What is Equine Massage?

Equine Massage Therapy uses a wide range of massage techniques and strokes to stimulate blood flow to different areas of the body, encouraging blood flow and bringing in oxygen and other nutrients. At the same time, removing lactic acid build up and eliminating other metabolic waste from the body. This encourages muscles to heal if injured and healthy muscles stay flexible and pain free.

 During the massage, soft tissue is manipulated with the goal of loosening tight muscles, joints, tendons, scar tissue, increasing blood flow and lymphatic activity and reducing stress.

 Why does my Horse need a Massage?
Many owners like to treat their horse to a regular massage or even a one off massage. 

There can also be a number of reasons a horse may need a massage and they are pretty good at telling us when they are sore, with signs of discomfort such as:

-       Bucking, rearing, napping, bolting

-       Behaviour problems

-       Girthing issues, reluctance to be tacked up

-       Performance issues

-       Trouble getting the correct canter lead

-       Head tossing

-       Difficulty catching a normally well behaved horse

All of the above may be signs of restrictions in your horse’s muscles and fascia that are causing discomfort and pain. This can make them use their body differently and over compensate in some cases which may even present as lameness.

What areas do I cover?

 I cover areas within 20 miles or a maximum 30 minute journey time from HP3 9SE and there is no charge for travel within these boundaries.

For areas outside of this, please contact me as this may be workable at additional mileage cost (50p per mile) or if you have a minimum of 4 horses to be treated on the same day at the same yard (or if I have other horses to treat in the same area that day).

Payment

If you would like to pay via bank transfer, please contact me for details. If bank transfer if the preferred method of payment, I do request that full payment is made prior to the appointment.

 

You may also pay in cash on the day of your appointment and again, payment must be given upon my arrival at your location prior to the start of treatment.

Your Appointment – What to Expect

 

I will firstly ask for some background history on your horse and for anything that may be causing you concern followed by seeing your horse stood on a flat surface. This enables me to see your horse’s conformation and to see if they favour a particular standing position as the result of sore muscles/areas.

We will then go to a safe area on a hard surface for me to watch you walk and trot your horse towards and away from me for my initial assessment, this will also include turning tight circles and backing up. I will direct you through this short process and will explain to you what I am seeing.

 Following the initial assessment, I will begin the treatment in the stable. I ask that a headcollar is on your horse, they do not necessarily need to be tied up as them being able to move as they wish during treatment is not something I wish to hinder. If your horse is unsure to begin with or has behavioural issues meaning it is safe if they are tied up/have some hay, this is of course fine too.

The treatment begins with effleurage over the whole body of your horse and will move to initial palpation to enable me to identify any areas of concern, once identified, I will go on to use different massage techniques to treat your horse. Some horses do not tolerate all techniques so I will use an alternative which will work equally as well should this be the case.

I will also include stretches suitable and tailored to your horse. Throughout the session, I will be closely monitoring your horse’s reaction to each area and what I am doing as well as their mood.

A full treatment including initial assessments will take around 1 hour.

Follow up sessions will take 1 hour.

 

Following the treatment

I will advise you on any homework exercises you can complete and if/when a further treatment would be beneficial and recommended for your horse.