The CTJ
"CTJ is short for cervicothoracic junction, which is the name for the spinal segment between the seventh cervical and the first thoracic vertebrae.
Horses under saddle often suffer from painful degenerations in this area, which can manifest in manifold symptoms like an uneven rhythm, or stumbling. Some have difficulties seeking contact on the rein, or develop breathing problems, and some even suffer from ataxia (in our book, we address this issue in much more detail and underline it with veterinary findings (Link)).
The most beneficial position for the CTJ is the horse's grazing posture. In this position, the joints are flexed, and the vertebral joints open up, as do the facet joints and the intervertebral foramina, which is important. When the horse extends his neck and assumes a long and low position, the flexion of the joints eases a bit, to which extent, depends on how high the horse holds his head. However, the vertebral joints still remain farther open than when the horse is in collection, holding his head in a more upright position. When the horse is collected, the CTJ is permanently kept in a more or less stretched position.
Overstretching and overly strong compression go hand in hand, and potentially cause severe pain and possibly even permanent damage in the CTJ. This happens when the head of the horse under saddle is deliberately kept in too high a position, when the horse's neck is overbent in the poll, when the reins are too tight and too short, or when the horse is above the bit.
Therefore it is important for a rider to know which degree of stretching will harm the horse. How high is "too high", and what is the difference between the horse being above the bit and in correct elevation?
As a rule of thumb, the top neckline of the horse from the withers to the poll, viewed from the side, should be double the length of the underline of the neck from the throat to the breast. This position is easily achieved when the horse extends his neck forward, long and low, which is also the reason why young or untrained and unschooled horses are best ridden with their neck in the forward, long and low position.
In correct collection, the horse's neck should be relatively upright, however, the relation of the top neckline and the underline remains 2:1.
If the top neckline appears to be as long as the underline, this means that the CTJ is overstretched, and may suffer permanent damage even after a relatively short time.
As long as the relation of the top line and the underline remains correct, the head position of a horse under saddle may vary. It always depends on his conformation, his level of schooling and his physical state.
If the underline of the neck appears to be as long as the top neckline, the position of the horses head is incorrect, and the CTJ may suffer damage. In this case, you need to give rein and allow the horse to stretch his neck down and out in order to alleviate the compression of the CTJ.
It takes years of classical horse training to enable a horse under saddle to maintain the correct relation of his top neckline and his neck underline in collection, and with his head in a higher position."
Photos: Maresa Mader
In our book, we explain the function of the blue CTJ tape on a very special training therapy patient, the Icelandic horse Nói.
"CTJ is short for cervicothoracic junction, which is the name for the spinal segment between the seventh cervical and the first thoracic vertebrae.
Horses under saddle often suffer from painful degenerations in this area, which can manifest in manifold symptoms like an uneven rhythm, or stumbling. Some have difficulties seeking contact on the rein, or develop breathing problems, and some even suffer from ataxia (in our book, we address this issue in much more detail and underline it with veterinary findings (Link)).
The most beneficial position for the CTJ is the horse's grazing posture. In this position, the joints are flexed, and the vertebral joints open up, as do the facet joints and the intervertebral foramina, which is important. When the horse extends his neck and assumes a long and low position, the flexion of the joints eases a bit, to which extent, depends on how high the horse holds his head. However, the vertebral joints still remain farther open than when the horse is in collection, holding his head in a more upright position. When the horse is collected, the CTJ is permanently kept in a more or less stretched position.
Overstretching and overly strong compression go hand in hand, and potentially cause severe pain and possibly even permanent damage in the CTJ. This happens when the head of the horse under saddle is deliberately kept in too high a position, when the horse's neck is overbent in the poll, when the reins are too tight and too short, or when the horse is above the bit.
Therefore it is important for a rider to know which degree of stretching will harm the horse. How high is "too high", and what is the difference between the horse being above the bit and in correct elevation?
As a rule of thumb, the top neckline of the horse from the withers to the poll, viewed from the side, should be double the length of the underline of the neck from the throat to the breast. This position is easily achieved when the horse extends his neck forward, long and low, which is also the reason why young or untrained and unschooled horses are best ridden with their neck in the forward, long and low position.
In correct collection, the horse's neck should be relatively upright, however, the relation of the top neckline and the underline remains 2:1.
If the top neckline appears to be as long as the underline, this means that the CTJ is overstretched, and may suffer permanent damage even after a relatively short time.
