How to: EQUINE MASSAGE THERAPY

This is considered an alternative therapy that helps influencing the soft-tissues of the horse's body mass, and it is based on the application of various techniques in which our hands have an essential role.

The benefits are evident: it stimulates blood flow, alleviate muscle contractors and help improving the general flexibility. Although it is important to consider that the function of this technique is not building up muscles, so it mustn't replace ordinary workout, but assist it.

These massages are useful both before and after the ordinary exercises.

TOUCH: This technique can be applied with one or two hands. The palm and fingers follow the direction of the main veins. Start from the outermost parts of the body, and then move to the central ones slowly, exerting a slight pressure. Then go back lightly. The hands must not be rigid. As the horse relaxes, the pressure increases. 

-Improves venous and lymphatic flow, helping relax

CLAPPING: Place the hands 'like in a bowl', with the fingers pointing gently on the skin surface. Keeping your wrists soft, raise and lower them rhythmically, so alternating the contact with the skin.

-Stimulates skin vessels and relaxes the whole body mass

MIXING: Two-handed technique. The surface tissue of the skin is clenched between fingers, palm and thumb, lifted and tightly gently, then released into its natural position. The massage therefore consists of a kind of pinching and slight twisting of the molly parts following a slight rotating movement.

-Smoothes the tissues and improves the circulatory flow by alternating compression and relaxation

PRESSURE: Technique that can be done with one or two hands. Collapse the affected muscle area with the fist closed or with the palm of the hand. Perform a slight pressure and twist with rhythmic and repeating movements. Contact and detachment from the skin must be detached and gradual.

-Compression and relaxation are beneficial for the vessels

PERCUSSION: Two-handed technique. With the fists closed, perform a delicate sequence of rapid and more or less intense shots on the larger muscle areas. Maintain the soft wrist joint and alternate rhythmically the action of the two hands.

-Deconstructs the muscles and promotes circulatory flow

FRICTION: Technique that needs to be done with one hand. Exercise a single-fingered tip with a single-fingered tip in a precise area of ​​the horse's body. Then, without moving, through circular movements slide the superficial skin on the underlying tissues.

-Improves blood circulation

VIBRATION: Support the skin's side-to-side hands, with palms positioned frontally. Associate alternating pressure with a oscillatory motion perpendicular to the skin surface, contracting and rotating shoulder, forearm and wrist.

-The oscillations penetrate deep into the horse's body and spread beneficially throughout the body

Credits: I nostri amici cavalli Magazine

and for the image: kayburtequinetherapy.com