What Is Equine Sports Massage?
Equine Sports Massage, like human sports
massage, is the application of specific hands-on stroking, kneading or other
hand techniques to alleviate or relieve muscle tension, spasms, and uneven
performance in the equine athlete. ESM relieves tension, spasm and pain, and brings renewed circulation and performance to insulted or compromised muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Therapeutic Equine Sports Massage should never be performed by any individual
without a firm, solid knowledge of equine anatomy and physiological systems. It is easy to imagine the horse as a large solid object covered with hair, and to forget that he is - just like his owner - a mass of bone, muscle, fascia, soft tissue, veins, arteries and nerves... and that he cannot tell you when or where he hurts. He can only show you by resisting, refusing, or exhibiting frustrating behaviours that his owner or trainer sometimes does not understand.
A solid education in anatomy and physiology allows the serious equine bodyworker to "see" and work with each superficial muscle in the horse's body, and to understand what those muscles do, where they orginate, where they insert, and what other muscles work with them. Understanding
the musculoskeletal structure of the animal is crucial to enhancement of
the body's own natural healing mechanisms and abilities as well as telling the equine bodyworker what he or she can and cannot affect in the animal's body. Many of the equine muscles are deep - too deep to affect effectively but by understanding the superficial muscles and the entire muscular system, a responsible bodyworker will learn to affect the entire horse when he or she affects the superficial muscular system.
Bob Sharpe has a firm, solid knowledge and understanding of equine anatomy, including hoof and tooth anatomy and structure, and how lameness, shoeing and trimming, dentistry and even saddle fit can affect a horse's performance. He also understands and applies equine massage and bodywork to help alleviate these problems. He has worked with several farriers, vets and equine dentists to solve lameness, mouth and saddle fit problems.
Bob Sharpe has studied not only the
physiological systems of the horse;
he has also studied the psychological side of the process as well, and uses
what the horse tells him to plan each massage session; altering or changing
the plan as he goes.
A proper ESM session begins with a warming-up of the horse's muscles, preparing
them to accept the firmer strokes that will bring the most therapeutic benefit.
That warm-up time allows the practitioner and the horse to get to know each
other, and become partners in the strengthening or recovery process. Bob
is a firm believer in the horse feeling completely comfortable with him
before he begins the bodywork. The warm-up session allows Bob to "see"
the overall state of the horse's musculoskeletal system, and plan accordingly.
He thoroughly acquaints himself with the horse's body; he searches for the
areas he thinks will need special attention.
Talking with the owner or rider also helps Bob to round out the overall
picture he is compiling in his mind of the horse as he works. Knowing what
e horse's strengths and weaknesses are helps Bob to better understand
the direction he needs to go in, and what will be of the most benefit to
the horse on that particular day. It is important that Bob understand all
aspects of the horse's training; if cross-training is involved, it may affect
how the bodywork is applied in a session.
Bob looks beyond the "symptoms" to treat the whole horse. Often,
symptoms are simply signs that something else is going on, and Bob's extensive
training and 25 years of experience with horses give him the skill he needs
to evaluate the horse and perform the bodywork that will set the horse on
the path to wellness.
Bob also brings the owner into the massage session. Bob frequently sees horses after the owner has used other solutions with little or no success in solving a problem. Bob has a thorough understanding and deep compassion for owners who are suffering their own pain from the frustration of knowing something is wrong with their beloved companion - but not knowing how to fix it. He realizes that sometimes the most important part of the massage session is turning over a couple of buckets and sitting down with the owner to talk over the existing problems - starting with the heart.
Bob finishes each session gently and in a manner that doesn't cause the
horse to become excited or disturbed. He recommends allowing the horse a
day or two off, and explains what differences the owner may see in the horse
for the next 24-48 hours. He prefers the horses he works on be stalled and
kept quiet for a day or so, to allow them time to recover at their own rate
and to rest as they need to without distractions or competition for food,
water or attention.