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Helen Thornton Equine Osteopathy & PEMF, Market Rasen (2026)

26/06/2026

🐴𝗦𝗜 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳… 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙘 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 (𝙎𝙄𝙅) 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 “𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩.”
𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙-𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙪𝙗 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙗𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚.

When it is functioning well, the horse feels:

✔ Even
✔ Powerful
✔ Willing
✔ Straight

When it is not coping, the whole “engine room” looks weaker, crooked, or inconsistent.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘺:

𝙎𝙄 𝙙𝙮𝙨𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.

🔎 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝗜 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻:

The SI joint has a unique job: It must transfer massive propulsion forces from the hindlimbs into the spine while barely moving.
Read that one again 😳

𝘐𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺

1️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
The anatomical shape and wedge-like congruency of the joint surfaces create inherent stability.

2️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲
Dynamic muscular and fascial support adds compression and control:

● Gluteals
● Hamstrings
● Multifidi
● Thoracolumbar fascia
● Pelvic floor

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗶 also plays a role in force closure, though it often becomes "𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵" (hypertonic) to compensate when the deeper Multifidi (the stabilizers) are weak. This is why a horse with SI pain often has a very hard, "𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥-𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦" back.

💬Think of the SI joint as having a built-in hydraulic "self-locking" system.
During movement, the thoracolumbar fascia, gluteals and latissimus dorsi work together to compress and stabilise the joint while force is transferred from the hindlimbs into the spine.

A horse can have perfectly normal “𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦”
…but if 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 drops (fatigue, poor conditioning, pain, compensation, saddle issues, overload), the SI region becomes the weak link.

The engine room loses power and therefore transmitting forces!

Cue...Suspensory inflammation, strain to hocks, foot balance issues, loading issues and propulsion issues.

This is why so many horses present with SI patterns without having obvious trauma. For me it's great to get these areas comfortable and compensations dealt with, before things like suspensory inflammation begin.

⚖️ 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 > 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀

𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴:

● Ilium ventral or dorsal rotation
● Ilium inflare / outflare
● Upslides from trauma (𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 - 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬)
● Sacral motion around multiple axes

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦:

● Apparent “functional leg-length difference”
● Uneven tuber sacrale height
● Uneven tuber coxaes
● Altered hoof landing
● One-sided difficulty in canter

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

And because the SI joint is deep and cannot be properly X-rayed, these motion patterns cannot be seen on imaging.

They must be palpated and assessed via Direct Motion Testing.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹" 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿:

Force closure requires the nervous system to fire those muscles just before the hoof hits the ground. If a horse is in pain elsewhere (like the hocks or feet), the brain often delays this firing, meaning the force closure fails even if the muscles look "big."

𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗩𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲"

𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 "𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨," 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 "𝘩𝘶𝘨" 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵.

This leads to:
▪︎ Micro-instability in the joint.
▪︎ Inflammation of the ventral sacroiliac ligaments.
▪︎ Spasms in the longissimus dorsi (back muscles) as they try to compensate for the pelvic instability.

The SI joint is not a high-motion joint such as the fetlock, but rather a stress-transfer mechanism.

The SIJ relies on "active" stability from the surrounding soft tissue.

💬 When that self-locking system begins to fail, the muscular system has no choice but to compensate.
The longissimus dorsi and multifidus are forced to work overtime, often locking up the lumbosacral junction and lumbar spine in an attempt to create stability where the pelvis has lost it.

If the muscles and fascia aren't providing that necessary compression, the horse will subconsciously develop compensatory movement patterns to avoid the discomfort of a "shearing" sensation in the pelvis.

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙤𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚:

1️⃣ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 "𝗕𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝗽" (𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)

This is the most classic sign of SI instability.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯: Both hind limbs move more simultaneously in canter.

𝘞𝘩𝘺?
Unilateral pelvic stability is insufficient, so the horse reduces shear by moving both legs together.

2️⃣ "𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴" 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

The horse may start on the correct lead but "swap" behind after a few strides, especially in corners.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘯: Leading with the left leg in front but the right leg behind.

𝘞𝘩𝘺?
As the horse turns, the torque on the pelvis increases. If the fascial slings (like the thoracolumbar fascia) aren't tensioning correctly, the horse cannot maintain the diagonal coordination and swaps to a "stiffer" gait to find stability.

