Equine Bodywork, specifically postural resetting, will help your horse to regain correct posture and proprioception. Resetting your horses awareness of his body and limbs by triggering or stimulating his central nervous system through specific movements and exercises. Your horses posture will become more open, square, relaxed and as we like to say, "fluffy". He will gain freedom in movement which will improve the quality of the gait, range of motion and overall well being. Equine Bodywork and resetting, relieves muscle contractions and compensations which pull the skeleton out of correct posture. stress and muscle tension, spasms and adhesions. If you are experiencing trouble with bending, wrong leads, head tossing, "crankiness", girthiness or just lack of impulsion issues, bodywork can help bring harmony back to your partnership. Bodywork keeps muscles healthy, maintains strength and suppleness, as well as prevents atrophy (wasting). After exertion, massage minimizes stiffness and speeds recovery to tissue that is damaged as a result of physical stress and fatigue.
The Bodywork/ postural resetting I offer focuses a great deal on the freeing the thoracic sling and the juncture of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. Gaining freedom and "space" in this area relieves pressure, pulling and tension in the whole body, especially the pelvis, limbs and back. This work brings the horse into a more balanced stance, sense of well being and connected posture. Over time the whole chest can tighten down, rotate forward and cause bracing in the shoulders, elbows, neck and back. Once released the back and wither can be sometimes an inch higher!
Stretches help to keep/restore joints and muscles to full working capacity and helps to re-educate the muscle spindles previously safe limits, promoting flexion and full range of movement.
When the muscle gets tired, over worked and starts to develop stress/trigger points, compensatory muscle area's will arise within the body. Muscle's start to not function properly, becoming tight and possibly granulated and will start to lose level's of flexion. By massaging and working on the muscle's themselves, stress point's and the myofascial you can help them become less inhibited.
I like to work with the owner and give them simple tools and techniques to use every day to keep their horses supple and content between sessions.
Why Wait??
Many times I've heard owners say, "I'll get a massage when my horse is back to work, or, he's on stall rest right now, so when he's better.." Massage Therapy is not only for performance enhancement and injury prevention. It is extremely important during recovery time as well. The massage not only increases circulation, but also stimulates the immune - lymphatic system to aide in the healing process and reduce swelling and edema. Muscle wasting and atrophy occur during "time off', therefore muscle stimulation is critical to enhance muscle tone. And most importantly, it releases endorphins to help your horse a positive disposition and a sense of well being.
Many times I've heard owners say, "I'll get a massage when my horse is back to work, or, he's on stall rest right now, so when he's better.." Massage Therapy is not only for performance enhancement and injury prevention. It is extremely important during recovery time as well. The massage not only increases circulation, but also stimulates the immune - lymphatic system to aide in the healing process and reduce swelling and edema. Muscle wasting and atrophy occur during "time off', therefore muscle stimulation is critical to enhance muscle tone. And most importantly, it releases endorphins to help your horse a positive disposition and a sense of well being.
