Can Your Horse Benefit from Massage Therapy?

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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