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Equine Massage Therapy – How it can help your horse
What is Equine Massage Therapy?
Equine Massage is the therapeutic application of professional sports massage techniques applied to the horse.
How do I know if my horse is experiencing discomfort?
Some signs of muscular pain your horse may display are
o Tactile defensiveness: to the touch or whilst being tacked up
o unwilling to move forward
o refusing jumps or dropping poles
o unable to back up
o not tracking up
o working with quarters in or out
o unable to execute lateral work
o changing canter leads behind or not striking off on correct canter lead
o unwilling/unable to work up or down inclines or hills
o change in disposition
o change in eating or sleeping habits
If your horse displays any of the above then he is probably not being naughty but trying to tell you he is in pain or discomfort somewhere.
The benefits of Sports Massage
Some of the benefits include
o Increased range in motion
o Improved stamina
o Improved disposition
o Provides comfort to muscle injuries
o Enhances performance and gait quality
o Improves circulation
o Reduces the tactile defence
o Enables assessment of the physical condition
Having a massage
The first massage will take about an hour and a half and will include an assessment and history of the horse. The massage starts with the head and neck working from side to side along the horse and finishes with the tail and stretches. A variety of massage techniques are used and I gently work my way over each muscle, warming it up, before applying more pressure or working on any issues I may find. I will leave you with a detailed diagram of your horse with any issues I may have found highlighted and stretches for you to carry out in my absence if appropriate.
Further sessions may be shorter than the initial massage.
Massage is used along with conventional and complementary health care as well as appropriate training techniques enabling the horse to perform at an optimum level. By itself, it does not attempt to cure anything.
By law, Equine Body Workers have to obtain veterinary permission and/or referral before working on a horse.
I trained in 2006 through Equinology to become an Equine Body Worker, initially so I could carry out massage on my own horses as I had found it so frustrating to be able to detect a problem but be unable to help them. I have had such fantastic results that I would now like to share my knowledge and experience with others and help as many horses as possible. If you would like further details on Equinology courses or would like to book a massage please feel free to contact me.
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