Bent out of shape: Reflections on Rollkur

In 1825, the Prussian cavalry’s regulations emphasized the total elevation of the horse’s caput as well as neck. The experiment lasted several decades, so was abandoned completely.

The theory behind the technique was that total elevation of the cervix was enhancing the horse’s balance, developing the dorsum muscles, as well as engaging the hind legs. By contrast, the Prussian Emperor’s Riding Maste, lowered as well as over-flexed his horses’ necks completely.

Paul Splinzner (1853-1920), inwards fact created the “rollkur”. His theory was that such over-flexion of the cervix was enhancing the horse’s balance, developing the dorsum muscles, as well as engaging the hind legs. Almost contemporarily and on the other side of the Rhine River, Francois Baucher (1776-1873) promoted inwards his “dernier enseignements” the systematic elevation of the neck. His catch was that such elevation of the cervix was enhancing the horse’s balance, developing the dorsum muscles, as well as engaging the hind legs.

Half a century later, Jack Licart (1951) reinvented the lowering of the neck. His theory was that the lowering of the cervix was enhancing the horse’s balance, developing the dorsum muscles, as well as engaging the hind legs. Not long ago, Harry Bolt (1973) warned against the do of over-flexing the neck.

Obviously, the human relationship betwixt cervix posture as well as vertebral column’s machinery is to a greater extent than a affair of thought than scientific documentation.

Twenty v thousand, 7 hundred as well as 30 6 opinions later, the question: “what does the Rollkur do to horses,” remains unanswered. Olympic riders are winning practicing this technique as well as thus anyone anxious to win feels that over-flexing the horse’s cervix is the cost of winning.

In price of “drowning the fish”, the “Rollkur” largely surpasses whatsoever political lobbying. “Is the Rollkur damaging for horses?” is a subjective question. Technology has non been developed to mensurate the horse’s degree of pain. Furthermore, paraphrasing the words of Roy R. Pool DVM PhD, scientific studies oftentimes reverberate the detail bias or specific angle of the proponents’ investigative technique.

Rollkur opponents aid for horses. Rollkur proponents aid to a greater extent than for success. Everyone would profits to know if at that topographic point is a physical wages to piece of occupation a Equus caballus amongst the cervix lowered and over-flexed.

Today no-one tin win without over-flexing the horse’s cervix completely.

Scientific references cause got oftentimes been used to support a specific point, only never has actual scientific noesis been compiled to hold off at the overall picture. One must laid about amongst the cervix muscles as well as ligaments as well as follow the effects on the horse’s vertebral column as well as hind as well as front end legs.

Such analysis is the topic of this discussion.

Respectively inwards 1999, 2002, as well as 2005, three pertinent studies were published. They investigate neck, base of operations of the neck, as well as dorsum structures that are placed nether strain inwards the rollkur situation. Interestingly, the 3 studies cause got been carefully ignored during this whole controversy. Probably the publications were likewise pertinent as well as likewise explicit.

The studies explain, inwards the lite of actual noesis of the equine physiology, how the structures involved inwards flexion as well as over-flexion of the cervix are reacting nether stress.

One report investigates the elegant construction referred to equally the nuchal ligament, which stretches from the tip of the dorsal spinous processes to the skull. “The equine nuchal ligament. Part 1: Structural as well as textile properties. Part 2: Passive dynamic unloosen energy central inwards locomotion.”( K. S. Gellman, J. E. A. Bertram, 2002).

The side past times side report measures the gains as well as loses inwards vertebral mobility when the cervix is lowered: “Spinal biomechanics as well as functional anatomy,” (Jean Marie D. Denoix, DVM, PhD,1999).

The 3rd report concentrates on the construction as well as role of the muscles supporting the body betwixt the scapulas of the forelegs: “The role of the extrinsic thoracic limb muscles inwards equine locomotion.” (R. C.Payne, P. Veenman, A. Wilson, 2005)

Extension of the neck

In the mid fifties, Jack Licart referred to the lowering of the cervix equally an “extension”.

The words were inwards understanding amongst the author’s philosophy; the thought of a cervix extending out of the shoulders as well as elongating eventually the dorsum muscles. This terminology was wrong as well as inwards fact inwards contradiction amongst the horse’s actual physiology. The lowering of the cervix is non an extension only rather a flexion created past times concentric contraction of the lower cervix muscles. The total elevation of the cervix promoted past times the Prussian cavalry was indeed an extension.

