Eggert Equine Sports Massage

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United States
Lebanon, PA
Eggert Equine Sports Massage

providing bodywork for horses of all competition levels, from racehorses to pleasure horses.
(6)

09/10/2024

Bodywork day for Frosty! I don't just preach about preventative maintenance, I also practice it!

Frosty gets massages about every 4-6 weeks regularly. Today I found his shoulders to be fairly tight, so added some kinesiology tape. Did I notice him looking or feeling off this week? Nope! But now, I can address this problem before it becomes visible or to the point of compensation in other areas. Let's get ahead of the issue! 😀

08/20/2024

When your horse has tension in their poll, it's often assumed that it is related to the bit or too much tension from the rider's hands. While this can absolutely be true, also consider the fascia lines.

Everything in the body is held in place by connective tissue called fascia. Recent research and dissection has shown us the fascia lines, or chains, in horses and how they connect various structures in the body.

So, while bits and riding style should definitely be considered in poll tension, the cause could also be somewhere along the hind end ;). Did you notice in the image below how many fascia lines end at the poll? Again, it's all connected!

PC Zenma Wellness

08/12/2024

Sometimes, when a horse is in pain (whether visible or invisible to us), it will begin compensating and restricting movements to the point where they no longer show any real noticeable signs of being off. Without being addressed, this continues until the point of injury - and not always in the original area of restriction - que tendon injury!

This is why, as a bodyworker, I address the entire body. If only the visibly sore/painful areas are worked, all of those other restrictions are missed! As always, prevention is key! 💕🐎

08/06/2024

I can always count on Tita to get into her bodywork sessions! I so love being a part of making horses feel their best! ❤️

08/01/2024

Client spotlight...Dreamer!

Dreamer is a retired lesson horse. Now in his 30s, he's living his best retirement at the home of a former student of his, along with two gorgeous mares to keep him company. He's such a sweetheart! 💕

07/10/2024

The many faces of Milo during his massage today! I love working with this sweet boy!

07/05/2024

This horse (one of my client's horses), is a great example of being built downhill, or on the forehand. While this is something that happens as horses are growing, it's known as a conformation fault when seen in an adult horse.

What would you experience with a downhill horse? These horses naturally want to travel on their forehand, causing stiff shoulders and can cause weakness/strain in their backs. While they absolutely can be trained to bring their hind end under themselves and engage their core, they simply have to work harder at it. Same goes for lifting their shoulders.

I personally don't feel it's a game ender...in fact, some people prefer a downhill horse (often seen with stock horse breeds). It's just good to know what you're getting and how to help them best carry themselves. Feel free to add thoughts!

07/01/2024

I like to think of summer as a time to thrive. In the spring, we had a season of growth and building. Now we are in a time to nurture those ideas or seeds that we planted, right?

There may be a few "weeds" to pull along the way to keep your ideas and goals strong, and that's ok too! We all need fine tuning and adjustments as we go along. Here's to a beautiful summer of thriving for you too!

06/28/2024

I made an extra stop to see Wyatt today. He's been off on his right foreleg for a few days, so we added an extra bodywork session to help with circulation and compensation (vet approved, of course). Hopefully he's back at it soon! Thanks for trusting me with your boy, Charity!

06/25/2024

When horses are ridden behind the vertical, they literally have no escape from pressure...this causes a conglomerate of problems throughout the entire body! Here are some signs of trouble that that you will see in a horse's neck after consistent riding in this manner.

Whether it's a current problem, or a sign of past training, these signs should be addressed with both a qualified trainer to correct the horse and rider's way of going, and your bodyworker (and possibly veterinarian) to reinstitute movement and balance.

(Full length video available on my YouTube channel!)

06/21/2024

Want more power coming from that hind end? Then you're going to want to build those hamstrings!

Next up in our mini anatomy series, let's review the hamstrings group! Check out this short clip to learn what muscles are included, as well as their function on your horse.

06/20/2024

Does your horse's mane have that ONE piece that always flips to the opposite side, no matter how hard you try to train it? Chances are that you're either dealing with restricted fascia or one side of the neck being more muscularly developed than the other. In Frosty's case, it's restricted due to that deep scar tissue below the flip.

