"Whenever an animal is forced into the service of men every one of us must be concerned for any suffering it bears on that account. No one of us may permit any preventable pain to be inflicted, even though the responsibility for that pain is not ours. No one may appease his conscience by thinking that he would be interfering in something that does not concern him. No one may shut his eyes and think the pain, which is therefore not visible to him, is nonexistent." - Albert Schweitzer

Benefits of Equine Massage

Does your horse have any of these issues?

  • Trouble with transitions

  • Trouble Picking up leads

  • Shortened or choppy strides

  • Girthing problems

  • Irritability or resistance

  • Hind end weakness

Things to consider

  • 60% of a horse body weight is muscle.

  • Muscles respond to injury or stress by hyper contraction resulting in unnecessary stress on opposing muscle groups and joints.

  • Muscle soreness can result from any or all of the following:

    • Injury

    • Not warming up muscles properly

    • Cooling down too fast

    • Structural or systemic imbalances

    • Over stretching the muscles

    • Misuse or overuse of the horse

  • Like humans, horses anticipate pain and overcompensate to avoid it.

  • Muscle problems are cumulative. When the muscle becomes tight the horse will overcompensate by tensing up or will use opposing muscle groups.

Massage and equine body work can relieve many issues and enhance the quality of life of your equine athlete.

Here are some of the benefits

  • Improves muscle tone and increases range of motion

  • Increases flexibility and performance

  • Balances the body by treating it as a whole instead of individual parts

  • Alleviates muscle pain and tightness

  • Reduces inflammation and swelling

  • Promotes healing by improving circulation and the flow of nutrients to the muscles while at the same time increasing excretion of toxins from the muscles

  • Relieves muscle tension so that the muscles can relax

  • Lengthens connective tissue which results in the reduction of adhesions in the muscle

  • Loosens and softens scar tissue

  • Prevents atrophy (wasting) of inactive muscles

When is a massage contraindicated?

If your horse has any of the following symptoms a massage is not recommended:

  • Evidence of a fever

  • Has any form of cancer

  • Has any form of skin disease

  • Has a contagious or infectious

  • Massage is not to be administered to abscesses or tumors

 

Always remember massage therapy is not a substitute for veterinary medicine.