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Equine Bodywork

Susan provides the following therapies. Usually a session comprises one or more therapies, however if you would like a particular therapy used, please let Susan know at the time of booking or before the session starts.

Any horse can benefit from a bodywork session, from a retired horse to a weekend trail rider to the professional athlete.

Equine Sports Massage

Equine Sports Massage is the manipulation of muscle and connective tissue to enhance the function of those tissues, and to promote relaxation and well-being. Horses, like us, get sore and have spots of tightness, particularly ridden horses.

Benefits of equine sports massage include:

  • Enhanced performance and increased flexibility, range of motion and gait quality.
  • Increased healing of injury and elimination of toxins.
  • Improved balance and posture.
  • Promotion of relaxation and relief of muscle spasms, knots and tension.

Equine Myo-manipulative Functional Therapy (EMFT)

Myo refers to muscles and manipulative refers to making changes. Functional therapy is the form of bodywork that addresses dysfunction in movement or the body’s ability to work optimally. Therefore Myo-manipulative Functional Therapy is the manipulation of muscles to restore proper function to the horse’s body.

The benefits of myo-manipulative functional therapy include:

  • Restoring proper movement.
  • Helping the body to function more effectively.
  • Speed up healing.
  • Promote optimal athleticism.
  • Decrease the chance of injury or re-injury.

Equine Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral therapy helps to free restricted motion in the bones of the skull, spinal column and sacrum. It is a very gentle therapy and can be used on its own or in conjunction with other therapies. A craniosacral therapist is taught to feel for restrictions in the body and help to ensure the flow of the craniosacral system is functioning correctly.

The benefits of Craniosacral therapy include:

  • Increased range of motion.
  • Decrease in chronic pain.
  • Decreased risk of re-injury.
  • Decrease in stress, anxiety and confusion.

Equine Kinesiology Taping

Kinesiology tape can be applied to horses to help support function. Some of the benefits include:

  • Pain reduction.
  • Improved lymphatic/blood circulation.
  • Support muscles and joints as a preventative to reduce risk of injury, or to support healing after injury.
  • Increase proprioception.
  • Support development of correct muscles when used during or after exercise.