If this is something you see with your horses, bring some bodywork into their care regimen to see about getting them more balanced. It's worth more than the aesthetically pleasing mane ;)

06/12/2024

If you're in my email group, you know I've been doing basic anatomy reviews the past few months. That has led to a few of you requesting that I also add video showing the location and actions of various muscles. So here you go...let's learn about the brachiocephalicus! :)

06/06/2024

The past few months, some of my clients have asked if I could provide more education on basic horse anatomy. I've got you! While many of these points have been covered with my email subscribers, we can't let everyone else out of the loop on some points too! There's no better place to start than the head, right? Let's talk about the poll.

By definition, the poll is the occipital protrusion from the base of the skull. As equestrians, we think of the poll as the area directly behind the ears. The muscle covering this area is the re**us capitis. This muscle allows both vertical and lateral flexion of the poll area.

When your horse has tension in their poll, it's often assumed that it is related to the bit or too much tension from the rider's hands. While this can absolutely be true, also consider the fascia lines. Everything in the body is held in place by thin connective tissue called fascia (see other related detailed posts regarding fascia). Recent research and scientific dissection has shown us the various fascia lines in horses and how they connect multiple structures in the body.

So, while bits, rider's hands and riding style should definitely be considered when poll tension is discovered, the cause could also be somewhere along the hind end ;). In fact, many fascia lines in the horse's body end at the poll!

So what do we do when a horse has poll tension? That's where bodywork comes in! By working on the entire body, various restrictions are released, and often release that tension we are seeing in the poll. A mouth release is a technique that I often incorporate when horses have poll tension, or TMJ tension. This is a simple technique that you can do too! If you'd like a link to a video showing you how to perform a mouth release, let me know - I'm happy to share! If you're a client of mine, I can show you at our next scheduled session.

05/20/2024

Social time is sooo important for horses' mental health...after all, they were designed to be herd animals! Horses equate safety to their herd mates; they all have a different role toward keeping their herd safe. Being alone is an automatic stressor for them.

If you want to learn about your horse's personality, spend some time watching them with their herd in the field. Is this something that you do regularly?

How does your farm allot for socialization?

05/18/2024

Rib entrapment syndrome...have you heard of it? It's not uncommon, but it can be resolved!

05/08/2024

Sunny day, warm breeze, and a beautiful Haflinger to work on...what better way is there to spend a Wednesday morning?

05/03/2024

Tita was quite expressive through her bodywork yesterday! She's made such great improvements over our time together with a combo of bodywork, chiro, vet care, exercise and diet changes. Sometimes it takes a team! I love to see her enjoying life!

05/01/2024

Did you know that it's National Small Business Week? As a small business owner, I would just like to thank all of my fabulous clients over the years! You all mean the world to me, and I thank you for allowing me to be part of your horse's care team!

04/19/2024

Have you been working hard at building up your horse's topline, but just not quite getting the results you're after? Don't forget that you need that core engagement! By lifting your horse's abdominals, you will in turn lift and relax the ligaments and muscles in their back. Doing this will allow that hind end to come under them and create that topline you're after.

The dorsal chain and ventral chain shown below describe two opposing groups of muscles. Without these two groups working together, imbalance is bound to happen.

Here are some tips for core engagement:

👉Use cavaletti poles, both flat and raised.
👉Be sure to allow neck extension when working on abdominal lift. No giraffe necks here! :)
👉Backing exercises lift the abs and engage the hind end (all connected!)
👉Use of kinesiology tape on the core will create proprioception, allowing better lift through your workout.

PC graphic: equisense

04/10/2024

I worked on helping to get this fella trail ready with some massage and kinesiology tape today! He was such a chill horse! 😎 Thanks for trusting me with your guy, Kelly Benasutti!

03/24/2024

It was a taping kind of week! With these two horses, we were targeting a restricted shoulder/supraspinatus and the TFL (tensor fascia latae) of the hip.

How does kinesiology tape help? The tape allows for more fascia release, blocks nerve pain receptors allowing for proper motion, improves circulation to the area and improves proprioception (body awareness).

Of course these are bilateral applications to combat any compensation that may happen as the areas release as well.

What successes have you seen in your horses with tape applications, or perhaps even on yourself?

