Massage
Massage Techniques
- Basic Massage: Comprised of gentle and rhythmic strokes, basic massage focuses on the muscles to relieve tension and adhesions, improve circulation and quality of muscle tissue, and to stimulate under developed or week muscles.
- Myofascial Release: Uses a light touch to release tension around the body's connective tissue network called the fascia. Addressing fascial restrictions can unlock tightness and enhance flexibility.
- Trigger Point Therapy: Pinpoints specific areas of muscular restriction and discomfort. Expertly applied pressure to these trigger points can bring instant relief to the horse.
- Stretching: Incorporating targeted stretching into the massage increases flexibility and allows the horse to "test out" the new found range of motion in their body.
General Benefits
- Relaxation and Stress Relief: Just like us, horses hold stress and tension in their muscles. Massage helps relax the horse and the muscles, alleviating physical and mental stress, and an benefit their overall temperament.
- Improved Circulation: Massage increases blood flow to the muscles and tissues, which promotes healing and flushes out stagnant fluids such as waste products from the muscle tissues.
- Performance Enhancement: By targeting specific muscle groups and stress patterns specific to your horse's discipline, massage can improve flexibility and range of motion, leading to increased performance and a reduced risk of injury.
- Pain Management: Massage therapy can be particularly beneficial to horses with musculoskeletal issues or injuries.
- Frequent Monitoring: When a horse receives regular massages, the therapist develops a sense of what is normal for that particular horse and can quickly identify a new concern or developing problem often before it becomes a debilitating condition.
Equine massage is not an alternative to proper veterinary care. Massage therapists cannot diagnose injury or illness.