3️⃣ 𝗗𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴" 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Transitions (walk-to-canter or trot-to-halt) require a massive "surge" of force closure to stabilize the pelvis as the centre of gravity shifts.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘨𝘯: The horse may toss its head, hollow its back, or "scoot" sideways during a transition.

Why?:
The horse is bracing against the anticipated "jolt" in the SIJ because the stabilizing muscles (multifidi and gluteals) aren't firing fast enough to protect the joint.

4️⃣ 𝗔𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 (“𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗜”)
Visible atrophy around the croup.

𝘞𝘩𝘺?
When force closure is chronically absent, the "software" (the nerves) stops telling the "hardware" (the muscles) to work.
🟰Chronic inhibition of multifidi and deep stabilisers.
Superficial muscles compensate and fatigue.

🧠 𝗦𝗜 𝗜𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 “𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗜”

One of the most important principles;
The pelvis and lumbar spine behave as a functional unit.

𝘏𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴:
Hip ➡️ SI ➡️ Lumbar spine

Distal overload (hoof imbalance, hock strain, stifle compensation)
often drives pelvic adaptation.

𝗦𝗼, 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴:

● Lumbar mechanics
● Diaphragm tension
● Thoracolumbar fascia
● Visceral influences
● Hoof Mechanics

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆

👀 What Owners Often Notice First:

𝘚𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘴:

● Disunited or difficult canter
● One-sided strike-off problems
● “Bunny hopping” behind
● Difficulty sitting or collecting
● Crooked lateral work
● Reduced impulsion
● Bucking on transition
● Reluctance to jump
● Hind limb that feels “short”

Owners usually know something feels off.
They just can’t explain it.

𝗦𝗼, 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗜𝗝 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 > 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗦𝗘.

Small pelvic adaptations can create major loading asymmetries.
And because the SI is deep and heavily muscled, it cannot be properly assessed on standard radiographs.

You cannot X-ray movement quality.
You have to palpate it.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀

SI dysfunction is rarely isolated.
As I said, the pelvis and lumbar spine function as a unit.
The diaphragm also influences sacral loading via the thoracolumbar fascia.
(Webinar 2 will cover this)

𝙄𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 ↪️ 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙖 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙨 𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚.
𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢.

𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦:
● Pelvic mechanics
● Force transfer
● Muscular coordination
● Fascial tension balance

Sometimes they are appropriate. But if you don’t address the pattern,the horse often circles back to the same problem.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀

● Build strength progressively
● Straight lines before tight circles
● Gentle hills
● Raised poles
● Balanced transitions
● Restore lumbar & diaphragmatic mobility

🧠 One More Thought

The pelvis isn't just another structure to assess.
It's a hub.

Sometimes it is responding to pathology elsewhere.

But just as often, from an osteopathic perspective, it is the structure that begins organising the rest of the body's compensations.

The ilium doesn't just affect the pelvis.
It can influence the scapulothoracic junction and the jaw.

The sacrum doesn't just affect the SI joint.
It can influence the way the lumbar spine adapts.

The more horses I assess, the more I'm reminded that understanding the pelvis isn't just about understanding the joint itself...

It's about understanding everything that influences it, and everything it influences.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙄 𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠.

𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙙, 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧-𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙠𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮'𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.

25/06/2026

🐴 Why do some horses constantly get stocked-up/filled legs?

Most people look at the leg.

I find myself looking somewhere completely different.

The diaphragm.

More specifically...

The vena cava hiatus and the aortic hiatus.

These are two of the major openings within the diaphragm.

They aren't simply anatomical holes.

They are functional crossroads where movement, pressure, circulation and fluid dynamics all meet.

Every time your horse breathes, the diaphragm moves.

As it descends during inspiration:

> pressure within the thorax decreases

> pressure within the abdomen increases

> venous blood is encouraged back towards the heart

> lymphatic drainage is assisted

This happens around 20,000 times every single day.

The caudal vena cava passes directly through the diaphragm at the vena cava hiatus.

Unlike arteries, veins have relatively thin walls and are much more influenced by pressure changes within the body.

The aortic hiatus is equally fascinating.

Alongside the aorta, it also allows passage of the thoracic duct, the body's largest lymphatic vessel.

Together these structures sit at the centre of one of the body's major fluid-management systems.

So when diaphragmatic movement becomes restricted...

When rib mechanics change...

When the body's pressure system isn't functioning efficiently...

I often find myself wondering:

How efficiently is this horse moving fluid?

