My Favorite Methods Of Equine Bodywork

My Favorite Methods Of Equine Body Work

Our knowledge of taking care of our equine partners has never been better and it is simply good horsemanship to see that our horses are kept at their best. This can improve the horse and rider relationship.

Between advancements in veterinarian techniques and our own embracement, as trainers and riders, of the different types of equine bodywork we have the ability to keep our horses in top shape.

Why We Do Bodywork On Our Horses?

Keeping our horse's bodies free of built-up tension and improving their range of motion is not only a way to enhance their performance but lower their stress levels as a part of an all-around holistic approach to their care.

Horses build up tension or soreness in their bodies for a variety of reasons, often due to their job and how they're worked, so as a responsible horse owner it is up to you to find what treatments work best for your equine friend.

Bodywork can help a horse in rehabilitation. Just like us, they get stiff and sore when not mobile if they're on stall rest, and when they first start their physical rehab they often need help getting those unworked muscles moving again.

When Should We Do Bodywork?

If you have a horse in continuous work it would be a good idea to have them in a regular program with an equine body worker.

This not only keeps them in great condition and improves performance but is often a great way to optimize your ride by reducing pain-related behavior.

Preventative Measures

Saddle Fit

Ill-fitted tack is one of the most common causes of muscle soreness in horses. Find yourself a saddle that is properly fitted by a professional fitter, and preferably wool-flocked so that any adjustments that are needed can be carried out easily.

Be prepared to invest in a new or newer one, and although the upfront cost may be high you'll spend less in the long run as your horse will more easily carry their rider and continuously be more comfortable in their work.

If you can't find a good fitter Schleese does a good article that you may be able to help

Know Your Horse

This is a very broad statement but one of the best preventative measures is knowing where, how, and when your horse may typically hold tension in their bodies.

For some horses it could be due to their confirmation, others may have an old injury that restricts mobility in some way, thus causing them to compensate in their movement.

Others it might be down to their temperament. If your horse is naturally 'hot', or a nervous type they will typically be tense in their body.

Ulcers can often be a cause of soreness, the discomfort in their gut leads them to hold tension in their body. Ulcers in horses are way more common than you would think, even if you would describe your horse as 'pretty chill'.

Some Of The Treatments Available

This list is by no means exhaustive, it's simply a few of the methods I have used in the past that made a significant difference to my horses.

Regardless of the type of bodywork you choose for your horse, always be careful and try picking one that is highly recommended and well-known in the industry.

At best you'll be left out of pocket for work that is substandard and ineffective, at worst they may leave your horse feeling worse than before.

Personally, I would never use someone that isn't highly recommended, or that I have seen with my own eyes the improvements they can make to horses.

Even if you're a little out of touch with the horse community in your area a simple Facebook post tends to draw enough attention to us horse owners to give you names of people we have used in the past.

Equine Kinesiologist

Kinesiologists are trained in the study of movement, some areas of specialties are equine myofascial release and taping.

These are, admittedly, pretty rare but if you can find yourself one that you know does good work it can really help with your horse's biomechanics, improving range of motion which helps their overall performance.

Acupuncture

One of my absolute favorite minimally invasive techniques is acupuncture. I've used this quite a bit in the last few years with outstanding results.

Although only carried out by veterinarians, so sometimes a little more pricey than other bodywork methods, I absolutely believe that it's worth every penny. It for sure has been a contributing factor in helping my stallion continue to perform at the top level of the sport at 18 years of age.

Equine Chiropractor

This is definitely one of the types of bodywork that you'll want to get a really good recommendation for.

A talented equine chiropractor can work wonders for your horse's alignment, and even better, they'll often know other bodyworkers like equine massage therapists, that they prefer working alongside to get maximum results.

Cold Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is beneficial for reducing swelling and edema, improving blood flow to an injured area, increasing collagen production, increasing nerve regeneration as well as increasing muscle regeneration and reducing muscle atrophy.

This can be useful not only for horses in a rehabilitation program but also preventatively for those horses in daily work. Equine professionals can use laser therapy to keep horses in their program in top condition.

Laser therapy can be applied to the horse's head, legs, neck, back, and hind end. It can help with the management of chronic conditions such as arthritis. During the laser therapy session, the horse may begin to appear calm, and relaxed.

The practitioner applying laser therapy needs to hold a laser therapy certification in order to practice.

After Treatment

Regardless of the type of bodywork you choose for your horse always talk to the practitioner post-treatment regarding the horse's work. A light ride may be good for your horse or they may need a day off.

They may also have suggestions for exercises or stretches you can do to maintain the bodywork carried out and improve areas of weakness.

A really experienced and talented bodyworker will be able to talk to you about the effect their physical work has on their body, to give you a better understanding of how and why your horse may have a problem area.

Also bear in mind that it may take multiple sessions to improve any issues that your horse has been holding for a long period of time. This can be useful for the management of stress, tightness, and body soreness.