CASE STUDIES
  CASE STUDY 1 Bendarshaan    
  This case study looks at a very successful racehorse that began to perform very badly, he was given all sorts of chances to improve but to no avail, eventually he was sold and his new owners asked me to look at him to see if it was worth racing him again, or retraining him as a riding horse.

My initial assessment was made in February 2006, the horse was fit from racing but very quiet. The horse was strong and straight in his action, with good conformation. He was not lame but did not move in a conventional manner.
  Picture 1: Bendarshaan February 2006
 
  My first palpation of the horse revealed that there was very little of his body that was not sore or stiff. The muscle tension was so great around his shoulder areas and across his back that when observed on the move he could hardly walk let alone perform well enough to win races.

As can be seen in picture 1 ‘Ben’ was fit and well muscled, however the muscles were all short and tight from a prolonged time of not being used properly. Ben had forgotten how to take a full stride and really stretch.

  Picture 2: silhouette to show the areas of tension (in red) felt on Ben, February 2006
 
  It was concluded that the problems were purely muscular. Although the injuries were deep and long term, we decided that with sports massage treatment and rehabilitative long reining and riding we could retrain ‘Ben’ to once again use himself properly once his pain had been removed, and lengthen those shortened and tight muscles allowing his to race again on his past form and win once again!

Throughout the next few months Ben was treated and began being ridden, firstly all work was performed on the long reins to allow him to strengthen and become supple through turns and circles in the school without the weight of a rider. Treatment was carried out all over twice a week, to prevent further treatment soreness. However once Ben was confident with it stretches to all limbs and back muscles (after gently warm up work) were performed before every daily ridden session and careful attention was paid to warming up and cooling down.

  Picture 3,4 and 5: Work begins after several weeks’ rehabilitative longreining and sports massage therapy. Picture 3:
 Picture 3:

Picture 4:

Picture 5:

  As the treatment continued a huge change could be seen in Ben- he was becoming quite a character to ride! This was seen as a good thing as he was now free enough in himself and not in pain anymore so he felt he could be naughty at times. Although at the beginning of a work session we were having problems convincing Ben that he could take a full stride and that he could stretch forward, by the end of the warm up session he was achieving this. After plenty of sports massage treatment and riding, including pole work and schooling, hacking and turn out it was felt that Ben had reached a point where he could go back into training with an understanding trainer and try his hand back at racing again.
  Picture 6: Ben shortly before returning into training spring 2006
 
  Although there is less muscle bulk as Ben was no longer ‘race fit’ as in picture 1 this photo demonstrates the muscles have been lengthened with the sports massage incorporated with lots of passive stretching and remedial schooling. Ben is now able to take a more normal length stride.

Unfortunately Ben’s first return to racing was not successful, he was too busy remembering the pain he used to feel and was unwilling to really apply himself. He returned to his owners and we embarked upon further sports massage and riding work to really give him confidence in his movement. In order to sweeten him up the decision was made to teach Ben to jump and eventually race him over hurdles or national hunt fences. This work went on for several months. Eventually as Ben was really enjoying his jumping and confident with basculing over the fences really flexing throughout his whole body and lengthening in his stride the decision was made to let him return to training again.

  Picture 7: Ben just before his second return into training:
 
  This time Ben was more interested in the jumping than worrying about what used to hurt- even if he now has no pain the brain takes a long time to forget. He has now achieved several second places and is happy and confident in his work. This case study has been chosen as it really highlights what can be achieved when Sports massage therapist, trainer, rider and owner work together to tackle a problem. It took several months and the horse is still being monitored incase he lapses into his old ways, but he is no longer in pain, nor is he expecting pain. Fingers crossed for a win in the future!!