TYPES OF EQUINE MASSAGE and BODYWORK
Different massage modalities are intended to support muscle and soft tissue wellness, recuperation and/ or rehabilitation.
It is sometimes assumed that chiropractic (manipulating the spine) and acupuncture (working directly on neural motor points) will take care of any problems of the muscles and surrounding soft tissue therefore circumventing the need for direct manual massage therapy. This is not an accurate assumption and does Equine Massage Therapy as a profession a great disservice. The effect of other complementary therapy groups on the musculature may not produce the deep tissue, long lasting benefits as directed massage therapy.
Masterson Method™ Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork™ – I am a Certified Masterson Method™ Practitioner. This method is revolutionary its effectiveness in accurately locating and facilitating releases in structural restrictions and imbalances.
From the Masterson Method web site …"When practicing massage and bodywork on horses, we can only achieve good results if the horse remains cooperative and relaxed. This can be challenging. In nature, the horse's first survival response to intrusion is to flee. When we are handling the horse, it normally doesn't have that option. It falls back to its second survival response; to guard, push against, or brace. This can happen externally, and internally. You can stay under the radar of this "survival response" by applying pressure to the horse lightly enough and slowly enough and therefore bypass this internal bracing or guarding response. The Masterson Method™ enables you to access that part of the horse's nervous system that will yield, or release tension.
Certain areas of the horse's body accumulate stress and tension that affect mobility, comfort, attitude and performance... This can come from any number of areas including feet, saddle, teeth, conformation, lameness or just plain work. When the tension is released you see immediate improvement in mobility, comfort, attitude and performance.
The Masterson Method™ focuses on releasing tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance such as the poll, neck/shoulder/withers junction, and sacro/lumbar junction.
By learning to read and follow the horse's responses to your touch, bodywork becomes a fulfilling interactive process. You are able to create a trusting bond and win the cooperation of just about any horse.
As a prey animal, the horse will attempt to always appear strong. If the horse shows signs of pain or weakness it will be the one first noticed by the predator, or may be left behind by the herd. Every horse will guard against showing signs of pain, weakness, lameness in the body. That is why it can be so difficult to evaluate lameness in a horse.
By applying the Masterson Method™ you can access that part of the horse's nervous system that will give you certain signs that tell you where tension is being held in the body, and when it is being released. If you use the correct level of touch or pressure, and follow what the horse's own body is telling you, it will release the tension it is holding onto. " For further information go to Jim Masterson's website :
| www.MastersonMethod.com |
Myofascial Release
Myo means muscle. Fascia is a densely woven web of tissue that provides the form and covering of every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs.
The fascial network is the one structure in the body that exists from head to foot without interruption. In the normal healthy and hydrated state, fascia has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. Through physical trauma, poor posture, lack of movement or inflammation the fascia can lose its pliability. With lack of motion it becomes dehydrated, tight, restricted and a source of tension and restricted Range of Motion (ROM) and many develop adhesions.
Equine Sports Massage Therapy
Directly treats the problem areas or stress points of a muscle by manipulating and breaking up adhesions to separate and relieve the muscle fibers. After accurately administered massage, toxins are dispelled, the spasm is relieved, and the muscle is brought back to a normal fully released state. Flexibility and range of motion are restored to all areas. This may take on or a number of sessions to accomplish, based upon the severity of the problem. Remember though, it is always better and less expensive to prevent injury than to treat it!
Reiki – a gentle energy work that is very beneficial for horses that have been emotionally abused or are in the chronic state of an illness or injury.
