Victoria's Equine Works

Good read!!!!
‘Why and how does bodywork for horses work?
The anatomy in question...
Horses are incredible athletes. About 60% of a horses body weight is muscle. The horse actually uses just about EVERY muscle in its body with every step! The horse is one of natures most effective athletes and optimally designed for its natural environment as a forager and prey animal, who walks great distances grazing and runs and sprints when danger approaches. The horse is made to be constantly in motion, to mostly sleep and doze while standing up, to dash off at an instance notice and to graze for most of his day holding his head to the ground.

The human factor...
We humans ask the horse to perform many tasks that it would not perform in it's natural environment. We are asking him to pull loads up to 9 times his body weight, carry saddles and riders, respond to demands, overcome his natural fears and perform movements repeatedly, which he would most likely never perform in his natural habitat. Examples are repeated lateral work, jumping and the mere fact that we are asking the horse to carry an additional load on his back - the rider. Stall kept horses are often fed at eye level and no longer carry their head low to the ground for hours, as nature intended. This abundance of rather unnatural activity can cause the horse to develop muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, soft tissue adhesions, and resulting discomfort or pain that leads to performance issues, pain related behaviour problems in horses and even to lameness or refusal to perform certain exercises or movements. Back pain, stiffness, asymmetry and soreness are recurring issues.’’

What type of horse qualifies for Equine Massage?
• Any and all types of horse
• Equine massage is a non-invasive, gentle wellness modality aimed at enhancing performance in the healthy horse and never replaces proper veterinary care.
• If you want to spoil your horse.
• If your horse is restricted, fussy, stiff or shows any sign of discomfort
• For Maintenance of good muscle tone and wellness

Please note: Equine massage is a non-invasive, gentle wellness modality aimed at enhancing performance in the healthy horse and never replaces proper veterinary care. If in doubt regarding the physical health of your horse please consult your veterinarian.

Why use Equine massage?
Equine Massage for Horses can help to...Increase the blood flow to muscles, Release tensions in soft tissues around joints and vertebrae, Break up soft tissue adhesions and muscle spasms, Encourage muscle development, Relax connective tissues, Improve muscular flexibility, Activate the self healing mechanism of the horse's body
The results are...
• Maintenance of good muscle tone and wellness
• Prevention of injuries to muscles and ligaments
• Improved range of free motion
• Improved performance and gait quality
• Relaxation of the horse and contribution to mental soundness
• Accelerated recovery from soft tissue injury

How to tell whether your horse is in restricted or in discomfort ..

The following symptoms can be signs that your horse is suffering from painful muscle spasms, soft tissue adhesions or soreness, restricting muscular stiffness:
• unwilling to change gaits
• horse hollows the back
• horse throws head up during gait changes
• bucking or crow hopping
• limited range of motion, not fully engaging limbs, not stepping under, not extending
• refusal to take a lead
• horse looks 'disconnected' (hind and front not moving in unison)
• not relaxing or rounding etc.

What is the benefits of Equine Massage?
Equine Massage can greatly improve performance, movement and wellbeing of any horse. Equine massage can aid in eliminating muscle pain, stiffness and tension in muscles and connective tissues can prevent and dissolve painful muscle spasms, soreness, help overcome soft tissue adhesions around joints and vertebrae and resulting performance issues.
Some benefits …….
• Increase blood flow to the muscles
• Releases natural Pain relieving endorphins
• Enhances muscle tone
• Improves circulation
• Reduces inflammation
• Improves joint mobility
• Promotes healing
• Increased flexibility and range of motion
• And so much more

For all the beautiful clients on my page, let me introduce myself

Hi my name is Victoria and I am an Equine massage Therapist. With a passion for Horses and years of working with them my passion brought me to open up my own Equine massage practice to help out and improve the lives of our equine friends.
What do I do?
I use a unique, interactive method of massage in which I learned to recognize and use the responses of the horse to my touch to find and release accumulated tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance. In contrast to most traditional modalities, it enables the horse to actively participate in the process of releasing tension. Equine massage is something you do with the horse, rather than to the horse. This participation and interaction are what makes the method fascinating for those who use it. In fact, if I do not allow the horse to participate, it does not work! Its what I call Hands on healing.

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Benefits of Massage therapy.

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Why only keep yourself in shape? Spoil you Equine friend and help keep him in shape by boosting his Immune System, Improved his Posture, Circulation, Hair Coat, Muscle Tone, helping with Stress Relief and giving him More Efficient Movement.

Normal Horse Vitals Signs and Health Indicators Learn about normal horse resting temperature, heart and respiration rates, and indications of good health.

Are there different types of massage?

