KD Equine Massage

17/08/2024

15/08/2024

What is this? 🤔
So I'm sure we've all come across a horse with a bit of a hollow behind his shoulder blades, but why does this happen? Is it saddle fit? Conformation?

So although poor saddle fit can have an impact in this area and should definitely be checked if in doubt, I believe there is a different reason. Often horses that look like this are very weak in the thoracic sling and core which then allows the thorax to push forwards and down. As the horse does not have a collarbone it is the thoracic sling muscles that are responsible for holding the thorax up between the front legs and assisting in lift through the withers for horizontal balance and continuing onto collection.

If these muscles become long and weak they allow everything to travel south and leave behind the gap we see as the hollow behind the shoulder. These horses will also travel on the forehand as they lack the strength to bring the front end up.

Stay tuned for some exercises to target this area 🤓

12/08/2024

A little bit about the spinal extensor chain 🙂

So the spinal extensor chain runs from the poll all the way to the heels of the hind leg, these muscles are predominantly along the top of the spine and down the back of the hind legs.
When these muscles shorten they are responsible for extension of the hind limb, back and neck and they help push the horse forwards and upwards. However tension along this chain can result in a hollow, extended posture.

When used eccentrically (muscle lengthens) and isometrically ( maintaining a posture) they contribute to supporting the back and therefore the riders weight, maintaining a round posture through the length of the spine and flexion in the hind limb. This is much more healthy posture for the ridden horse as it opens the space between the spinous processes, it is also much more pleasant to sit on!

Now, maintaining isometric and eccentric contraction is very hard work for the muscles, so it is important they get plenty of breaks and are never asked to hold one position for too long. The key is gradual strengthening of these muscles in small increments until the posture can be held for longer periods.

The extensor chain works in partnership with the flexor chain which we will look at in another post 🙂.

08/08/2024

In light of the current controversy surrounding the Olympics and equestrian sport in general I have decided I would rather focus on how we can do better than finger pointing and harping on and on about the negatives. For me the horse will always come first and the more we can learn together by helping each other along the way, the better for our equine friends. 🥰🐴

Anyone who knows me knows I am very into my 'classical dressage'. Now for most of us (myself included 😂) riding the advanced movements is something of a daydream, but that doesn't mean I can't try and abide by the classical principles and take notice of things like healthy posture, scales of training etc.

If you think you might also be interested in learning more along these lines I would highly recommend checking out the people in the photos below. Among others I consider these to be most influential to my way of thinking;

Manolo Mendez
Phillipe Karl
Anja Beran
Reiner Klimke
Jec Ballou

I'd love to hear your feedback/ discuss! 😁

31/07/2024

Busy morning of massaging today before the heat got too much 🥵🥵🥵 hope everyone is surviving in the heat!
Lovely to see all my clients today and lots of good releasing and relaxation all round 😁 forgot to take any pictures as usual 😂 I've been a bit absent on the page recently so going to try and post a bit more regularly, we'll see how successful that is 😬

Art by NeonNightmaster

26/06/2024

Someone was enjoying their early morning treatment before the heat kicked in 🥰 lots of good releasing and relaxation 😀 what a good boy! ❤️

05/06/2024

Busy day of massaging today! 🥰 Treatments for Purdy, Nalla and Prince, all were very good and lots of releases all round 😊. Star of the day has to be Purdy though, who had a big release, stretched her whole body and then just had a lie down 😯 where we could see her still processing for about 10 mins ❤️ after that she got up on her own and was happy to continue with treatment. Just shows the importance of listening to what the horse has to say during their treatments! 🥰

08/03/2024

So having gained a few new followers 😁 I just wanted to share an insight into how I treat and what's involved in a sports massage treatment.

A treatment normally lasts between 60 and 90 mins, this depends on the size of the horse, how much tension they are carrying at the time and also how willing/ quickly they release said tension.

Horses are prey animals, because of this they are often reluctant to show signs of discomfort, but if you know what subtle signs to look for, they do speak to you. All of my treatments are done 'with' the horse, not 'to' the horse, letting them guide me to where they need some attention and working with them to find that relaxed head space. This generally improves with routine appointments as they start to recognise the process.

A treatment involves a full body massage and stretches to finish. I aim to release as much tension as possible in each treatment, although a follow up a couple of weeks after may be necessary if there is a lot to unpack or a previous issue. After that generally a routine appointment of between 6- 8 weeks works well to keep everything ticking over nicely.

06/03/2024

Another great exercise we tried the other day is what I am going to call 'climb the steps'. Actually got this from one of EJM Equestrians videos on YouTube, check out this link for her channel, lots of good stuff on there
https://youtube.com/?si=TMbZcjIeIxb1cYFx

So you can make this as easy or as difficult as you like really, but the overall idea is for the poles to get progressively higher. Denver is quite good at poles these days so we made this quite tricky, however you could stick to just the small raisers to start with ☺️. Best done in hand, we went for a loose lunge line so I can stand back and let him figure it out on his own.

