We all know that equine sports massage is good for our mind, body and soul, but did you also know its incredibly beneficial for your horses physical and mental well being? The tasks we ask of horses can place physical stress on the body leading to muscle fatigue, strains, adhesions and pain. Learn how Sports Massage can help your horse.
How Equine Sports Massage can Help Your Horse
1) Encouraging Suppleness and Flexibility
In order for your horse to have a free and expressive movement, they need to be supple and flexible. the rigours of riding can lead to inflammation, tightness and fatigue within the muscles. A sports massage therapist works on this with careful massage of the muscles and gentle stretches to increase joint mobility. This leads to unrestricted movement in ligaments, tendons and joints. Various studies have proved that massage improves the range of motion and the stride length of horses.
2) Relieving Adhesions
General work and competing can lead to muscle adhesions within the horses body. These restrict the flow of blood within the muscle. Sports massage gently loosens and removes these adhesions allowing the flow of blood to be restored. Increased blood flow allows oxygenated blood into the muscle to help aid in healing and recovery, and at the same time takes away any cramp inducing build up of acid.
3) Increasing Mental Well Being
A gentle, positive touch is an excellent way to soothe a stressed or anxious horse. A full body massage often results in the horse nearly falling asleep towards the end. Also horses can carry a lot of tension in their poll. Work here can relieve that tension and unlock the jaw. This often results in yawning and stretching.
4) Aid Muscle Condition
By keeping your horses muscles in tip top condition with regular massage, you are ensuring that any work you do with your horse has the maximum benefit. Tired, tight muscles have a lack of oxygenated blood and so struggle to develop and build correctly. Healthy, unrestricted muscles can adapt and grow according to their work load.
5) Improving Horse and Rider Balance
Have you ever wondered why your horse is unbalanced or asymmetrical. Often, as a rider, we place these asymmetries on our horses. By understanding how your horses back and muscles are feeling, we can take this on board and grow and develop as a rider by either changing the way we ride, or seeing a chiropractor and sports massage therapist ourselves.
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Areas covered in UK: Worcestershire and surrounding counties.
Book an Equine Sports Massage or Call Emily Walters on 07983 565 438
