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Tissue Damage & Saddle Fit:
Physiology & Effects
How a Poorly Fit Saddle Can Hurt a Horse
Lee Ann Swenson, MS, BSc, CEMMT
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Tissue Damage & Saddle Fit
Intro: Poor Saddle Fit Poor Performance
Types of Saddle Pressure
Types of Tissue Damage Injury
1. Discomfort & Pain
2. Muscle Damage & Injury
Muscle Soreness
Bruising & Inflammation
Muscle Atrophy
Muscle Tears & Scarring
3. Superficial Skin Damage & Superficial Effects
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Poor Saddle Fit Poor Performance
One of the most common sources of pain in horses is an ill-fitting saddle and/or imbalanced rider
Horses sore from saddles:
Look and act anxious & unhappy when being saddledWriggle, bite, or kick when saddle is placed on their back
Work with a hollow, stiff back
Disengaged behind
Stumbling in front, difficulty in traveling down hills
Never walk calm, want to speed up
So common, this situation is often considered normal,rather than preventable
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Types of Saddle Pressure
Arch of the saddle, or thick seams of leather under the
arch rubbing the top of the withers
Profile of the arch catching on the side of the withers as
the horse bends his neck
Compression of the dorsal spinous processes
Asymmetry in the weight-bearing panels
Broken tree, twisted tree, other protuberances
Inching girth, girth buckles
Stirrups pressing into horses side
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Types of Tissue Damage & Injury
1. Discomfort & Pain
Attitude changes, light swelling
2. Muscle Damage & Injury
Muscle Soreness
Bruising & Inflammation, Capillary Damage
Muscle Atrophy
Muscle Tears & Scarring
3. Superficial & Skin Damage & Effects Hair Loss, Rashes & Inflammation, White Hairs
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Basic Physiology: Pain Response
Uneven Saddle Pressure
Loss of Blood Supply to Muscles (Ischemia)
Damage to Mechanical Subcutaneous Receptors
Compression of Motor Nerves
Local Paralysis
PAIN
1. Discomfort & Pain
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Microanatomy
& Physiology
Basic Muscle Physiology Review
2. Muscle Damage & Injury
Muscle
Muscle Fiber (Muscle Cells)
Myofibrils
Sarcomeres (actin & myosin)
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Direct effects of saddle pressure on muscle fibers
Saddle may physically restrict horses normal movement
Pain from saddle pressure may cause horse to alter his
normal movement
Use different muscles
Not use appropriate musclesAbnormal movement may cause muscle damage: stress,
tears, strains
Mechanisms:
Saddle-Induced Muscle Soreness
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Common Sites of
Saddle-Induced Muscle Soreness
Trapezius
Longissimus Dorsi
Rhomboids
Thoracic Sling
Ian Bidstrup, BVetSc, MChiroSc, CertVetAcup, MACVSc
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Bruising & Inflammation
Bruising
The most common injury a muscle can have is "Bruising"
generally noticed by signs of discomfort or the resulting inflammation
causes a bump/heat to appear
Bruising: superficial discoloration due to hemorrhage into the tissues
from ruptured blood vessles beneath the skin surface
Inflammation: localized protective response elicited by injury ordestruction of tissues
Heat, redness, swelling, pain, loss of function
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Edema
Edema: abnormal accumulation of fluid in the cavities or
intercellular spaces
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Edema at Tree Point
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Muscle Atrophy
Wasting or loss of muscle tissue resulting from nervedamage, lack of use, or disease
Even minor atrophy results in some loss of mobility andpower
In a poorly fitting saddle:
a horse may not flex back muscles, to avoid directsaddle pressure on the muscle
A horse may not move symmetrically or may notengage from the hindquartersSome muscles may not receive regular work or may enter
into disuse
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Common Sites of Saddle-Induced
Atrophy
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Muscle Atrophy: Physiology
Disuse: Type II Muscle Fiber Atrophy
(N.B. at pH 9.4 Type II fibers stain dark, Type
Istain lighter)
Remember:
Type II - walk to trot transitions, canter,gallop (IIA aerobic, IIB anaerobic)
Type I - fibers are aerobic (walk, long low
intensity exercise)
Power is reduced in atrophy
Type II muscle fibers are small
Early changes
Atrophy in type IIB fibers
Narrow elongated fibers
Then small fibers become
angular
Type I muscle fibers are larger
than type II
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Muscle Atrophy
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Muscle Tears & Scarring
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Muscle Tears & Scarring
Muscle Fiber Tear: Is a result of a complete rupture of
the muscle fibers creating a muscle spasm, inflammation
and swelling will appear at the site.
Generally these tears are minor-however potentially
serious damage can result. We instinctively know that
once a fiber be it a muscle or corresponding soft tissue
has been compromised the result will be a scar. Which is
made up of a denser material to ensure the integrity of
the tissue remains intake, generally arranging in acrisscross pattern, however it can reduce the tensile
strength, flexibility or elasticity of the fiber.
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3. Superficial & Skin Damage & Effects
Saddle Pressure Points: Impact Normal Skin Function
May mechanically abrade the epidermal surface(rubbing, scraping)
May reduce circulation and impact dermal structures
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Local Anhidrosis Absence of Sweating
Uneven contact may result in
airflow drying the hair in some
spots
Pressure points may reduce
circulation and sweat to sweat
glands
Pressure may close off sweat
gland opening
Pressure may injure sweat
glands, which may take up to 6
months to regain function
Long-term / severe issue may
result in permanent damage
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Friction Rubs & Rashes
Saddle friction or pressure may
cause a local inflammatory
response or edema in the
epidermal and/or dermal layer
Pressure or friction may drive
foreign substances (dirt) down
into sebaceous glands or
sweat glands, leading to
inflammation or even infection
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White Hairs
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Conclusion
Muscle Microanatomy & Physiology
Dynamics of Work
Specific Muscle Fibers & Energy
Substrates
TogetherIMPACT> Exercise &
Its Effects on Muscle