There is evidence that massage therapy has been used for humans for thousands of years, and the benefits have been well documented. Similar techniques and theories behind it can be applied to equine massage therapy to give your four legged friends the same benefits and relief from muscle pain.
Benefits of Equine Massage Therapy
1) Relax Muscle Spasm
I will assess your whole horse’s body in the course of a massage to find specific areas of muscle tension and pain. Massage therapy applied correctly and carefully will ease muscle spasm and restore function to the affected muscle. I will build a picture of your horse’s problem areas to assess whether there may be an underlying cause for concern. Frequently a horse will change its way of going when in pain leading to abnormal muscle tension and spasm. In this way massage can be used as an early warning detector that there is something niggling at your horse and whether the vet needs to be called.
2) Improve Muscle Tone
A muscle needs to have good tone in order to function correctly. This means it needs to be free from any restrictions and atrophy. Atrophy can occur for various reasons but it generally means the muscle in weak and not performing as it should. While equine massage therapy cannot build muscle directly, it can reduce pain and most importantly improve circulation. The muscle cells need optimum circulation an nutrition to be able to maintain maximum tone and prevent atrophy.
3) Increase Circulation
Massage has an excellent effect on circulation. The physical nature of massage means that the muscles benefit from an increased blood supply which further leads to an increase of nutrition to the muscle tissue, increased dilation of blood vessels, decreased congestion, increased return of blood for oxygenation and increased return of lymph fluid for filtration. Overall this means that the muscles have an increase of red blood cells and nutrients optimising muscle growth and usefulness.
4) Ease Adhesions
Adhesions in muscles are formed when collegen fibres join together to repair damaged muscle tissue after an injury has occurred. This doesn’t have to be a catastrophic injury, even small wear and tear type injuries heal this way. Although the muscle needs these adhesions to heal, if they persist within the muscle they reduce range of motion and flexibility which leads to the muscles being used less and weakening. Breaking down these adhesions with massage prevents this weakness occurring and restores muscular health.
5) Improve Range of Motion
Massage is also fantastic for improving and increasing range of motion. Not only does the actual body work help to stretch the muscle and improve its elasticity, the stretches I perform will also help flexibility. This can be vital for performance horses, for example, dressage horses require extended movement and strength, and giving a racehorse a longer stride may mean he goes on to win the race. There has been lots of scientific study in the area in recent years, for example this study by C. Hill on The relationship between massage to the equine caudal hind limb and hind limb protraction.
Get Your Horse Checked Regularly
Getting your horse checked regularly is vital as massage can be one of the very earliest signs that your horse is experiencing pain. When a horse changes its way of going, even slightly, it leads to areas of muscle spam and under use. Finding these areas early on can help you decide if a vet check is needed.
In order for a horse to perform at its best and carry the weight of a rider easily, its muscles need to be in top shape. Regular Equine Massage Therapy and McTimoney Equine Chiropractic used in conjunction, will ensure your horse is not only moving optimally, but is also pain free and happy.
Book a McTimoney Equine Chiropractic Treatment
Areas covered in UK: Worcestershire and surrounding counties.
Book a McTimoney Equine Chiropractic Treatment or Call Emily Walters on 07983 565 438