Because sometimes the horse doesn't present with a breathing problem at all.

Instead I may see:

🔴recurring stocked-up hind legs

🔴sheath swelling

🔴 slow recovery after exercise

🔴 a horse that feels heavy through the body

🔴 reduced impulsion

🔴recurring rib restrictions

🔴horses that seem to lose freedom through the thorax

Does that mean every horse with filled legs has a diaphragm problem?

Of course not.

There are many reasons a horse can get filled limbs (stocked up in USA), including management, inactivity, injury, inflammation and medical conditions.

But if a horse repeatedly presents with these patterns, I believe it's worth asking a bigger question.

Not just...

"What's happening in the leg?"

But...

"How well is the whole system managing pressure, circulation and lymphatic flow?"

Sometimes the symptom is where the fluid collects.

The pattern may lie somewhere completely different.

👇

Has your horse ever stocked up despite being sound, healthy and in regular work?

I'd be interested to hear what you've noticed.

23/06/2026

🐴 Why are my hands here?

Most people think I'm working on the diaphragm.

They're partly right.

But I'm actually interested in one of the most fascinating regions in the horse's body:

The oesophageal hiatus.

An opening within the diaphragm where the oesophagus passes between the thorax and abdomen.

This region is far more than a simple anatomical opening.

It sits at a crossroads.

A place where:

→ breathing mechanics

→ pressure regulation

→ digestive function

→ fascial continuity

→ spinal movement

all interact.

🟣 Bodies wrap into and down to pain.🟣

The body doesn't simply compensate locally.

It creates patterns.

Patterns of adaptation.

Patterns of tension.

Patterns of myofascial pull.

This particular horse consistently jumped to the left.

🔴 When you start looking at the body as one connected system, you begin asking different questions.

Is the jump the problem?

Or is the jump simply expressing a pattern already present throughout the horse?

This horse had previously received treatment for gastric ulcers on four occasions.

Previous therapy notes had also repeatedly highlighted the thoracolumbar and lumbar regions.

That immediately caught my attention.

Because the mid-thoracic and thoracolumbar region is commonly associated with stomach patterns.

And sitting directly beneath that region is the most cranial and dorsal opening of the diaphragm:

The oesophageal hiatus.

A structure where the oesophagus passes from thorax to abdomen.

A structure intimately associated with the stomach.

A structure sitting within one of the body's major pressure regulators.

Years ago, one of the things that first made me curious about this region was a type of horse I kept seeing.

❗️Horses that looked almost as though they had been built in two separate factories.❗️

The front end looked like one horse.

The hind end looked like another.

Different muscle development.

Different posture.

Different movement patterns.

Almost as though two horses had been shunted together somewhere in the middle.

The more horses I assess, the more I find myself returning to this area.

Because when this region loses its ability to move and adapt normally, I often find the horse begins to feel disconnected.

The horse still moves.

The horse still performs.

But movement feels harder than it should.

The front end and hind end no longer seem to communicate efficiently.

You may see:

→ reduced impulsion

→ difficulty engaging behind

→ recurring thoracolumbar tension

→ sensitivity around the girth

→ digestive concerns

→ recurring compensation patterns

→ horses that seem unable to fully relax

It sits directly between the sphenoid and the sacrum.

Between the thorax and the abdomen.

Between breathing and digestion.

Between the front end and the hind end.

Which is why I find it such a fascinating area to assess.

What if the horse isn't struggling because it's weak?

What if it's struggling because it's working around a restriction?

💡 Next post:

Why some horses with recurring filled/ stocked-up legs may have a problem that isn't actually in the legs at all.

19/06/2026

🐴 Your horse isn't failing rehab. Rehab is failing your horse.

That's a bold statement.

But think about how many owners have lived this story.

The poles.

The hill work.

The strengthening exercises.

The endless programmes.

For a few weeks things improve.

Then the horse slowly drifts back to exactly where it was before.

The same rein is difficult.

The same hindlimb feels different.

The same topline never develops evenly.

So everyone says:

👉 "Do more strengthening."

👉 "Do more pole work."

👉 "Do more hill work."

But what if the horse isn't lacking exercise?

What if the body is simply compensating?

Because a horse can become incredibly good at working around a problem without ever resolving it.

That's why so many horses improve...

Then regress.

Improve...

Then regress.

Again and again.

