As an examined and certified Equine Massage Therapist from the Center for Animal Therapy (International approved by ICCT and IEBWA), we at AZ Horse Wellness offer in-depth horse massage.
A massage treatment includes the following:
* Gait analysis
* Palpation
* Deep massage (incl. traditional massage, trigger points, stress points, pain points, pressure point massage, etc.)
* Fascia release
* Joint mobilization
* Saddle check (if desired)
If the horse does not go directly to the paddock after the massage treatment, approx. 10-15 min. extra time to walk the horse to get circulation going before it goes to the box, is recommended.
Depending on how deep a massage the horse has had, it should get 1-2 days off, at the same time we recommend that at least 5-7 days pass before an event, to ensure that the horse's body gets the full benefit of the massage.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF EQUINE MASSAGE?
Massage is used to loosen tense muscles and connective tissue (fascia) and thus helps to relax and maintain the soft tissue.
If more than 5% of a muscle is tense, the body already begins to compensate. With regular massage treatments, you can help prevent compensations and thus avoid possible strains and crookedness in the horse's body.
If you are in a situation where chiropractic treatment is needed, it is recommended that you get a masseur to massage the horse 1-2 times shortly before and once after the chiropractic treatment. The advantage is that, because muscles and connective tissue (fascia) are so closely connected to the bones, you can help to avoid the soft tissue pulling the bones back and thus not "wasting" a chiropractic treatment.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD MY HORSE GET A MASSAGE?
At AZ Horse Wellness, we see a great advantage in regular massage of one's horse, as in addition to keeping the horse flexible and thus preventing any problems, it gives us as therapists the opportunity to work out a misalignment more effectively, since the soft tissue has already been loosened and we can thus relatively faster correct the horse's skeleton.
If you have a horse in moderate/hard training, 1 treatment per month is recommended, with light to no training we recommend a massage once every 2-3 months or when the owner feels it needs it.