The higher the pole the harder the core has to work to keep him balanced on 3 legs as more airtime for the leg stepping over. Walk poles require the most actual muscle recruitment as there is no momentum in the gait to carry them over. Watch out for your horse getting tired, with something like this less is more. I think we did about 8 reps in total, mixing it up with some different exercises in between.

03/03/2024

Today's schooling exercise for my little Denver bean 🥰 we did a walk warmup in hand first as I am trying to keep our ridden sessions quite short at the moment.
This exercise could be set up in any way at all depending on the size of your arena, how many poles you have, etc...
The idea is to have lots of small separate elements that can be ridden in many different ways on each rein. Ride lots of transitions between the elements, aiming to keep the trot in the same rhythm every time you pick it back up. Try to keep changing the order you ride over each part, this keeps your horse interested and also means he can't anticipate and rush.
This rode really well and I'll definitely use it in future 😁
Obvs had to include a picture of the special boy 💖

06/02/2024

Hi everyone 😁 some of you may know that I passed my teaching exam end of last year and I'm pleased to say you can now book in with me for lessons at Witham Villa Riding Centre 😁.
I am available to book on a Tuesday morning and Thursday lunch time at the moment.

I am also covering the pole clinic this coming Monday, there's still time to book in 😊 available on a Witham horse or your own providing they are up to date on vaccinations.

Unfortunately I cannot offer freelance teaching for the moment but hopefully soon ☺️

28/01/2024

Treatment for this lovely lady this morning 🥰 she should be feeling much better now and ready for her regionals this week ☺️
Verity Saul Dressage

25/12/2023

🌟☃️🌲Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🌲☃️🌟
Thankyou for all your support this year and I will look forward to seeing you all in 2024! 🥰

07/11/2023

Why massage and how often?🤔

So massage is definitely best used as a routine treatment rather than a one off. While that first treatment can highlight and begin to relieve tension present, sometimes with quite big releases, especially if the horse has never been massaged, there is only so much that can be achieved in one session.
Sometimes it can take a couple of sessions for the horse to accept treatment and allow his body to release, especially if they have never had any kind of bodywork before. My regular clients can vouch for this, seeing the difference in their horses when I come to treat now is so nice 🥰
How often depends on the horses workload and if there has been an issue, for example poor saddle fit. This can be tailored to fit you and your horse, as I understand that horse ownership requires the expertise of many different professionals, farrier, dentist, vets, massage therapists, chiropractors.....etc.
Drop me a message with any questions on what a treatment involves and to book in 😀

05/11/2023

Definitely feeling like winter has arrived!😖
Is your horse feeling a bit stiff? Maybe you've noticed he's not so happy to be tacked up? Spending longer periods in the stable?
Why not book him in for a massage session to check those muscles over, loosen off any tension accumulating before it becomes a problem, and leave him feeling chilled out and relaxed?

Drop me a message to book in, weekend availability 🙂 covering South Leicestershire. Also just a reminder that horses need to be clean and dry for treatment so make sure you have enough time to de-mud before I arrive! 😂

29/10/2023

Coming up to Halloween.

20/09/2023

What a happy little chap! 🥰 (not my photo I just thought it was too cute!)
October treatment spaces filling up fast so don't forget to drop me a message if you'd like to book in!

13/09/2023

You know who I really love teaching?

Horse mad kids who are not from horse families.

Their mother never cared for dirt and grime and their grandparents didn't even have cats! Nobody knows why these kids come out of the womb, look at a horse, decide it's friend shaped and make it their life's mission to spend as much time as possible with these friend shaped giants🤔 But they do and they go at that mission hammer and tongs!

They will ride absolutely anything and are grateful for it. None of this "I don't like horses that do xyz" "I only like this particular saddle" or passing the trainer up on the opportunity to cool down a training horse. Even if they're afraid, they get on the horse anyway because it might be the only chance they'll get to ride that week. They devour horse books for breakfast and can you 50 different breeds off the top of their heads. They bring magazines to the trainer, asking "didn't you talk about this 5 lessons ago? That picture isn't correct, right?".

They watch the trainer doing groundwork and sit there typing up notes on their phones, glancing up fervently before finally plucking up the courage to ask "can you teach me that in my next lesson instead of riding?". They help out in jumping lessons adjusting jumps and laying poles out and they hold horses for the vet without complaining. To them, riding is the icing on the cake- horses are the center of their world and anything to do with them is surely worth being involved with!

If they stick with it, the horseless kids will often overtake the kids who grew up with their own ponies. While the horsey kid rode the same pony for 5 years, the horseless kid has ridden 100 horses in those 5 years! They develop the skills needed in order to master every one of those horses, from newly backed 4yos right up to the school masters. They expand on that experience and become body workers, vets, trainers and hoof care providers. If they're smart, the horseless kids will remain horseless and be paid for their services by their horse owning peers! But that will never happen- they always get their own horse in the end, and when they do it stays with them for life❤

Here's Merle aged 14, experimenting with the outside rein and inside leg with Camelot, having just had a lesson on a more experienced horse covering that topic. She started learning to ride with me 3 years ago when she was too little to lift the saddles on the horses! These days I teach her for free in exchange for tasks around the ranch and she rides or lunges anything I don't have time for. She rides up to 4 horses per day and lays hands on at least 10! She will definitely put me out of business and become the next guru by the time she's 21🤣

27/08/2023

Really good explanation of one of the things I watch the horse for during a treatment 🥰 some days it's easier to get there than others but number 3 is what I like to see 😁

I've talked alot about staying below the horse's bracing response, and working below threshold. But what does that look like in the horse?

