Looking for tips for horse massage

[firefoot]

Okay so I’ve been in horses for a long time, but I don’t show and I’m not really embedded in a horse community. I have my own horse, rent a barn, and have a couple low-key boarders – all that to say, I am a low-key non-competitive rider. This year, I’ve decided the horse is ready to learn some basic flatwork and maybe eventually do some quiet hunter trials or something. He has really enjoyed learning new things even though it’s a lot of work and he is slowly becoming straighter and more flexible.

This horse is older, with TONS of miles on him, probably arthritic, but sound and happy. I am treating most of that through diet and have noticed a big difference so far this year. He has always been nervy and sensitive from his withers to his poll, in varying degrees. It is worse in cold weather. He is the type to become seriously body-sore from wearing a blanket for very long. I am planning to have some chiro and maybe acupuncture done for him, but I can’t quite yet. Would PEMF be better?

The weather is getting nicer and he feels good, but is still tight through the neck and I was wondering if anyone had any links to some videos or tutorials of safe, DIY horse massages, stretches, or exercises that might help him. I already do side to side and between the legs carrot stretches, back stretches from scratching his bum, and belly lifts almost daily, and I stretch his legs before riding. I rubbed his neck a bit today and he liked it but I don’t really know the musculature to know where I should rub. I tried to search for videos but I’m pretty out of the loop on current equine YouTubers. Thanks!!

Also sorry if I rambled, I am deliriously tired.

[Scribbler]

Massage is effective for muscle pain.

It doesn’t do anything for joint pain.

Massage might help if his muscles are tightening up to protect sore joints. But really if his arthritis is affecting his performance under saddle you need to get some radiographs and a treatment plan from a vet.

From what I’ve read on COTH neck arthritis can be more dangerous and lead to tripiping more than for instance hock arthritis which can be treated with various injections.

The horse is older with a lot of miles but is just learning flatwork basics? Is he broke but you are restarting or is he green? Honestly I would proceed cautiously bringing either a semi retired or green older horse back to jumping.

[firefoot]

@Scribbler

Massage is effective for muscle pain.

It doesn’t do anything for joint pain.

Massage might help if his muscles are tightening up to protect sore joints. But really if his arthritis is affecting his performance under saddle you need to get some radiographs and a treatment plan from a vet.

From what I’ve read on COTH neck arthritis can be more dangerous and lead to tripiping more than for instance hock arthritis which can be treated with various injections.

The horse is older with a lot of miles but is just learning flatwork basics? Is he broke but you are restarting or is he green? Honestly I would proceed cautiously bringing either a semi retired or green older horse back to jumping.

Sorry I wasn’t clear, I suspect some mild arthritis in his hocks. He had his hocks injected five or six years ago – he wasn’t mine then, and it wasn’t a waste but it wasn’t dire need, either. I’m not in a position to inject his hocks right now, unfortunately.

I think his muscles are tight because he was never taught how to carry himself. He is 18 and ran on the flat, over hurdles, over timber, and then hunted as a staff horse for about 7 years. He was known for being a “nutjob” and people were afraid of him, plus he’s enormous and strong, so they didn’t teach him anything but go go go, totally inverted and strung out. I started to ease him into some flatwork his last couple years of hunting and he got a little better but there isn’t a lot of regard for flatwork in this area – there’s a lot of “the horse knows how to go.” I’ve had him for a few years now as semi-retired: he had 15 months off initially, then a year of slow trail rides, then last year we did a bit more conditioning over the spring and summer including some jumping but I was too busy to be consistent past November. He’s been back in work now since late January. He’s fit as a fiddle, tbh, just still tight in his neck and back sometimes. He’s gotten a lot better, though, and will stretch down at the walk well. He feels much better through his back, and his muscling and topline is looking the best I’ve ever seen it.

So short of injecting his hocks and getting him on a chiro/acu/PEMF schedule (which is kind of a stretch $$ atm), I’m wondering what other little things I can do that might help.

Edited for words ><

[Bogie]

Look up Jim Masterson, The Masterson Method, on Youtube. He has a number of free videos with massage techniques and his DVD is excellent. i use his techniques on my horses all the time.

https://www.youtube.com/user/mastersonmethod