Have you heard of the Hyoid?

During treatment, once I reach the head, you will see me place my fingers up under your horse’s mandible (jawline) and you may have wondered what I am doing?

Here I am feeling for tightness or fascial adhesions surrounding your horse’s Hyoid apparatus that may be pulling it out of place and also beginning to work on releasing it if needed.

But what is the Hyoid apparatus and how does it affect your horse?

Now I know not all of you are as obsessed with equine anatomy and biomechanics as I am, so this post is not going to be an in depth discussion of the Hyoid apparatus, but rather a simplified explanation giving you the basics so you have some idea.

The Hyoid is a very fragile cradle of bones that attaches to the tongue.

It also attaches to the atlas and occiput (where the skull meets the top of the spine, also commonly known as the poll).

And to the temporomandibular joint (where the jaw bone meets the skull, also commonly known as the TMJ).

It attaches to these areas via small muscles, ligaments and fascia (connective tissue).

A horse with a restriction around the hyoid will often try to re-balance their body to compensate, twisting at the head, which then puts the rest of their body out of alignment and in a compensatory pattern.

Other, longer muscles also attach from the hyoid to the sternum (chest) and foreleg.

This is why tension around the Hyoid apparatus can lead to tension in the poll, TMJ, the jaw itself, the neck, shoulders and forelegs.

Once tension is created in these areas more compensatory patterns can develop in the horse’s back, ribs and hind limbs.

So an issue that begins right up at the top of your horse can be causing tightness, tensions and restrictions right down to the hind foot.

Every muscle in the horses body eventually connects to the Hyoid.

Some signs that your horse has restrictions around the Hyoid include but are not limited to:

• Holding their head to one side when ridden

• Unable to pick up the correct canter lead

• Holding their head sideways when chewing

• Head shaking

• Struggling to soften onto the bit

• Preferring one rein to the other

• Teeth grinding

• Opening their mouth when ridden

The Hyoid can be released using manual therapy or with Phototonic Red Light therapy.

I often use a combination of both.

For some horses this release is a long lasting change and in others a few regular sessions are required before the restrictions are fully released.

If you think your horse my require treatment in this area, along with a full body assessment and massage, joint mobilisations and stretches please do get in touch

Jess | Jessica Limpkin Equine Massage Therapy

This post is dedicated to Rocky (pictured, one of my lovely clients)

The image of the horse with the hyoid bone highlighted belongs to ‪photonichealth.com