SPF Equine Bodywork

12/09/2024

12/07/2024

🔆EQUINE ARTHRITIS

Inflammation of a joint that causes pain and stiffness.
Commonly develops following some sort of interference of the normal form and function.

One of the most common causes of inflammation I see in my massage client horses.

🔆TYPES OF ARTHRITIS

•ACUTE
(injury related)
•CHRONIC
(degenerative joint disease DJD)

🔆CHARACTERISTICS
OF ACUTE ARTHRITIS

•results from injury/damage caused to cartilage/bone
•rough movement of the joint, inflammation and restricted ROM
•causing joint pain
•eventually new bone is formed as a response and interferes with with joint movement, causing pain

🔆SIGNS/SYMPTOMS
OF ACUTE ARTHRITIS

•joint inflammation causing bulging around a joint
•may appear warm to the touch
•when caused by infection, will present severe pain, inflammation and lameness
•can cause severe damage to joints
•may be caused by puncture or bloodstream travel

🔆CHARACTERISTICS
OF CHRONIC ARTHRITIS (DJD)

•can result in the same long term issues as acute cases, but not always presenting inflammation in early stages
•respond to wear and tear by gradually changing shape and ability
•many move soundly, while others come up lame with progressed stages

🔆SIGNS/SYMPTOMS
OF CHRONIC ARTHRITIS (DJD)

•reduced joint mobility/ROM
•not always pain in flexion
•lameness may present gradually over time or with exercise

🔅WHEN MULTIPLE JOINTS ARE INVOLVED, horses may present stiff in one or more gaits.

🔅IN OLDER HORSES, they may show difficulty getting up and down.

🔆DIAGNOSIS OF EQUINE ARTHRITIS

It is so important to find the cause and origin of arthritis so the proper treatment/maintenance plan can be developed.
Treating symptoms without determining severity and cause-most time will prove counterproductive.

This should begin with a vet lameness exam and proceed with whatever diagnostics necessary to determine exactly what type and degree of arthritis there is.

🔆TOMORROW I’ll share the benefits of massage and supportive bodywork modalities in relation to arthritis and associated inflammation. All in an effort to encourage YOU to become a part of your horses wellness team and learn basic skills that can help bring relief to your four legged family member.

12/04/2024

Why bemerhorseset ?

BEMER’s patented and proven PEMF signal works to increase circulation and vasodilation, ultimately improving performance.

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spfequinebodywork.com

12/02/2024

It’s show time!!!

The Arkansas Quarter Horse Association’s last horse show of the year- 𝗚𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿- is coming up December 6-8 at Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana, AR!

𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗪𝗜𝗡!

Book a single All-Inclusive Bodywork session with massage, BEMER- PEMF therapy, top of the line Infrared laser, Kinesiology Taping, and more OR book a Show Package where your horse(s) is catered to all weekend!

Get 15% OFF by booking in advance AND if you have more than one horse!

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟭𝟱% 𝗢𝗙𝗙: 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 $𝟱𝟱.𝟮𝟱 𝗢𝗥 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟯 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝟲 𝗕𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 $𝟭𝟯𝟲! 🤯 (𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀!)

Message me here or feel free to give me a call or text! (409)221-7904 🤠

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/30/2024

Last day!

😱

This is the BIGGEST savings of the year!

Valued at $130 but from now until Saturday, November 30, only $65.

SEE and FEEL the difference! Your horse will thank you.

100% mobile but haul-ins are also welcome to Horatio, AR.

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/27/2024

😱

This is the BIGGEST savings of the year!

Valued at $130 but from now until Saturday, November 30, only $65.

SEE and FEEL the difference! Your horse will thank you.

100% mobile but haul-ins are also welcome to Horatio, AR.

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/21/2024

𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝗪𝗢 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗦 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆!

The Arkansas Quarter Horse Association’s last horse show of the year- 𝗚𝗼 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿- is coming up December 6-8 at Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana, AR!

