Eggert Equine Sports Massage

11/27/2024

All that preventative maintenance I keep talking about... 😉

11/25/2024

Stifle weakness is a common issue that I come upon with bodywork sessions. Fortunately, with kinesiology tape, we can provide support for that with a stifle sling. This application can help with support/rehab and proprioception.

How do you know if your horse has stifle weakness? One common sign is difficulty stopping, or have a sort of bouncy stop. Other signs may include toe dragging, difficulty with canter work, struggling with trot/canter transitions, difficulty backing up, circumduction with the hind legs, and struggling with hills.

Now obviously, use your judgement on whether you feel these symptoms need some veterinary attention if not already being addressed.

There are some great exercises that will help your horse gain strength in this area, but the tape will help them with that correct movement through proprioception and the ability to gain strength as you progress.

What are some of your favorite stifle strengthening exercises? Feel free to share below so we can all learn together!

11/18/2024

11/15/2024

Do you sometimes find that your horse seems to be struggling with asks that are usually easy for them? Consider the fact that they might just be bored and need a change of scenery!

Get them out on a trail if you can; ride out of the ring around the farm; work in an open field, or even throw in a few days of ground work to give their brains and bodies a reset.

**Not to mention, this change up is also soo key in preventing those repetitive strain injuries I frequently talk about! 😉

11/13/2024

Does your horse have pain in their low back or sacrum that you just can't seem to pinpoint? Have you considered getting their teeth checked? Hear me out to see how this adds up...

Tooth pain directly causes tension in the poll and TMJ. This tension can travel all the way down to the sacrum via the dorsal and ventral longitudinal ligaments, various nerves, and the superficial dorsal fascia line. That's a lot of ways for that tension to travel down the topline!

If you are continuously finding tension in both the poll and any portion of the sacrum or back, despite no other evident causes, get their teeth checked by your local vet or equine dentist...that might just be the problem!

PC Tyra Wiegers featuring the ever expressive Zeva

11/12/2024

Frosty and I want to thank all the veterans for keeping this country free! Thanks for all you have done and continue to do!

11/04/2024

Last year, I got myself a nice black winter coat...ya know, one for nights NOT at the farm. ;) Well, I wore it to our trip to NYC, and only then realized how tight the shoulders fit on the coat. By the end of our day walking through the city, I was in SO much pain through my shoulders and upper back, but it was too cold to walk around without it!

In comparison, it's blanket season. At bodywork appointments, I often see more horses with tight shoulders, chest and wither areas during blanket season. If your blanket fits poorly, it can surely be a detriment to your horse's comfort, and in turn, their ability to move freely (both in and out of the saddle).

Make sure those blankets fit! Your horse will thank you! 💕🐎

PC Cheshire Horse

10/31/2024

Nut was so relaxed with his bodywork today, I unhooked the crossties so he could get all the stretches as he liked and eventually lower his head into a state of total calmness. I really do love this business! ❤️

10/23/2024

I like to surround myself with beautiful things!

Wyatt was hoping for a turn today too, but we had to ask him for a little more space after Charity snapped the photo ;)

10/22/2024

Someone recently asked me if I work on the entire horse during a massage, or do more of a spot treatment? The whole horse, every time!

You can bet that if I find a restriction or a tight spot in one area, your horse will also need some releases elsewhere. ;) Those fascia restrictions and compensating muscles need to be worked too, or we end up with more problem spots!

I know I've shared this spiderweb analogy before, but it shows this idea so well!

10/15/2024

It was a groundwork kind of afternoon! Frosty learned a new exercise today too! We worked on some core strength exercises, joint flexion, and range of motion. I love mixing in groundwork not only to change up the riding routines, but to improve his overall health. Is this something you do regularly?

10/09/2024

As humans, when we are stressed or worried (or even just more high strung personality types), chances are that we're holding some tension in our necks or TMJ areas. Do you ever notice yourself clenching your jaw or rubbing your tight neck when thinking about stressful things?

The same goes for your horses. More high strung horses, or those dealing with stressful situations will most often have tension in the TMJ and poll. The good news is that we can provide some relief and comfort for them through various stretches, massage techniques and kinesiology tape. If you need ideas for your horse, let's chat!

10/07/2024

Routine bodywork is so helpful for both your horse and your horse's bodyworker! Not only does consistent bodywork keep your horse moving more balanced and prevent those potential injuries, but it gives me the ability to notice any changes, whether good or bad.

Copper is a great positive example! Between good farrier work and routine bodywork appointments, we have noticed over the months that he's consistently improving both his comfort and mobility!

Have you noticed anything similar with your own horses and their care teams?

09/26/2024

When I find that a horse is having back pain, the first thing that is assumed is poor saddle fit. Can that be the case? Absolutely! However, that's just brushing the surface of possible causes.

Has your horse been learning to carry himself better, and engaging their core? Then they're using new muscles which may have some fatigue (that's a good thing!). In contrast, if they are riding around with a hollow back, they may not be getting the support that they need to carry you, or your own imbalance may be causing muscle strain. In this case, you may need to seek a trainer/instructor to help you both engage proper muscles.

Is your horse getting adequate turnout? Let's remember that horses weren't designed to stay stagnant, and need movement. Without that lengthy turnout time, they will likely be stiff in more areas than just their back.

Sometimes we will find a problem area in the hind end that is radiating to the longissimus muscles, creating some spasms in the back. We can talk about fascia lines and how everything connects in another post...that's a whole book in itself!

Let's also not forget to consider medical issues that may be rearing their ugly heads...examples: Lyme, EPM, etc.

So, while saddle fit should absolutely be considered when discussing back pain, let's not assume an absolute cause, but rather a starting point to explore further 😉.

09/23/2024

Have you been working hard to build 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 and ventral chains shown below describe two opposing groups of muscles. Without these two groups working together, imbalance is bound to happen.

I recently created a free guide to building a better topline. This guide includes exercises and activities that you can implement in your riding routine to improve your horse's musculature here. Let me know if you'd like a copy by commenting "guide" in the comments!

PC graphic: Equisense

09/18/2024

There's something so peaceful about a late summer rain...

09/14/2024

This exercise is more challenging than you'd think, but SO good for your horse! By straddling a pole, they work on truly engaging the topline, create balance through the hips, improve proprioception, and get a nervous system release (which is why you'll often see yawning or chewing when doing this exercise). Have you tried this one?

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! 😀