How Equine Massage Techniques Can Help Correct a Drifting Horse

Equine sportsmassage expert Jo-Ann Wilson shows techniques to release tightness in the longissimus costarum—a narrow back muscle.

Drifting in one direction going down the centerline or during lateral work is a common problem for dressage horses of all levels. When a client raises concerns about this issue, I often look at the longissimus costarum—a small, narrow, outer back muscle adjacent to the outer edge of the large back muscle called the longissimus dorsi.

The longissimus costarum extends across the lateral sides of all the ribs and connects to the thick fascia in the lower back and to the forward end that runs under the scapula (shoulder blade) and attaches to the last cervical vertebrae. When trying to find it with your fingers, it feels like a 1-inch ridge below the longissimus dorsi.