The question shouldn't always be:

"What exercise should I do?"

Sometimes the question is:

"What is the body trying to compensate for?"

Because until that is answered, the pattern often remains.

Have you ever had a horse that improved for a while... only to end up right back where you started?

👇 Tell me what happened.

And if this sounds familiar, I've put together a short eBook explaining why so many horses plateau in rehab and why strengthening often isn't the whole answer.

📖 Why Your Horse's Rehab Plan Isn't Working
Available now via my website:

https://www.helenthornton.com/ebook-library

18/06/2026

🐴 "Your horse has tight hamstrings." But why?

One of the most common things owners are told is that their horse has a sore back, a weak topline, or tight hamstrings.

And often they're right.

The question is:

❓ Why are those tissues working so hard in the first place?

One area I always consider is the relationship between the ilium and sacrum.

The sacrum sits between the two halves of the pelvis and acts as a dynamic wedge within the pelvic ring.

The interesting part is that the pelvis rarely compensates alone.

When the pelvis changes, other regions often adapt with it.

🔅 When that system loses its ability to transfer load efficiently, the body has to compensate.

That compensation can show up as:

▪ recurring tightness through the lumbar region

▪ muscles around the hindquarters constantly feeling "tight"

▪ a horse that struggles to sit and push from behind

▪ a clamped tail

▪ asymmetry through the pelvis

▪ a horse that feels one-sided

▪ difficulty engaging the hindquarters

▪ recurring back soreness despite repeated treatment

So let's look further.

We don't just look at the sore muscle.

We ask:

👉 What is causing that muscle to become protective?

The body is remarkably intelligent.

⚠️ If the pelvic ring is not managing load effectively, other structures often step in to help.

The back works harder.

The hindquarter muscles work harder.

The body creates compensatory patterns designed to keep the horse moving.

The challenge is that over time those compensations become the thing everyone focuses on.

The "bad back."

The "tight hamstrings."

The "weak hind end."

Meanwhile the original problem may lie elsewhere.

Because sometimes the tight hamstrings aren't the story.

They're the consequence.

This is exactly the type of thinking I'll be expanding on in Webinar 2:

SI Joint Dysfunction – The Systems That Influence Pelvic Function

We'll be looking at:

✔ the pelvis as part of a whole-body compensation system
✔ the relationship between the ilium & shoulder
✔ how the sacrum influences the lumbar spine
✔ how nutation and counternutation may present visually
✔ the body as a pressure system
✔ the diaphragm's role in load transfer
✔ why compensations develop
✔ why symptoms often appear far away from the original driver

Who is this webinar for?

🐴 Horse owners who want to better understand what may be driving the patterns they see in their own horse and become more involved in their horse's care.

👐 Bodyworkers and therapists who feel there are still missing layers to the picture and want a deeper understanding of how the pelvis, sacrum and compensatory patterns influence the whole horse.

🎓 Professionals whether you're a trainer, coach, vet, physiotherapist, sports therapist, chiropractor or osteopath who want to explore a biomechanical and equine osteopathic perspective on load transfer, compensation and SI joint dysfunction.

Because understanding why the body compensates is often the first step towards understanding what to do about it.

🟣 Comment WEBINAR 2 and I'll point you towards the details.

Have you ever been told repeatedly that your horse has "tight hamstrings"?

What does that mean to you?

Leave a comment and I'll get back to as many as possible.

14/06/2026

🐴 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀...

SI dysfunction is rarely isolated.

The pelvis doesn't compensate alone.

The sacrum influences the lumbar spine.❗️horse with back pain ❓️

The ilium influences how forces are transferred through the rest of the body. That horse short striding!

The body constantly redistributes load in an attempt to maintain balance.

Some compensations are helpful.

Some become overloaded.

Some eventually fail.

And when they do, symptoms often appear far away from the original driver.

The really interesting question then becomes:

👉 What is influencing the pelvis?

Because every breath changes pressure through the thorax, abdomen and pelvis.

The diaphragm influences the lumbar spine.

The lumbar spine influences the sacrum.

The sacrum influences how load is transferred through the hind limbs.

The shoulder doesn't function in isolation.

The jaw doesn't function in isolation.

The spine doesn't function in isolation.

The body is constantly adapting to maintain balance.

This is why two horses can present with similar symptoms yet have completely different underlying compensation patterns.

And why the area that appears to be the problem is not always where the story begins.

