Equine Massage Basics, Part 3: The Trapezius Muscle, by Patti Schofler

Details, details, details. If you are a dressage rider, you know the value of giving attention to that word, details, and the same is true about equine massage. One area which returns great reward when given attention is the trapezius muscle.

You’ll find one portion of this vital riding muscle behind the shoulders where the withers tie into the horse’s back and end halfway down the shoulder and on the rear part of the spine of the scapula. The other section reaches about halfway up the crest of the neck and ends halfway down the shoulder and on the front portion on the spine of the scapula.

If your horse is having problems with this muscle, he’ll let you know, perhaps by showing resistance to rounding his back and lowering his neck. Or he may become agitated when you tighten the girth. He may react (biting, stomping, swishing his tail, kick) when you are initially brushing this area.

“It’s not uncommon to have issues with the trapezius muscle. If the front portion lying on the neck is involved, the horse may not reach forward during the stride. If the rear portion covering the wither is bothersome, your horse may not complete his stride,” explains Debranne Pattillo, CEO and head instructor for Equinology INC®, an equine body work educational company with sister affiliates around the globe (www.equinology.com). “Horses with distal limb pain tend to tighten the trapezius along with the rhomboids, brachiocephalicus, carpal and digital flexors and the elbow extensor.”

How does this happen to horses? Several causes can stress or sore this muscle area. One is traveling in an inverted neck posture causing “hypersensitivity in this area,” says Pattillo. Among the reasons a horse moves this way are an unbalanced rider, a nerve impingement, a spinal problem, improper or lack of training/conditioning, ill fitting saddles or blankets, and conformation challenges. Dental problems may cause the horse to move in this manner in order to avoid contact with the bit. Horses with hoof and tendon issues tighten these muscles to avoid loading the limb completely.

To massage this area:

Step One: Using your palms, target the trapezius muscle (the top green area) and rest your palms as shown in Figure 1.Think about leaving a hand print.

Step One, Figure 1: Starting Hand Position

Step Two: Once you feel you have sunk into the tissue, begin gliding upwards in line with the muscles. You will know the horse is ready because he will place more weight on the limb you are addressing, asking for more work. If the horse attempts to move away, lighten your pressure.

Step Two, Figure 2: Gliding Upward

Step Three: Continue up the muscle. It can take several minutes to reach the top. Plan on spending at least 3 minutes with this hold and longer if the horse will tolerate it. Target the upper end of the muscles.

Step Four: Isolating the Neck and Trunk Portions. In the final photos (figures 4 and 5), the position is shown for isolating the neck (cervical) portion and the trunk (thoracic) portion of the trapezius. Applying the same techniques, you can choose to offer more care to these often troubled muscles.

Step Four, Figure 4: Isolating the Neck (Cervical) Portion

Step Four, Figure 5: Isolating the Trunk (Thoracic) Portion


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