Tissue Damage & Saddle Fit: Physiology & Effects

8/8/2019 Tissue Damage & Saddle Fit: Physiology & Effects

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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


Attitude changes, light swelling


Muscle Soreness

Bruising & Inflammation, Capillary Damage

Muscle Atrophy


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



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Microanatomy

& Physiology

Basic Muscle Physiology Review


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 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

Tissue Damage & Saddle Fit: Physiology & Effects

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