Sternomandibular

​There's not quite as much to say about this particular muscle, but it's a very important muscle to know as it's a key muscle for how connected the horse's body is.
L O C A T I O N:
The Sternomandibular connects the jowl (caudal side of the mandible) to the sternum cartilage. In essence it runs from the sternum to the rear side of the bottom jaw of the horse.
R O L E:
Enables the flexion of the neck and pulls head down as well as helping to open the mouth and support the jaw.
I M P O R T A N C E:
Because this muscle connects the mandible to the pectorals and sternum, you can directly relate the tongue to the chest. If you have a horse who's very tight in the mouth (physically as in it's hard to get them to open their mouth or move their tongue around), often times it is because they are sore/tight in their chest.
If you've ever had a massage with me, odds are we've talked about this connection and what it means during a massage for your horse. Once you see it with your own horse, it's hard to forget how connected the muscles of the horse really is!
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This is not a common muscle that is talked about and as it turns out, VERY hard to find a picture of one!