Bodywork at home, on your own horse

The horse is an athlete like none other and we strive to be a team with our horse.  Bodywork and chiropractic care can be very beneficial for both members of your endurance team; horse and rider need to be moving at their best to achieve top performance.  However, there are easy bodywork techniques that can be done daily at home to improve performance as well.   

Who hasn't felt the muscle ache from over-used, tight muscles after resuming a workout schedule?  Well our horses can feel this tightness too but they can’t help themselves through it like we can.  Many times the rider many not even realize the horse has back tightness, or a joint problem, until it has become advanced.   A simple way to prevent problems is to perform massage and stretching techniques on your own horse, in addition to getting regular chiropractic care.  Maintenance chiropractic care can help prevent many problems, and can bring out the very best performance in both horse and rider.   

Another reason to do simple massage techniques on your own horse is to learn what normal feels like.  If they become uncomfortable with a massage move that they had previously loved, this may indicate the beginnings of a problem.   A bodywork session can also be a nice way to reward your horse for a job well done.  Some words of caution before we begin.  Never tie your horse while doing bodywork, he may panic if you hit a sore muscle and pull back.   You want these sessions to be calming and safe so chose a quite location and watch reactions closely.  Always use light pressure, if you are in doubt watch your horse!  Finally never work on an acutely injured area, and always keep an eye out for hot and swollen areas. 

I will post easy moves that you can do at home later this week, so stay tuned!

Equine Myofascial Release Technique

Horses have been amazing partners for thousands of years.  Wars were won or lost from their backs, and new worlds were discovered.  However, their role in today has evolved into something very different.  They are now used primarily as pets, and as a hobby, for thousands of people.  Horses today have jobs ranging from pasture pet/trail riding companion, to hard working cattle ranch horses to race horses to show horses. They usually can’t tell us that they’re in pain, and much of the “bad” behavior noticed is often the horse trying to tell us something isn’t right with them.

When your muscles become tight and sore, you simply take a day off from working out.  You might stretch, or take a hot bath.  Your horse can’t tell you where he’s sore, or if he’s hurting.  Often, by the time we realize that there is a problem with our horses, their behavior or performance has been changing for awhile.  A simple way to prevent problems is to perform simple massage and stretching techniques on your own horse, in addition to getting regular veterinary and chiropractic care.  A good idea also is to have a professional body worker or equine chiropractor out to work on your performance horses every four to eight weeks, just to “check” on your horses.  Maintenance care can help prevent bigger problems from developing, as well as keeping your horse working at his or her top potential. Most will be happy to show you stretches and/or massage moves you can easily perform at home, on your own horses.

Another reason to do simple massage techniques on your own horse each week is to learn what is normal for your own horse.  If they become uncomfortable with a massage move that they had previously loved, this may indicate the beginnings of a problem in that area.   A bodywork session can also be a very nice way to reward your horse for a job well done.

Myofascial Release Technique, or MFR, is a gentle massage technique that addresses the horse's muscles, joints AND fascia.  Myofascial Release is used to release (relax) the tight muscles around a joint that isn’t moving correctly.  This is a form of deep tissue massage that is held for many minutes, until the muscles around the joint relax.  Once the muscles relax, this will sometimes allow the joint to re-position itself naturally.   Fascia is a layer of tough, supportive tissue surrounding muscle that resembles a giant spider web.  Fascia is a very dense covering that is found over every part of the body, from muscles, bones and nerves to arteries to all the internal organs (brain, lungs, heart, etc.).  The entire amount of fascia found in the body is actually connected.  The fascia is a single structure that spreads from ears to toes as one continuous sheet of very strong connective tissue which provides a tremendous amount of support for the body. 

This is one of the reasons that MFR is so effective, as all of the fascia is connected in the body, so adhesions found anywhere in this web of fascia can affect the entire body.  The fascia is meant to be pliable and freely moving.  However, the body's myofascial tissue can be become tight and restricted after a trauma, an over-exertion injury, or simply from years of poor posture.  This can lead to a decrease in range of motion, a noticeable stiffening of joints and an obvious decrease in performance.
MFR is performed by essentially maintaining a very light contact over a sight of myofascial restriction.  This light contact allows the deeper muscle and fascial layers to actively release, without any interference from the bodyworker.  MFR done correctly CAN NOT injure the horse.  It is a completely non-invasive technique, as the bodyworker simply holds the tissues that are restricted.  This is done until the tissue "leads" the bodyworker to the next tight and restricted location, or until all of the adhesions are actively released.   People often find that they have an entirely different horse, once the horse is no longer uncomfortable in his own body!