As long as the relation of the top line and the underline remains correct, the head position of a horse under saddle may vary. It always depends on his conformation, his level of schooling and his physical state.
If the underline of the neck appears to be as long as the top neckline, the position of the horses head is incorrect, and the CTJ may suffer damage. In this case, you need to give rein and allow the horse to stretch his neck down and out in order to alleviate the compression of the CTJ.
It takes years of classical horse training to enable a horse under saddle to maintain the correct relation of his top neckline and his neck underline in collection, and with his head in a higher position."
Photos: Maresa Mader
In our book, we explain the function of the blue CTJ tape on a very special training therapy patient, the Icelandic horse Nói.
Canter in varying degrees of collection with PRE gelding Fugitivo
Excerpt from our OsteoDressage book on the long and low position:
"During any training session, the rider should basically allow the horse to alter the degree of collection and to change his head posture from time to time, and the horse should never be forced to remain in one position for a longer period. Muscles work in different ways, we have dynamic and static muscle contractions, amongst others. Let's take a look at our most important knee extensor, for example: The M. quadriceps femoris allows us to do squats, a dynamic contraction. With extension and flexion alternating, the length of the quadriceps keeps changing. This exercise is exhausting, but a person well into training can do squats for several minutes in a row without feeling a burn in the muscle.
Wall sits are a different exercise (see photo): Here you flex your knees so the thighs and the lower legs remain at a 90-degree angle. During our seminars we have our participants do this exercise, and our record keeper was able to hold the pose for as little as 50 seconds. Why couldn't anyone do it longer? The answer is simple: The quadriceps is contracted statically during the wall sit - it doesn't extend and contract alternatingly, and eccentrically in addition. The muscle is stretched and, at the same time, it is forced to remain in this position without the ability to relax for a tiny bit. When muscles contract eccentrically, the tiny blood vessels that feed the muscle fibers are constricted, and the blood flow restrained. Therefore, the oxygen level in the muscle and its energy supplies soon start running low, and the muscle tires out much faster as a consequence. The exact phenomenon takes place in the short cervical extensors of the horse when he is ridden with his head in an upright, flexed position, with the poll as the highest point, especially if the horse is forced to hold this "dressage position" for a longer period of time.
The short cervical extensors are a group of four muscles located at the poll: both the large and the small straight upper muscles of the head (M. rectus capitis dorsalis major and minor) and the oblique head muscles at the front and the back (M. obliquus capitis cranialis et caudalis). For more details, please see the chapter on LDR in our book. The original job of these muscles is to enable the horse to pluck grass in a rhythmical fashion, performing concentric muscle contractions, during which the muscles shorten and relax again and again. Moreover, the short cervical extensors are also connected to the fascia of the cerebral membranes. Too high a tension in this area may lead to tiredness, a shortened attention span and even head shaking.
In contrast to being relaxed in the resting posture, during which the position of the head and the neck is almost the same as in a relaxed low, down and forward posture, the short cervical extensors contract eccentrically when the horse is ridden in collection. After a short time, every horse will feel a burning sensation in the neck extensors if he isn't allowed to stretch his nose forward a bit from time to time in order to relax the muscles.
The most prominent muscle of the upper neckline is the M. splenius, is known to contract eccentrically in the trot, too, even of the horse is allowed to extend his neck forward and down. In the walk and in the canter, the horse nods his head a bit, which allows the muscle to contract concentrically). This muscle has its origin on the lumbodorsal fascia, a thick fascia running along the saddle area, on the nuchal ligament and on the spinous processes of the third to fifth thoracic vertebrae, and its insertion on the occipital bone and on the mastoid process of the temporal bone, directly next to the mandibular joint, as well as on the transverse processes of the third to fifth thoracic vertebrae. Every rider should strive for a horse with a well-trained M. splenius, since it is crucial for forming a desirable, attractive top line. When the horse extends his neck down and out, the M. splenius elongates, and, to a certain extent, also induces the lumbodorsal fascia to stretch a bit. As a consequence, smaller fascial restrictions may be resolved, and the horse may be able to move his back more elastically.
In contrast to the M. splenius, the M. semispinalis, which is located under the M. splenius, is predestined to endure static strain, since its has tendinous components (fascia that do not tire out). The structure of this muscle is the reason why a horse will willingly maintain an extended neck position for a long time even when he is lunged without side reins."
