shiatsu treatment for horses

[YasandCrystal]

Has anyone had shiatsu on their horse? I have my horse booked for a treatment next week, but have no experience of shiatsu so would be interested to hear what others think and any good/bad experiences please. Thanks

 

[chestnut cob]

Yes, my horse had one a few weeks ago and despite being a total sceptic, I was totally amazed. He usually really dislikes any sort of physio or osteo treatment but he relaxed totally during the Shiatsu, even though some of it was pretty deep massage. Afterwards, I turned him out and he went into the corner of the field and fell straight to sleep (he always, 100%, rolls when turned out but not this time), swaying from side to side and dribbling!

Since then he has been so chilled out and much better to ride, better than he ever has been after more conventional treatments.

 

[Lexie81]

I had a friend of a friend come to do Shiatsu on my last horse, the hrose really enjoyed it, usually she is a right fidget and won't stand still tied up, and is very sensitive to grooming, girth etc, but with the shiatsu lady she stood loose in the middle of the school for a hour while she carried out the massage and seemed to love it.

 

[jnb]

I too was a sceptic but my horse loves it and has regular treatment and preventatives, well worth it and I'm hoping tonight when she's finished massaging my horse she can have a go at my back !

 

[Thistle]

My horses have regular shiatsu, she does me afterwards as well. I know it makes a huge difference to me and the horses seem flexible and relaxed.

 

[BBH]

My last horse had a monthly massage and he loved it.

 

[iudall]

I was able to bring my horse back into work after he had two shiatsu treatments. He had been retired for a year after the vet and I had tried every other avenue. The vet saw him a few months later and couldn't believe the improvement! He was very impressed!

I know lots of horses with behavioural problems or schooling problems (for instance striking off on the wrong canter lead, bucking etc.) that have been solved with shiatsu treatments. It's great for trapped nerves, sore, stiff muscles etc.

I have it too and it's amazing! I can actually sit straight on a horse now which is great!! I used to struggle to ride for 30 mins but now I can ride 3 lots at a point to point yard and then go and ride mine afterwards too!! I had had the chiropractor every two weeks for years and it didn't help. I guess there was no point in correcting the bones when the unbalanced muscles keep pushing them back out again.

Be careful who you have for shiatsu though. Some are more qualified than others.

Please pm me if you would like details of a really good shiatsu practitioner. I can not recommend her more highly!! She's my secret weapon!!

 

[ticobay831]

My youngster had a sesion last year he can be a bit nervy but he thoroughly enjoyed it and it realy made a differnce, i also have regular treatments and its certainly helped my condition
http://www.elcaballodeespana.co.uk/Elcaballo/Shiatsu.html
Shes brilliant and a lovely lady, she has a lovely way with horses as well

 

[iudall]

YasandCrystal, who are you having out to perform shiatsu on your horse by the way?

Let us know how you find it!!

 

[Echo Bravo]

several years ago had several beginers using my horses and even my very grumpy mare enjoyed, until the woman teaching asked could she bring 3 year students, as where they nomally went for some reason didn't want them, the women were awful, My young mare who has never kicked in her life lashed out, my gelding who use to doze off, got restless and my grumpy mare went back 2 years to being nasty and lashing out again with her back legs and trying to take chunks out of you and it had taken me years for her to being handled with out these problems, when the 1st years came back the next week, horses unhappy and wouldn't settle. I did explain to the lady and she said it was my horses.I had let them use my horses for 6 months, putting myself out, never asked for payment and I got told that, wouldn't have them ever again.

 

[dooble]

Where did they come from, Echo Bravo? Or, alternatively, where are you based? I've had experiences with students and would be interested to know if it's from the same place.

Although I've edited to add that I've had brilliant results from shiatsu for my mare, I think it just depends on the practitioner - and largely whether they know one end of a horse from another...

 

[YasandCrystal]

Hi and thanks for all your replies - I didn't seem to get any notification that anyone had replied to my thread - hence my silence - so sorry all!!

Right I did have a shiatsu practitioner out - a local lady from Colchester called Rose Brown - I am sure she won't mind me naming her.

It was very sad - when she touched my horse she started to cry, because he is such a sad horse. He has had such a sad past. She felt he was in pain and that he had problems of varying degrees in 3 of his legs. He let her touch him to start with - then he pushed her out. She said that was the opposite way round to usual with horses.
She was a lovely person and told me to see in 2 or 3 weeks if I wanted a return visit, but she felt it could be a very long haul with him. She said that she doubted that he would ever bond/trust more than 1 or 2 people and that he had never been listened to by anybody before. That's ok and that's as I suspected and as long as he trust me and his trainer thats fine.
The issue I now have is that it is not cheap to use shiatsu £50 per session and if it's going to be very slow too - I will probably opt for a different route, maybe shockwave treatment/acupunture.

There seem to be some very positive experiences out there and I will certainly consider using shiatsu as an annual overhaul if nothing else. Thanks for you replies.

 

[YasandCrystal]

several years ago had several beginers using my horses and even my very grumpy mare enjoyed, until the woman teaching asked could she bring 3 year students, as where they nomally went for some reason didn't want them, the women were awful, My young mare who has never kicked in her life lashed out, my gelding who use to doze off, got restless and my grumpy mare went back 2 years to being nasty and lashing out again with her back legs and trying to take chunks out of you and it had taken me years for her to being handled with out these problems, when the 1st years came back the next week, horses unhappy and wouldn't settle. I did explain to the lady and she said it was my horses.I had let them use my horses for 6 months, putting myself out, never asked for payment and I got told that, wouldn't have them ever again.

That's weird. Those students were obviously not good. I do believe with all of these therapies - the practitioner needs to tread lightly and let the horse decide they want the treatment, not the other way around. I think listening is really key and luckily my practitioner did.

 

[jnb]

Please pm me if you would like details of a really good shiatsu practitioner. I can not recommend her more highly!! She's my secret weapon!!

Wonder if we have the same Shiatsu therapist?????

 

[YasandCrystal]

I was able to bring my horse back into work after he had two shiatsu treatments. He had been retired for a year after the vet and I had tried every other avenue. The vet saw him a few months later and couldn't believe the improvement! He was very impressed!

I know lots of horses with behavioural problems or schooling problems (for instance striking off on the wrong canter lead, bucking etc.) that have been solved with shiatsu treatments. It's great for trapped nerves, sore, stiff muscles etc.

I have it too and it's amazing! I can actually sit straight on a horse now which is great!! I used to struggle to ride for 30 mins but now I can ride 3 lots at a point to point yard and then go and ride mine afterwards too!! I had had the chiropractor every two weeks for years and it didn't help. I guess there was no point in correcting the bones when the unbalanced muscles keep pushing them back out again.

Be careful who you have for shiatsu though. Some are more qualified than others.

Please pm me if you would like details of a really good shiatsu practitioner. I can not recommend her more highly!! She's my secret weapon!!

Too far away - Shropshire to Essex, hence no PM to you!