Newfound Animal Health and Wellness

05/22/2026

Fascia!!

12 Interesting Things About Thoracolumbar Fascia

1. Thoracolumbar fascia connects directly with no fewer than 7 myofascial lines and coordinates directly with at least two more. More on these coming soon.

2. It consists of multiple layers of fibrous fascia that vary in thickness and density.

3. The thoracolumbar fascia inserts into the sacrum at the base of the spine and the iliac crest of the pelvis, and it merges with 12 different muscles on each side of the spine.

4. It originates from the nuchal ligament and has additional attachments to the spinous processes of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.

5. It acts as a central structure that distributes mechanical forces, supporting the integrity of the back.

6. Muscles that attach to and are embedded within the thoracolumbar fascia can increase its tension.

7. Tension within the fascia can be increased by several involuntary factors, such as the contraction of myofibroblasts in response to mechanical stress or during the healing process. Increased viscosity of the interstitial fluid, adhesions, and tissue thickening can also contribute to heightened fascial tension.

8. The thoracolumbar fascia works with the lateral and ventral abdominal muscles, as well as other structures within the thorax, to create a corset-like effect that enhances intra-abdominal pressure. This coordination helps stabilize the thorax and reduce the load on the vertebrae.

9. The equine thoracolumbar fascia is richly innervated with sensory receptors that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion. These receptors contribute to the horse’s ability to sense and coordinate body movement, posture, and balance.

10. The thoracolumbar fascia distributes mechanical stress across the thoracolumbar spine and pelvis, minimizing localized stress and reducing the risk of injury.

11. The weight of the rider, combined with the fit and placement of the saddle, directly interacts with the thoracolumbar fascia.

12. The thoracolumbar fascia and its integrated muscles can only perform their functions correctly if the fascia surrounding them is mobile enough to allow full sensory input, coordination, and function.

https://koperequine.com/thoracolumbar-fascia-in-horses-function-and-importance/

05/12/2026

7 Reasons Chiropractic Alone Is Often Not Enough for Horses

Chiropractic work can absolutely help horses.

Improving joint mobility, reducing restriction, and influencing nervous system input can create meaningful changes in comfort and movement quality.

But many horses continue to struggle even after repeated adjustments.

Why?

Because movement problems are rarely caused by joints alone.

The body functions as an integrated system involving fascia, muscle tone, coordination, balance, proprioception, behavior, compensation patterns, and nervous system regulation.

Adjusting the joints without addressing the rest of the system is often incomplete.

Here’s why.

1. Fascia Connects the Entire Body

Fascia is a continuous connective tissue network that surrounds and integrates muscles, joints, nerves, organs, and movement chains.

Restriction in one region can influence movement somewhere else entirely.

A horse may receive a successful adjustment, but if surrounding fascial tension patterns remain unchanged, the body may continue pulling the horse back into the same compensation strategy.

The joint changed.
The system did not.

2. Hypertonic Muscle Can Pull the Body Back Into Compensation

Many horses develop chronic muscular guarding and hypertonicity.

Importantly, hypertonic does not mean strong.

Often these muscles are:

* protective
* compensating
* overworking
* poorly coordinated
* or responding to instability elsewhere

If excessive muscular tension is not addressed, the horse may temporarily improve after chiropractic work but gradually return to the same posture and movement patterns.

3. The Nervous System Controls Movement

Movement is not controlled by bones alone.

The nervous system constantly regulates:

* muscle tone
* coordination
* posture
* movement variability
* balance
* protective responses

If the nervous system still perceives instability, discomfort, overload, or lack of safety, the body may continue using the same movement strategies regardless of joint position.

This is one reason some horses seem to “need constant adjustments.”

4. Restriction Is Often a Whole-Body Pattern

A horse protecting one area rarely compensates in only one place.

For example:

* thoracic sling dysfunction may affect the neck, ribs, lumbar region, and hindquarters
* pelvic restriction may alter trunk stabilization and forelimb loading
* poll tension may connect into broader fascial and postural chains

Massage and myofascial approaches can help address broader tension patterns that may not be fully resolved through localized joint work alone.

5. Proprioception and Coordination Matter

Many horses do not simply lack mobility.

They lack efficient control of mobility.

A horse may have enough range of motion physically but still move poorly because of:

* weak proprioception
* poor coordination
* instability
* reduced body awareness
* compensation patterns

Improving movement quality often requires helping the horse reorganize movement patterns, not simply increasing motion in individual joints.

6. Stress and Emotional State Affect the Body

Horses carry stress physically.

Emotional arousal, anxiety, hypervigilance, environmental pressure, pain anticipation, and chronic stress can all increase muscular and fascial tension.

A horse in a chronically protective nervous system state may struggle to maintain physical changes because the body continues prioritizing protection over fluid movement.

Massage and fascial work may help influence parasympathetic regulation and reduce excessive guarding behaviors.

7. Lasting Change Usually Requires Systemic Change

The horses that improve the most long term are usually not the ones receiving only one type of therapy.