Yes I perform Pre Competition Massage (before work), Post Competition Massage (after work), Remedial Massage (to help injuries) and Therapeutic Massage (working with the mind and body). A combination of many different massage strokes can be used in performing soft and deep tissue massage and lymphatic drainage (this gets rid of the build-up of lactic acid which is post-exercise debris and causes stiffness and fatigue). Massage has immediate benefits but regular treatments can bring about significant improvements in the horse’s health. I also use myofascial release techniques, mobilisation and trigger point therapy along with a full stretch routine of the limbs and tail. An important note – massage is not used to diagnose an underlying problem or replace veterinary care. If you are in any doubt about the health of your horse you should contact your Vet.

How does massage work with all the equestrian disciplines?

Massage treatments can be tailored to specific equestrian disciplines, as an example a race horse will use its muscles and develop them differently to those of a dressage horse and therefore will encounter different areas of tension and injuries. On all EMA’s training courses we take a closer look at the areas of equestrianism and the problems the horse may encounter performing within that discipline and the muscles that need extra focus

How does it work with the horse’s mind and body?

Massage has remarkable results in re-training horses during their transition to a new career as their daily routines are modified and they are using their muscles very differently. For example in becoming a riding horse learning flat work after being a race horse primarily used to galloping. All of this extra pressure contributes to tension of the mind and body; massage helps to relax the horse’s mind which makes the transition easier for the horse and also reduces some of the pain felt by re-training its muscle groups. We have found that many ‘bad backs’ in horses are not only due to being ridden, over-working them and injury but due to the psychological state of the horse and often horses that are stressed have more back problems than relaxed horses which is why we see more ‘bad backs’ in Thoroughbreds than any other breed.

For many horses stiffness and pain are a way of life caused by muscle injuries yet they continue to obey our commands when being ridden, they do however try to tell their riders that they are uncomfortable but riders often wrongly interpret their behaviour as being stubborn or naughty. It is not until you perform a massage and stretch routine that you see how tight the horse’s muscles are and therefore how much energy is consumed by tension. Following a massage you will have a more relaxed, happier and healthier horse as well as restoring muscles and joints to optimum working capacity

What is Equine Massage?

Equine massage is the therapeutic application of massage techniques applied to the horse by the manipulation of the soft tissues to help achieve increased performance levels and endurance, treat or prevent injury and improve recovery rates.

It is performed to help counteract the effects of exercise and pressures on our horses from wearing tack and being ridden. It is equally beneficial for horses on box rest and retired veteran horses to keep them supple as their joints are aging and muscles are wasting (atrophy). Amazing results are achieved using massage with horses undergoing rehabilitation or a change in career (e.g. race horses to riding horses) and also those that have suffered trauma or abuse – it works in unison with the mind and body and has immense relaxation properties.

How Long Will It Take Before I See Improvement??

I have seen many horses show improvement with just one massage session. However, each horse is different and depending on the issues at hand, may need several treatments before significant changes are observed. I highly recommend a maintenance regimen of minimum two sessions per month to maintain the average horse in good condition. For working horses (i.e., showing, training, school horses, etc.), I recommend weekly sessions to maintain optimum performance and recovery from workouts. For horses with deeper musculoskeletal issues, I determine the frequency based on the needs of the individual horse and owner.

How Do You Know If Your Horse Will Benefit From Equine Massage

All too often, we wait until a problem rears its ugly head before we realize our horse needs some form of therapeutic intervention. Your horse does not have to have an existing problem to reap the benefits of massage therapy. As noted above, regular maintenance massage can provide your horse with numerous benefits not associated with an existing injury. Regular maintenance massage is a powerful preventative measure and a wonderful way to keep your horse in tip-top shape. Some issues that my clients have come to me with are short-striding, stiffness in movement, not picking up a particular lead, and swelling of the lymph nodes, just to name a few. Asymmetrical hoof growth can be another indication your horse may have an underlying musculoskeletal problem. Weight distribution of the horse can affect the growth pattern in the hoof, giving us clues as to previously unrecognized problems in the rest of the body. When a muscle becomes over-worked or strained, this can cause general stiffness initially, but if left untreated can lead to strain on adjacent muscle tissue much like a cascade affect and more serious injuries. When the muscles do not take up their proper load and cannot stretch to their full potential, the tendons have to make up for the lack of movement, leading to tendon injuries. By addressing these issues early on, we can prevent more serious injuries from occurring and allow the body to rebalance itself.

Fun Fact!

Equine massage can also be used to cause the body to release endorphins, which aide in pain relief and a sense of well-being. This can also have a direct effect on the hypothalmus, which controls the ANS (autonomic nervous system). Pain, stress and emotional experiences are all known to affect hypothalmic activity, and hence the ANS. Therefore, if pain is reduced, the body is under less stress, and this can lead to positive chemical changes within the body

Equine massage can have a profound effect on the nervous system of the horse. Some of the benefits of equine massage therapy, to name just a few, are pain relief, stimulation of the motor nerves, relief from restlessness and sleep disturbance, and improved proprioception. Massage is also thought to help calm nervous horses or horses in unfamiliar surroundings and/or stressful conditions.

