Musculus obliquus capitis caudalis
The larger of the two oblique suboccipital muscles. Rotates the atlas on the axis, producing the lateral rotation of the head. It is the primary rotator of the upper cervical spine.
Origin: Spinous process of the axis (C2)
Insertion: Wing of the atlas (C1)
Action: Rotates the atlas on the axis (head rotation)
Innervation: Dorsal branch of C2
Restriction at this joint from arthritis or muscle spasm limits the horse's ability to rotate the head, affecting work on circles and lateral movements.
Restriction at this joint from arthritis or muscle spasm limits the horse's ability to rotate the head, affecting work on circles and lateral movements. Signs include: Difficulty bending through the poll; resistance to lateral flexion; tendency to tilt the head rather than bend through the neck; improved after chiropractic or manual therapy.
See the Obliquus Capitis Caudalis on our interactive 3D horse model. Open 3D Model