They are often the horses whose overall system improves through:

* movement quality
* strength and coordination
* recovery
* balance
* conditioning
* appropriate loading
* body awareness
* stress reduction
* and improved movement experiences

Chiropractic can be an important piece of that puzzle.

But rarely is it the entire puzzle.

Final Thought

This is not about chiropractic versus massage or fascia therapy.

It is about recognizing that horses are complex adaptive systems.

No single modality addresses every part of movement, compensation, posture, coordination, and nervous system regulation.

The more completely we understand the system,
the more effectively we can help the horse.

https://koperequine.com/compensation-is-strategy-until-it-isnt/

05/09/2026

I love poles!

A recent study from the University of Tennessee provided strong support for something trainers, movement specialists, and bodyworkers have observed for years:

Ground poles significantly increase activation of important postural and core muscles in horses.

What the Study Found

Walking over ground poles increased activity in:

• Longissimus dorsi — a major topline and spinal support muscle
• Abdominal muscles — critical for core stability and support of the spine

Even at the walk, poles require the horse to:

• Lift the limbs higher
• Stabilize the trunk more actively
• Organize posture and balance with greater precision
• Continuously adjust limb placement and timing

At the trot, researchers also found increased activation of the abdominal muscles.

Trotting over poles requires greater dynamic stabilization, and the increased limb elevation demands more coordinated control of the trunk, pelvis, and spine.

What This Means

These findings support the long-standing use of cavaletti and ground poles as a low-impact way to:

• Strengthen the topline
• Improve abdominal engagement
• Support spinal stability
• Enhance proprioception and coordination
• Encourage improved posture and self-carriage
• Develop better movement organization through the whole body

One of the most important aspects of pole work is that it influences both sides of the postural system:

• The dorsal chain — including the longissimus muscles along the back
• The ventral chain — including the abdominal support system

This balance is essential for efficient movement, force transfer, and development of a healthy, functional topline.

But pole work is not only muscular.

It is neurological.

Each pole creates a movement problem the horse must solve in real time.

The horse has to:

• Judge distance
• Adjust stride length
• Control timing
• Stabilize the trunk
• Organize the limbs in space
• Adapt moment-to-moment to changing demands

That process requires attention, coordination, body awareness, and ongoing nervous system regulation.

In many horses, poles appear to improve focus not simply because the horse is “behaving,” but because the nervous system is becoming more engaged and organized around the task.

Pole work may also influence neurological tone — the background level of muscular and nervous system readiness that affects posture, movement quality, stiffness, and coordination.

For some horses, this can help reduce excessive bracing and improve adaptability through the body.
For others, it can help improve postural engagement and overall organization.

Why It Matters

Regular pole work can benefit many types of horses:

• Young horses developing coordination and posture
• Performance horses improving strength, agility, movement quality, and limb awareness
• Horses rebuilding core control and stability after periods of weakness or reduced work
• Older horses maintaining mobility, coordination, and movement confidence

Importantly, many of these benefits occur even at the walk, making poles accessible to horses across a wide range of ages, disciplines, and fitness levels.

Rather than simply “making horses pick up their feet,” poles appear to challenge the nervous system, postural system, sensory system, and muscular system together — encouraging the horse to organize movement with greater control, awareness, and adaptability.

https://koperequine.com/step-by-step-the-benefits-of-walk-poles-for-horses/

05/07/2026

Cool!

A ten-year-old Holsteiner gelding with chronic scar tissue was managed using acupuncture. The scar tissue extended from the middle of the 17th thoracic vertebrae to the ventral midline 10cm cranial to the sheath and caused obstruction to the flow of Liver Qi. He presented with clinical signs of pain associated with the scar tissue, internal adhesions and subsequent development of impinging dorsal spinous processes (DSPs). Acupuncture treatment involved treatment of the scar directly using ‘Surround the Dragon’ and electroacupuncture, treatment of the Bladder channel and Multifidus muscle at points that corresponded to the dermatomes associated with the scar, and treatment of the Dai Mai channel that runs alongside the scar. This case shows the benefit of using acupuncture in the treatment of chronic scar tissue.

You can read this in-depth case report here:https://civtedu.org/documents/kzxMknq3kzbFJ1L4u0A7.pdf

Learn about our Veterinary Acupuncture courses here: https://civtedu.org/courses/acupuncture

03/18/2026

02/23/2026

02/04/2026

01/21/2026

Carrot low to the side stretch creates back flexion as well as lateral flexion. This makes it great for stimulating and strengthening the abdominal muscles, improving posture and increasing back strength and mobility.

How to do it
This is best done up against a stable wall, so your horse reaches round to the side for the carrot rather than moving backwards.

Stand with your back against your horse roughly in line with the girth area.

Hold the carrot in the hand closest to the tail, encourage your horse to bring his head across your body.

Bring the carrot down to just below your knee, keep the movement smooth by keeping the carrot close to your horse's lips.

Hold the stretch for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat this 2-3 times on each side.

This is normally an exercise I prescribe for horses recovering from kissing spine but not in the initial period immediately after surgery where the focus needs to be reducing inflammation and gently mobilising to give the body confidence. In the early phases of rehab it is best to stick your simple movements.

12/10/2025

I love my walk poles!