A Christmas gift for the withers
Here are some simple bodywork techniques for the wither area that you can try on your horse.
The pocket of the withers can tell you a lot about the horse.
One of the areas that can tell you a lot about a horse, his way of training and his posture is the withers. The pocket between the caudal edge of the scapula and the spinous processes of the first thoracic vertebrae holds a lot of information. This is an area that gets sore with spinal dysfunction, this is the area that often tells us that the saddle isn't sitting right and it's the area that most horses like to get scratched. It's also an area that gets sensitive from rugs that we put on horses in the winter. So, I thought we could give some love to this part of the horse's anatomy during the holidays. Here are three simple bodywork techniques you can try on your horse.
First, find the caudal edge of the scapular cartilage and follow it downwards until you reach the shelf of ribs. In leaner horses this will be easier to palpate than in heavier horses. When you reach the shelf of the ribs, use your thumb to put pressure on the spot between the scapular cartilage and shelf of ribs. See how your horse reacts to it. If he likes it, try a bit more pressure, if he is unsure, ease off a bit. From here you can explore moving the pressure slightly upwards, downwards or sideways. See how the tissue feels and see how the horse responds to it. This is a powerful release point for this area.
Follow the caudal edge of the scapular cartilage down until you meet the shelf of the ribs. This can be a bit trickier on heavy horses.
Next, you can play around with the fascia. The wither area is a place where the fascia is often dry and adhered, so it's nice to stretch it out a bit and get some blood flow going. Start at the top of the withers and grab a tuft of hair with both hands. Lift the skin up by the hair and hold it for a few seconds. Then move a little further down and do the same thing again. When the skin is lifted, you can try moving it o up and down, if your horse likes it. Most horses really like this move, but start gently anyway. Keep moving until you've covered the entire wither pocket.
Lifting the hair up and moving it up and down can increase blood flow and loosen up the connective tissue.
The third move is targeted more at the nervous system. Start at the top of the withers and grab a hold of the top of the first spinous process with your fingers. Then gently rick the vertebrae left and right. Be very gentle with this move, as too much rocking might result in the horse tensing up. Go very slowly and increase the rocking motion gradually. Then move to the next top of the spinous process and repeat until you've covered the entire wither area.
If your horse is very sensitive to these moves, if he is not cooperating or is showing signs of pain, discontinue and call a professional to determine what the cause might be. Wither sensitivity is not normal. This bodywork sequence for the withers is great for horses who wear rugs and it's a nice little treat after a ride. It takes five minutes, but it can have a very positive impact in the health of the fascia and the blood flow in this important area.