Perhaps the more useful question isn't:

❓ "Which joint is causing the issue?"

Perhaps it's:

❓ "How is the horse organising load through the entire system?"

That is exactly what I'll be exploring in Webinar 2.

Not just the pelvis.

But the systems that influence the pelvis.

🐴 Webinar 2 is now open.

Link in comments.

If this way of thinking resonates with you, comment:

𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥 𝟮 for the link to register

13/06/2026

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲…

“It’s the suspensory...”

“It’s the stifle...”

Sometimes it is.

But often...

👉 that's where the problem shows up, not where it starts.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹...

The sacrum cannot alternate properly between:

• stability (nutation)

• mobility (counternutation)

That means:

👉 load is no longer transferred cleanly

👉 the system loses its ability to deal with asymmetry

So the body adapts.

Instead of loading one hind limb at a time...

👉 the horse starts to bring both limbs through together.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗲

• bunny hopping in canter

• disuniting / cross canter

• loss of suspension

• difficulty maintaining rhythm

Because the system is avoiding:

👉 unilateral load

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁

When load is not managed through the pelvis...

👉 it has to go somewhere.

So we often see:

• hock overload

• proximal suspensory strain

• uneven push-off behind

• quarters in

And above this...

👉 the lumbar spine starts to compensate.

The lumbar facet joints are designed to:

• allow controlled movement

• share load across the spine

• adapt between flexion and extension

But when the sacrum is not functioning correctly...

👉 the lumbar spine loses its normal relationship with the pelvis.

So instead of balanced movement:

• certain segments become overloaded

• others become restricted

• the system stiffens rather than adapts

This can show up as:

• reduced ability to engage

• difficulty with transitions

• resistance to canter work

• "tightness" that keeps returning

• Reluctance to lift limbs

𝗦𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵...

👉 a limb problem

👉 a spinal problem

👉 a performance problem
..but all potentially linked to the same underlying issue:

👉 a system that is no longer managing load effectively.

These are not separate issues.

They are different expressions of the same system under strain.

But here's the question that interests me most...

𝗪𝗵𝘆?

Why does the pelvis stop managing load well in the first place?

Is it simply weakness?

Is it simply conditioning?

Or are there other systems influencing the pelvis that we rarely discuss?

Because the pelvis doesn't operate in isolation.

The shoulder doesn't operate in isolation.

The jaw doesn't operate in isolation.

The spine doesn't operate in isolation.

The body is constantly adapting and compensating to maintain balance.

If one part changes position, other regions often respond.

Some compensations are helpful.

Some become overloaded.

Some eventually fail.

And when they do, symptoms begin to appear.

The really interesting part?

The pelvis is only one piece of the story.

Every breath changes pressure through the thorax, abdomen and pelvis.

The diaphragm connects directly into the lumbar spine.

The ribs influence how the thorax moves.

The lumbar spine influences the sacrum.

And the sacrum influences how load is transferred through the hindlimbs.

In other words...

Perhaps the pelvis isn't always the beginning of the story.

Perhaps it is responding to influences elsewhere in the system.

That is exactly what I'll be exploring in my SI joint Webinar 2.

Not just the SI joint and its dysfunction , But the systems that influence the SI joint and what they create compensation.

🐴 Webinar 2 is now open.

The booking link is in the comments.

If this way of thinking resonates with you, and you would like the details for the next webinar comment:

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
𝗪𝗘𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗥 𝟮

Limited places to ensure Q n A

12/06/2026

Yesterday was a full day in Sheffield.
Lots of different patterns in their bodies, but 1 thing in common > the resulting Pandiculations that happened in the majority I looked at.

A horse doing a pandiculation, often called a "full-body stretch" is a natural reflex where they tense, stretch and then slowly release muscle activity. It is thought to help reset muscle tone, improve movement awareness, increase circulation and prepare the body for efficient movement.

Unlike static stretching, a pandiculation involves three distinct phases:

• A gentle muscular contraction
• A lengthening phase as the body stretches
• A slow release back to a resting state

From an equine osteopathic perspective, these movements are particularly interesting because they involve the entire body working as a connected system rather than as isolated muscles.

When Andrew Taylor Still founded osteopathy in 1874, one of the central ideas was that structure and function are inseparable. Although the modern term somatic dysfunction was developed later, the principles that evolved into this concept were already being described by osteopathic physicians in the late 1800s.

