You would not believe how many horses have their ribs subluxated, or “out” as I tend to say. I know when I have a rib out. The first day, it really hurts, then it becomes just a dull ache. I fell facedown while I was trying to learn to snowboard. I heard a pop and I was certain that I had cracked a rib. But then it didn’t hurt—that is, unless I squeezed my shoulders in toward my chest, at which point it was as if someone had stuck a knife in my chest! When I pulled my shoulders back out, it stopped hurting completely.
I was sure I had fractured a rib and the spiky end of it was puncturing my lung. But since I could inhale and exhale just fine, I ruled that out. As you may have guessed, I had subluxated a rib.
The point of telling you this story is to explain why I have such admiration for a horse whose ribs are out. Like me, he probably doesn’t hurt too much until a saddle is put on him, girthed up, and a rider is added—someone who wants the horse to move and bend through the rib cage. Yikes! I can understand why there are some horses out there that act like broncs, bucking like crazy whenever anyone gets on them. And, sadly, nobody understands why.
Won’t it be great when someday horse pain is recognized as pain, and not bad behavior?
Common Symptoms
BEHAVIOR OR PERFORMANCE SYMPTOMS
Very Common
- Cold-backed
- Stiff, but may often warm up to perform acceptably
- Difficulty bending in one or both directions
- Short-striding in front or rear
- Lack of front-end extension
- “Girthy”/”cinchy”
- Difficulty with collection and/or impulsion
Frequent
- Reluctance to stretch front end
- Shoulder has tightness, decreased range of motion, and is difficult to stretch
- Anything “weird” with the shoulder
- Hypersensitivity to brushing
- Difficulty picking up, maintaining, or changing leads
- Unable to stand still, especially when being mounted
Occasional
- Rolling excessively
- Crow-hopping or bucking
- Drops shoulder on turns
- Goes wide on turns
- Struggles with hind-end lateral work
- Shoulder muscles sore
- Tripping
- Prefers to trot over other gaits
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS: CURRENT AND PRIOR
- Back-sore
- Rider feels crooked or saddle slips to one side
- Shortness of breath
- Troubles with saddle fit
- Inability to work ( “exercise intolerance”)
- Feet land toe first
- Foot is “clubby” or has a tendency to grow excess heel
Checkup Directions
FUNCTION: Besides being the bony protection for the thoracic cavity, the ribs allow for flexibility through the barrel of the horse.
RANGE OF MOTION: Due to the horse’s anatomy, you are unable to check the true range of motion of the ribs. Instead, look for a light pain response (an “ouch”) when the ribs are placed under pressure in a particular manner.
Figure 19.3A
HOW TO:
Check the ribs just past the shoulder blade all the way to the flank. These are attached to vertebrae T8 through T18. You’ll be able to feel each individual rib’s “head” located beneath the spinal process as a “bump” along the ribs’ “ledge.” To locate this ledge, hold your hand with your fingers bent (fig. 19.3). Place it in the midline of the back and slide it toward the barrel while pushing down. You will land on the ribs’ ledge when you push hard enough— but don’t push too hard on a skinny horse (figs. 19.4 A-C).
If the horse is on the skinny side, you may feel another smaller ledge before the ribs’ ledge. This first ledge is made up of the lateral processes of the thoracic vertebrae. The lateral processes project outward from the center of the spine about 7 inches. They end about one inch above the ribs’ ledge. Again, the horse has to be pretty skinny (ribs almost visible) to feel this first ledge. You’ll know when you’ve come to the ribs’ ledge because, if you continue past it, your hands slide down onto the ribs themselves.
This ribs’ ledge continues from the shoulder blade all the way to the flank. As you run your hand along it, you feel the subtle “bumps,” which are each rib’s “head.” To do the Checkup, simply press down vertically on a rib’s head with your fingertip(s) (figs. 19.5 A & B).
Be sure the pressure you apply is straight down vertically, not inward toward the horse. Also, use the pads of your fingertips, not the tips themselves. That would be the equivalent of poking the horse in the ribs—and he wouldn’t like that!
Figure 19.3C
Figure 19.5A
Diagnosis
When there is a consistent, repeatable pain response (such as flinching, muscle spasm, tail switching, an irritated look), the rib is subluxated.
NOTE: The pressure needed to check for rib subluxation is extremely individual.With some horses—for example, a typical Thoroughbred—you need to use the pressure that you would use to squeeze a firm peach.With another horses, such as a Warmblood, you need to use such firm pressure that you are using all the arm muscles you’ve got just to keep your wrist straight. Even with that much pressure, a Warmblood typically only gives a very tiny muscle twitch when a rib is subluxated. Any consistent pain response (however small) is a subluxated rib.
Checking for subluxated ribs can also be tricky because some horses hold their breath when you first start pressing around their ribs. Others start dancing around to avoid the exam. Start with a light pressure and only press as hard as you need to see a response. A non-subluxated rib will be unresponsive to full finger pressure (approximately as much finger pressure as you would need to make an indent on a tennis ball).
Summary: RIBS
- Rib subluxations are very common, so when pain apparent, call chiropractor and have saddle fit checked because it is the most common cause of rib subluxations.
- When no indication of subluxation but symptoms remain, check for:
- Subluxations at: thoracic vertebrae; withers; lumbar vertebrae; C7 (p. 000, 000, 000, 000)
- Ulcers
- Saddle fit
