What exactly is Equine Massage Therapy?
In short, Equine Massage Therapy is the therapeutic application of hands-on massage techniques for the purpose of increasing circulation, relaxing muscles, relieving tension, enhancing muscle tone, and increasing range of motion in any and all horses.
What is the difference between EFT & a Chiropractor?
An equine chiropractor adjusts cold muscles- which causes the adjustment to quickly go back to the way it was before the adjustment. An EFT specialist massages the muscles to warm them up, manipulates your horse and allows them to relax before their adjustment, and then adjusts the horse. The warm muscle then forms around the new adjustment.
Chiropractor charges $65- $100 to chiropractic your horse for 15-25 min and then when you get him back in his routine things go back to the way they were.
We charge $100- $150 for an hour and a half session (sometimes even longer if your horse is out really bad) that allows your horse to actually benefit from the experience. Depending on the work load of your horse we see these adjustments last anywhere from 3 weeks (If you are showing and or competing regularly) to 3 months.
Chiropractor charges $65- $100 to chiropractic your horse for 15-25 min and then when you get him back in his routine things go back to the way they were.
We charge $100- $150 for an hour and a half session (sometimes even longer if your horse is out really bad) that allows your horse to actually benefit from the experience. Depending on the work load of your horse we see these adjustments last anywhere from 3 weeks (If you are showing and or competing regularly) to 3 months.
Is massage therapy recognized (at racetracks and show barns) as valuable to a horse's well being?
Yes, increasingly so. Just as the popularity of holistic approaches to health care in humans has gained in recent years, so too have these procedures and methods gained acceptance in the care and treatment of animals. In the equine world we have seen the recent advent of professionals like equine chiropractor, equine physical therapist, and equine nutritionist.
What kind of demand is there for equine massage therapy?
Every equestrian - owner, trainer, and rider of horses of all disciplines understands that the horse is the ultimate athlete. There is no other athlete that gives more of his heart and soul to his partner and sport. We nurture our human athletes’ muscular systems with sports massage; our horses need the therapy just as much. We, as horsemen, want our horses to have every possible edge. Massage therapy can help provide that edge.
Because of the health promoting qualities of massage, as well as its curative properties this therapy is being incorporated by knowledgeable horsemen as an integral part of their horses' total and continuous health care program.
Because of the health promoting qualities of massage, as well as its curative properties this therapy is being incorporated by knowledgeable horsemen as an integral part of their horses' total and continuous health care program.
What are some of the Massage Assessment Techniques?
A. Palpation–how to palpate, purpose of palpation
B.Gait Analysis- how to perform a gait analysis
1.Observing the motion of the horses head, assessing movement to accentuate lameness, stance phase, swing phase,
2. Beats of natural gaits (walk, trot, canter, gallop, back, pace).
3. Moving in straight line, moving on a circle
C. Conformation Analysis
1. Standing square on level surface
2. Compare left to right
D. Observation
1. Horse in its natural environment
B.Gait Analysis- how to perform a gait analysis
1.Observing the motion of the horses head, assessing movement to accentuate lameness, stance phase, swing phase,
2. Beats of natural gaits (walk, trot, canter, gallop, back, pace).
3. Moving in straight line, moving on a circle
C. Conformation Analysis
1. Standing square on level surface
2. Compare left to right
D. Observation
1. Horse in its natural environment
