Northwest Equine Therapy Services
Sports and Rehabilitative
Bodywork for Horses
Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Telephone 360.531.0563
Many people ask me why someone would get their horse massaged and how one would know if their horse needed it. In many cases I may directly work from a veterinarian's referral because he or she has isolated the issue to a soft tissue injury. In some cases a trainer or experienced rider notes their horse is slightly off in a gait. Many clients book regular sessions to keep their horse's performing in top condition, whether they are on a show schedule, riding every weekend in the mountains or just keeping an older arthritic horse comfortable. Signs that your horse may be suffering from muscle pain, stiffness or postural deviations may include pain under saddle, stumbling, tracking unevenly, balance, overreaching/forging or shortened strides, dropping a hip or shoulder, bending problems, unable to pick up leads, behavioral problems such as ignoring aids, kicking, tail swishing, biting at you or bucking during transitions, head tossing, lethargic, tension in back, neck or head or girthing pain. Musle strains can sometimes sort themselves out but remember your horse is not like you in the sense that they constantly stand 24/7 and cannot rest an injury by taking it easy on the couch. And because of that, an injury can take a long time to heal leading to a pattern of posteral compensation. For example, a horse suffering from a strained right shoulder may begin bearing more weight on the left forehand and eventually because of how horses move that may also lead to a diagnol issue in the right hip and so on. In short, even after the injury heals there maybe a posteral issue that now has become a secondary problem. When the body does not move in alignment as it was intended, it will then begin a cycle of uneven muscle building (around the new posture) and possibily will create a "repetitive" injury in a muscle (which is a micro-injury that constantly re-occurs) leading to a more serious injury if left untreated. Keeping our horses balanced is essential for their good health not just muscularly but systemically as even slight postural misalignment may interfere with things like digestion and breathing. And bottom line we want our horse partners to move freely, jump higher and just as healthy as they can be.
Your horse's first session will most likely take between 1 to 1 1/2 hours. During this session I will assess your horse's health history, exercise physiology and muscular condition. My assessment will also address any dental, nutritional, shoeing or saddle issues should they apply to the problem and if helpful you will be shown exercises, stretching or massage techniques to follow up post treatment. Equine bodyworkers are not veterinarians nor do we perform diagnosis outside of soft tissue injuries. Therefore I ask that you consult your veterinarian first if your horse is suffering an illness or an injury that is not soft tissue in nature. In addition to my state required massage licensure training I am also certified and trained in orthopedic and medical massage modalities. These treatments address certain illnesses or are beneficial in the rehabilitation of more serious injuries such joint subluxations, tendon and ligament injuries, post-treatment of healed fractures, breaks and dislocations and head injuries. How many session's your horse will require will of course depend on the type of injury or illness and the condition of your horse. In many cases though an improvement of health can be seen immediately after the first treatment and in some cases that is all that is required if the injury is not too serious. In all cases I am more than happy to work with your veterinarian, trainer and shoer to provide your horse the most comprehensive wholistic approach to his or her healing.
What Is a BodyWork Session?
Lisa Gilley, BS, LMP, LAMP
If you would like an appointment please call 360.531.0563.
Appointments are made by telephone only. For other inquiries please email lisagilley@horsemassage.org
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