Right: The crescent shaped dent at the point of the right shoulder is a clear sign of a hard kick that created a hematoma (deep bruise). On your own horse, find the superficial dents and feel for deeper fibrous restrictions and scarring.
This horse has uneven shoulder points and irregular contours that are worse on the left side. Even if the injury appears to be healed on the surface, there could be residual fascial restriction, possible pain, or a combination of the two. In other words, they’re red flags - sites of previous injuries and trauma that haven’t fully healed (see sidebar on next page). These blemishes can be a tell-tale sign that there’s an issue with the horse’s posture, movement, circulation, and lymphatic drainage. But when the skin is not “fitting well”, and holds areas of tightness and restriction, scars and other flaws will appear. Unfortunately, most horse caretakers and even equine professionals ignore scars, dents, and white hairs, believing they are just blemishes. We want our horses to have shiny coats, but more importantly, we need to develop a better understanding of their skin and whether or not they’re comfortable in it. It is also a sensory organ that provides information to the central nervous system. The skin is the largest organ - it assists in regulating the horse’s temperature and eliminating sweat and toxins. Find it, feel it, fix it! START WITH THE SKIN Expanding your knowledge so you can recognize signs of pain and restriction, as well as any deficiencies in your horse’s posture, can help you improve his performance and overall well-being. But we often wrongly assume they are comfortable in their own skin when they may not be.
We want our horses to be sound in mind and body, happy and healthy in play, and successful in their performance. Are old or new injuries causing your horse pain? Use this cross-fiber grooming technique to release any restrictions, improve his posture, and ease his discomfort.
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