Stick With It ✨ Episode 1: The Surcingle Wrap for Girthy Horses
Stick With It – Episode 1
The Surcingle Wrap for Girthy Horses
Welcome! I’m so glad you found this exclusive series! This is a very special episode as it contains a taping I have never discussed in public before.
Indications:
Girthy behaviour is common in horses and is often linked to physical discomfort. Anatomically, the area is predisposed to muscles tension, nerve irritation and myofascial restrictions.
This taping is effective for horses with tension in the latissimus dorsi muscle that is contributing to girthy behaviour.
This taping is so successful because it is a supportive band around the girth area, that also reduces pressure on nociceptors (pain receptors) by decompressing the affected portion of the region. It also stimulates mechanoreceptors in the skin, helping the horse relax and release habitual bracing.
How to:
Cut a length of tape that is the length of a surcingle.
Palpate to pinpoint the exact locations of reactivity on the left and right hand side of the girth region. It might be on one, or both sides, and in different parts of the muscle on each side.
Tear the paper backing on one end creating a 3” anchor.
Lay the tape at the back of the withers or even with the girth groove of the horse.
At “paper-off” or 10% stretch, run the tape until you hit the reactive area. At this point increase your stretch amount 20-30%. When you fall off the reactive area, back off the stretch to 0-10% to go underneath the horse.
Walk to the other side of the horse and repeat process on the opposite side- increase the stretch again to 20-30% where reactivity was noted on this side, backing off stretch to 0-10%
Join the tape to the first end you laid to complete the loop.
Rub to activate the heat activated adhesive in the tape.
Try this secret weapon for the girthy horses in your life!
If you are ready to up-level your skills with more taping techniques, you’ll love these resources:
The Essential Equine Kinesiology Taping Manual
Stuck Up
Really Stuck Up
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