Equine sports massage is the therapeutic application of professional sports massage techniques applied to the horse.

 

How EQUINE SPORTS massage can benefit your horse?

 

ALL horses can benefit from a sports massage treatment whether a treasured retired horse, a top competition horse or a horse undergoing rehabilitation.

 

Used during training and pre and post competition, massage keeps muscles healthy, builds up those that may have wasted, maintains strength and suppleness and prevents atrophy even during a period of box rest or restricted work.

 

After exertion massage minimises stiffness and speeds repair to tissue damaged as an inevitable result of physical stress and fatigue. Passive stretches help to keep or restore joints and muscles to full working capacity.

 

Benefits of Massage Therapy on your horse's body:

 

•  Reduction of stress and tension and induces relaxation

•  Helps restore balance in soft tissue development

•  Enhanced venous and lymphatic flow assisting the removal of toxins from the body

•  Relief of muscle tension, spasm and trigger points

•  Prepares the body for activity pre-exercise

•  Assists in the removal of toxins post activity

•  Enhances normal recovery of tissue damage

•  Helps healing tissue retain mobility and minimises risk of scar tissue or adhesions

•  Enhances muscle tone and can help enhance/restore range of movement

•  In the event of an injury it can aid recovery and help prevent muscle atrophy

•  It may prevent injury by improving muscle usage before minor problems turn into major ones

 

In addition massage may help with rehabilitative training of the horse, particularly with regard to straightening the horse, thus enabling the horse to work at his or her optimum.

 

Signs your horse may need massage therapy

 

Any unexplained changes in behaviour may indicate discomfort.

 

Below is a list of some obvious changes:

 

•  A sudden dislike of being groomed or girthed

•  A preference for work on rein

•  Lateral stiffness

•  Reluctance to canter on one lead

•  High head carriage and/or dipped back

•  Head tilting or unusual tail carriage

•  Unusual 'bad' behaviour when ridden