Little break mid session for this one today giving him chance to process while been super relaxed!
Always important to step back and let horses relax during a long session ❤️
Lots of hunters enjoying their sessions before the season gets going 🐴
⭐️ Releasing lots of deep tension followed by a session with the TENS machine for extra pain relief ⭐️
Kavalcade training aid
Lots of people using all sorts of different, complicated “gadgets/training aids” all that can actually cause more damage to the horse if not used correctly.
They can be very restricting, not allowing the horse to have their nose infront of the vertical therefore restricting movement through their shoulder, then causing the hindquarters to drag behind and resulting in an unengaged core giving us a hollow back. Everything we don’t want to see!
Below I’ve attached a video of an example of a Kavalcade, very simple to fit and allows the horse to swing through the shoulder and quarters. Allowing freedom to have his head down and out and stretch across his back. Which is required to help aid build his topline.
All aids can result in poor movement if not fitted correctly, please if unsure do not use one until someone can help you understand how the aid works, what it aims to achieve and how to fit one correctly😊!
⭐️ Pre season hunting massage ⭐️
Making sure hunters are feeling their best before the season starts is so important to reduce the risk of any tension becoming worse as their workload increases as they work very hard!
Paddy was extra relaxed processing his massage today🐴
Lots of horses becoming stiff with the ground now being so hard! Even with just turn out on hard ground can cause stiffness and tension.
If your horse feels different since the hot weather a massage session may help too:
⭐️ reduce tension
⭐️ increase range of motion
⭐️ relieve stiffness
⭐️ increase blood flow to the muscles
⭐️ improve performance
Contact me with any questions or to book an appointment which includes, a full musculoskeletal assessment and massage treatment totally individual to your horses needs 🐴
Busy morning with some Polo ponies getting them ready for a tournament this weekend! 🐎
Even after a few months of in the field it’s still important to support your horses as they are coming back into work!
While gradually building their muscle and with increased exercise it’s very common for horses to develop some tension within their muscles. Working to get rid of this really helps horses with their training by:
Relieving tension at the poll- aiding dropping onto the bridle
Increasing ROM- improving their stride
Increasing flexion- helping them bend their head and neck round
And much more!
Message me for any more information or to book an appointment 😊 🐴
There are lots of different signs that horses are suffering from tension, some of these being:
🐎 reluctant to go forward, not responding to riders leg, being stuffy, unable to bend, refusing jumps
🐴 Biting/lashing out when being tacked up, unwilling to have the bridle put on, kicking or tail swishing when girthing up or placing saddle on back
🐎 Sensitive when grooming, twitching/ears back/threatening to bite while being brushed over certain areas - always look for this especially in the saddle area
Tension will eventually lead to muscle wastage as the horse is unable to work correctly as a whole. Massage can release this tension and this is very relaxing for the horse as shown in the video below!
🌟🌟GIRTHS🌟🌟
Lots of interest surrounding the impact of different girths and over tightening on the muscles recently. With tension often being caused in the deep pectorals and surrounding muscles! Often causing horses to show aggressive behaviour while tightening the girth and also results in decreased performance!
Video shows an example of tension as a result of the girth, note the twitching in the first half of the video and how this can be significantly reduced with massage treatment! Video is immediately before and after treatment 🐴💕
