The Brachiocephalic, a word of mixed origin. From the Latin brachium, meaning arm and the Greek word kephale meaning head. The Brachiocephalic muscle quiet literally spans from the horses 'arm' to head.
The equine Brachiocephalic is comprised of two parts; the Cleidobrachialis and the Cleidomastoideus, coming together to collective form the Brachiocephalicus.
Origin: At the base of the skull, behind C3-4
Insertion: Below the shoulder at the humerus
Action: Moves the head and neck side to side and pulls the scapula forward, thus becoming a prime forward mover of the foreleg
Could you spot tension in this muscle?
• Restricted stride length • Reduced shoulder flexion and extension • Reduced flexion of the neck when working on a circle
Do you know some causes of tension in this muscle?
• Heavy handed riders • Poorly fitted tack • Chronic lameness or adaptive movement patterns • Weak hindquarters / schooling issues • Conformation issues of the forelimb
The Brachiocephalicus (shown in blue).
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