Blog Archives

Can Your Horse Benefit from Massage Therapy?

2/27/2017

The likely answer is "YES"! The majority of horses can benefit from massage therapy, especially if they are routinely ridden or used for driving. Mares and stallions who are being used for breeding can also greatly benefit from soft tissue work.

What is Equine Massage?

Equine massage is the use of hands, arms, elbows and/or tools to rub and knead the muscles of the horse's body to decrease tension and/or pain. Equine massage utilizes modified human massage techniques on horses to help them perform better and decrease pain associated with training, an ill fitting saddle, an unbalanced rider or injury.

Benefits of Massage Therapy

Increase blood flow to speed up healing process
Decrease muscle spasms
Increase range of motion - Increase joint flexibility
Help the horse prepare for and recover from exercise
Improve mental wellbeing
Reduce scar tissue formation
Release endorphins - the body's natural pain killers
Decrease the chance of injury

Signs that a Horse Needs a Massage:

Pinning ears back, biting or kicking when saddling or riding
Reluctance to move forward during exercise
Difficulty bending to one or both sides
Difficulty picking up correct lead at the canter
Leg weakness, dragging of toes
Tossing head during exercise
Uncharacteristic bucking and/or rearing during exercise
Horse seems more "spooky" than usual
Horse is in an uncharacteristic bad mood
Reluctance to be caught

If your horse is experiencing any of the above symptoms, they can likely benefit from equine massage therapy. It is important when providing your horse with massage therapy to either gain proper training before applying the techniques or hiring a certified equine massage therapist. There are times when massage therapy can make a condition worse, so all contraindications will need to be ruled out before massage therapy is performed. Also, remember that massage therapy is not a substitute for veterinary care and you should also consult with your veterinarian before trying a new therapy with your horse!

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How Can My Dog Benefit from Kinesiology Tape?

2/23/2017

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You may have noticed kinesiology tape on athletes while you were watching a game on TV or perhaps you have personal experience with it from your PT or Chiropractor taping you following an injury. I think it's safe to say that most people have been exposed to this athletic tape in one form or another by now. People are aware of how it can help them decrease pain, give them additional support without reducing range of motion and help them train and play harder while reducing the change of injury. I bet one thing you didn't know about kinesiology tape though is that your dog can benefit from it as well!

There are many reasons why you would want to tape your dog. I have listed a few of them for you below:

Decrease Neck, Back and Hip Pain - Many dogs will experience some form of neck, back or hip pain in their lives. For some dogs, it will be short term, usually following an injury of some kind. For other dogs, this pain will be more chronic, usually stemming from arthritis, degenerative changes from disorders such as hip dysplasia or a disc bulge which is common in many breeds of dogs. Kinesiology tape can provide your dog with a natural way to decrease pain on a daily basis or during exercise.
Decrease Inflammation - Dogs can develop bruises and swelling due to an injury, just like we do. We do not notice it as often on our dogs though due to their hair. Kinesiology tape has been proven to aid in decreases inflammation from injury, allergic reactions and surgery when applied correctly.
Support Joints - Is your dog suffering from a knee injury, luxating patella or other joint instability? If so, kinesiology tape is the perfect way to give your dog additional support without restricting range of motion. Most dogs prefer kinesiology tape over braces because it allows them to move freely.
Heal Quicker Post Surgery - Most dogs will undergo at least one surgery in their life and kinesiology tape can be applied after surgery to reduce swelling and promote healing!

To Recap:

Decrease Pain
Speed Up Healing
Decrease Swelling
Increase Support

Common Conditions That Can Benefit From Kinesiology Tape:

Neck Pain
Back Pain
Hip Pain - Hip Dysplasia
Luxating Patella
ACL Tear - Knee Injuries
Disc Herniation/Bulge
Hematoma/Swelling
Joint Instability
Weakness due to Degenerative Myelopathy
And more!

Caution!

While there is no doubt that your dog can likely benefit from kinesiology tape, it is important to use caution when applying the tape. Each condition listed above has a specific tape application associated with it and there are certain times kinesiology tape can make the situation worse and you should refrain from taping. Be sure to gain adequate training or consult with a canine kinesiology taping professional before taping your dog!

Want to learn how to apply kinesiology tape to your dog? Check out our online course!

Canine Kinesiology Tape On-Line NON-Certification Course

$200.00

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This course was developed to teach dog owners how to apply kinesiology tape to their dog(s) to decrease pain, provide support and aid with numerous conditions such as hind end weakness, muscle spasms, joint instability and more! THIS COURSE DOES NOT INCLUDE A CERTIFICATION OPTION!

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Why Would I want to Tape My Horse?

2/16/2017

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Kinesiology tape is gaining popularity in both the human and equine world. As more people are becoming exposed to it, horse owners are beginning to wonder if this tape can help their horse. One of the more common questions I am asked from a horse owner is "Why would I want to tape my horse?".