𝗘𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗪𝗜𝗡!

Book a single All-Inclusive Bodywork session with massage, BEMER- PEMF therapy, top of the line Infrared laser, Kinesiology Taping, and more OR book a Show Package where your horse(s) is catered to all weekend!

Get 15% OFF by booking in advance AND if you have more than one horse!

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟭𝟱% 𝗢𝗙𝗙: 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 $𝟱𝟱.𝟮𝟱 𝗢𝗥 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟯 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝘀 𝟲 𝗕𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 $𝟭𝟯𝟲! 🤯 (𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀!)

Message me here or feel free to give me a call or text! (409)221-7904 🤠

spfequinebodywork.com

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Certified Large Animal Massage Therapist providing tailored massage and bodywork to horses, enhancing performance and promoting well-being. Our methods are designed to effectively alleviate muscle tension, reduce stress, promote better circulation, and ultimately enhance athletic performance. We off...

11/21/2024

𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙋𝙁? 𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚!

Enter by simply liking & following our page! Reshare for an extra entry!

Everyone who has Liked AND Followed will automatically be entered in the drawing!

P.S. each friend tagged below is an 𝙀𝙓𝙏𝙍𝘼 𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙍𝙔!

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(This session will be done on-site at your horse’s home or you can haul-in. Mileage fee will apply if you’re outside of a 100mi radius. Session is all-inclusive meaning Massage, BEMER, Infrared Laser plus any other necessary modality depending on the horse’s individual needs.)

Winner will be announced when we reach 150 likes and 350 followers!

11/20/2024

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼?

Kinesiology tape is a breathable and stretchy fabric with adhesive backing created to improve physical comfortability and performance. Equi-Tape is what I utilize in my practice and is specifically designed for use on horses.

Here are some of the specific benefits of kinesiology tape.

✔️ Decrease Swelling: By pulling up on the hair and skin, circulation is restored, allowing lymph and blood to flow to remove toxins and metabolic by-product from areas with edema or swelling.

✔️ Instant relief for tight, sore muscles: For severe hypertonic muscles, I always follow the massage with a taping application to extend the effects of what I did. Long after I have left the barn, the tape continues to give constant proprioceptive feedback to allow the horse’s body to adapt to the new feeling/lack of pain and tension to allow for better movement and posture.

✔️Facilitate and Accelerate Healing: Increased circulation and oxygen to an injured area promotes quicker healing of an injury.

✔️Relieve Pain: The tape decompresses nociceptors/pain sensory receptors immediately relieving painful areas.

✔️Muscle Activation or Decompression: With a deep understanding of muscle anatomy including insertion and origin points, the tape can be specifically applied with a certain amount of stretch and recoil to either encourage a weak muscle to activate or a hypertonic muscle to relax.

✔️Improve Posture and Proprioception: Proprioception is an essential component to equine athletes of all disciplines. It is what allows the body to know exactly where every part of the body is in space. The tape works to influence mechanoreceptors in the skin to increase proprioceptive input. Simple coronet band applications immediately improve horses who stumble or find it difficult to walk over logs.

✔️Supports Soft Tissues and Joints:
Kinesiology tape can be specifically applied to support joints, tendons, and ligaments all while allows full range of motion and increasing circulation. Distal limb support applications are perfect for lighter exercise to prevent overheating with polos or sport boots. The tape can also be worn under protective wear and can be poulticed over and hosed down without coming off.

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/18/2024

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Seeing the change and improvement is the most fulfilling aspect of this work!

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/15/2024

Tight, painful neck on your performance horse?

Nothing a little massage + infrared laser can’t handle!🥱

Now this neck has better range of motion and is COMFORTABLE during flexion and extension.

A comfortable horse is a happy horse! 🤠

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/13/2024

🥶🥶🥶

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 ‘𝗲𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸! 𝗢𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 🤔

As the temperatures plummet, so do horses desire to drink. To maintain appropriate hydration, most horses need 6-10 gallons a day.

