Helping Hands Equine Massage

01/11/2025

❄️Cold weather and stiff horses☃️

I am sure your horses have been walking very slow outside, or even possibly slipping?!

These winter months can get wet, mud on icy ground can cause more slips and slides, requiring horses to rebalance themselves frequently to remain stable. Wet snow can easily form ice balls unStephanie Bissingerhich causes other balance strains. Deep mud in less frigid climates will also strain muscles and joints. Just think, have you yourself almost fallen? Picture it you're walking super slow, very tense because you don't want to fall, slipping and jerking your back when you go down, then you're sore the next day!!!

Ice and snow has a big impact on our equines, canines and ourselves!!! Exposure to cold causes increased stiffness in both muscle and connective tissue, including tendons and ligaments.

Massage and PEMF is a great benefit to help this "winter stiffness" go away.

PEMF is also offered to humans!

Message me to schedule an appointment!!!

570-336-3806

01/07/2025

Did you know that a horse that hasn't been taught how to properly support and carry the weight of a rider will instinctually hollow their back away from the weight of the rider? Many riding horses spend their entire careers going around with hollow backs, even upper level competition horses.

Carrying weight with a hollow back is, at best, uncomfortable for the horse, and in many cases is actually quite painful. Many horses tolerate this discomfort because they don't know any alternative. Other horses develop behavioral problems and become labeled as bad horses.

For a horse to remain healthy and comfortable in his work he must be taught how to support the weight of a rider with first a neutral back and then later on with a lifted back. This is a process that takes time, as you can't rush muscle development.

I've found that the best way to teach a horse to lift his back is on the ground first, through classical in hand work. Without the extra weight of the rider, it is easier for the horse to learn how to lift his back and it is easier for him to develop the strength that he needs in order to maintain a lifted back for an extended amount of time.

Once the horse has an understanding of this healthier posture and has developed some strength, it will be much easier for him to accomplish the same thing with a rider on his back.

The horse will then feel more comfortable and have an easier time performing his job. He will be less prone to injuries and behavioral problems and he will be able to continue doing his job for much longer than if he never learned to move in a healthy way.

As stewards of our horses, we owe it to them to give them the best lives possible. That includes taking the time to teach them how to move in a way that is healthy and comfortable for them.

Want to learn more about the horse's back and how you can teach him a healthy posture? We invite you to join our Healthy Movement through In Hand Work course, available in our Virtual Classroom. You'll learn how you can help your horse to move in a healthier way through the use of In Hand Work.

This work is beneficial for horses of all ages, breeds, and disciplines and no previous experience is necessary.

Learn more and sign up here- https://tuskeydressage.com/register/virtual-classroom/

10/13/2024

🦃‼️November and December specials‼️❄️

I will be running a holiday special from November till the end of December. Message me so we can get you on the books.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions!

10/04/2024

🍀I will be at the PA State 4-H horse show🍀

I will be offering:

Massage-Equine Massage/ Canine massage Therapy uses a variety of massage techniques and strokes to stimulate blood flow to different areas of the body. This encourages blood flow and brings in oxygen and other nutrients, at the same time removing lactic acid build up and eliminating other metabolic waste from the body. This encourages injured muscles to heal, and healthy muscles to stay flexible and pain free.

PEMF- It reduces inflammation & relieves pain and can be used to calm a horse mentally before going into the show ring. PEMF Electro Magnetic Therapy can treat many conditions: Performance Stress & Body Soreness. Soreness of the Back, Stifle, Joints, Neck, Poll, TMJ, Shoulder or Hooves.

Kinesiology Taping-This application is used to decrease pressure and pain. The tape is applied in a manner that emphasizes its elastic qualities and lifting effect in order to 'lift' the skin, fascial and soft tissue over a target area. This slight lifting creates space directly above the area of pain, inflammation, swelling or edema.

Please message me to schedule. 570-336-3806
Spots are filling up!!