Benefits Of Equine Massage

Pain Relief
Relief From Restlessness and Sleep Disturbances
Improved Proprioception
Stress Relief
More Efficient Movement
Improved Posture, Circulation, Hair Coat, Muscle Tone
Increased Flexibility and Range Of Motion
Immune System Support
Injury Prevention
Increased Benefits When Used In Conjunction With Chiropractic and/or Acupuncture

Benefits of soft tissue massage

To Prevent
To Rehabilitate
To Diagnose

Each muscle is attached to bone by tendons. Muscles are designed to take 90% of workload and tendons the other 10%. If the muscle isn’t functioning properly then the tendons will take more load. This is obviously very important in horses as ultimately it can lead to bowed tendons.

Equine massage therapy is a very powerful tool in injury prevention for horses

Equine massage will free muscles from tension and knots, which allows the muscles to return to homeostasis, back to their relaxed state. You will see great benefits in increased strength and endurance along with agility and grace in their movement.

Equine massage will create long-term benefits for your horse by maintaining muscles so they can perform to their optimum potential

Why is massage therapy important for your horse? - Horsetalk.co.nz

15 Basic Horse Grooming Supplies As many horse owners know, taking care of a horse is a huge responsibility. They require a lot of attention and numerous horse supplements and products. If you have not yet owned a horse, or if you own a horse but have not yet bought all the appropriate horse grooming essentials, check out the list…

Hi all. hope we all keeping cool and hydrated in this heat!!!

Here is the JAN to FEB Specials for the equine massage!
R 150 per session witch includes
* full body evaluation
* stress point release
* target massage
* full body streach
Victoria 076 9774 504 or [email protected]

The human factor... horse muscles
We humans ask the horse to perform many tasks that it would not perform in it's natural environment. We are asking him to pull loads up to 9 times his body weight, carry saddles and riders, respond to demands, overcome his natural fears and perform movements repeatedly, which he would most likely never perform in his natural habitat. Examples are repeated lateral work, jumping and the mere fact that we are asking the horse to carry an additional load on his back - the rider. Stall kept horses are often fed at eye level and no longer carry their head low to the ground for hours, as nature intended. This abundance of rather unnatural activity can cause the horse to develop muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, soft tissue adhesions, and resulting discomfort or pain that leads to performance issues, pain related behaviour problems in horses and even to lameness or refusal to perform certain exercises or movements. Back pain, stiffness, asymmetry and soreness are recurring issues

Hi all. hope we all keeping cool and hydrated in this heat!!!

Here is the JAN to FEB Specials for the equine massage!
R 150 per session witch includes
* full body evaluation
* stress point release
* target massage
* full body streach
Victoria 076 9774 504 or [email protected]

How to tell whether your horse is in discomfort or restricted...
The following symptoms can be signs that your horse is suffering from restricting muscular stiffness, painful muscle spasms, soft tissue adhesions or soreness:
•limited range of motion, not fully engaging limbs, not stepping under, not extending
•refusal to take a lead
•unwilling to change gaits
•horse hollows the back
•horse throws head up during gait changes
•horse looks 'disconnected' (hind and front not moving in unison)
•bucking or crow hopping
•not relaxing or rounding etc.
Professionally practiced Equine Massage and Bodywork for Horses can help to...
•Increase the bloodflow to muscles
•Release tensions in soft tissues around joints and vertrebrae
•Break up soft tissue adhesions and muscle spasms
•Encourage muscle development
•Relax connective tissues
•Improve muscular flexibility
•Activate the self healing mechanism of the horse's body
The results are...
•Improved range of free motion
•Improved performance and gait quality
•Prevention of injuries to muscles and ligaments
•Maintenance of good muscle tone and wellness
•Relaxation of the horse and contribution to mental soundness
•Accelerated recovery from soft tissue injury
A horse that is massaged on a regular basis is less likely to develop painful muscle spasms, restrictions in soft tissue and effected joints and resulting performance limitations. A horse that is suffering from muscular tension, spasms and discomfort can reclaim free range of motion, improve performance and gait quality and perform to the best of his ability after receiving professional equine massage and bodywork. Results can often be observed after only one session

What is sports massage?
Massage therapy focusing on muscle systems relevant to a particular sport/discipline. A thorough understanding of anatomy and the interaction of bones, joints and muscles are the basis of the proven physical and mental therapy that is the art of massage.
What are the causes of muscle issues and damage?
•Inappropriate age for level of work
•Muscle over-development
•Nervous tension
•Injury
•Over-use
•Cooling down too fast
•Incorrect trimming/shoeing
•Over-stretching
•Poor nutrition
•Poor saddle or saddle pad fit
•Dental problems
•Bad footing (too deep or too hard)
•Unbalanced rider
•Systematic illnesses

