The joys of equine massage...

[mpicton]

I've been very lucky recently as a my instructor/friend is training to become an equine massus (sp??!) and she is using Dublin as a case study. It means he gets four free massages over the space of the month.

Now I've had any experience of alternative/holistic treatments but I've been amazed and impressed by the results! He's had two now and it was so interesting to watch her do them. He absolutely loved them, went all sleepy and bottom lip drooping

. Was also fantastic to get the feedback on him and she was able to target any problem areas etc. Fantastic results though as she found no problem areas, was slightly more sensitive on his tricep and bicep areas but with a little less pressure no problems and they're becomeing better on each massage. Was great to hear that he's got no problems and he's supple an even on both sides.
When I rode him I found he has become slighty looser and he finds extension easier now (just after two massages!)

Would deffo reccomend them to everyone...fantastic little treat for the horse and extremely interesting to target and concentrate on any problem areas.

Anyone else's horses had them? Would love to hear your views.

 

[4whitesocks]

My boy has had an equine touch person to him - quite a lot actually when we got him first as he was learning how to use himself properly and he was quite sore....he really enjoyed it and it stopped him bucking when we tried to get canter on his 'bad' rein (though that could well have just been him settling down to be fair...)

 

[Tharg]

Out of curiosity 4whitesocks how did it cost you?.

 

[PoppyPony]

my friend/instructor is also doing this and using mine as a case study!

I agree with you about the benefits!

 

[Peanot]

Hi, I passed a course on Equine Body Working 4 years ago, and I had to do an externship where I had to do so many horses free of charge. I did 5 horses, 4 massages each, and the difference in all of them was very good. One horse was very cold backed and ticklish and on the 1st massage, she was kicking out and flattening her ears in certain areas, so much so that I decided to leave her back end until the next time. She let me do a full on the next time and she was a lot better but still not 100%.
The 3rd one, she turned her head right round to me and whickered at me, shoving her face against me. I gave her a big cuddle as this was a horse who was never loving at all and always puts her ears back. I used to go and regularly give the horse a cuddle after that.
The owner said that she was easier to sit on and that she wasn`t bucking when she first got on and the tail swishing had stopped. This owner was the YOs daughter and NEVER gave compliments so it meant a lot to me. After the 4th massage, I showed YO that I could run my fingers along her back and she did nothing whereas on the first massage I showed her how she was arching her back and kicking out at me. So brilliant results.

Another horse was a young horse who used to tense up on the way to a jump and run, then run off afterwards. After 2 massages, the owner was delighted that she could jump a x-pole with control and him not taking off afterwards.
Another horse, the owner said that it is the first time that she could ride her horse in an outline in trot. But to kick me in the teeth, it quickly followed with, the new instructor is really good!!! Their riding hadn`t improved with one lesson tho.

I did enjoy seeing the difference it made, but it took up to 2 hours and TBH I couldn`t be bothered to stick at it as a job.

So I only work on my horse and have a look at friends horses, just a rub here and there, or a pressure point here and there to help.
The course I did, included massage, passive stretching and pressure points. It gave me a wealth of experience and I`m glad that I did it, but I still have the Chiro out every now and again, or the Bowen lady, as I`m not very confident that I`ve sorted it all, as I didn`t keep it up.
Sorry its a long one, but you did ask