Decreased water intake can cause a multitude of problems including dehydration and colic. The number one cause of colic in horses is impaction. Impaction occurs when there’s an obstruction or blockage in the GI tract. This happens much more easily when the digested food is too dry.

Here are some tips for hydrating your horse and encouraging them to drink.

💧The most important is to provide clean, fresh water DAILY.

💧Add a few tablespoons of table salt to your horses feed or water. If you choose to add to water, you should provide both fresh and salt water. Did you know that a 1200lb horse requires a MINIMUM of 25 grams of NaCl a day? (Per the National Research Council) You should always provide your horse with free-choice loose salt year round.

💧Flavor the water! Add a little sugar free apple juice or sauce. I call this their “Sweet Tea!” 🤭 You should provide both the flavored and fresh water.

💧My favorite method is to add water to their daily feed. You can make it as watery as your horse will eat/drink it! Mine love their “soup!” You can also add a shredded fruit or vegetable to make it more enticing. Be sure to either shred or chop very small to prevent choke. My horses’ favorites are carrots, celery, apples, and turnips. Always be sure to introduce new foods in small amounts and to steer clear of gas producing vegetables. Sugar free apple sauce is another easy option to entice your horse to eat their mash.

💧If possible, heat their water. Studies have shown that horses drink more water in cold weather if it’s warm.

💧Make sure their water source isn’t too far from where they forage. They might be less inclined to walk off to drink water if they have food in front of them.

Most importantly, always be on the lookout for signs of dehydration. Below is a link to the top 10 signs with research evidence.

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/12/2024

One of the most common muscle groups I find hypertonic and tender in performance horses is the hamstrings group. Although this is a “normal” occurrence, manual bodywork is very necessary to avoid compensation patterns and the pain cycle in general.

After manually working and infrared laser, this kinesiology taping allows for circulation to continue long after I’ve left the barn. It also communicates with the proprioceptors to improve range of motion and support correct posture.

P.S. this beautiful 🍑 belongs to one of my favorite horses in the world, , belonging to 5 Star Equine Products

spfequinebodywork.com

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11/11/2024

We’re getting closer! Tell your friends and family to like & follow 🙌🏻

𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙋𝙁? 𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚!

Enter by simply liking & following our page! Reshare for an extra entry!

Everyone who has Liked AND Followed will automatically be entered in the drawing!

P.S. each friend tagged below is an 𝙀𝙓𝙏𝙍𝘼 𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙍𝙔!

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(This session will be done on-site at your horse’s home or you can haul-in. Mileage fee will apply if you’re outside of a 100mi radius. Session is all-inclusive meaning Massage, BEMER, Infrared Laser plus any other necessary modality depending on the horse’s individual needs.)

Winner will be announced when we reach 150 likes and 350 followers!

11/09/2024

Almost horse show time!🤩

11/09/2024

Holy Fascia! 🤩

This weekend I’m in Fair Grove, Missouri attending my first ever Equine Dissection. There aren’t really words to perfectly describe just how enlightening this experience has been for me thus far.

It’s been truly amazing to see what’s beneath what I am doing on the outside and for those puzzle pieces to fall into place. 🧩

I’m constantly working to learn more and more to be better at what I do- advocating for the horse and helping them to be comfortable and happy, mentally and physically. I have no doubt that this experience will greatly impact my work from this point on.

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Thank you to the beautiful Spring 🐴 who has been a wonderful teacher for us all.

Thank you sozoequine_ for hosting us and giving us all the opportunity to learn and experience this. I have learned SO much from you over the years.

Thank you Trinity Equine Services for being the most thorough teacher and sharing all your knowledge with us. You are so passionate and empathetic for Spring which makes it that much easier to learn.

Thank you BC Stables & Training Center for allowing us to learn in your facility!

spfequinebodywork.com

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