After a long day in the office or a hard workout, a massage is the perfect answer to relieve those aching muscles. Horses also get tense from daily riding or even due to poor conformation. With the proper training and safety precautions, you can administer a relaxing, beneficial massage to your horse.
Barb Wells, a certified shiatsu equine massage therapist, gives you an introduction to some basic massage techniques and demonstrates their application in horseillustrated.com’s video “Equine Massage,” with help from horses at the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Along with showing you how to give your horse a basic massage, Wells sat down with us to explain the concept of equine massage, its effect on your horse, health considerations, and both positive and negative responses from your horse to be aware of before trying this at home.
HI: What is equine massage?
Wells: Massage is the manipulation, methodical pressure, friction and kneading of the muscles. It’s a non-invasive technique designed to enhance equine performance and reduce the risk of injury. It moves lactic acid and other toxins out of the muscle tissue while bringing oxygen and nutrients in by boosting blood circulation. It promotes healthier muscle tissue that can better withstand the strain of competition and daily use. The bones, tendons and ligaments benefit as well. Massage also positively affects the emotional well-being of your horse.
HI: How do I know if my horse needs massage?
Wells: If your horse has exhibited any of the following signs: kicking, bucking, resisting leads, attitude problems, head tossing, difficult lateral bending or a lack of enthusiasm for performing. All of these issues might benefit from a massage.
HI: Why does my horse develop emotional or physical problems like those listed?
Wells: Although there are multiple reasons why your horse can develop behavior, strain and exertion problems, many can be traced back to stress on different areas of the horse’s body.
Many riding disciplines and every-day things can create tension in the horse’s muscle tissues, including weakness in an area from excessive use, poor or unsuitable conformation, or injury, which causes adjacent areas of the muscle to compensate. Other reasons why your horse may develop emotional and physical problems include: putting up the horse before he is properly cooled after exercise; placing too many demands on the horse’s body when he hasn’t been sufficiently warmed up prior to exercise; and mental and emotional stress.
These types of strain can also develop into injuries.
HI: What are some areas that typically have problems?
Wells: As I addressed in the video, the neck, shoulder, back and hindquarters typically demonstrate problems.
HI: How does massage help?
Wells: It stimulates the nervous system and muscle tone, increases blood flow and flexibility, eliminates metabolic wastes, encourages balance, relaxes muscles, promotes ease and well-being, and helps further bonding with your horse.
HI: What signs should people look for while massaging their horse to know it is helping?
Wells: To know that massage is helping, look for: softening of the eyes; licking; yawning; sighing; neck shaking; feel for softening of the tissue in the area you’re massaging; and listen for stomach activity (digestive noise) and passing gas (or having a bowel movement). You will find throughout the massage that your horse will drop his head as his long back muscle relaxes — this is normal.
Please also be aware of the signs that signal the horse is experiencing pain in the area you’re massaging. Watch for ears pinned back, squeals/grunts, lots of tail swishing, and strong negative reaction in the form of behavior or physical movement when you touch certain muscle groups.
HI: When shouldn’t you massage your horse?
Wells: Massage is a preventative therapy and not a substitute for veterinary care. If you horse has a heart condition, an existing joint problem, injury, special medical concern or fever, consult your veterinarian before you massage your horse.
If your vet is currently treating your horse for a condition, you don’t want to upset the vet’s course of action.
If your horse has a skin condition or growth — do not massage as the condition might spread.
And if there are signs of pain, swelling or bleeding — do not massage. Call your vet.
HI: Does the massage atmosphere play a role in how my horse will react?
Wells: You should plan the massage for a time that is quiet — while this may not always be possible, be observant and you and your equine friend will have a more productive experience.
Make sure you remove any small animals or unattended children who could get hurt if your horse reacts suddenly.
You can perform the massage in the stall, but a barn aisle is less confining. If someone will hold your horse for you, that’s preferable. If you’re alone, hold the lead line as needed.
Don’t massage just before feeding time. After feeding and long before the next feeding is the preferable time to massage.
We’d like to thank Barb Wells for sharing her time and massage techniques. If you’re ready to try equine massage with your horse, watch Wells at work in our exclusive horseillustrated.com video to learn some basic massage stroking techniques. Consult your vet before massaging your horse.
For more information about the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, visit www.sheacenter.org
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Great Idea! I’ll try this on my friend’s horse!
great video!
Great video! I can’t wait to try it. Has anyone ever used T-touch on their horses?
