Nature has provided your horse with two very specific mechanisms to aid him in his defense against prey. One is flight – his ability to react quickly from a stand still position and be immediately at or beyond 40 mph.The second defense mechanism is his ability to hide pain and compensate.

In the herd, a horse that is showing pain or injury will eventually fall victim to the predator who may be stalking and looking for the easy prey.  So when your horse has a tight or sore muscle that’s restricting a joint from moving through a complete range of motion, his initial reaction will be to hide the pain and discomfort and compensate until such time as he can’t. And, then, he has no choice but to show there’s a problem.

The muscles of a horse aren’t that different from yours. They represent nearly 60% of the total body weight in a horse.  Muscles respond to overuse, overstretch or over load by first tightening followed by spasm.  Muscle spasms interrupt the free flow of motion and energy in your horse and, left unattended, lead to injury. As such, the most overlooked factor in diminished performance is simple muscle tightness. A bit of knotted muscle tissue no larger than the end of your finger that’s not able to perform it’s function can destroy the synchronization of motion needed for absolute performance.

Sports massage helps to eliminate the resistance that is created in muscles that become tight from overuse or poorly balanced use. If a muscle can’t contract or fully release, your horse won’t move properly and his motion will be restricted. If his motion is restricted, there’ll be an eventual decrease in his fitness level and his ability to perform will be diminished. Simply put, fitness and comfort equals less resistance and increased performance. There are many benefits of equine massage and it will help to keep your horse in physical balance.
Equine Massage Helps:

•    Increase range of motion
•    Increase blood circulation
•    Increase Flexibility
•    Reward your horse for a job well done
•    Relieve stiff and sore muscles
•    Re-establish balance
•    Make your horse more supple

“For want of a Nail the Shoe was lost; for want of a Shoe the Horse was lost;  
and for want of a Horse the Rider was lost; being overtaken and slain by the Enemy,  
all for want of Care about a Horse-shoe Nail.”
~ Benjamin Franklin,  Poor Richard’s Almanack,  June 1758

Equine Massage and Bodywork is not intended to replace veterinary care