Why Massage Therapy?

Tight, sore muscles? Joint pain? Showing signs of stress? Cold backed? Energy decreased? Poor work ethic? Fussy in the bridle? Do any of these sound familiar for your horse? Have you ever considered that an issue in your horse's shoulder may also be causing a problem in their neck, back, lower leg, and yes even into their hindquarters? Pain Referral Patterns present themselves when a chronic issue in the muscle tissue (often called a "Trigger Point" in massage) creates a specific pattern of pain associated with that point. For instance a "trigger point" in the triceps can cause referred pain down the leg, down the back, up into the withers and front of the shoulder as well. A horse with a "reactive" spot will not only tell the therapist where the issue is but also where it is referring to which is why every massage covers the full body.

Massage Therapy for canines and equines has been around since the Ancient Egyptians but didn’t really begin to grow in popularity in North America until the 1970's when the US Equestrian Team formalized their horses’ pre- and post-competition “rub-downs” as therapy, bringing attention to the benefits of massage to animals as well as people.

Some of the benefits of massage include: