Equissage Machines...who uses them etc...

[JLav]

I have used an equissage machine on a horse with a back problem and it didn't make any difference whatsoever. Have also had alot a clients who have used them who claim that their horses are better for it though as a trainer I can't see it's made any difference in their horses at all!!
It may well work for some but I personally wouldn't pay the money for one.
I also have heard 2 very reknowned equine physios advise that the cheaper hand held units like the Argos one mentioned do as good a job but couldn't say if that really is the case or not!

 

[Theresa_F]

We had a demo with one on Cairo.

The old boy is now getting a bit stiff behind and bunny hops in canter until he gets going, which can take 30 mins of warm up some days.

We did a loose school session after the equissage had been used and he was much looser out of the box and on his first canter more forward going and hardly hopped.

He also seemed to really enjoy it - stood there with his lip curled making his goofy - I love this face.

What struck us was that my OH and I are very busy people and some days have limited time due to work going t*ts up during the week, and/or one of us having to do two horses due to the other being stuck at work.

We said we could put it on Cairo for 20 mins whilst doing jobs and then give him a shorter exercise session on those days and still keep him ticking over as his warm up time would be reduced.

If the old boys continues to stiffen up over winter, we will seriously be considering one - there goes our christmas pressies to each other and our skiing - but if it makes him feel good it is worth it.

 

[Beanyowner]

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I should do some proper research on the machine and it's action before you do any more guessing or just read the comments of people who have had success with it and therefore know what they are talking about.


[/ QUOTE ]

Its mainly just facts we know about the equine body that we are flying about to try and gather a better idea of what results or not as the case may be, have been seen when using the equissage.
You don't have to know the "in's and out's" of the machine in order to work out what the vibration is doing to the tissue over which the machine is placed, at the end of the day it is a type of vibration aimed to increase blood flow into the tissue...what I don't understand is how the physio can claim it can aid in rebuilding muscle tissue and even aid in the task of 'warming' the horse up before work as a single strap over the saddle area will in no way adequately warm up the major muscle groups over the hindquarters and am definetly sure it will do NOTHING to tendons and ligaments within the lower limbs.

I wanted to put this subject to you guys to determine what you, as individuals use this machine for...I can read on the website what they 'think' it does! Also wanted to hear if there is a noticable difference between horses who reguarly use this machine and ones who don't.

Am pleased its caused discussion as this was the aim!!

 

[baybeejay01]

*breathing deeply - ...& out* Ok , am calm now! Sorry, sorry, sorry! Got a bit hot under the collar as it is very hard to explain yourself and got a bit cross at people not being open minded and not prepared to listen to another (informed) view.
I have treated close to a hundred different horses with very different symptoms with the machine in the last 3 years and there has only been 1 that didn't show any improvement at all and assumed that that wasn't a muscular problem. One 30ish year old pony was having real problems even moving and was due to go up to hospital in Bristol for a scan as the vets were at a loss as to what was wrong and, as the owners had nothing to lose, I was asked to do a course of treatments to see if anything showed up. It did, the pony was extremely sore all down her off side & especially in the stifle region. The chiro was called in to see what she could find and adjusted her stifle and other bits. This was 12 months ago and "Molly" now bounces around the field like a spring chicken, she still has a treatment every 2 weeks to keep the muscles in shape and does have good days and better days but she looks fabulous for 30ish. You would be surprised at how good horses are at gritting their teeth and working through a problem without giving you a clue that there is anything wrong at all until they can no longer compensate and everything hurts! The equissage very definitely has a place in keeping our best friends free of pain and helping them to cope with our demands on them.
Personally, I think every horse should have access to an Equissage periodically, even if it is someone else's who knows what they are doing with it and how to "read" a horse when it reacts in different areas.
Finally, if you've got this far, apologies to Puddicat , I did get a bit defensive but I truly believe that, for whatever reason, it works!

 

[puddicat]

no need to apologise, I was enjoying the discussion