Licart’s philosophy remains the thought behind the lowering of the neck, an elongation that stretches the upper cervix muscles as well as sub-consequently the long dorsum muscles. If nosotros give credit to this theory, nosotros must showtime verify if the muscles situated below the cervical vertebrae (ventral muscles) are capable to elongate the muscles situated higher upwards the cervical vertebrae (dorsal muscles). Then, nosotros should ensure that the lowering of the cervical vertebrae effectively stretches the long dorsum muscles connected to the cervical linkage.

A distinction needs to live made betwixt “elongation” as well as “stretching”. The words are synonyms only their nuances are important. One elevating the arms vertically higher upwards the caput does elongate the dorsum muscles only does non actually stretch these muscles. Suspended past times the hands to a horizontal pool, i volition cause got the same posture only one’s body weight volition add together a forcefulness that volition elongate farther the dorsum muscles. This endeavour is to a greater extent than exactly described equally stretching.

The renowned Pathologist James R. Rooney does non recall that the ventral cervix muscles are capable of stretching the muscles situated higher upwards the cervical vertebrae.

“The ventral cervical muscles do non seem adequate to describe the caput as well as cervix downward against the powerful dorsal muscles”. (James R. Rooney, Biomechanics of Lameness inwards Horses, 1969)

The lowering of the cervix is created past times concentric contraction of the lower cervix muscles. The lower muscles are aided inwards their chore past times the attraction of gravity.

Such lowering is permitted past times the elongation of the dorsal cervix muscles. However, the dorsal cervix muscles are also the muscles carrying the head.

The horse’s caput as well as cervix weighs some 10% of the horse’s body mass. The Prussian cavalry’s basic thought was exactly to trim the burden of the caput as well as cervix placing the caput equally unopen equally possible from the vertical of the shoulders.

As the cervix becomes longer, the attraction of gravity larn greater. The master copy chore of the upper cervix muscles is so to send the caput resisting gravity forces.

“Active Stretching”

As the cervix lowers, the dorsal cervix muscles elongate resisting the burden of the caput as well as neck.

Even if sometimes referred to equally “active stretching”, this type of muscular piece of occupation is non a yielding at all. “Active stretching” is a term describing a musculus that elongates spell contracting. This type of musculus piece of occupation is named “eccentric contraction”. It is inwards fact the most powerful type of musculus contraction. “Muscles working eccentrically tin absorb upwards to fifteen times to a greater extent than unloosen energy than during concentric contractions.” (Payne et al.)

tel impress depicting Frederick II the Great during the Seven Years Bent out of shape: Reflections on Rollkur

When the cervix is up, upper cervix muscles are acting from the scapula as well as dorsum resisting the burden of the caput as well as cervix (right side of the picture). As the cervix lowers, the upper cervix muscles elongate spell resisting the weight of the head. The eccentric contraction occurs inwards the management emphasized past times the dark arrow (left side of the picture).

tel impress depicting Frederick II the Great during the Seven Years Bent out of shape: Reflections on Rollkur

Stretching theories believe that spell the cervix is lowering dorsal cervix muscles are working inwards the management illustrated on the left side of this picture, pulling on the dorsum muscles. If it was the case, i would remove a forklift.

“So why does the Equus caballus lower the cervix after collected work”?

The nuchal ligament extends from the dorsal spinous procedure of the quaternary thoracic vertebrae to the dorsum of the skull. Contrary to traditional beliefs, the nuchal ligament is non nether tension when the cervix is held inwards an warning posture, which is some an angle of 60º.

Such angle is close the angle of the dressage horse’s cervix posture. The cervix is so fully supported past times the piece of occupation of the dorsal cervix muscles.

As the cervix lowers, the nuchal ligament comes nether tension. The nuchal ligament is so assisting the upper cervix muscles.

The backing provided past times the nuchal ligament is considerable. At the walk for instance, measurements cause got demonstrated that the nuchal ligament was replacing 55% of the piece of occupation of the dorsal neck muscles. At the trot as well as canter, where the cervix is submitted to lesser movements, the piece of occupation of the nuchal ligament reduced the piece of occupation of the upper cervix muscles past times a percent of 32 to 36%.

