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Posted in Horses

Equine Body Work


Equine Body Work

Your horse can benefit from a massage or bodywork for several reasons.

If he were an athlete his muscles would benefit from the same sports massage techniques used on humans to help with his performance and recovery after strenuous exercise. If he is a nervous horse, gentler techniques can help calm him, as well as identify if he is in pain. Hands on techniques are useful when you need to break down communication barriers as well as to enhance the bond of friendship between you and your horse.

An equine body worker has learnt various foundation techniques of massage saddle fit, stretching and gait analysis; with a further opportunity to specialise in myofascial release, craniosacral technique, acupressure, essential oils, biomechanics and more. Their primary tools are their eyes and their hands. They will look for symmetry in your horse when he is standing and moving, their hands will feel for differences in the tissue from side to side and then address with one of their techniques.

A massage or bodywork routine will often look like a graceful dance. The entire body is covered with a series of strokes. To start with an equine body worker will desensitise the horse with a light effleurage or compression then assess the body by palpating key areas, with specific superficial checks that give them an idea of where to start with your horse.

Effleurage is a smooth gliding stroke used to relax soft tissue, often referred to as ironing the area. Petrissage involves squeezing, rolling or kneading of the muscles with a loose fist or heel of the hand. Tapotement is a tapping with fingertips, cupped hands or loose fist on larger muscles. Various friction moves are incorporated that work into contracted areas with fingertips either with the fibres of the tissue or across the fibres.

Another way to help your horse is to assess his range of motion in the limbs and barrel; a stretching routine may also be incorporated into the bodywork session to do this. If any restriction is found the assessing stretch can then be utilised in the therapeutic aspect of the session. It is important to know that any stretch used on your horse should never be forced and a skilled equine body worker will know how to meet the point of resistance safely.

An Equine Body Worker is educated as to what is their responsibility within the equine health industry and it is important that horse owners can rely on their equine body worker conducting themselves with the highest professional ethics and staying within the realms of their education. A strong emphasis is placed upon equine body worker’s functioning closely with your veterinarian and other health professionals to ensure the best possible care for your horse. These standards are adhered to by certified Equine Body Workers throughout Australasia, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil.

It is important that your veterinarian has initially diagnosed any injury, disease or weight bearing lameness. If you are unsure if your horse should have a massage, ask your vet, as an equine body worker prefers to work with your vet’s knowledge while under veterinary care. Your Equine Body Worker is not able to diagnose or name a condition in your horse, so if they suspect an issue is present they will refer you to your veterinarian for further evaluation.


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