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| A
Bit About The Principles Of Tack Fitting (student
ref: dressage stress point paper / stress point cycle) |
| It is
our duty to ensure and keep ensuring without any doubt that the
tack we strap onto our horses not only fits perfectly, but is also safe,
effective, comfortable and actually necessary. The horse must be allowed
the freedom of unhindered movement. |
| All so often, tack is placed on horses as a fashion accessory or as a misguided attempt
to achieve certain requirements, only causing unwanted extra problems and
discomfort to the horse, actually producing more negative effects within
the horses performance. |
| Incorrectly
fitted or unnecessary tack results in pain and discomfort to the horse |
| Some
Problems
Created and Endured By Ill Fitting Tack |
| Sore
pressure points |
| Muscular
tension - lower back, neck, shoulders and hindquarters (student
ref: stress point cycle) |
| Cranialsacral
imbalance |
| Myofascial sclerosis |
| Pain
endured with riders requests. |
| Stressed
compensatory muscles |
| Sore and bruised shoulders |
| Shorter
strides |
| Hollow
back formation and habit |
| Lumbar locking |
| Pelvic
malfunction |
| Promotion
of a heavy forehand |
| High
neck carriage |
| Overdeveloped
underline |
| Incomparative
topline |
| Evasion
of the bit |
| When
Problems Develop |
| Saddles
placed too far forward |
| Saddles
placed too far back |
| Saddles
too low at the gullet |
| Saddles
too narrow at the gullet |
| Saddles
uneven in their weight distribution |
| Saddles
moving the weight distribution over sore and restricted areas |
| Martingales
restricting the horses natural method of balance, stretch and free
movement |
| Draw reins restricting the horses natural method of balance, stretch and free
movement |
| Incorrect
bits being used by inexperienced riders often promoting the highest point
of the arc within the wrong vertebrae creating flexion in the wrong places for the wrong reason. |
| Equine
Massage Therapy and Tack |
| Equine massage
therapy works in a healing form to reverse and comfort areas of
muscular stress that have been created through the effects of ill fitting,
incorrectly used or unnecessary tack. |
| Equine massage
therapy in this situation can help heal the consequential results derived
from ill-fitting tack. However, if the problem has persisted for some
time, the assistance of the professional
saddler, physiotherapist, chiropractor and sometimes a veterinary
surgeon is often necessary so that the respective problem can be resolved. |
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