Very interesting article and MOST informative video. Ms. Wells explains the “ins/outs” of the particular massage she was performing so that I, a novice, can easily understand and feel confident about what I can do. Thank you for this video!!!!
I love it! And my horse too! Thanks!
looks very easy to apply, short movie with a great impact
Nice video!
this tought me a bunch of ways to massage my horse, and he really enjoyed it.
great!
Thank you for the option to erase my hoses tension with a simple therapy. My whole life I have always had a passion for horses and for an 11 yesr old I think I am very talented I may not know how to ride english but I do know that I will be better at knowing how my horse is feeling. Thank you so much.
Katie
muschlitz
my horse shakes its head a lot so, when i went and rode him and he started to do it again. i stopped and got off, took off his tack and did this massage. i got back on him and he didn’t shake his head once. i now know to massage him every time before i get on. Thanks sooooooo much!!!!
Great article! My horse gets sore some times and I was really wondering what was the best way to massage him. Now I know, he’ll be so happy!!! This article was very informative. Thank you…
Wow. I never knew massaging a horse could do so much! I may not have a horse but I know that when I’m old enough and live on a ranch with horses, Ill know what to do! Its been my dream to use different massaging therapies, herbs and remedies to help problem horses! Do you know of any herbs or remedies that would help relax horses too? and if you do could you write an article about please?
Wow. I am pretty happy with the article. I especially enjoyed the video. I am interested in doing equine massage therapy as a career, so this is definently going to help. I want to get some experience in while I am in high school so I can get a basic idea of what I need to know in order to do the massage as a career. I am looking at different colleges and trying to figure out what degrees I need along with getting as much information as possible (and I’m only a sophmore!). If any of you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to post on my blog (or Cheerios’s blog, we share), and share your tips. It would really help me out towards my goal. Thanks!
Thanks! My horse gets tense a lot. Now she is perfect! Now she knows me a little bit more. She loves me and I love her!!!
thats awesome i got to try that on my horsies!
Hi,
Excellent video! As a first time horse owner; the massage, techniques are very helpful for the learning curve or even an expert owner. Thanks
I will have to go back and watch the video again. There was just so much to learn, and very interesting.
Lady LOVES these massages! She loves the neck stroking and the hindquarter massage after a long conditioning ride.
That is so cool!
Very well done and presented so you can understand how to accomplish the massage. This really does work great and how lucky are the equines who have owners that care enough to do this for them.
Keep sharing these great videos HorseChannel.com!!!!
This was a good video, however effleurage should always be used before and after a massage to promaote drainage, also when you were massaging lady bug’s hindquarters you were doing the effleurage in the wrong direction. Effleurage should always be done towards the heart. Also lady bug had a lot of sore spots you didn’t fix, you should massage around the sore spot then closer then further from it again. Also you should always massage gently then deeply then end with gentle agian. I think you should fix some of these problems.
excellent, concise information, pleasant personality-easy to follow. Thank you Barb!
Very easy to understand and well put together.
Was watching when the electric went out, so I will have to watch it again.
Great video- will try these techniques
Nice video and information. I just got my certification in May 2011 and my horses love it.
Thats awesome!!! I’m gonna try it!
Great info! Thanks HC!
Thx 4 the massage info and how 2s! Now I now how to massage my pony!:)
Very good video. Barb explained things on a level I could understand well. Thank you.
Excellent video and demonstration on some basic massage techniques; I will be able to use these right away to make my horses happy!
Thank you for the massage video!!! My guy almost fell over trotting poles (they were moved while we came around the third time). I can barely walk after trying to collect him so he didn’t fall. I can only imagine how he feels :(. We’re both gonna get a massage!
Great write up, you cover all the important questions and provide a lot of great info! One of the ways I’ve been administering equine sports massage to my horses is with the EquiStix massager (http://equusathletics.com/products/equistix/). It works great and my horses love it. Thanks for the excellent information, I’ll pass it on.
I am a Chiropractor who makes Pro Strength Massagers for Chiropractors and Therapists.
I’LL HAVE ANOTHER, the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Winner, receives regular deep tissue massage with my Equine Massager. You can see photos and video at the following link: http://promassagers.com/HaveAnotherHorse.html
My sales pitch is SAVE YOUR HANDS and take ANY HORSE, ANY SIZE and not kill yourself trying to perform Hand Massage.
Sincerely, Dr. Edward Noble D.C.
cant wait to tri this on chica
Black loved the cross-fiber. He loves everything I do for him.
interesting article will have to try
Interesting.
Even horses love a good massage!
Very good, gonna try these on my horse!