Absolute Muscular Care
The "Absolute" Best Care Around
Introduction to Equine Massage
Equine massage has become more popular over the past 15-20 years. Once only used for the upper-class horse is now proved to be useful and almost essential for horses of all breeds and disciplines. From working horses to pleasure horses to show horses, Equine massage is not just for relaxation or "pampering" your horse. It is a REAL, beneficial modality to use in conjunction with traditional care.
When used in a rehabilitation situation, Equine Massage or as I like to refer to it, Neuromuscular Therapy can be most beneficial in regaining Range of Motion (ROM), increasing circulation, and boosting the immune system. By using Deep Digital Stripping, Cross Fiber Friction, Deep Effleurage (warm up), and other techniques such as Myofacial release one can break up adhesions, scar tissue, and elongate the muscle fibers. All of these techniques will increase your horse’s muscular well-being.
Equine Sports Massage should not be performed on acute conditions. Also due to the intensity of the treatments this type of therapy should not be done within 24 hours of competition as the treatment can make the horses sore while the body is re-balancing. Pre and Post event massages are suggested to warm up and cool down the tissue. Pre event massages increase blood flow, wake up the muscles, and get them ready to perform. Post event massages are for cooling down, moving the lactic acid out of the body, and to prevent muscle soreness.
Introduction to Equine Acupressure
Equine Acupressure is a deep and complex study. This modality uses the flow of energy within energy channels or "meridians." It is seen, as in eastern medicine, that if the flow of energy is disrupted it causes dis-ease within the body. It is a wonderful evaluative tool. Using Equine Acupressure can enable one to detect (NOT DIAGNOSE) the presence of shoulder, neck, back, hock, stifle, hoof, or tendon pain. It can also evaluate the blockage of Qi or energy. Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy says the stagnant or restricted Qi can cause weakness, which in turn causes dysfunction and pain.
Introduction to Equine CranioSacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy is relatively new in the over all timeline of alternative therapies. Dr. John Upledger discovered an unusual rhythm in the cerebral spinal cord while performing brain surgery in the early 1970's. The rhythm did not correspond with respiration, or blood flow. After many hours of research and study, and headaches, he came to the conclusion that the cerebral spinal fluid had its own rhythm that is 6-12 cycles per minute and it can be felt throughout the entire body. Basically a therapist has the task of monitoring the rhythm and detecting restrictions and imbalances in order to facilitate healing within the body.
So how does a therapist work with a horse to achieve a balancing within the body? The horse will talk the therapist just has to listen. Through observation of body language, breathing, and softness one can "hear" what the horse is trying to say. The eye is the window to the soul in any creature, so it is a tell tale as well. A therapist does not question what he/she is drawn to during this type of therapy. Intuition is the road map to the problems the horse is facing. When working to resolve one problem most of time another condition is taken care of. When balancing the body it also boosts the immune system. This type of therapy helps headaches, neck pain, motor dysfunction, behavioral problems, confusion, and nervous system disorders. Most of the problems that will be helped by this type of modality are of a cumulative nature.