Excerpt from our OsteoDressage book on the long and low position:
"During any training session, the rider should basically allow the horse to alter the degree of collection and to change his head posture from time to time, and the horse should never be forced to remain in one position for a longer period. Muscles work in different ways, we have dynamic and static muscle contractions, amongst others. Let's take a look at our most important knee extensor, for example: The M. quadriceps femoris allows us to do squats, a dynamic contraction. With extension and flexion alternating, the length of the quadriceps keeps changing. This exercise is exhausting, but a person well into training can do squats for several minutes in a row without feeling a burn in the muscle.
Wall sits are a different exercise (see photo): Here you flex your knees so the thighs and the lower legs remain at a 90-degree angle. During our seminars we have our participants do this exercise, and our record keeper was able to hold the pose for as little as 50 seconds. Why couldn't anyone do it longer? The answer is simple: The quadriceps is contracted statically during the wall sit - it doesn't extend and contract alternatingly, and eccentrically in addition. The muscle is stretched and, at the same time, it is forced to remain in this position without the ability to relax for a tiny bit. When muscles contract eccentrically, the tiny blood vessels that feed the muscle fibers are constricted, and the blood flow restrained. Therefore, the oxygen level in the muscle and its energy supplies soon start running low, and the muscle tires out much faster as a consequence. The exact phenomenon takes place in the short cervical extensors of the horse when he is ridden with his head in an upright, flexed position, with the poll as the highest point, especially if the horse is forced to hold this "dressage position" for a longer period of time.
The short cervical extensors are a group of four muscles located at the poll: both the large and the small straight upper muscles of the head (M. rectus capitis dorsalis major and minor) and the oblique head muscles at the front and the back (M. obliquus capitis cranialis et caudalis). For more details, please see the chapter on LDR in our book. The original job of these muscles is to enable the horse to pluck grass in a rhythmical fashion, performing concentric muscle contractions, during which the muscles shorten and relax again and again. Moreover, the short cervical extensors are also connected to the fascia of the cerebral membranes. Too high a tension in this area may lead to tiredness, a shortened attention span and even head shaking.
In contrast to being relaxed in the resting posture, during which the position of the head and the neck is almost the same as in a relaxed low, down and forward posture, the short cervical extensors contract eccentrically when the horse is ridden in collection. After a short time, every horse will feel a burning sensation in the neck extensors if he isn't allowed to stretch his nose forward a bit from time to time in order to relax the muscles.
The most prominent muscle of the upper neckline is the M. splenius, is known to contract eccentrically in the trot, too, even of the horse is allowed to extend his neck forward and down. In the walk and in the canter, the horse nods his head a bit, which allows the muscle to contract concentrically). This muscle has its origin on the lumbodorsal fascia, a thick fascia running along the saddle area, on the nuchal ligament and on the spinous processes of the third to fifth thoracic vertebrae, and its insertion on the occipital bone and on the mastoid process of the temporal bone, directly next to the mandibular joint, as well as on the transverse processes of the third to fifth thoracic vertebrae. Every rider should strive for a horse with a well-trained M. splenius, since it is crucial for forming a desirable, attractive top line. When the horse extends his neck down and out, the M. splenius elongates, and, to a certain extent, also induces the lumbodorsal fascia to stretch a bit. As a consequence, smaller fascial restrictions may be resolved, and the horse may be able to move his back more elastically.
In contrast to the M. splenius, the M. semispinalis, which is located under the M. splenius, is predestined to endure static strain, since its has tendinous components (fascia that do not tire out). The structure of this muscle is the reason why a horse will willingly maintain an extended neck position for a long time even when he is lunged without side reins."
The myth of the overtaxed forehand
Excerpt from the OsteoDressage book on the long and low position:
After being familiarized with being ridden or lunged, a (young) horse in the trot may drop his neck very low, with his nose almost touching the sand. This usually happens when he is totally relaxed. A lot of criticism has been aimed at this position recently, and people claim it brings too much weight on the forehand, thus overtaxing the front limbs of the horse. However, when you come to think of it you'll realize that the anatomy of the horse's forehand is excellently adapted to sustaining a deep neck position, since nature has designed it to carry around 60% of the weight of the horse. There are two suspensory ligaments in the fore leg (one for the superficial and one for the deep bending tendon), whereas there is only one suspensory ligament in the back leg, which supports the deep bending tendon. Moreover, as a rule, the front hooves are larger, which is proof that they are destined to carry more weight.
