By Paige Cerulli

What is Equine Massage?

Equine massage is a therapy which is greatly growing in popularity today. It is being used in sport horses to enhance optimum performance, in injured horses to promote healing, and even in casual riding horses to increase their comfort and health. Massage has been found to have many benefits, and there is likely an equine massage therapist in your area who would be available to work on your horse if you choose to pursue massage. Massage can be used on its own or in conjunction with other therapies, such as chiropractic.

Massage is a non-invasive therapy which involves manipulation of the muscles. A massage treatment typically lasts about an hour. During that time the massage therapist will use their hands to work on the entire body of the horse. The therapist will determine problem areas, if there are any, and will work to alleviate muscle spasms and tension throughout the whole body. They may also do some stretching with the horse, and on occasion may show you exercises to do with your horse to improve their flexibility.

What are the Benefits?

There are many benefits of equine massage. Massage involves releasing muscle spasms and tension, which results in a more relaxed, more flexible horse. If a horse is tense and has tight muscles, they will be more likely to injure themselves when called on to perform. When a horse is treated with massage, it can help to prevent further injuries. Massage also results in an increased range of motion for the horse, which enables him to perform to the best of his ability.

At the same time, massage increases overall circulation to the body, which can promote and even speed healing of current injuries. This increased circulation also helps your horse to recover more quickly after strenuous exercise. While increasing circulation, massage can also improve the overall quality of your horse’s health, as it affects all of your horse’s bodily systems.

Receiving a massage before an event can help to warm up a horse’s muscles and make sure he is relaxed and flexible. Similarly, competitors are also using post-event massages to assist with the horse’s recovery from the exertion, as well as to pinpoint any areas of the horse’s body which may have been stressed or injured. Massage can help to relax a nervous horse and can also serve as a reward for a job well done.

Can Your Horse Benefit From Massage?

Almost any horse can benefit from massage in some way. Massage is frequently used for show horses, but it can also make an everyday riding horse happier and more comfortable. Retirees can certainly benefit from massage, as can horses recovering from injuries. Further issues such as bucking, shortness of stride, rearing, difficulties traveling in one direction, and head tossing can also be resolved by massage, as they often originate from pain. The frequency of massage sessions depends entirely on the individual horse, though once a month is a typical schedule for a maintenance massage.

There are a few conditions under which a horse should not receive massage. Horses in chronic pain, such as that caused by lyme disease, may be too sensitive to treat until their condition has improved. Horses diagnosed as having cancer should not be treated with massage therapy, as it can further aggravate the cancer. Ill horses with a temperature should also not receive massage. It is always best to get your vet’s approval if you have any question as whether your horse is physically able to receive massage. Remember, massage is not a replacement for veterinary treatment, and an equine massage therapist cannot diagnose problems that your horse may be having.

What to Expect

Although all equine massage therapists vary in their exact practices, here is a basic idea of what you can expect when you schedule a session for your horse. Typically a massage therapist will request that someone familiar with and responsible for the horse be present at the massage. You should have your horse groomed and wearing a halter and lead rope for the session. If it’s raining on the day of the massage, it is a nice courtesy to the massage therapist if you keep the horse dry until the massage – it’s not pleasant to work on wet horses.

The therapist will usually gather some health and history information about the horse before the session. It is important to disclose any information about previous injuries or illnesses a horse has sustained at this time. A horse will need to be secured for the massage, either held by a handler or tied in crossties or in a stall. It is best if a massage is scheduled for a time which is somewhat quiet at the barn, and if possible the session should be performed in an area with minimal distractions.

Some massage therapists prefer to see the horse move before beginning the massage, while others choose to let their hands find the problem areas instead. A massage therapist will usually start at the head or neck and work their way down one side of the horse. If they find problem areas, they will focus on them and attempt to relieve the spasms and knots. During the course of the massage they may ask you questions about the horse’s behavior or training to help determine the origin of the physical results that they are finding. Some therapists will write up a report of their findings before moving on to the other half of the horse, while some will simply wait and write up their findings in the end.

After completing both sides of the horse the massage therapist may go back to problematic areas to make sure that the issues have been resolved. At the end of the massage, a therapist will generally write up a report of their findings for you to keep for your records. It is best if you have time to hand walk your horse for fifteen to twenty minutes after the massage, as this will give their muscles time to adjust. Light riding after massages is generally fine, but remember that your horse may have gone through some major adjustments and will need time to settle into the changes they have experienced.

If it is your horse’s first time being massaged, he may be a bit sore a day or two after the massage. This is because any major spasms have suddenly been relieved, and your horse’s muscles are not quite sure what to do. If a horse has had an injury or spasm for a long period of time and it is suddenly released, the muscles will tend to want to return to that state of tension, and it may take a few massage treatments before the results will last more than a few days. Your massage therapist can advise you on what to expect given your horse’s particular situation.

Finding an Equine Massage Therapist

You should go about locating an equine massage therapist in the same way that you would select your vet and farrier: do a bit of research. As equine massage becomes more popular, there are a growing number of equine massage therapists for you to choose from. You should look into any possible therapist’s education, and ask yourself some questions:

· Where did they receive their certification?

· What kind of an education program did they attend?

· What number of classroom hours has this massage therapist received?

· What kind of experience does the therapist have?

Be aware that there are some massage programs which offer a very brief overview of equine massage. There is nothing wrong with using such programs as a starting point for education in massage, but chances are that a therapist who has attended a longer, more in-depth program will be better prepared to adapt their massage practices so that they are more effective for your horse.

Word of mouth can be an excellent way to learn of popular massage therapists in your area. Some massage therapists charge a travel fee if they are required to travel over larger distances, so it may benefit you to try to find a therapist who is fairly local. If you have nearby friends with horses who are interested in trying massage, you might consider scheduling the horses for consecutive sessions on one day, as therapists will frequently offer discounts for barn calls when multiple horses are scheduled.

Massage can be a highly beneficial therapy for your horse. When performed by a certified massage therapist, massage can help both relieve discomfort that your horse is feeling and prevent possible future injuries. When your horse feels better he can and will perform better, which will making riding more enjoyable for both of you. Massage therapy is well worth a try for just about any horse.

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Paige Cerulli is a certified equine massage therapist, having graduated from the Bancroft School of Massage in Worcester, MA. Her business, With A Whisper Equine Massage, is based out of Western MA. You can contact her via email at WithAWhisper@gmail.com, or you can visit her website, www.WithAWhisperEquineMassage.com.