09/10/2024

07/30/2024

🍀I will be at the PA District V 4-H Horse Show🍀

I will be offering:

Massage-Equine Massage/ Canine massage Therapy uses a variety of massage techniques and strokes to stimulate blood flow to different areas of the body. This encourages blood flow and brings in oxygen and other nutrients, at the same time removing lactic acid build up and eliminating other metabolic waste from the body. This encourages injured muscles to heal, and healthy muscles to stay flexible and pain free.

PEMF- It reduces inflammation & relieves pain and can be used to calm a horse mentally before going into the show ring. PEMF Electro Magnetic Therapy can treat many conditions: Performance Stress & Body Soreness. Soreness of the Back, Stifle, Joints, Neck, Poll, TMJ, Shoulder or Hooves.

Kinesiology Taping-This application is used to decrease pressure and pain. The tape is applied in a manner that emphasizes its elastic qualities and lifting effect in order to 'lift' the skin, fascial and soft tissue over a target area. This slight lifting creates space directly above the area of pain, inflammation, swelling or edema.

Please message me to schedule. 570-336-3806
Spots are filling up!!

07/04/2024

Happy 4th ❤️🤍💙

06/27/2024

🚨‼️Saddle fitting is so important‼️🚨

Make sure that back is nice and healthy!!

06/27/2024

Congratulations to Olivia on her new mare, best of luck to you💕

What a pleasure it was to work on her today🔆

✨Congratulations Olivia Cornell on the purchase of « Tinker » we wish you the best with her ! ✨ Have a safe trip home !
Thank you agent Joan Palmer for the smooth transaction, it was nice to meet you !
Olivia Cornell

03/31/2024

Happy Easter!!🐇🐣🐰

03/18/2024

✨Ｌｅｔ＇ｓ　ｔａｌｋ✨

Let's talk about the hoof.

All too often, many of us don't realize how important farrier work is to a horse.

Asymmetrical hoof growth can be another indication your horse may have an underlying musculoskeletal problem. Weight distribution of the horse can affect the growth pattern in the hoof, giving us clues as to previously unrecognized problems in the rest of the body.

When a muscle becomes over-worked or strained, this can cause general stiffness initially, but if left untreated can lead to strain on adjacent muscle tissue much like a cascade affect and more serious injuries. When the muscles do not take up their proper load and cannot stretch to their full potential, the tendons have to make up for the lack of movement, leading to tendon injuries.

By addressing these issues early on, we can prevent more serious injuries from occurring and allow the body to rebalance itself. A proper trim and balance will reduce stress on tendons and ligaments. The longer and more unbalanced the foot, the more stress on the internal structures of the hoof and your horses body.

Not to mention if your horse is uncomfortable from tight muscles or has issues there, it can cause additional stress on a farriers day, in turn affecting the quality of the trim/job.

Thank you Olivia Cornell Cornell Farrier Services for the picture and helping me put this information together.

01/31/2024

This is so important.

Abigail makes a lot of good points in this post💕

10/26/2023

Safe travels to all the 4-H kiddos.
Good luck🍀

09/14/2023

09/08/2023

Another certification soon coming!!!!

09/06/2023

🍀🍀I will be at the 4-H pa state horse show🍀🍀

I will be offering:

Massage-Equine Massage/ Canine massage Therapy uses a variety of massage techniques and strokes to stimulate blood flow to different areas of the body. This encourages blood flow and brings in oxygen and other nutrients, at the same time removing lactic acid build up and eliminating other metabolic waste from the body. This encourages injured muscles to heal, and healthy muscles to stay flexible and pain free.

PEMF- It reduces inflammation & relieves pain and can be used to calm a horse mentally before going into the show ring. PEMF Electro Magnetic Therapy can treat many conditions: Performance Stress & Body Soreness. Soreness of the Back, Stifle, Joints, Neck, Poll, TMJ, Shoulder or Hooves.

Kinesiology Taping-This application is used to decrease pressure and pain. The tape is applied in a manner that emphasizes its elastic qualities and lifting effect in order to 'lift' the skin, fascial and soft tissue over a target area. This slight lifting creates space directly above the area of pain, inflammation, swelling or edema.

Please message me to schedule. 570-336-3806
Spots are filling up!!