Water After Exercise

Encourage your horse to rehydrate after exercise by offering salted water as his first drink, followed by plain water a short while after.Studies at Michigan State University proved that offering a saline solution as the initial drink after exercise resulted in a greater total fluid intake and recovery of body weight loss during the first hours of recovery after exercise, as compared to only offering plain water. “Just add one ounce of table salt to a five-gallon bucket of water. Then offer plain water 20 to 30 minutes later,” says Schott. “This is really effective for horses on a long trail ride and when traveling, and gets more total fluid into the horse to better fight dehydration.”If the horse is thirsty, let him drink.“We did a study that found there is no need to limit the first drink (after exercise),” notes Schott. “We found that the initial drink is pretty much just three to five gallons, because the horse needs a few minutes for that water to empty out of the stomach. The good thing about horses is that they won’t overdrink.”But don’t make that water cold. Additional studies at Michigan State University determined that most horses will voluntarily drink more within the first hour after exercising if the water is about 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

On the Road
Horses can be finicky when it comes to water, especially when traveling. They may be reluctant to drink, or will drink less than they should, if the water tastes or smells different from what they are accustomed to drinking at home.For this reason, some horse owners carry water from home when traveling to a show, event or trail ride. Bringing water from home isn’t always convenient or possible, so another option is to get your horse used to drinking water that has been slightly flavored. Just be sure to do this long enough before the trip so that you know your horse will drink the flavored water. You definitely don’t want to try flavoring his water the first time when you’re on the road or away from home.You can flavor water by adding a little Kool-Aid (use the envelope without added sugar since all you want is flavor), Gatorade, apple juice or molasses to the water. It doesn’t take much. You may have to experiment to find what your horse likes best. This way, you can add his “flavor of choice” to the water when you’re traveling so it tastes familiar, which will encourage him to drink.Whenever you offer flavored water — whether at home or on the road — always offer a separate bucket of plain water. This way your horse has a choice and you won’t discourage water intake if he’s not in the mood for water that has been flavored.

5 Tips For Equine Hydration & Water Management

The dog days of summer have arrived. You've caught some rays, hit the pool, planned some summer getaways and had a few cookouts, but have you made a hydration plan for your horse? With temperatures on the rise, it's crucial that you monitor the water consumption of your horse to avoid dehydration and its associated complications.

Did you know the average 1,000 pound horse at rest drinks 8 to 10 gallons of water a day? Add in high temperature and humidity and a horse at work can drink twice as much in the summer. That's a lot of water! So how can you get your horse to drink more?

Keep Your Horse Hydrated

Clean and available water

Make sure your horse has easy access to water at all times. He shouldn't have to go searching to find a clean water source. Provide your horse with squeaky clean water. Tipped over, leaky, funky smelling water buckets aren't appealing to drink from. If you wouldn't want to drink the water chances are your horse wouldn't want it either. Develop a weekly water bucket and trough cleaning schedule.
Encourage drinking

Offer electrolytes and salt blocks to your horses to stimulate their thirst. Like humans, horses use sweating as a way to cool off during periods of warm weather and while exercising. When a horse sweats, not only is water lost, but important electrolytes like sodium, chloride and potassium are lost.
If too many electrolytes are lost serious problems like fatigue, muscle cramps and colic can occur. Electrolytes can be given to your horse in a variety of ways. You can add water and administer via dosing syringe, add the electrolytes to your horse's feed or add the electrolytes to their water. Each way works equally as well, just figure out what your horse prefers to ensure they are consuming the added electrolytes.
Soak it and mash it in feed

Get extra water into your horse through their food. Soak your hay flakes or cubes prior to feeding. One flake of wet hay can absorb 1-2 gallons of water. This can have a huge impact on your horse's water consumption. Adding water to your horse's feed or bran to create a mash is another excellent way to up their water intake.
Keep their water cool

You may have thought about getting insulated water buckets for your horse in the winter time to keep water from freezing, but did you know they can also help keep your horse's water cool in the summer? Horses prefer cool water in the heat. These insulators work like a koozie cup on a soda can and surround the bucket keeping cool water cool.
Spice it up

Have a picky drinker on the road? Flavor the water with Kool-Aid, peppermint oil or apple juice. The additional flavor will keep your horse interested in what otherwise could be strange water. Test this out prior to hitting the road to make sure you have a flavor combo your horse likes.
Horse Dehydration Test

Still not sure if your horse has drunk enough water? Use the pinch test as a quick and easy way to tell if your horse is hydrated. Pinch a bit of skin at the point of your horse's neck and release it. Count the seconds until the skin lies flat. If it flattens back in place in less than a second, no worries your horse is hydrated. If it takes more than three seconds to flatten your horse is dehydrated, use the tips above to get more water in him