The actual weight distribution between the forehand and the hindquarters depends much less on the position of the head and neck of the horse than has hitherto been assumed: An extensive study was carried through in 2006, during which the load on the forehand was measured. The load distribution for different head and neck positions varied only by a maximum of 2% (which is, for a horse with a weight of 500 kg, a total of 10 kg) - a surprisingly low number, especially if you take into account that the weight of the rider may be up to 15% of the weight of the horse (75 kg for a 500 kg horse).
Therefore, we may safely say that the positive effects of the extended down and out neck position (enabling the M. serratus ventralis, the most important muscle that supports the body and stabilizes the spine, to work in a physiologically correct fashion, for example) are considerably more important than the additional small load on the forehand, which adds up to just a few kilograms. A horse that is ridden in an extended low neck position bears only 0.02% more weight on the forehand than an unridden horse in his natural, free head and neck position. This additional weight adds up to 100 grams for a 500 kg horse, the weight of a chocolate bar.
(Please also see Weishaupt et al, Zurich University, and the respective article referring to this study, written by Dr. Kathrin Kienapfel, and published in the 3rd issue of the German magazine "ReitKultur“.)
From a rider's point of view, we should add that a short-stepped trot with an extended low neck and head position should only serve to make the horse more supple. This kind of trot can never be the aim of dressage but its starting point. No horse should be made to walk around like that forever, but being able to trot easily while the parasympathetic nervous system is active and the dorsal muscle chain is relaxed classically paves the way for making the horse responsive to the aids and to "close" him in collection. After this short time in a relaxed trot after the warm-up phase (Podhajsky recommends around ten minutes), the horse should be supple, thus allowing the rider to bring him into a long, low and out position, so he starts rounding his back and supporting the weight of the rider, and/or a working position with an increasingly upright posture, until the healthy dressage posture can be reached.
Excerpt from the OsteoDressage book on the long and low position:
After being familiarized with being ridden or lunged, a (young) horse in the trot may drop his neck very low, with his nose almost touching the sand. This usually happens when he is totally relaxed. A lot of criticism has been aimed at this position recently, and people claim it brings too much weight on the forehand, thus overtaxing the front limbs of the horse. However, when you come to think of it you'll realize that the anatomy of the horse's forehand is excellently adapted to sustaining a deep neck position, since nature has designed it to carry around 60% of the weight of the horse. There are two suspensory ligaments in the fore leg (one for the superficial and one for the deep bending tendon), whereas there is only one suspensory ligament in the back leg, which supports the deep bending tendon. Moreover, as a rule, the front hooves are larger, which is proof that they are destined to carry more weight.
The actual weight distribution between the forehand and the hindquarters depends much less on the position of the head and neck of the horse than has hitherto been assumed: An extensive study was carried through in 2006, during which the load on the forehand was measured. The load distribution for different head and neck positions varied only by a maximum of 2% (which is, for a horse with a weight of 500 kg, a total of 10 kg) - a surprisingly low number, especially if you take into account that the weight of the rider may be up to 15% of the weight of the horse (75 kg for a 500 kg horse).
Therefore, we may safely say that the positive effects of the extended down and out neck position (enabling the M. serratus ventralis, the most important muscle that supports the body and stabilizes the spine, to work in a physiologically correct fashion, for example) are considerably more important than the additional small load on the forehand, which adds up to just a few kilograms. A horse that is ridden in an extended low neck position bears only 0.02% more weight on the forehand than an unridden horse in his natural, free head and neck position. This additional weight adds up to 100 grams for a 500 kg horse, the weight of a chocolate bar.
(Please also see Weishaupt et al, Zurich University, and the respective article referring to this study, written by Dr. Kathrin Kienapfel, and published in the 3rd issue of the German magazine "ReitKultur“.)
From a rider's point of view, we should add that a short-stepped trot with an extended low neck and head position should only serve to make the horse more supple. This kind of trot can never be the aim of dressage but its starting point. No horse should be made to walk around like that forever, but being able to trot easily while the parasympathetic nervous system is active and the dorsal muscle chain is relaxed classically paves the way for making the horse responsive to the aids and to "close" him in collection. After this short time in a relaxed trot after the warm-up phase (Podhajsky recommends around ten minutes), the horse should be supple, thus allowing the rider to bring him into a long, low and out position, so he starts rounding his back and supporting the weight of the rider, and/or a working position with an increasingly upright posture, until the healthy dressage posture can be reached.
|
|
Wir wachsen und stellen ein!
|
|