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The Mission: To successfully work together to maximise your horse’s performance and well-being through effective holistic massage.
The Mission: To successfully work together to maximise your horse’s performance and well-being through effective holistic massage.
Why Equine Sports Massage
Why Equine Sports Massage
“They are not machines and you can’t just change the tyres, fill up the oil, or whatever. When a horse is on form it always looks like smooth clockwork, but getting them to the races and in the best shape of mind is not an easy thing to do.”
Lord Grimthorpe before Enable ran in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and won by 5 lengths, 2017.
What do we ideally want to see in our horses? We aim for a horse who:
· Is happy and contented,
· Is well balanced,
· Is able to work at optimum ability,
· Is physically able to respond to the demands from their rider,
· Is supple,
· Is even sided,
· And can move with long free-flowing strides.
A horse in peak physical condition can consistently work and train to the best of his ability. However, muscles, tendons and ligaments which are being pushed to their limits, with additional pressures from the saddle, bridle, and from the rider’s weight, may become sore, often as a result of indiscernible micro traumas. Muscles that are overused become dehydrated, stressed and can remain tight. These shortened muscles can pull structures out of alignment, resulting in poor posture, altered movements and an incorrect realignment. In turn this can lead to a more complex problem as compensatory patterns are developed. Without regular therapy, scar formation can begin to build up until it becomes noticeable and “a problem”. This can cause decreased mobility and pain which can also be found in compensatory areas.
The horse may react to this in several ways:
· Disliking being groomed over certain areas, maybe dipping away from pressure,
· Changes in behaviour,
· Taking shorter strides, shuffling in trot or having a choppy feeling in canter,
· Napping, bucking,
· Hanging to one side or preferring one rein when ridden,
· Wearing down shoes unevenly,
· Carrying head high, being hollow backed or cold-backed when the rider gets on,
· Holding the tail to one side.
The problems may not just be muscular, there may be conformational or skeletal imperfections and treatment can help to address this, evening out crookedness and also improving weight distribution over the all-important tendons, preventing sprains and tears and ensuring the horse’s energy is directed efficiently.
Massage is a natural, highly effective, non-invasive physical therapy. It works.
The Vet Act of 1966
The Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966 was put in place to regulate the treatment of animals. It is only vets who can legally diagnose, prescribe and advise on the basis of a diagnosis. Your vet must give permission for a non-vet to provide massage or manipulative therapy for your horse.
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