Here's some more highlights from Shiner's massage!
He was struggling with some shoulder pain and was a little apprehensive about my touch at first. It's so cool to see the moment when he finally releases the tension he's holding and lowers his head and closes his eyes 🥰
Shiner is so lucky to have an awesome owner that listens to her horse and does everything she can to keep him happy and healthy!
Thanks Hannah!
When you get a bad itch in the middle of a good release😅
Welcome Spring! (It's about damn time!)
Brush the dust (or snow) off of those horses and get them booked for a massage to prepare their muscles for work again!
My Spring schedule is quickly filling up, so book now!
Check out this cool moment from a session a few weeks ago.
As a massage therapist, I love the instant gratification I get from horses having big releases in the form of yawning, stretching, making noises, or shaking their entire body. But I do have to remind myself that the small releases like a subtle softening of the eye are just as important as the big ones.
Check out these cool moments from a session a few weeks ago. If you watch ForSale's eyes closely, you can see the moment he goes from "why is this lady poking me there?" to "Oh wait, that feels nice."
He may not show it in big ways, but this massage was definitely therapeutic for him 💙
Here are some highlights from Leo's massage!
Here are some highlights from Leo's massage the other week! His owner says he's typical pretty stoic, so it was fun to see how expressive he was in his releases! Lots of licking, chewing, stretching, yawning, and head shakes!
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Thanks Brennah for letting me record and for trusting me with this big guy!
Here's some more from Keenlin's session the other day. He's quite the expressive guy
Here's some more from Keenlin's session the other day. He's quite the expressive guy.
Ft. Ivan always patrolling the barn
Guess we found the right spot!
Guess we found the right spot!
"Please don't eat that, PLEASE DON'T EAT THAT!" - A typical phrase said while massaging Keenlin.
"Please don't eat that, PLEASE DON'T EAT THAT!" - A typical phrase said while massaging Keenlin.
Many have heard of horses licking and chewing to release tension, but many horses also like something to chew on to release the same endorphins. Keenlin is one of those horses, he needs a lead rope or cross tie to chew on before he can have a big release. The only issue is is Keenlin does not always know when to spit it out.
Not only am I a Certified Equine Massage Therapist, I am also a Professional Pony Smoocher.
I may be a professional in my field but I will never turn down snuggles and smooches from big guys like Keenlin.
Why do horses lick and chew when they feel good?
"Licking and chewing behavior is probably one of the most misunderstood horse behaviors. It simply reflects a change in autonomic nervous system tone that results in salivation that stimulates licking, chewing, and sometimes a big swallow. The lick and chew reflex is actually an indicator of a release of stress or tension. During a bodywork session when a horse starts licking and chewing we associate it will a release of tension and restriction."
-Equine Solutions Blog
Most of the time I can notice when a horse is about to release. This time I was not paying attention and got snot in my face and a tongue in my ear 😂