My answer is that there are MANY reasons why you would want to use kinesiology tape on your horse. I have listed some of those answers below

Decrease Pain - Most horses experience some form of pain on a regular basis. This could either be due to an injury, sore muscles from training and exercise, sore back due to an ill fitting saddle, unbalanced rider or just from being ridden a lot. There are many other factors that can cause pain in your horse. Kinesiology tape can help decrease your horse's pain sensation while also improving blood flow to the area, allowing the area to heal quicker and mobilize lactic acid and other metabolic waste that is contributing to the pain sensation.
Stabilize Weak Areas - A horse that has ever suffered from a soft tissue injury (ligament, muscle, etc), likely suffers from some degree of instability due to it. Kinesiology tape can provide your horse with the additional support needed to prevent any further damage without reducing normal range of motion.
Decrease Swelling - Kinesiology tape can help mobilize fluid and decrease swelling due to injury, allergic reactions, stocking up, etc.
Increase Proprioception - Proprioception is the body's perception of where it's parts are. For example, a horse should know where all of it's hoofs are landing during exercise without having to look at them. Many horses who have suffered from injury or neurological disorders can benefit from kinesiology tape because it helps improve their body's proprioception by stimulating the proprioceptive nerves during movement. The better your horse's proprioception is working, the less chance he or she has of injuring themselves!
Improve Energy Meridian Flow - Applying kinesiology tape along specific meridians can help improve energy flow along them. Stagnant energy in a meridian can lead to health issues, behavioral problems and more. Kinesiology tape is a safe and easy way to improve your horse's energy flow.
Speed Up Healing - Kinesiology tape helps to mobilize fluids (removes the inflammation and brings in oxygenated blood) to help speed up healing time. Post surgical tapings can be used to decrease inflammation following a surgery and also decrease scar tissue formation after sutures and staples are removed.

While there are MANY reasons your horse can benefit from kinesiology tape, it is also important to receive proper training before applying tape to your horse. There are specific ways of cutting and applying the tape to achieve the appropriate goals. There are also some circumstances when kinesiology tape can make a situation worse, so it is important to be familiar with these before taping your horse! Be sure to receive proper training or seek guidance from a trained practitioner.

Learn How to Tape Your Horse with Our OnLine Course!

Non-certification course available for horse owners. Certification Course available for equine professionals.

Equine Kinesiology Taping On-Line Certification Course

$300.00

You are registering for the Angel's Animals Online Equine Kinesiology Taping Course. THIS IS A CERTIFICATION COURSE FOR EQUINE PROFESSIONALS!

*Be sure to check your state laws before practicing animal massage or bodywork!
*This registration fee does not include a $25 certification processing fee that is due when you submit your case studies.

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Equine Kinesiology Taping On-Line NON-Certification Course

$200.00

You are registering for the Angel's Animals Online Equine Kinesiology Taping Course. This course was developed to teach horse owners how to apply kinesiology tape to their horses to decrease inflammation, support muscles and joints, improve function and more!

THIS IS NOT A CERTIFICATION COURSE!

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Learn How to Reduce Your Horse's Pain!

2/1/2017

2 Comments

Is Your Horse In Pain?

The likely answer is YES. Most horses will experience some degree of neck, back or hip (SI joint) pain during their lives and a surprising number of horses suffer from some form of chronic pain. Pain can be caused by intense training, ill fitting saddles and tack, imbalanced or inexperienced riders or injury (injury can occur in the stall, turnout or while riding). If the pain is not addressed, it can lead to long lasting postural and gait abnormalities causing chronic pain for the horse.

How do you know if your horse is in pain?

Some common signs of pain include:

Pinning ears back when you brush your horse's back, place a saddle on them, tighten the girth/cinch, ask your horse to move forward under saddle
Biting or kicking out when you tighten the girth or ask for particular movements under saddle
Bucking or rearing when you ask your horse to move forward or increase speed under saddle
Inability to collect while riding
Difficulty bending to one side
Tossing head while working and riding
Inability to pick up one lead while cantering
Reluctance to increase speed when asking for more forward motion

What Can You Do?

To help your horse achieve optimal wellness, it is important to have a team of reliable equine health care providers including a veterinarian, certified equine chiropractor, dentist, massage therapist and saddle fitter.

To personally help your horse in between visits, you can provide your horse with massage, stretches and kinesiology tape.

Equine Massage

Equine Massage utilizes modified human massage techniques to help reduce muscle spasms and pain, increase blood flow and mobilize lactic acid. Massage can be done using the hands or tools. Since there are contraindications to massage (specific conditions when massage could make a situation worse) and specific protocols and techniques, it is important to become trained in equine massage before massaging your horse.

LEARN ABOUT THE EQUINE MASSAGE FOR HORSE OWNER'S COURSE

Stretches

Stretching is a great way to improve your horse's range of motion and keep him or her flexible in between bodywork sessions. When stretching your horse, you want to make sure they are warmed up first and there are specific ways to stretch your horse to decrease the chance of injury. For this reason, it is recommended that you are properly training in stretching. Our Equine Massage for Horse Owners course includes a section on neck and leg stretches for your horse!

LEARN ABOUT OUR EQUINE MASSAGE CERTIFICATION COURSE

Kinesiology Tape

Kinesiology tape has recently become very popular with human athletes and those suffering from soft tissue injuries. We have found that horses can benefit just as much as people from this revolutionary tape! Our on-line Equine Kinesiology Taping Course teaches both horse owners and professionals (we offer a certification course for professionals) how to tape both horses and riders. Learn pain reduction, support, inflammation reduction and meridian techniques! Kinesiology tape not only can reduce pain in both yourself and your horse, but it can also help prevent injuries from occurring!

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR EQUINE KINESIOLOGY TAPING COURSE

Providing your horse with routine bodywork can ensure that he or she is able to live a happy and pain free life for many years to come!

Courses for Professionals

We also offer courses for Equine Professionals including certifications in Massage Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy and Body Alignment. Visit our website for more details!