For simplification, diagrams e'er stand upwards for the whole construction of the nuchal ligament equally prepare clean bungee cords. On the diagram that was presented at the top of the page, the funicular chemical factor is represented inwards cerise as well as the lamellar elements are represented inwards orange.

tel impress depicting Frederick II the Great during the Seven Years Bent out of shape: Reflections on Rollkur

In reality, the lamellar component of the nuchal ligament is really broad.

The wide lamellar component helps to sympathise how the nuchal ligament tin render such efficient assistance to the piece of occupation of the upper cervix muscles. After collection, the Equus caballus lowers the cervix increasing the tension of the nuchal ligament as well as consequently reducing the piece of occupation of the upper cervix muscles.

However, ease does non hateful relaxation.

Even if the nuchal ligament does a large percent of the work, the dorsal cervix muscles are working to send the caput against the attraction of gravity. The nuchal ligament comes nether tension when the cervix lowers below as well as angle of 60º.

tel impress depicting Frederick II the Great during the Seven Years Bent out of shape: Reflections on Rollkur

In the motion-picture exhibit at left, the nuchal ligament is non nether tension. On the angle as well as lower at the pictures at right the nuchal ligament is nether tension.

The tension increases equally the cervix becomes longer as well as lower. Each horse’s morphology is unlike as well as the comfort zone varies from i Equus caballus to the other. The comfort zone is the cervix posture where the tension exerted on the nuchal ligament reduces the most efficiently the piece of occupation of the dorsal cervix muscles.

“But it seems logical to me that the dorsum muscles inserted on the cervical vertebrae stretch when the cervix is lowered”.

For simplification, the master copy dorsum muscles oftentimes referred to equally “longissimus dorsi”, are represented equally long bungee cords stretching shape the sacrum to the cervical vertebrae.

tel impress depicting Frederick II the Great during the Seven Years Bent out of shape: Reflections on Rollkur

In reality, longissimus dorsi is a generic term which includes the longissimus cervicis, thoracis, lumborum, etc. The muscles grouping is composed of 2 divisions each side of the spine. The dorsal segmentation is illustrated on the next diagram amongst the upper cerise line. The ventral segmentation is illustrated amongst the lower cerise line.

Construction as well as functioning of the horse’s dorsum muscular organisation does non back upwards the theory of stretching. The thought is based on several simplistic views. First is the thought that the horse’s vertebral column is flexing as well as extending equally a whole.

The minute thought is that greater ease, harmony, as well as aAmplitude of the horse’s movements tin live achieved increasing the horse’s vertebral column make of motion. This thought is inwards drastic contradiction amongst actual noesis of the equine physiology. Our ancestors interpreted equally movements, the large amount of forces they perceived on the saddle. Misinterpreting forces equally movements, our predecessors elaborated the thought that the aAmplitude of the pace would termination from greater aAmplitude of the horse’s vertebral column
make of motion.

The misinterpretation gravely compromises the horse’s mightiness to perform since at the contrary, the master copy role of the dorsum muscles is exactly to foreclose the vertebral column linkage from aAmplitude of crusade exceeding its possible make of motion.

Electromyographic studies “strongly propose that the primary role of the dorsum muscles during walking is to command the stiffening of the dorsum rather that to do movement.” (Hans Carlson, 1979)

The equestrian linguistic communication volition come across the news “stiffening” equally a defect. In the context the important is that during locomotion, the vertebral column muscles are stabilizing the spine as well as preventing excessive movements. The to a greater extent than intensively the stretching theories volition examine to increment the vertebral column’s make of motion, the to a greater extent than intensively the dorsum muscles volition resist such increase.

“But I experience the Equus caballus relaxing when he is lowering the neck”!

The nuchal ligament is some other cervix construction placed nether strain when the cervix is lowered as well as over-flexed. Since from the perspective of the upper cervix muscles, the concept of stretching is a theory that does non actually interpret into reality, perchance the “relaxation” that anyone tin perceive when the cervix is lowered results from the activity of the nuchal ligament on the vertebrae of the thoracolumbar spine.