Today, somatic dysfunction refers to impaired or altered function within the body's framework, including joints, muscles, fascia and their related neurological, vascular and lymphatic components.

Modern osteopathy recognises that dysfunction may develop through several pathways:

• Mechanical restrictions within joints, fascia and connective tissues
• Altered neurological input affecting muscle tone and movement patterns
• Viscerosomatic influences, where irritation or dysfunction within an internal organ contributes to muscular tension and altered movement elsewhere in the body
• Somatovisceral influences, where persistent musculoskeletal dysfunction may influence autonomic nervous system activity and organ function

In the horse, this helps explain why seemingly unrelated findings often occur together.

A horse presenting with restriction through the thoracic diaphragm may also demonstrate altered rib mechanics, thoracolumbar tension, reduced spinal mobility, changes in posture, shortened stride length or a reduced willingness to move forward.

Likewise, long-standing dysfunction affecting the digestive tract, respiratory system or urogenital structures may contribute to persistent changes in muscle tone and movement patterns through viscerosomatic reflex pathways.

From an osteopathic perspective, these compensatory patterns are not viewed as isolated problems. They are considered part of a wider adaptive response occurring throughout the entire body.

The stretch itself is not the treatment.

Rather, it can be viewed as the body expressing a moment of neurological and mechanical reorganisation.

One reason I find these moments fascinating is that they remind us that the horse does not experience the body in separate parts. The nervous system, fascia, joints, muscles, diaphragm, circulation and internal organs are constantly communicating with one another.

Good movement is rarely about a single structure.

It is usually about the quality of communication throughout the entire system.

This is why osteopathy has always looked beyond the site of symptoms. More than 150 years after Andrew Taylor Still first described the importance of the relationship between structure and function, the body continues to demonstrate the same lesson:

Everything is connected.

Images: Pinterest in pandiculation, really need to set up video for these in future as miss a lot!

2nd image: a horse whos always "on it" never quite listening or relaxed, catching up on the all important REM sleep post treatment.

09/06/2026

🐴 THE HORSE THAT JUST LACKED ENERGY...

This horse was presented with a fairly simple description from the owner which ordinarily would be presumed to be personality. But all consultations give very big clues and my job is; does it match what I find. Sometimes its so glaringly YES!!...........

"He just doesn't seem to have much get up and go."

No obvious lameness.

No dramatic behavioural issues.

Just a horse that felt flat, lacked impulsion and seemed to run out of energy far sooner than expected.

One of the things that caught my eye during assessment was the visible indentation running across the last few ribs.

📸 This horse demonstrates that line particularly well.

From an osteopathic perspective, this region is fascinating because it sits at the crossroads of the respiratory, fascial, musculoskeletal and visceral systems.

The thoracic diaphragm attaches directly to the internal surfaces of the last six or seven ribs.

When the diaphragm becomes restricted, held in an inspiratory pattern, or develops asymmetrical tension, its constant pull can literally draw the ribs inward or prevent their normal outward expansion.

The result can be a visible indentation or "draw line" through the lower rib cage.

The diaphragm is also anchored to the upper lumbar spine through the diaphragmatic crura.

If the lumbar spine becomes restricted, the crura lose their ability to move normally.

This increases tension within the diaphragm.

The diaphragm then increases tension through the ribs.

The ribs alter how they move.

And a self-perpetuating loop of restriction develops.

A closed loop of tension.

But here's where it gets even more interesting...

Because this area isn't influenced only by muscles and fascia.

It's also one of the major meeting points between the diaphragm, lumbar spine, abdominal wall, autonomic nervous system and visceral structures.

And that may explain why some horses don't simply look stiff...

They look tired.

👇

The full case study explores:

• why diaphragm restriction may reduce respiratory efficiency
• how some horses waste energy simply holding tension
• the link between the diaphragm, vagal tone and recovery
• why visceral tension may contribute to these patterns
• what I found in this particular horse

It's too long for Facebook, so I'll send the full breakdown by email in 2 days.

📧 Add your email using the link in the comments WHICH IS ADDED IN THE PINNED COMMENT if you'd like the fuller case /post notes.

Helen Thornton Equine Osteopathy & PEMF

26/06/2026

25/06/2026

23/06/2026

19/06/2026

18/06/2026

14/06/2026

13/06/2026

12/06/2026

09/06/2026

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