Massage for your horse!

Massage is part of my treatment sessions for the horses that I work with, alongside other techniques (I'm qualified in a number of modalities!) and it’s the part that horses really do enjoy!

I tailor my sessions based on what the horse needs on that day, whether they are on box rest, a senior horse, whether it’s an injury treatment session or rehabilitation work, or a competition horse or happy hacker!

But generally I use massage within sessions a lot! And always find that the horses have some areas of tension in the muscles, varying degrees of tension/compensation in the body, and there is always work to be done on their body! Releasing tight muscles can free up your horses movement, enable joints to move more fully and in a healthy way, and enable the horse to work over his back properly, engage his core, and develop better posture. 

So regular massage for your horse, whatever you do with them in terms of activity, is hugely beneficial to keep the body working optimally! And this is something that you can learn to do yourself in between your therapist appointments!

Imagine if you had time/space/energy/opportunity to go for a massage every few weeks, to relieve aches and pains and have a relaxing hour, and what the knock on effects would be (and I know horse owners are TERRIBLE at looking after themselves so just IMAGINE!!)...it's exactly the same for your horse! Relaxation, eased aches and pains, better range of movement, more mobile joints, everything slowing down a bit, and a much improved sense of wellness afterwards! 

The benefits of massage are numerous…:

* Pain Relief
* Relaxation
* Reduction of stiffness
* Improved full body function 
* Improved movement 
* Increased blood flow 
* Improved muscle function 
* Relationship improves

And horses that receive regular massage generally work much better within their exercise regime / competition regime / rehabilitation as their body is functioning more optimally.

Improved connection…:

Your relationship and connection with your horse will improve if you learn to massage him/her yourself! You will learn so much about their body, which parts they love (!) and which parts might be a bit less comfortable and that need monitoring. And learning to communicate with your horse in a more detailed way transfers over to your handling, exercise, ridden work etc.

All in all it’s a lovely way to spend some time with your horse, actually doing something to make him/her feel comfortable and relaxed while reaping the rewards of lots of benefits!

I know that some horse owners feel nervous about trying new techniques or exercises out with their horses and have the worry of not doing it ‘right’ or hurting their horse…and this is totally understandable! We all adore our horses, right, and the thought of them being in pain is unbearable…but this is why I have set up my online courses and membership, so that I can show you HOW to give your horse a simple massage, safely and effectively, with all of the safety tips included, diagrams and videos to show you where and where not to massage, how to conduct the massage, and all of the after care and contra-indications (reasons NOT to massage).

If you want to learn this skill that your horse will love you for (!!) click through for the details on my online course ‘How to massage your horse’! CLICK HERE: How To Massage Your Horse

QUESTIONS? And if you have any questions, as always just get in touch with me through the Contact page here on the site!