Massage has been present in many cultures throughout centuries as a treatment for a variety of physical ailments.  Evidence of equine massage exists from as early as 100BC and was practiced in ancient Roman & Chinese times… diagrams exist from those times  showing which areas of the horse to massage for different effects on the digestive, respiratory, circulatory & muscle systems.

Sports massage is the identification & manipulation of specific muscles of the horse’s body with the aim of releasing stress & trigger points within the muscle itself & promoting relaxation and drainage.

By reducing resistance to motion, sports massage aims to restore or increase the range and freedom of movement to the horse.

Sports massage identifies and concentrates on specific muscles which are experiencing involuntary spasm, contraction or pain and which cannot secure their own release.  Sometimes muscle sensitivity is a secondary result of injury or illness, while at other times overstretching or overuse of a muscle is the primary cause of discomfort and pain.

Equine Sports massage is known to reduce stress by relaxing the nervous system and to increase strength, flexibility & agility by assisting muscles to attain their greatest possible range of motion.  Sports massage also helps to dispel toxins from the muscle fibre and to increase oxygenation of the blood; both vital in recovery from work or injury.

Performance horses work to the fullest extent of their capabilities; they are trained to achieve the very best results within their sphere of competition.  Intense attention is paid to the vital areas of training, hoof & dental care, nutrition & saddle-fitting as they are asked to jump higher, gallop faster, stop quicker or pirouette after pirouette.  Such high levels of performance often result in injury as the horse’s physical structures are stretched to the limit, commonly resulting in stress, pain and prematurely ‘worn-out’ horses. 

Anti-inflammatory drugs are often promoted as the answer, however they provide only short-term relief and often invoke detrimental side-effects.   It is only logical that if the factors which are responsible for the problem whether they be postural, musculoskeletal, bio-mechanical or emotional are not addressed, treating the symptoms will only ever provide short-term relief.

Equine sports massage aims to:
Increase the range of motion
Provide pain relief from muscle injuries
Enhance performance
Improve quality of the gait
Improve circulation
Improve stamina
Reduce tactile defense and improve the disposition
Enable assessment of physical condition

Firstly, a complete history of the horse is taken including training, dental treatments, physio / massage / bowen / chiro treatments, saddle fits, movement, conformation, past performance etc. 
Then, the muscles to be worked on (about 85 of them!) are identified, isolated and then softened using a range of different strokes and techniques including effleurage, petrissage and tapotement.  Stretches are applied where appropriate.

An effective and sensitive massage therapist will constantly ‘read’ the body-language of the horse, looking constantly for signs of pain or discomfort or signs of relaxation and enjoyment.  Pain may be indicated by the horse moving away or becoming tense, tucking its tail in tightly, or laying the ears back.  Nipping, tail-swishing, grinding of teeth, pawing or stamping of feet are also signs of an uncomfortable horse.

Conversely, relaxed horses may stand with their head and neck lowered, their ears ‘floppy’, a hind-leg resting and the lower lip drooping.  The relaxed hose will sometimes rest a leg, pass manure (or gas!), yawn or sigh, chew slowly or (in males only obviously!) drop the penis.

It is important for the therapist to be positioned so that they can read these signs and easily observe the body language of the horse.

Quite possibly.  A great percentage of horses that suffer from sore backs, shoulders, withers, hips etc…are sore because their saddle does not fit correctly.  An incorrectly fitting saddle can apply pressure, constrict movement, create pain and result in behavioural / training issues. 

It is absolutely vital that the saddle is fitted to the horse (at regular intervals) by an experienced, qualified professional saddle-fitter.  As the horse changes shape due to work, rest, pregnancy, age etc… the saddle will need adjusting accordingly.  It is sound practice to have saddles checked at least twice each year & more often if the horse is competing or working hard.

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