03/18/2024

Why massage a young horse? Because they're growing! This filly is getting massages to help her grow well balanced and keep her supple. While started under saddle, she is not ridden regularly, allowing her back and joints that proper growth time. She still gets a bit sore from all of her body parts growing and coming together, but we're keeping her feeling good! Thanks for sharing photos, Britney Reiff! 💕

03/17/2024

Here is a great stretch that you can do with your horses post workout: the tail pull! This is great for stretching out the entire top line, from tail to poll. I've heard it compared to us humans doing a vertical hang, which is fantastic for stretching out the muscles along your spine!

As always, be sure your horse's muscles are warm prior to static stretches. I hold the stretch for roughly 10 seconds, pulling gently (think about 5 lbs of pressure). The horse will usually pull forward against you in order to increase the stretch.

03/01/2024

Wondering why I chose this application of kinesiology tape? Tune in to listen to my rationale! With this fluffy winter coat, I don't expect that tape to budge this week! If you think your horse might benefit from kinesiology taping, reach out and we can discuss the benefits!

02/29/2024

On a cold, windy day like today, I was so grateful to have a warm bank barn to work in! 💕

02/08/2024

Meet Scarlett, Cava, and Jag! These are 3 lesson horses that I have the pleasure of working with every month. I absolutely LOVE that I'm seeing so many lesson horses on my schedule lately! These guys give their all for us to learn (and are often so forgiving), so they deserve to have bodywork to help them feel and perform their best!

Address

Lebanon, PA

Telephone

+17178138529

Website

http://www.eggertequinesportsmassage.com/

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Videos

When horses are ridden behind the vertical, they literally have no escape from pressure...this causes a conglomerate of problems throughout the entire body! Here are some signs of trouble that that you will see in a horse's neck after consistent riding in this manner. Whether it's a current problem, or a sign of past training, these signs should be addressed with both a qualified trainer to correct the horse and rider's way of going, and your bodyworker (and possibly veterinarian) to reinstitute movement and balance. (Full length video available on my YouTube channel!)

Want more power coming from that hind end? Then you're going to want to build those hamstrings! Next up in our mini anatomy series, let's review the hamstrings group! Check out this short clip to learn what muscles are included, as well as their function on your horse.

Rib entrapment syndrome...have you heard of it? It's not uncommon, but it can be resolved!

I have the best job...helping horses feel and perform at their best! 💕🐎 Thanks for sharing, Paige Beiler and Hannah Swavely-White :)

Hind leg stretches, what not to do. *As always, perform these stretches on warm muscles rather than cold :)

What is repetitive strain injury, or overuse syndrome? Check out this short video below to understand the basics of what is meant when we say this phrase :)

This is that fulfillment that I was mentioning in my work as a bodyworker. Per her owner, "I haven’t seen her move this freely (and without attitude!) at the canter in ages." 💕

Here's a simple, easy method to get your horse softening before you hop in the saddle! This is great for a horse who feels a bit stiff in the neck or is even acting uneasy, as it helps them to relax. Have you tried it?

Is your horse experiencing pain? Would you know if he was? Here's some of the more subtle signs that you may see. What are some others? I didn't cover them all here, but it gives a good jumping off point!

Here's another simple way to stretch your horses topline amd engage their core. Do you incorporate this with your horses?

Quick tip for your icy Friday! Stimulating your horse's diaphragm. There are 2 key benefits to this simple exercise: 👉 Improve GI mobility...this is key when your horse isn't able to move around freely 👉 Loosen the intercostal muscles, preventing stiffness in the ribcage area

As promised in discussions last week, here is a little demo on the technique for jostling the crest. Again, this is a simple tool that can be used to relax your horse's neck muscles during grooming or prior to a work session. Let me know if you have any questions!

Foreleg stretches

Next up in the stretching series: two simple foreleg stretches that you can do after rides. Again, these are static stretches, so make sure your horse's muscles are warm to prevent strains. Let me know if you have any questions!

Some subtle signs of pain

Some subtle of pain in horses. There are of course others, but here were some off the top of my head! This video doesn't go into deep discussion on the "why" or what may be causing pain, but does give some awareness on what to look out for; what definitely needs some attention. Feel free to add some more in the comments, or open it up for some more questions :)