​      Captain- Occasional Trail Blazer
 Fact: Did you know 60% of your horse's body is made up of muscle? It takes 16 muscles to move the ear alone! 
      Massage helps to improve blood flow of nutrients to those muscles, stimulating circulation, allowing oxygen, lymph, and blood flow to return in a greater capacity. It also helps to keep the body in good homeostasis, or balance. 
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      Massage also helps to keep our equine partner not only in a better physical health, but also mental health. It helps to reduce stress, stimulate the horse's self regulatory system, increase energy flow, and releasing endorphins (the body's natural pain killers). 
Benefits of Massage:
  •  Increased Circulation, speeds up healing and removes toxins
  •  Tension Relief
  •  Increased Flexibility and Range of Motion
  •  Enhanced Muscle Tone
  •  Improve digestion, reducing ulcers and preventing colic
  •  Reducing Inflammation and swelling in the Joints
  •  Injury Prevention
  •  Pain Relief
  •  Improved Proprioception 
  •  Immune System Support
Bubby- Dressage Lover
(and lover of his massages too!)
Picture
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Pompi- Stadium Jumper  ​​​
Who can massage benefit?

•    Reining
•    Cutting
•    3 Day Eventing
•    Hunter/Jumpers
•    Dressage
•    Driving
•    Endurance
•    Trail Riding
•    And many, many more….                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
      Like us, horses anticipate pain. When that happens their way of going can become short and choppy, resulting in an uneven gate. Muscles respond to stress or injury by hyper-constriction. When that happens, it puts unnecessary pressure on opposing muscles or joint. 

   Signs your horse may benefit from a massage are: 

  •  Your horse has tight muscles, soreness in their back, or just stiffness in general. 
  •  If workouts become less productive or they seems to be stiff all of a sudden. 
  •  If jumps or turns aren't what you know they are capable of. 
  •  If your collection is not as fluid and freely given as it normally is.
  •  If your horse has never given you any problems, but all of a sudden you have farrier, saddling, or bucking issues.
  •  Is he/she short striding or not picking up the correct lead when asked 
  •  Behavioral Issues that never occurred before

   Above: Freya, fox hunting mare
Below: Kason, AQHA hunter
Subtle Reactions to Massage:
  • Lowering their head
  • Lip quivers
  • Licking lips and chewing
  • Cocked hind leg, especially on the side being treated
  • Tail swish
  • Skin quiver
Bold Reactions to Massage:
  • Yawns, especially repeated ones
  • Vocalizing (knickers, sneezing, coughing, etc.)
  • Bowing (yoga stretch)
  • Tremor or body shake
  • Urination or Defection 
  Most often we wait until our horses have a problem before we look to therapeutic treatments for help. Regular massages can keep your horse in optimum health and wellness and avoid injuries that can occur from muscle groups not carrying their weight. Tendons have to pick up the extra strain from the out of balance muscle groups and can lead to tendon injuries. Massage can help the horse rebalance itself and help to prevent these injuries from happening. ​
Travel Fees may apply depending on location.