Articles on Horses | Topics: horses, horse, equestrian
by Quincy Underwood
Any animal athlete, such as dogs and horses, can benefit from a massage. Today, massage therapy works just as well as it did centuries ago when healing was an art. A sports massage for an athletic equine is divided into three main sessions: performance massage, pre-event massage and the post-event massage.
The equine athlete can be a high level performance horse, a contest horse, or just a backyard companion. Whatever type of horse he is, they all have something in common, injuries and soft tissue pain. The soft tissues can be tendons, ligaments and muscles. Tendons attach muscle to bone. Ligament tissue connects bone to bone. Muscles are soft tissues that move the joints. When any of these soft tissues become dysfunctional because of repetitive stress injuries, strains, sprains, bruises, muscle cramps and other kinds of soreness, these equine athletes will suffer from the symptoms just as athletic humans do. The mechanism of injury can be just as similar to the horse's body as it is the human body in more ways than one. Many horse owners are looking for well trained equine massage therapists when their horse suffers an injury. The purpose of the sports massage is to relieve or alleviate the horse of pain so the he can return to his optimum performance level.
Sports massage therapy is one of the most natural ways to relieve or alleviate a horse of pain from an injury. People instinctively rub their aching muscle when it hurts, horses can't do that. Using touch as a healing method has been developed in many cultures dating back to 2000 BC in China. The Japanese, Persians and Egyptians have made references to massage therapy since around 500 BC. Throughout the centuries, many theories of musculoskeletal pain management have come and gone; yet massage therapy remained a constant method of relief for those pains. There are many therapy styles that are applied in a specific order to make an impact on the muscular, circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems.
The physiological results of massage therapy are determined by one of these factors:
1. What techniques will the therapist apply during the procedure?
2. What order the techniques will be administered in?
3. How much pressure will be used when applying these techniques?
| Bit of History |
Since then—’tis Centuries—and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses Heads
Were toward Eternity—
| —Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) |
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The performance massage is a combination of the sports massage and the Swedish massage blended together in a unique combination. The main purpose for the performance massage is to make an impact on specific systems in the horse's body to reduce stress, bring relaxation and bring about an enhancement in performance. By applying the performance massage on a regular basis, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, this will help prevent repetitious injuries and enhance the horse's flexibility.
The pre-event massage is to be applied on the day of a strenuous exercise or competition and is used to enhance the horse's warm up routine. The pre-event massage is not a substitute for the warm up, it is only a method used to enhance the warm up. The goal of this massage is to fill the muscles with refreshing, oxygenated blood and increase the circulation to provide the tissues with suppleness and support the metabolic exchange. By reducing the excess mental and muscle tension, this massage will prepare the tissue for the athletic competition through the kneading techniques of cross fiber frictions and deep compressions.
The post-event massage is aimed at reducing trauma that occurs during the exercise or competition. By flushing out the toxins that were released during the heavy muscle activity, the post-event massage will help speed the horse's recovery and help reduce any risk of future injury.
Most often during heavy muscle activity, small tears and other injuries occur to the soft tissues. The use of cross fiber frictions will help release the scar tissue leading to a speedy recovery time. Other techniques that can be used in the post-event massage are deep compressions and Effleurage.
Many horse owners find the benefits of horse massage therapy outstanding. All caretakers and professionals are encouraged to investigate the benefits of horse massage therapy. Just remember that massage therapy is in no way a substitute for veterinary care. If there is ever a question about the health of your horse, always consult a veterinarian.
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