Like the human, your horse is composed of fascia, which is a 3-dimensional connective tissue web that runs from head to tail, surrounding bones, muscles, organs, nerves and blood vessels.  This connective tissue acts as a shock absorber in your horses body.  Injury, stress, and trauma to the horses system create fascial restrictions that limit range of motion, cause poor collection, loss of flexibility and structural imbalance leading to pelvic rotation and misalignment of your horses spine.  This connective tissue web feels like a hard band to the therapists hands.  This is what we call fascial restriction in the horses body and the human body.  Fascial restriction has the capability of pulling 2,000 pounds per square inch.  This tension in the fascial system is what pulls on the bodys structure and causes vertebra to go out of alignment which leads to uneven gait, loss of flexibility, pelvic rotation, poor balance, and lameness.  This is why Equine Myofascial Release is a whole body connective tissue approach that works very well with other alternative methods like chiropractic and acupuncture. 

           Horses sometimes sustain injuries because of special tasks that we ask them to perform.  Collection is a task that puts a horse in a vulnerable position if they have fascial restriction.  Muscles called longisssimus, spinalis dorsi, and rectus abdominus are major muscles for collection.  If these muscle groups have fascial restrictions, your horse will loose the ability to make flexion of the spine.  Muscles become short, and draw the spine to drop down and loose flexibility which leads to pain when asked for collection.  Horses develop fascial restrictions following a fall, injury or repetitive microtrauma.  

            Fascia gets bound down from old injuries and, if left untreated, will progressively tighten over time.  (Example:  Have you ever pulled your back out from just bending over to pick up a small object from the floor?)  This is what is meant by a build up of fascial restrictions that may be from old injuries of from bad postures and habits that we dont realize we have.  Fascia pulls from one area of your body to another with intense pressure.  A restriction may be in your back, but you may complain of neck pain.  Remember that it is a whole body connective tissue web that runs from head to toe, or in the horses case, head to tail. 

            So, fascial restrictions, whether they are in the horse or rider, may create symptoms in a region of the body distant from the area of restriction.  That is why a Whole Body Approach is necessary.  There is a sayingfind the pain and look elsewhere for the cause.  (J.F. Barnes, PT)  Treating symptoms of chronic pain or lameness with medication only is like painting a rotted step.  The problem still exists under the fresh coat of paint and eventually the step will collapse fresh paint and all. 

            The more logical approach is to lengthen areas of the fascial restriction to return the much needed slack back to the system.  This way structural balance and flexibility will be restored, and pain will be eliminated.  Horse and rider will ultimately enhance their ability to be a cohesive team.