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| A
Bit About The Lymphatic System |
| Your
horses lymphatic system is a circularatory system that serves as your
horses primary defense against disease and negative effects of injury. |
| A
network of lymphatic vessels (twice as many as blood vessels)
run throughout
your horses body transporting
lymphatic
fluid
and collecting excess levels of fluid and waste products. |
| Originating in the
peripheral body tissues and organs furthest from your horses heart, the
lymphatic fluid journeys through these peripheral body organs and
body tissues within their capillaries into the vessels collecting
particles of harmful toxins and waste products. |
| Situated
at various locations throughout your horses body are lymph nodes and lymphatic
glands that work as filters; trapping harmful toxins, waste products,
lactic acid, salts and proteins from the fluids of body tissues,
preventing them reaching your horses heart. |
| Upon reaching the
heart, the lymphatic fluid is drained through one of two ducts; one on the
left hand side and one on the right hand side. |
| The
flow of lymph fluid is a slow one way journey, directed towards your
horses heart from the peripheral areas, and unlike the blood flow that has the heart to pump it around
your horses’ body, the lymphatic flow has no such advantage. Subsequently, the lymphatic flow relies on three individual though
easily integrated workings to power its flow around the horses’ body –
ALL of which are optimised through your horses movement. |
| Muscular,
tendon, ligament, respiratory,
digestive and cardiovascular
activity all contribute to the flow of lymphatic fluid. |
| The involuntary contraction of skeletal muscles presses
upon their respective lymphatic vessels causing the lymphatic fluid to be
pushed through the vessels. |
| Every time the horse inhales, the thoracic cavity contracts,
an action that pulls the lymphatic fluid through its vessels towards the
horses’ heart where waste products it has collected are then duly
expelled form your horses body. |
| Tissue fluid leaving the arterioles also creates pressure
upon the lymphatic vessels, once again causing the lymphatic fluid to be
pushed through the lymph vessels to continue its journey. |
| Lymphatic
fluid is a relatively colourless fluid composed of blood plasma containing
white blood cells referred to as 'Lymphocytes' that
produce antibodies that work to defend your horses body against both viral and
bacterial infection. |
| When
Problems Develop |
| When
your horse experiences times of inactivity, the subsequential lack
of movement will inhibit his flow of lymphatic fluid, leading to the presence
of excessive levels of stuck fluid. An example of this is 'filled legs'. |
| In
addition to this, the production and transportation of antibodies needed for
your horses day to day good health will also be slowed down. |
| An
injured, stressed or strained muscle will be unable to release excess
levels of lactic acid, toxins and waste products from its contracted
muscle fibres, and if the lymphatic flow is hindered through your horses inactivity
it will be unable to assist in the removal of these negative by-products,
proceeding to negatively influence
the healing process of the respective muscle(s). |
| Relationship
Between Massage and The Your Horses Lymphatic System |
| Specific
equine
massage techniques, applications and therapy promotes and restores the
flow of lymphatic fluid enabling the following benefits to be received by your
horse: |
| Balanced
levels of electrolytes. |
| Balanced
and regulated
levels of sodium. |
| Balanced
and regulated fluid levels. |
| Balanced
and regulated
levels of antibodies. |
| An
inbuilt ability to fight off viral and
bacterial infections. |
| Top
Of Page |
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Bodyscoring
Gait analysis
Lameness
Conformation
Fittening
Stretching
Tack
Myofascial
Hydrotherapy
Biomechanics
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