In Sync Equine Sport Massage Therapy

02/17/2022

We are very fortunate at UC Davis to have a farrier dedicated to furthering his education, bettering his skills and sharing them with us students. Farriery is a crucial component of care for our horses. As Shane often says, "It's never 'just a trim'" as the trim is the foundation to balancing the foot. From there, you have many options - especially with a creative mind like Shane's - to help support your horse's needs.

UC Davis veterinary hospital farrier Shane Westman with a Center for Equine Health teaching herd horse.Farriery has historically been rooted in practice-based approaches, often largely reliant on visual observations and anecdotal evidence. There is a movement to bring more data-driven science to the...

05/25/2021

I use this technique on horses with tight backs and tension in their hips/pelvis. It's interesting to see a preliminary study measuring tail stretching's effects on back pain!

Scientists found that a professional’s light, steady, straight pull at a slightly downward angle relieved pain at several sites along the equine spine.

04/19/2020

I got to massage a unicorn today! The mystical Alan 🦄

02/18/2020

Zalute enjoying his massage Horrigan

01/17/2020

Here is an easy read explaining the benefits of equine massage and different massage techniques implemented.

To answer some questions pertaining to my qualifications:
- I'm certified in equine sport massage therapy through Equissage, CA.
- I mainly utilize trigger-point therapy, but I incorporate basic massage techniques to warm muscles up as well mix in myofacial release.
- I'm trained to perform dynamic and passive stretching.
- I have a strong foundation in equine anatomy and physiology through UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to schedule an appointment!

Is massage a luxury reserved for equine athletes? No way! Learn how properly trained therapists can be an important part of any horse’s health-care team.

10/06/2019

A brief overview of the benefits of equine massage therapy:

Equine massage therapy continues to gain popularity, and with good reason.

08/02/2019

I'm starting a blog on equine nutrition through Fluxergy. The first one is an introduction to probiotics.

Though resilient, horses have a major Achilles heel — the GI tract. As horse owners, we aim to nurture their delicate gut with various…

04/13/2019

Producer Kendall's Horse Gets a Professional Equine Massage!

04/02/2019

Have you noticed your horse has lost weight coming out of winter? Or do you have any easy keeper that you fear may fatten up with spring grass? A good way to gauge your horse's weight is through body condition score (BCS).

Platinum Performance breaks down how to determine your horse's BCS based on multiple aspects of the body (rather than playing the guessing game to determine where your horse falls on a scale from 1-9). By scoring different parts of the anatomy independently, you can better identify changes in your horse's weight before moving a whole step up or down the BCS latter.

The Body Condition Score can be a useful tool for developing appropriate diets for horse health, weight and longevity. Learn how to score a horse. Get tips for weight gain or weight loss.

03/31/2019

Wondering how often your horse should get massaged?

Many people ask us how often there horse should get massaged. It really depends on the individual horse and how much they work, if they’ve had injuries, and how much muscle tension they carry.
This greatly depends on the individual situation but typically we follow this guide:
▶️High performance: Every 2 weeks.
▶️ Heavy work: 2-4 weeks
▶️ Moderate work: 4-6 weeks
▶️ Light work - weekend warrior (I learned that term from ) 6-8 weeks.
This is Wishbone, he is an upper level Three Day Event horse who competes at the Intermediate and CCI3*S levels and gets a massage every other week to keep him in optimal condition.

03/25/2019

I absolutely LOVE the Pessoa training system and highly recommend it. There are several versions of this training tool, and you can even make your own.

The advantage of of the Pessoa over side reins is that it also encourages the horse to engage its abdominal, back, and hind end muscles. When the horse lifts its head, this puts pressure on its hind end, discouraging inverted posture that puts strain on the back. Many forms of the Pessoa use elastic/bungee string that has more give than the rope model. This device is invaluable for strengthening horses of all riding disciplines as well as conditioning horses in rehabilitation programs.

Eventer Molly Rosin introduces and demonstrates the Pessoa Training System. The Lungeing device is designed to help the horse stretch its back and move in a ...

05/30/2018

Riddle enjoying his back massage.

09/10/2017

When the muscle is engaged, it contracts. Not only does this involve shortening of the muscle, but it also stretches connective tissues - the tendons and ligaments. In the horse, connective tissue in the lower leg is rather long. This is a common place for injury, especially in active equines.

This image from Scott & Swenson (2009) shows some common areas of stress acummulation in the horse. When these areas are tight, they can create tension in the tendons, leading to inuries such as strains or tears. Thus, to avoid injury, it is important to implement stretchy exercises or other warm-ups to keep muscles loose and relaxed. Massage therapy can also decrease tension in the muscles via direct pressure to stressed areas.

As we advance in our riding, we must also consider the physical demand we ask of our horses. Massage is a wonderful tool to help maintain the equine athlete, helping prevent injuries as well as increasing performance and comfort in our four-legged friends.

02/06/2017

With all the rain this season, many of our horses find themselves cooped up in stalls or stuck in mud-ridden pastures. Not only does this wet weather bring abscesses and fungus, but it also leads to stocked up limbs and stiff joints. If you don't have time or a dry arena for riding/lunging, take 5-10 min to walk your horse around any dry spots to get that blood flowing, reduce inflammation in those legs, and prevent muscles from tensing up next time you ride.

12/11/2015

These are the requirements to become an equine sport massage therapist according to the American Veterinart Medical Association website. I have 50+ hours of hands-on training through Equissage and additional outside experience after taking their basic and advanced courses. Please call Miranda for an appointment today (916) 599-9206.