Equine massage is a wellness service which is used in the equine industry as a tool to help prevent, rehabilitate, and diagnose injury. We have broken this topic down into the three areas of prevention, rehabilitation, and diagnosis:
Prevention
Muscles are complex structures comprising large amounts of muscle fibrils. When we work or “build” a muscle we often create lots of small tears, which the body repairs with scar tissue. It is this scar tissue which can cause stiffness, and must be broken down to revitalize the flexibility of the muscle. Stiffness of the muscles can lead to a limited range of motion, shortened movement, joint issues, pain, bowed tendons, and other long-term compensations made by the body may even lead to permanent dysfunction of the affected area.
Therapeutic massage can help the connective tissue regain its elasticity which in-turn helps the muscle to return to its natural shape allowing for increased blood flow and for intercellular fluids to reach the affected area.
Rehabilitation
In situations where a trauma has occurred and rehabilitation is necessary, therapeutic massage can play a key role in getting your horse back into work sooner, and often will lessen the chances of weakness or recurring injury.
When working with an injury it is important to work with a Certified Equine Massage Therapist (CEMT) alongside your veterinarian to ensure that appropriate care is given. Massage should only be offered to an injury that is no longer in the inflammatory stage (i.e. there is no swelling or heat present), as massage stimulates blood flow and vasodilation which can cause further damage. It is important to ensure that the CEMT treats the whole body of the horse and not just the affected area. This will promote balance and ensure that muscle groups that have had to work harder while compensating for the injury are also treated.
To Diagnose
A skilled CEMT can gain a lot of insight into your horse through a full-body, therapeutic massage, and can offer a lot to your team of equine professionals. Although not a substitute for your veterinarian’s opinion or the treatment they may offer during a callout, CEMTs have the ability to spend more time with your horse, and can provide valuable information on muscular problems and concerns to your veterinarian and equine professional team.