TREATMENTS

The main benefits of massage include:

• Enhances circulation and general well-being
• Relieves muscle spasm / tension achieving relaxation
• Increases range of movement and suppleness
• Removes toxins in muscles through enhancing circulation.
• Reduces chance of injury.
• Enhances injury recovery.
• Mental benefits can be calming / relaxing or stimulating.

These are a few examples of when massage can be of benefit:

- Pre-competition, to warm up muscles to enhance performance and minimise risk of injury.
- Post-competition, to minimise the effects of fatigue and stiffness.
- For general stiffness and tension.
- Throughout the competition season to maintain performance.
- Maintenance, all horses benefit from this whatever the discipline.
- Schooling difficulties, e.g. crooked, one sided, changes in temperament, unwillingness to perform etc.
- 'Cold backed horses'.

After or during injury recovery to maintain a range of movement and reduce uneven muscle development.

Horses showing signs of the following:-

• Dislikes being groomed
• Prefer one rein
• Show lateral stiffness
• Reluctant to canter on one lead
• Hollow backed
• High headed
• Head shaking
• Bucking
• Cold backed when tacked up
• Lack of poll flexion and bend
• Head tilting
• Have an uneven stride length
• Holding the tail to one side
• Excessive rolling

All of the above can be signs of pain and discomfort and should be investigated.

What happens during treatment

The first treatment for any horse will include a consultation.  A brief history of the horse will be taken on booking, and I will speak to the vet in charge of the horse’s case, to get permission to treat the horse.
On the first treatment the rest of the horses history will be taken, and general health and well being will be examined to ensure the horse has not got any contraindications to massage.
The horse will then be trotted up and its gait analysed to assess the horse’s way of going and to indicate any deformity in its action that could explain any muscular findings.  All of the horse’s reflexes will be check to ensure the horse does not have any nerve damage or back problems.
The horse will then be given a tailored massage to ensure maximum benefit for the horse, including passive stretches as required.  Feed back and advice will be given to the owner/rider and a program or suggestive exercises will be explained to help the horse to reach maximum performance in the quickest and most effective way.
Each horse is treated as an individual and an each treatment is tailored to the needs of that horse and the disciplines that it takes part in.
Follow up appointments may be required depending in some case where the horse was in a lot a muscular tension, this is due to the horse requiring more than one treatment to ensure the horse does not quickly return to this state of tension again.  However if the horse is working effectively and is not in need of a follow up appointment, it is suggested that the horse has a routine monthly – 6 week treatment when competing or in hard training, and every 8 to 10 weeks when not in serious training.

PREVENSION IS BETTER THEN CURE!! And massage is proven to prevent many cases of injury.