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Usage
Candidates for bodywork: All type of horses, in any type of job, can benefit from bodywork; some particularly good candidates are:  High performance horses: improves power and performance, shortens recovery time between workouts and helps reduce injuries.
Injured horses: reduces the healing time required for soft tissue injuries. Nervous or high-strung horses: results in a calmer more focused athlete. Broodmares after foaling: rejuvenates tired or overworked soft tissue and relieves low back discomfort. Broodmares in season: loosens tight or cramped muscles. Aged horses: increases blood circulation and waste elimination, which relieves discomfort or stiffness and increases soft tissue heat and pliability. Horses used by unbalanced riders: prevent the strain on the muscles from becoming a chronic problem leading to more serious injuries. | Caution:
Abnormal heat, swelling, fever, weight bearing lameness, elevated pulse and respiration, lethargy and lack of appetite requires the intervention of your veterinarian before any bodywork can begin.   
Fergie, a 28 year old ex-race horse is visibly enjoying work on his deep pectoral and shoulder muscles   
When to use bodywork:
Basically, your horse can receive bodywork therapies anytime; here are some examples of popular use: Pre-event: loosens, warms and readies muscles for event Post-event: quickly returns muscles to their normal state, relieves pain and tension. Maintenance: sustain free-flowing movements, efficient and relaxed gaits.
Some after-treatment thoughts: Results from bodywork can be immediate or may take 3 or 4 sessions due to the following factors: Anticipation: the horse has been in discomfort for long time, and expects it even when the therapy has taken the cause away
Compensation: the horse has adjusted his movement to avoid using a painful muscle and needs to be re-taught to move correctly. Chronic and acute conditions: the issue did not develop over night and will not disappear over night. Horses need time to re-adjust to a new gait. The cause of issue remains: causes can be numerous. |
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