When I first heard of a friend?s horse being massaged along with the offer of my 16.1hh IDxTB also being massaged, I scoffed ?if I was to pay £30 for a massage it would be for myself thank you very much!? It?s now two years later and I am a complete convert and I believe anyone who witnesses their horse during and after a massage will be too!

The effect of a massage on a horse is quite astonishing. Not only do they tend to go into a trance-like state, wobbling their bottom lip and blinking continuously, they can chew, lick their lips and yawn non-stop as the tension is released from their muscles, lifting their mood and loosening their bodies making their movements much more fluid and unrestricted.

The reasons for this become obvious the more thought you give to it. Our horses are intelligent, intuitive athletes which meet and exceed our increasingly high expectations of them, often carrying us on their backs to do so whilst enjoying every moment.

Our Horses are Athletes
These athletes are finely tuned to pick up the slightest of signals which we give to them, expecting a near-instantaneous response which they often willingly oblige. We use our body weight, a slight twitch of a finger on a rein, the squeeze of a leg against their side. We physically turn their heads and ask them to lead with a particular leg, we ask for extended and collected paces. This is just your basic riding, and then we ask them to jump, jump high, jump spreads, turn quickly; we tell them when to take off, holding them together throughout the round. I wonder how our muscles would fare in the same situation? This is why massage is a real benefit and not just a luxury.

Massage therapy helps to respect our horses for the athletes that they are whilst helping them to achieve optimum performance, whether that is as a happy hacker or a top eventer. Rather than perceiving equine massage as pampering, it really should be right up there with their diet and their fittening programme as it is for every athlete.

Massage for different disciplines
Each discipline uses different groups of muscles and it?s important to keep these muscles functioning well so that they have the ability to move and adapt in an instant without sustaining injury such as a strain and causing pain and possible lameness with lengthy and stressful convalescence.

For example, the muscles used predominantly for show jumping aren?t the same ones used for dressage or cross country. Therefore when taking on a different type of event, expect some muscle soreness ? which can certainly be helped with a well-timed massage.

Dressage moves are very demanding of their muscles as every move and the very posture of horse and rider make all the difference to the points. The resulting poetry in motion is a sight to behold ? they are the ballerinas of the horse world. Massage helps to keep their action balanced, fluid and unrestricted with a relaxed and calm state of mind.

Cross country requires agility and quick thought and movement. Whilst the rider has had the benefit of walking the course, this is often the first time the horse has encountered these obstacles and whilst listening to the rider, must also work out how to approach each fence or complex which are often very technical. The body needs to work in harmony with the mind with unrestricted and pain-free movement. Massage helps to achieve this by maintaining the muscles in good working order whilst also preventing injury.

Benefits to the body
In order for a muscle to be healthy it needs nutrients from the horse?s feed to reach it efficiently. This means the blood must be able to get there and in sufficient quantity as it carries protein, vitamins, cells to fight infection and the very stuff that give the muscles the energy to actually be able to work. Massage therapy encourages the blood supply throughout the body and as the muscles are worked on, it has the added benefit of working out knots, tension and scar tissue all of which will restrict the blood flow, the range of movement and so performance.

A horse?s body generates a tremendous amount of heat which will have a similar effect to us having a hot bath, but as we all know, sometimes that?s not enough to prevent the aches and pains after a hard but thoroughly enjoyable day. Massage therapy kneads the muscles and works the knots out of those areas which get a particular amount of strain from the horse?s activities.

Benefits to the mind
In working out the knots and improving circulation, not only is the muscle healthier but the horse becomes more relaxed as a whole. Massage results in the release of ?happy hormones? which calm their nerves and reduce anger and aggression. A massaged horse is visibly happier following a massage as the tension has been released from the it?s body and mind, pain has reduced, comfort has been found, someone has helped them to feel a million dollars.

Massage can therefore help with stressed and anxious horses. It could be that they have recently moved and have to fit into the pecking order at their new home; they may have lost a friend; been sold/bought and not yet convinced that they will receive the food, water and shelter essential for survival; or have something in their past which causes them distress and/or distrust. A traumatic event such as a horse box accident or a bad fall can upset these sensitive creatures more than we tend to realise.

Massage therapy is proven to speed up recovery from injury too. As it promotes circulation of the blood which takes everything that the body needs to heal itself to where it?s needed, thus healing time is reduced. Similarly, massage helps the body to rid itself of waste products, so keeping the body in a healthier, less toxic state.

A horse on box rest will not get the exercise it needs to keep the systems of the body performing well as it does during exercise or wandering about grazing. Once again, massage keeps the circulation going feeding the vital organs with the nutrients needed to function property. It also encourages the flow of the lymph system which needs movement of the muscles to work effectively. Lymph takes waste products away so they can be passed out of the body.

Massage therapy can bring relief to horses suffering from chronic arthritis as massage is a natural analgesic and the massage techniques used promote healthy tissues and joints by stimulating the production of synovial fluid which lubricates the joints.

Overall, Massage Therapy has countless benefits to your horse and pony, regardless of their workload. It will make them feel better, improve joint and back mobility and enhance their health and mood, and as we all know ? there?s nothing quite like a happy horse ? and there is nothing quite like an unhappy horse!

By: Linda Bryan-Williamson (formerly Branston) EThPK
Equine Massage Therapist
Tel: 07814 029147
www.theholistichorse.co.uk