why.

Out of all the muscles the semitendinosus is probably the most common one we will see, the most massaged muscle out of them all yet a hypertrophied muscle needs others to take up the slack in order to begin not to be hench, but where would we begin, why does it feel it has to overwork, and can we really do anything about it years after the fact.???

So what is the semitendinosus??

It is part of a trio in the group of muscles we may recognise more easily as the hamstrings, these muscles like with the human are linked to the knee.
Yet the connections from the pelvis to the hock is like a scaffold incorporating many structures as it heads its way down
We often only look at origin and insertion and forget all the bits in between, humans like to think linear its easier to understand where we pull in one place and there is a clear definate line to have an affect in another, but the body has a complex connective relationship with other structures so while others may look from point A. To B. I always ask the question what about all the other structures linked into the path the muscle takes.

Origin
(Two heads) Last sacral vertebrae, Transverse process of the 1st and 2nd coccygeal vertebrae (Tail bones). Sacrotuberous ligament, caudal fascia, Ventral side of the Tuber ischium (bottom of the pelvis).

Insertion
Cranial border of the tibia via aponeurosis (a sheet of connective tissue). Crural fascia (part of the fascial sheet system ) and the tendon merges with others structures to form the Calcaneus tendon which hooks over the Calcaneous (bony part of the back of the hock which you can feel).

Function
Extends the hip and hock when the limb is weightbaring, also flexes the stifle when non weightbaring, draws the limb caudally, propulsion for forward movement.

So lets look at the origin, as you can see it connects to the tail and some pretty important pelvic comnections so how will it function if lets say a tail is off to one side, we all know tails mainly go off to the left if there is dysfunction and we then see that right semitendinosus larger, thats a little but more added to the story, but wait if one side is overworked then others will be underworked so neither is correct.

So check the pelvis, asymmetry here will create tight on one side and lax on the other, what do you do if you are a little high on one hip ?? You load your limbs unevenly, which means shoulder will load unevenly, ribcage will rotate more to one side and so on. Take a dorsal picture of your horse see how the view is from the tail to the head, is there any deviations??

How are the stifle and hocks?? Any changes going on there if the joints are limited in their range of motion then it isn’t only a joint issue all the connecting parts will also begin to limit their range of motion and when one area becomes restricted another will over compensate.

Why is it usually bulging?? Often we see this a lot on horses that may have worked early in their life with excessive force on acceleration, so think of the racehorse coming out of the gate so often when we see it its years in the making a whole system built around it so change takes along time and sometimes change is not possible but management is.

Weak glutes, will overload the semitendinosus (i think we all know this when we begin running when not fit).

Not moving, if your horse is stabled alot then has bouts of excessive work.

Repetitive strain on structures like the hock
Posture, if you horse adopts a a more forward tilted pelvis then load will be put on to the hamstrings, muscles like to move not be in one static position of either lengthened or contracted.

If the stifles have a problem then often the hamstrings will there are many muscles connected to the stifle, quality of a joint relies on quality of the muscle and vice versa and we must not forget all the connective tissue that supports this area
Weak core means Weak muscles, a hamstring group that isnt working together means the propulsion may be lacking

And remember the aesthetics of the horse is a smooth streamlined body they are not bodybuilders but like us sometimes the discipline they do will mean they will build up muscle in certain areas.

What does it mean for my horse??
Dont panic many horses do just fine, its probably the most common thing we see, horses can and do ok and often its built up over time, if you see a dramatic sudden change then often it can indicate injury but many things that horses have is their new normal and we have to help work with the body before us to make things better rather than terrifying the owner that all is lost.

So what can you do, ??
First take a picture, look for weak areas where you can support. Often core, quads and glutes.
Try a range of motion with the hind limbs, see where you feel the resistance but never push past that point, work slowly over time asking for a little bit more when you feel them relax, often these horses like it when there limb is held up but get icky on the way down, learn to feel the sticky bit and just lift a little higher, don’t let the foot slam down

Look when you lift a forelimb if the horse doesn’t want to load onto the hind and rocks from heel to toe then it may indicate a little discomfort
Look for the ischium rock I have it somewhere on my videos again go slow we are not pushing on the Tuber ischium to get the pectorals moving we are going slow feeling for any resistance, as always when we feel resistance we wait until. It passes and then ask again with smaller moves
If the trio isn’t working together then we don’t only focus on the one we see we need to focus on the whole horse not one area.

Can your horse bring its hindlimb across the midline.?? I often see hindlimbs doing moves which i call helicopter legs as they look like helicopter propellers swinging out 🙂 for good a good functioning hind end your horse has to be a able to do the hokey cokey with its limbs😊

Massaging can help it often wont change years of dysfunction but it can offer some relief from the daily dysfunction, don’t go in all Bruce Lee, sore muscles need a soft touch not a hammering (ouch!!!).

And dont hyper focus in what you can see imagine the things you cant, the connections, the knock on effect for there you will be looking at the whole horse not an isolated muscle

02/06/2026

New Clients /Current please remember to fill out our intake form 72 hours prior to your appointment. Thank you

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02/05/2026

Proper equipment, solutions and accessories matter !!