Does anyone find regular massage help their horse?
Or even once or twice to help with an injury?
I have an older gelding that gets a massage a couple times a year. I don’t notice a reaction when the masseuse is working on him, but I think he feels relaxed
I found chiropractic visits to be really helpful just as a preventative and in response to working after any injury and have had an equine masseuse out twice.
My mare seemed to really enjoy the massages but that seemed to be the only benefit. No noticeable lasting result though others might have a different experience. Chiro visits did a lot more to help her relax while working.
I definitely think that it is worth the money for some horses. I recommend chiro or massage for my clients horses, depending on issues I see undersaddle and on the ground. Generally “tight”, anxious horses go the massage route and issues with leads, and being one-sided do chiro.
On chiropractic, we are batting under .500 in terms of efficacy. I don’t use it unless I believe there is a very specific problem where it might be appropriate.
On massage, it still depends but overall I think it’s a beneficial practice.
Clearly both disciplines depend heavily on the skill of the practitioner but these are my experiences.
G.
Depends on the horse. If you are in heavy training, coming back from a lay-up, or even just coming back to work from some time off, I would definitely incorporate it as a routine part of the plan. For healthy horses in more consistent work I would not use it nearly as much.
Yes, if the practitioner is excellent and the horse has a problem for which massage is helpful. If not, no.
Also massage and chiro won’t have lasting effects if horse is being used in a way that creates the problem.
All same same as with humans.
My horse definitely enjoys her massages (she gets noticeably relaxed and will yawn and get all sleepy, it’s so cute) and she has specific issues caused by her conformation that makes her develop tightness in certain places. If I keep up with it on a regular basis, I definitely notice her moving more freely through her shoulders, which is where a lot of her stiffness is, and that her back is not sore (really more her croup area, she tightens up through there as well).
One of ours loves it and it has made a noticeable difference in her performance. She’s a favorite of our massage therapist because she is SO demonstrative. Our other mare enjoys it (lots of relaxation), but doesn’t “release” like J does.
Well, my gelding thinks it’s worth it, and so do I. I get a lot of good feedback from my horse massage therapist on his condition, any particular tight spots and so forth. She also gives me a few tips for warming up and post-ride care.
Not exactly massage, but I am a proponent of the Masterson Method. Myself and others I know have noticed a big difference, and he has a book that is very useful in explaining it so you can do it yourself. Of course, if there’s some primary issue that isn’t being addressed it won’t fix anything, but if it’s related to tension/tightness/muscular soreness it can be amazing. Some of the points I wouldn’t have expected to have been really tense on my horse had huge releases and he seems to really enjoy the process.
I like chiropractic work and think it helps most horses. Massage I find pointless, unless done in conjunction with an adjustment.
I use a chiropractor vet, and he and my now retired vet both are big fans of massage, done by someone good. The local veterinary board was trying to get massage therapists here have to work with vets or be fined for practicing veterinary medicine without a license - both vets spoke up in favor of our massage therapists.
My gelding had an SI injury after a bad wipeout in turnout, and he got massage before and after the vet adjusted him, because his muscles would spasm when he was realigned and the massage helped get them to relax and not immediately pull him out of whack again. A few months of this and he was in great shape.
Really well ridden dressage helps eliminate the need for either in many cases, but if my trainer weren’t riding and helping fix crookedness and tight areas I created we’d look at more chiro and massage for my horses, because when I’m riding it can’t be called really well ridden dressage!
My gelding doesn’t show a reaction to massage…he just stands quietly
My mare usually gets done before a competition. She is generally a very stoic horse and doesn’t show much like for anything other than going fast and carrots. The first time she got massage she showed pretty much zip but the second time, after she warmed up a bit to the massage person, she was very expressive and was trying to maneuver the parts she wanted to done to the person- it was pretty hilarious actually. So if she’s enjoying it and she feels fantastic US afterwards, then yep, I’m all good with it.
I paid a nice Cother to massage my mare a few years ago. It was nice and worth the price.
I believe in good currying. I admit none of my horses ever got a massage… but they love the currying
I get my horses worked on every 6 months just to ensure things are in order. More often if they appear off or something unusual happens. The therapist often give me interesting insight (ex: are you having trouble with his left lead? right stifle was locked, tell me if you notice a difference)
I prefer massage therapist because it feels like I’m getting more for the money. Usually costs the same as a chiro, but the therapist is out for 2 hours instead of 20 minutes.
Massage and bodywork are GREAT additions to a conditioning and maintenance program and can definitely help address tight/ problem areas IF the therapist is well educated and qualified. Lots of folks taking weekend courses and calling themselves massage therapists–those folks do more harm than good.
I was not a big believer in massage and chiro. However, I’ve had great luck over the past few years working through injuries and issues with massage and our great vet who also does VSMT.
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