Does My Horse Need Equine Sports Massage?
You know how you sometimes wake up in
the morning with a 'crick' in your neck, and it is just sore enough to annoy you but not
bad enough to warrant a trip to the doctor? Rubbing it and kneading it with
your hand makes it feel a lot better, quickly.
That's how Equine Sports Massage works, too. Except that in a horse, the
'crick" can be a lot more intense, and it can be aggravated by a saddle,
the weight of a rider, shoeing or trimming, problems in the mouth or weight
loss or gain. And it doesn't have to be in the neck - it can be in any part
of the horse's body, and that one problem can cause an imbalance that, in
turn, causes the horse to compensate for the "unhealthy" part
of his body with the healthy parts, and before you know it, he's a mess.
Animals never do something "for no reason." If your horse suddenly
starts exhibiting behaviour he has never exhibited before, or stops doing
something he always did easily, pain may be at the root of that problem.
Some of the signs of muscular pain are: refusal or unwillingness to pick
up a lead; head tilting or tossing; stiffness to one side; tension in any
part of the body; not striding forward as usual with one or more legs; bucking;
rearing, and more.
"But my horse has never had these problems before! Why is he having them now?" It's common to wonder why things happen suddenly when it seems there is no valid reason for it. But think of it this way: sometimes you take a step that causes a pain to shoot through your back, or you sleep in such a way as to cause a tight muscle in your neck. Sometimes you get tired and stressed at work, your nck or shoulders tighten and you develop a headace "for no apparent reason." The same things can happen to your horse. He is connected from the tips of his ears all the way down to his toes, just like you are. A well-placed kick to the shoulder in the pasture... a "twist" to the hips as the horse turns to run... a stone or root bruises his wither area when he rolls and bingo - you have a minor muscle issue that, left unaddressed, can turn into a major one.
Sometimes it is a saddle fit problem. If the saddle the horse is wearing is the wrong shape or size for him, it will affect his back and shoulder muscles and he will hurt. It it is an English saddle and needs flocking work, the horse will know it and he will feel it. If it is a Western saddle and is too flat for his back, he will feel pain in his withers and loins and eventually that pain may become unbearable to him.
Sometimes it is a young horse started under saddle before he is ready. There is no hard-and-fast rule as to when a horse is physically ready to be ridden. 4-5 years of age is a safe rule of thumb. But if a horse is started too soon, his back can become tense and hard from supporting the rider weight before he is ready for it. If the horse is started too young in a saddle that does not fit him - the results can be catastrophic; both to the horse and to the rider who may end up getting hurt.
A qualified, well-trained equine sports massage therapist can start at the horse's nose and work his or her way to the tail, feeling for each muscle and muscle group as he/she goes and correcting problems he/she finds along the way. The best equine sports massage therapist keeps the owner close by, to point out problems, knots, stringiness, and any other issues he/she may find. It is important that the owner understand the problems the horse was having - it helps the owner think of the horse in three dimensions instead of only two.
Equine Sports Massage can also be used as part of your horse's health care
regimen to keep him in top shape, fit and ready to perform at his best.
Your Equine Sports Massage Therapist is a valuable part of your horse's
health care team, along with his vet, his farrier, his dentist, and anyone
else who keeps your horse in top condition.
If you are an exhibitor or competitor, you have a substantial financial investment in your competition horse and his health.
If you do not show or compete, you have a substantial emotional investment in your companion horse as well. Your team of equine health care professionals protect your investments -
and protect your friendship with your horse.