Girthy Behaviour in Horses and Myofascial Trigger Points

If you are interested in my research project please email me to request a copy of the full text journal article.

Or watch a short video summary on my youtube channel.

Horse being girthed up.

Highlights:

- Myofascial trigger points are common in the transverse and posterior pectoral muscles.

- Horses with an owner-reported history of girth-aversion behaviour had more reactive myofascial trigger points on palpation.

- Knowledge of the presence and location of myofascial trigger points will assist in the development of prevention and management strategies.

Girthy behaviour in horses and the presence of myofascial trigger points in the pectoral muscles. JEVS.

My talk on Youtube. Where I take you through my research project and discuss some options for reducing girthy behaviour in your horse.

Citations of my research paper by:

- Esther Millares & Sarah S. Le Jeune in Girthiness: Retrospective Study of 37 Horses (2004–2016) Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 79(August 2019):100-104

DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2019.05.025

- Sandra Kunhne in Horse's laterality: methods of determination, genetic aspects, interaction with human handedness and the influence on horse-rider communication, horse's muscle status, sport success and risk of injury. May 2020 Thesis.

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.19216.02564

- Maria Calatayud & Maria Resano in Myopain seminars, Equine Dry Needling Courses.

- Nadia Yuri Shimosaka Sato, Bárbara Buff Blumer Bastos, Marco Aurélio Amador Pereira, Karina D’Angelo Campos & Denise Tabacchi Fantoni in Myofascial Pain Syndrome, myofascial trigger points and trigger points in Veterinary Medicine. July 2020, Braz J Vet Res Anim Sci. DOI: 10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2020.164351

- Sue Dyson, Anne Bondi, J. Routh, D. Pollard & J. H. Kydd in An investigation of behaviour during tacking‐up and mounting in ridden sports and leisure horses Jan 2021, Equine Veterinary Education. DOI: 10.1111/eve.13432

- Sue Dyson, Anne Bondi, J. Routh & D. Pollard in An investigation into the relationship between equine behaviour when tacked‐up and mounted and epaxial muscle hypertonicity or pain, girth region hypersensitivity, saddle‐fit, rider position and balance, and lameness Feb 2021, Equine Veterinary Education. DOI: 10.1111/eve.13440

- Sue Dyson & K. Thomson in The recognition of pain and learned behaviour in horses which buck Mar 202, Equine Veterinary Education. DOI: 10.1111/eve.13466

- Sue Dyson, Anne Bondi, J. Routh, D. Pollard & J. Kydd in Do owners recognise abnormal equine behaviour when tacking‐up and mounting? A comparison between responses to a questionnaire and real‐time observations Mar 2021, Equine Veterinary Education. DOI: 10.1111/eve.13471