Equine Massage at East Hill Farm
For many, massage is a vital part of their lives. Providing stress relief, relaxation, and pain reduction, massage is something that keeps people feeling good in their day to day lives. But we aren’t the only beings that benefit from a good massage. Just like us, our equine friends can benefit from the wellness advantages of a massage and enjoy them too!
On the farm, our horses work very hard providing our guests with horseback riding opportunities throughout the year. This is no easy task, and just like us their muscles get tired and sore. Because of this, equine massage is a practice that we incorporate in our equine program.
Stacey Currie, an equine massage therapist at Soaring Horse Holistic Equine Therapy says, “My ethos is the better a horse feels, the more they’re willing and able to give.” Based on this ideal, she uses her practice to rebalance a horses’ physical structure, helping owners support their horse and allowing the animal to be a better partner. Using many techniques, such as muscle contraction and release exercises, Light Therapy Balance, and BEMER, a portable therapy system used to enhanced microcirculation and cell activity, Currie works to fix asymmetries in the body leaving the horse happier and healthier. During a recent session with Izzie, Currie explained the process of an equine massage saying “a horse’s whole body is connected, so I’ll be able to help her release all the way from her head, down her neck, to her spine and back, all the way to her hind end so she can feel better.”
She first starts by feeling the horse’s whole body, using her hands to feel the quality of the muscles and any misalignments. Additionally, this helps her to loosen up the horse’s muscles before starting the detailed massage. She uses her hands to perform contract and release exercises in tight areas which help loosen up specific muscles. Then she moves on and uses Light Therapy Balance to access acupuncture points on the horse’s body. This treatment impacts acupoints and joint balance for the horse which greatly influences the animal’s quality of life. With stiff joints, horses often experience pain and decreased mobility which impacts the animal’s overall health and performance.
After the light therapy, Currie uses the BEMER Horse Set which helps to bring blood flow to the body and increase circulation. Additionally, it brings oxygen, nutrients, and cellular detox to the body.
Together, the hand work, Light Therapy Balance, and BEMER techniques work to release the muscles and realign the body leaving the horse with looser muscles and a better range of motion. As Currie says, “The better a horse feels, the more they are willing and able to give.”
If you want to check out more of Stacey’s work, you can find her on Soaring Horse Holistic Equine Therapy’s website, soaringhorsetherapy.com.