Every horse is a one-of-a-kind creature. Each has his own endearing qualities, his own physique and way of interacting with the physical world. What a horse presents on a given day is not always what he offers a month later.
That’s why every massage I do is a bit different from the rest, even if I’m working on a horse I’ve seen 10 times. I don’t believe in conveyor-belt, one-size-fits-all massage, because horses are all about subtleties.
When you book a first massage with me, expect me to spend close to two hours at your farm. Subsequent visits will be about an hour and 10 minutes, depending on your horse’s needs. On our first visit, you (and/or your trainer) and I are going to talk extensively about what is going on with your horse – any obvious soreness, behavior changes or concerns – as well as what he eats, how he is shod, how often and long he works out and what his overall routine looks like, including turnout and buddy situations. We’ll talk about what he has done in the past, if he’s had any injuries, trauma or surgery, and what you are planning for the future.
I’ll ask things like how often your horse’s teeth are checked and if you’ve ever consulted a saddle fitter or had a chiropractor examine your horse. Then we’ll get your horse moving. I’ll ask you to walk him out on a loose lead at a very brisk walk. I’m looking and listening for an even cadence in his gait and a certain looseness and swing from head to tail. I’m also looking at your horse’s attitude. Is his eye soft and accepting, or is he grousing?Then I’ll ask you to trot him out, again as loosely as possible. In some cases we’ll put him on a longe line and get him cantering, but only briefly. We don’t want to get him too heated up.
In an optimal situation I’ve already seen your horse under saddle. A horse’s reaction to a saddle, bridle and the rider’s weight speaks volumes. As a rule I don’t massage a horse immediately after a workout.
When I begin the massage, you can leave the horse with me in a comfortable enclosure, or if you’d like to stay with us, that’s great and usually helpful to me. I will, though, ask you not to touch your horse while I’m working on him, as it can disrupt the connection and rapport I need to do my best work. Later in the session I may be teaching you some massage/stretch techniques, in which case you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get your hands on your horse.
I begin the hands-on session by feeling (palpating) your horse all over and using long effleurage strokes, looking for inconsistencies in muscle tone, adhesions and sore spots. Please tell me beforehand if there is anywhere your horse doesn’t like to be touched – like the insides of his or her hind legs or if it is unsafe for me to put my fingers in your horse’s mouth. If he or she doesn’t like to lift a particular leg, or if he or she likes to sit on the farrier, please tell me.
Horses are naturally a bit head-shy with strangers. That’s why I save the work on the face, TMJ, ear and poll areas for last. By then, your horse is usually very relaxed and will be more receptive to having those areas worked.
How long I spend on the actual massage depends on the horse and what his needs/tolerance levels are. Plan on the massage running from 60 to 75 minutes. We’ll do a small amount of walk and trot in hand after the massage to see how much fluidity your horse has gained.
I like to see a horse take the rest of the day off after a massage and be turned out. In some cases a horse will have some lingering soreness if he’s had some particularly tense areas worked. These will dissipate. Most horses are fine to ride the following day.
How often to massage?
If your horse is in training, say 60-90 minutes for five days a week, or if he’s shown and hauled on a regular basis, I recommend a massage every other week during peak season. And quite frankly, I've never seen a horse put up a fuss if his massage schedule goes to once a week. For other horses with a less rigorous schedule, a monthly massage works well.
I have found that stall-bound horses that are recovering from injury are very much in need of regular massage – usually once a week. Massage gets the blood and lymph flowing and helps ease the stiffness that comes with being confined. And these horses just plain appreciate the attention and touch. Note: In post-surgical or injury cases I always want your vet’s go-ahead for massage.
For horses whose lives are less complicated, a massage every month to six weeks works well. The same goes for retired horses.
What about Reiki?
Good question. In simple terms, Reiki is healing energy that is directed through (not from) the practitioner. I am a certified Reiki Master and use this as an adjunct to my massage work. I don’t use it on every horse, but find it very beneficial on horses who have emotional issues that appear to be manifested physically. If you are interested in Reiki for your horse, let’s talk about it. If you don’t want to, I respect that too.
Obi & me