Equine massage can help horse owners with many of the problems and symptoms a horse may be experiencing and help owners to forge a stronger bond with their horse in the process.
A common concern is back pain, a majority of which can be attributed to an ill-fitting saddle. For riders who are noticing increased resentment of the horse towards saddling or girthing, uneven muscle development, deterioration in the horse’s performance, changes in hair colour or soft swelling upon removal of the saddle, poor alignment of the saddle is the likely culprit.
Proper saddle fit is fundamentally important to the welfare, comfort and performance of the horse. Regular re-flocking of the saddle can provide several benefits. Improper or poor saddle fit is another crucial area where equine massage can be beneficial.
There are numerous reasons to have the horse massaged; helping it recover from an injury, issues with decreased performance levels due to muscle soreness brought on by over stretching and rapid cool down, poor saddle fit, or perhaps merely simple relaxation. In fact, the horse does not need to have an existing problem to benefit from massage therapy.
Massage is the manipulation of soft tissue in order to achieve relaxation or stimulation, while working on various trigger points in the body. Simply put, massage is an effective tool when utilized by humans and equally beneficial when applied to horses. Some of the benefits to equine massage treatment include increased and improved performance due to the release of endorphins, and increased relaxation and reduction in stress, all of which lead to a much more content and relaxed animal.
Massage has been proven useful to help with relaxation.
As seasoned riders know, a stressed horse will not perform to its greatest ability. Through equine massage, the anxiety level of a stressed horse is decreased and it enjoys greater overall freedom of movement. That is evident in the resulting confidence displayed by the horse after a massage therapy treatment.
Massage can increase blood flow circulation, which expedites the elimination of wastes and toxic build-up from sore and fatigued muscles.
Massage is also an integral way to increase overall mobility and range of motion of a horse, which can assist in the improvement of jumping and turning, thus helping the horse reach its maximum performance potential.
Additionally, studies have shown that massaging a horse before competition can result in as much as 20 per cent increase in the animal’s efficiency.
Sabrina J Tayor owns and operates S.J. Taylor Equine Massage.
