Mctimoney ?

The_snoopster

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2009
Messages
3,968
Location
shropshire
Visit site
I am looking to have my mare checked over just to make sure she is ok back/pelvis and muscle wise. I have no problems with her but she has never been seen by anyone other than my vet in the last 7 years and those visits were just routine types.
So what type of person would you choose, I have been reccomended a mctimoney person, but I dont know what they do and how they do it. Dont want to look a fool when I book someone, could people tell me the difference between the different types of therypists and do they make a difference at all ?:confused:
 
Mainly because she is in her mid 20,s and still hacking out for a few hours 2 or 3 times a week, and I just wanted to settle my mind she had no aches and pains that could be eased from a specialist.
 
I was confused also but found someone who used a lot of methods, and she was happy explaining each to me (not that I can remember anything!). I like to get mine checked every now and again- even when you don't notice a problem its amazing how much freer they feel afterwards- you know it was good for them then :)
 
Shropshire, thankyou for your replies. I do want some kind of knowledgable horse person out, as I believe more in science than healing hands lol. And I know when I had a good sports massage how free and light I felt afterwards, maybe I am looking for something like that, just dont know which road to go down. And of course who knows if my mare has grumbling muscle or bone problems I am unaware of, she is not a slacker even at her age and I think she would have to be in real pain before she showed it to me in a physical way.
 
I really like McTimoney. The lady I have out is brilliant. I used her for my poor mare who was on boxrest with laminitis, though she could only have a muscular fascia massage due to the box rest.

I had my daughter's pony treated 7 weeks ago prior to her tendon operation and the therapist found her pelvis out - likely due to the tendon injury, she came out today and treated her again and her pelvis was still in place but she was tight on the right shoulder where she was compensating for her operation and her healing surgery. She absolutely loves the treatment, which is weird considering she doesn't like to be groomed or fussed. I intend to use her a couple of times a year now for the pony and my WB who has chronic sacro illiac dysfunction. I see it like an MOT and a check over. At the very least the horse gets a body balance.

I have used Equine Touch, Bowen and a back therapist in the past - all of which I rate, but I am now pulled to the McTimoney.
 
Last edited:
Hi,

I'll see what I can do to explain what I think to be the main types of therapy for horses.

McTimoney focuses more on the skeletal system. Looks for misalignments of bones and uses a fast but relatively gentle technique to release the muscles to allow the bones to correct themselves. All McTimoney practitioners are trained to masters degree level.

Physiotherapy focuses its treatment more on the muscles, working through massage to achieve relaxation of the muscles which should then also help bone alignments. Physios should also be trained to degree/masters degree level.

Sports massage is similar to Physio in its technique, as in it's a massage technique which focuses on the muscles but just that the level of training required to qualify will be a lower level (for example courses are usually run over a week with some home study). There are some excellent sports massage therapists out there, but as there is not the same level to standardised qualification I'd be more keen to get a personal recommendation for a sports massage therapist.

I hope that is useful.
 
I have a McTimoney lady who does both me and the horses.

McTimoney is a more gentler method than the "bone-cracking" method which is practiced elsewhere, but IMO is all the better for that.

I have a mare on loan who has arthritis and her owner swears by McTimoney.

Just because its "gentle" doesn't mean it doesn't work either - and do bear in mind that after treatment you need to do what the therapist advises and take things easy for a period.
 
Thankyou so much for all your replies they ahve been very helpful, the lady who I have just spoken to has told me to advise my vet she is coming out to see my mare. I am just trying to help my mare now and in the future, its not something I have done before so just needed to get a bit if info first. :)
 
Top