1.Braced. In the Sympathetic Nervous System mode. Alert, ready to protect itself or flee from danger. Senses are high.
2.Threshold. Still. Softer, less concern, yet ready to turn back to Flight/Fight if needed.
3. Below Threshold. Parasympathetic Nervous System. Healing and resting mode. Inner Stillness. This is where the magic happens.

Learn to read your horse's behaviors, especially while training to see what level your horse's Nervous System is at.

22/08/2023

Bit of pampering for my big lad tonight, short massage session to help loosen up the fascia and muscles to hopefully start doing some work again!

And then a nice relax afterwards in his infrared rug, always makes him super d***y 🥰

Happy boy 🐎🐴❤️

21/08/2023

Hope you're all having lots of fun this summer with your horses! If you've not already why not treat him to a massage for all his hard work 🥰 Or maybe he's stepped up in his training and you feel he could do with some TLC for those aching muscles? Coming back from some time off for injury? Recent tack issues?
Drop me a message to book in, discount available for multiple horses on the same yard 😁

20/08/2023

A very chilled Dolly after today's treatment 🥰 gorgeous day for it too!

18/08/2023

Taking bookings for September onwards 🥰 drop me a message to book in and if you could share this post it would really help me out! Thanks 😁

18/08/2023

🥰 Health and strength of the horse should be number 1 priority 🥰

A little thought to end the week! 🌟

16/08/2023

How to increase proprioceptive powers! 🦸‍♂️

So in my previous post I talked about how massage and stretching can positively affect your horses proprioceptive senses and I promised you some more ways to improve them as well 😊

1. Working on a range of different surfaces - hacking is perfect for this as you will hopefully come across a lot of different terrain, for example; surfaces that move more underfoot will challenge his balance more, hard surfaces like tarmac will build resilience to concussive forces

2. Work on hills and slopes- it doesn't have to be steep! Riding across a slope, rather than directly up it means the joints on the higher side will have to flex more to remain in balance. Walking up a hill requires greater recruitment and push from the hindquarter muscles

3. Walk pole work ( especially raised)- poles in any gait do help with co-ordination but I feel walk is best when working on proprioceptive exercises. It gives him time to think about where he is putting his feet and although he will probably knock them quite a lot to start with it's all part of the process

4. Lateral Work in walk- Again I think walk is best for this as it gives you and the horse more time to think, especially if you're just starting out. Asking for lateral steps requires greater concentration from him to place his feet correctly.

All of these things can be down either in hand, on long reins or ridden and are ideally done at the beginning of your session when the deeper muscles are more open to retraining. You don't need to drill these exercises, they are much better if you build a consistent habit of doing one or two of them for a few repetitions several times a week.

16/08/2023

My handsome boys 🥰 they love each other really 💕😂

14/08/2023

One of the benefits from massage and stretching is improving proprioception, but what exactly do we mean by that?
Proprioception is essentially body awareness, so where each limb is in relation to the body, how much muscular effort is required for the current activity, what surface you are currently on, does it require greater core muscle recruitment to balance? etc..

The cells responsible for informing the nervous system of the demands the body is currently under can be found in skeletal muscles and tendons, they are, unsurprisingly, called proprioceptors. This information is then sent back to the muscles and tendons through motor neurons which then actually produce the muscular contractions required.

Massage and stretching load the central nervous system with sensory input from these proprioceptors and in doing so strengthen the connection between the brain and the rest of the body. The stronger the connection the faster and better the co-ordination and proprioception will be. This means horses with a greater sense of proprioception are less prone to injury as the body reacts quicker to changes and they are more likely to save themselves should they stumble for example.

Stay tuned for more ways you can help increases your horses' proprioceptive powers😁

12/08/2023

Recently treated myself to the kindle version of this and very pleased I did! Something I would really like to understand better and help my horses and clients' horses with is posture. A lot of the exercises are low intensity, targetting the smaller, deeper muscles responsible for posture and stability, and also meaning they can be performed on the ground, in long reins or ridden.
I will definitely be working a lot of these into my horses routines and adding them to my bank of exercises for client homework! 😋

09/08/2023

Helloooo there!

Just to let everyone know I am still alive! Unfortunately its been a pants few weeks with a few rather frustrating health issues but hopefully we are about there now and I can get back to it! 🤞
I hate having to postpone appointments so apologies again if you've been affected this last month and thankyou so much for booking back in and being so understanding! 🥰

Denver and Jango have also enjoyed a lovely holiday which Denver seems to have no intention of ending 😂.

Thanks again everyone ( especially if you see me on a daily basis and have had to put up with me moaning a lot recently 🤣)