Equine Massage Basics by Patti Schofler

Part 1: Basic Guidelines for Safe and Effective Massage

It’s likely that just about anyone – horse or human – would appreciate a massage, at some times more than others.

Think about how you feel when you have just slid off the saddle. As your feet hit the ground, your muscles cringe in protest about the month’s grueling schedule. Those two shows, the three-day clinic with the international trainer and all the hours of preparation left their mark. Your horse’s fatigued and sore muscles may second that feeling.

When your muscles are tight and sensitive you try to avoid repeating the strain by limiting use in that area and taking it easy. Unfortunately, many of our horses do not complain loud enough and they continue working without showing demonstrable symptoms. Then when an injury or another apparent physical problem raises its ugly head, you probably remember when his performance slowly declined or his behavior changed.

“Muscle injuries can sneak up on your horse little by little until you have an actual problem. You can help head these issues off early by using simple massage techniques,” says Debranne Pattillo, head of Equinology INC®, an educational company
with sister affiliates around the globe offering over 50 courses taught by leading veterinarians and specialists (www.equinology.com).

“An even larger benefit of massage is discovering what is normal for your horse,” Pattillo explains. “Most horses will readily accept these strokes if you introduce them to him slowly and wait to increase the amount of pressure when he invites you for more weight by leaning into the move. If he has accepted and welcomed these strokes on a regular basis and then objects, this information should tell you something is not quite right.”

As the first part of Dressage Training Online magazine’s three-part series on massage, Pattillo developed basic guidelines for massaging your horse which will keep everyone safe. Next time, we will explore massage moves.

Do not hard tie or crosstie: If you hit a sore spot he may pull back. Run the rope through a ring and hold on to the other end or use hardware that allows the rope to come loose slowly.

Choose a quiet area to work: If he is comfortable in a stall this is the easiest place for a massage. If he is usually in a pen with other horses, work on him outside the fenced area to keep some distance from his curious friends.

Watch your time: Massage these areas for three to ten minutes, two to three times a week. Serious work such as direct pressure, deep pressure and cross fiber friction (at that deep level) should only be done by trained professionals.

Pay attention: If you hit a sensitive area, he may get defensive. Never massage if your horse has elevated vital signs. That would indicate something is going on with your horse and massage may not be appropriate for him at this time.

Stay away from injured areas: Avoid any recent soft tissue injuries.
Avoid pressing on anything hard. Many pressure points are close to the bone. If something does not yield to your touch it’s probably bone. Massaging over bone can cause bruising and discomfort.

When stretching is too much: Avoid extreme or excessive stretching on horses who are about to be worked hard. Keep it small in these instances and instead stretch after a rigorous and demanding schedule. Only offer full and powerful stretches before a work session after your horse’s muscles are first warmed up, when the horse is working at 30-40 percent capacity of his conditioned training schedule, not before starting your warm-up. Avoid fatigue during the work session if you have stretched prior to the session.

Finishing up: A light, easy ride without any tension, speed, intricate maneuvers or fatigue is appropriate after you have completed massage moves. If you don’t plan to ride, walk your horse in hand for five to ten minutes immediately following your session.

Have questions? Ask! If you question whether massage is appropriate for your horse, especially if he has had issues in the past, run it by your vet. “If your horse is currently under veterinarian care for any injury or condition, it’s imperative that you check first with your vet,” emphasizes Pattillo.

External Anatomy of the Horse

Copyright © 2008 Debranne Pattillo and Equinology, INC®, All rights reserved

Debranne Pattillo of Gualala, California, has a long time practice as a Master Equine Body Worker. She spends over 300 days a year on the road tending to horses and teaching. As Equinology’s CEO and chief instructor, she teaches Equine Body Worker Certification Courses and Advanced Equine Massage Techniques, among other courses.



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