Equine Bodywork

 
 

Listen to what the body is telling you

Changes in movement, performance or behaviour can sometimes be the horse's way of communicating discomfort, tension or difficulty.

A horse may feel stiff or less willing to move forward, have difficulty with a particular movement or canter lead, become sensitive to grooming or touch, show changes under saddle, or simply feel different from usual.

Equine Hands takes a whole-horse approach to bodywork, combining assessment of movement and functional patterns with hands-on soft tissue and myofascial techniques to identify areas of tension and restriction and support comfortable, functional movement.

Bodywork can be valuable for horses across a wide range of ages, breeds and disciplines - from horses in regular training and competition to pleasure horses, young horses beginning their education and older or retired horses.

What happens during a session?

Each session begins with a discussion about your horse, including their workload, recent history and any changes or concerns you have noticed.

Where appropriate, this is followed by a static and dynamic assessment to look at posture, movement and functional patterns before hands-on bodywork begins.

Treatment is tailored to the individual horse and may incorporate:

  • Soft tissue and massage techniques

  • Myofascial techniques

  • Trigger point work

  • Joint mobilisation

  • Stretching and range-of-motion techniques

  • Kinesio-taping where appropriate

  • Photobiomodulation (red and near-infrared light) where appropriate

The horse's responses throughout the session help guide the work. Rather than following the same routine for every horse, the aim is to identify patterns of tension or restriction and work with what that individual horse presents on the day.

Bodywork can help to:

  • Relieve muscular tension and stiffness

  • Support comfortable, functional movement

  • Improve flexibility and range of motion

  • Identify patterns of tension and restriction

  • Support relaxation and wellbeing

  • Support recovery following exercise

  • Assist as part of an appropriate rehabilitation program

  • Help maintain comfort and performance

Bodywork can also provide useful information when something about a horse's movement or behaviour has changed. Findings may indicate that further assessment by a veterinarian, farrier, dentist, saddle fitter or another member of the horse's care team would be appropriate.

Kinesio-taping

Kinesio-taping uses flexible elastic tape applied to the horse's skin and hair and may be incorporated into a bodywork session where appropriate.

Depending on the application, taping may be used to provide sensory input and support movement or soft tissue function between sessions.

Research into kinesio-taping in horses is still developing, so I use it as an adjunct to assessment and bodywork rather than as a standalone solution or substitute for appropriate veterinary care.

Tape: $15 per area applied

Standalone kinesio-taping appointments are also available where appropriate: $40 / 30 minutes.

Photobiomodulation

Photobiomodulation (PBM), sometimes called red-light therapy, uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light delivered to the tissues.

PBM may be incorporated into a bodywork session as an adjunct where appropriate. Research in this area continues to develop, particularly within equine-specific applications, so its use is considered alongside the individual horse, the reason for treatment and the available evidence.

It does not replace veterinary diagnosis or treatment where injury or disease is suspected.

Body work - $120

Sessions generally last approximately 1-1.5 hours.

Each session includes assessment and individually tailored hands-on bodywork, with kinesio-taping or photobiomodulation incorporated where appropriate.

The health and comfort of your horse is a team effort. Bodywork does not replace veterinary care, and I am happy to work alongside your veterinarian and other equine professionals, including your farrier or trimmer, dentist and saddle fitter, where this may benefit your horse.

Looking for a more complete overview?

Sometimes what we're seeing in the body is only one part of the picture.

The Bodywork + Nutrition Snapshot combines a bodywork session with a high-level review of your horse's current diet, providing a broader look at how movement, body condition, feeding and management may fit together. Click here for the details.