Equine Sports Massage Therapy

06/27/2024

06/25/2024

Which are the key anatomical structures of the equine cervical spine?

1. Vertebrae: The cervical spine of a horse consists of seven vertebrae, labeled as C1 to C7.

2. Intervertebral discs: The discs between the cervical vertebrae provide cushioning and flexibility to the spine.

3. Spinal cord: The spinal cord runs through the vertebral canal formed by the cervical vertebrae and is protected by the surrounding bony structures.

4. Nerve roots: Nerve roots emerge from the spinal cord and pass through openings in the vertebral column to innervate various parts of the body.

5. Ligaments: The cervical spine is supported by ligaments, including the nuchal ligament, which runs along the top of the cervical vertebrae and provides support for the neck.

6. Muscles: There are numerous muscles attached to the cervical vertebrae, which provide movement and stability to the neck.

06/25/2024

06/20/2024

GIVING MYSELF GRACE…

This is one of the first pictures of me and Ollie (the horse that changed my life) back in 2017.

I have a hard time looking back because NOW I see all of the things I didn’t back then and it’s hard to not feel guilty for not knowing better…

If you’ve been following me for any length of time you likely know our story-but if not, in a nutshell he was a half blind, very broken 20yr old (when he passed) Appaloosa that taught me more in 5 years than I had learned my whole life-about many things.

+FETLOCK SORES are NOT normal. They are a major indicator that there’s an underlying problem.
We eventually learned that his were from sleep deprivation.
I naively thought he just rubbed them getting up and down..doctored them, put boots on them pumped him full of joint supplements…

+BLINDNESS puts an added stress on horses that their entire body compensates for. They can absolutely live great lives with impaired vision but their environment needs to support stress free ways to do so.

+MUSCLE INJURIES wreak havoc. Period.
Ollie was in an accident as a young horse where he injured his eye, lost his right pec and sustained a hind end injury we later find out was the cause of his sleep deprivation..
The pectoral muscles are a very important part of the horses frame and losing one or even part of one (any muscle) should be taken into great consideration.

+UNEVEN STANCE should never be overlooked. There is a reason they need to shift weight to cope…
Ollie would always stand off kilter in his hind in one way or another.
He was massaged ALL the time, receiving monthly Chiro and lived 5 years with me that most horses dream of as far as species appropriate environments go BUT after extensive diagnostics-a deteriorating meniscus would never improve…

ALL this to say that in 2017, I knew I was taking on a project.
I really thought I could fix him.
I never knew the experience would teach me all that it did and I am so grateful.
I forgive myself for not knowing what I didn’t know and reassure myself that Ollie came to me to help other horses suffer less.

My goal is to always advocate for horses.
Mine.
Yours.
All of them.
Sharing experiences in hopes that I can help people along their journeys…
Providing services and education to those who want to know better and do better…

Give yourself grace for the things you didn’t know-and once you know better-fiercely create change.

06/17/2024

New research indicates that the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin, not adrenaline, drives the fight or flight response. When the brain recognizes danger, it instructs the skeleton to release osteocalcin into the bloodstream, preparing the body to react swiftly.

Learn more interesting facts about the equine skeleton here - https://koperequine.com/the-skeleton-foundation-of-the-body/

06/16/2024

Fibrotic myopathy is a type of mechanical lameness that occurs when abnormal scar (fibrotic) tissue forms in the muscle. Unlike normal muscle fibers, scar tissue is inelastic and can restrict the muscle’s natural elasticity, altering its function. Ossifying myopathy is a related but distinct condition.

Learn more about them both here - Fibrotic Myopathy: A Comprehensive Guide Plus Tips for Prevention and Recovery - https://koperequine.com/fibrotic-myopathy-a-comprehensive-guide-plus-tips-for-prevention-and-recovery/

06/07/2024

A horse can experience musculoskeletal discomfort, dysfunction, or injury and may only exhibit subtle behavioral indicators. These signs could include behaviors like biting or tooth grinding when tacking or blanketing, displaying stiffness on one rein, or having difficulty performing specific movements.

This phase is often considered the 'grey area' that precedes full lameness, where the horse is “not-quite-right”, a condition known as sub-clinical lameness.

As a massage therapist, I can help you, the owner become aware of potential concerns and address these early stages of musculoskeletal dysfunction. Regular “tune-ups” can play a role in preventing more serious breakdowns.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Book your horse’s appointment today!

Learn more here - https://koperequine.com/heres-a-list-of-things-you-may-not-yet-know-about-massage/

05/29/2024

I see a lot of people recommending chiropractors and pemf and excluding massage therapists. I want to give you a few reasons why I believe a massage therapist should be used regularly at times in a horse’s life:

We all have different skills to contribute to your horse’s care. Bodies need different kinds of help at different times.

Remember that it’s the muscles that create tensile strength and hold the bones and organs in place. They are also what pulls the body out of optimum, by strength or weakness, which combine to create imbalance and potential unsoundness. This is especially true and important when a horse is coming into increased work, coming back into fitness, or when a horse is older and needs a little help staying loose and comfortable. You can be a great trainer, your horse will still build strength unevenly, it’s simply what happens when out of shape horses are put into exercise. It’s natural, normal and expected.

By being proactive and working with a great massage therapist you can help your horse be more balanced and comfortable and so sounder, more mentally balanced and train more easily. We can help the horse through the process by manually suppling, helping him learn his body, improving awareness and letting him use himself the best he can while he works to build and become, hopefully, the best version of himself.

Learn more here - https://koperequine.com/why-hands-on-massage-is-the-best-way-to-for-sore-care-muscles/

Massage Speeds Exercise Recovery - https://koperequine.com/massage-speeds-muscle-recovery/

05/18/2024

The muscles surrounding and attaching to the spine, called paraspinal muscles, are responsible for both moving and stabilizing the spine. These muscles function as spinal stabilizers, protecting the spine by helping to maintain its alignment and preventing excessive movement.

Their activity Increases during weight bearing activities such as when carrying a a rider.

The small size of these muscles enables the spine to make minute adjustments when bending, weight-bearing, and during rotational movements.

The paraspinal muscles are embedded in fascia that merge with or connects to the ligaments of the spine, which in turn are intimately connected to the thoracolumbar fascia. This interconnectedness provides support, mobility and stability to the spine.

The paraspinal muscles can only perform their job correctly if the fascia surrounding them is mobile enough to allow them to function and receive full sensory input.

Spine health and functionality it truly starts with fascia, the largest sensory organ in the body. Before we see the issues, before the horse feels the “not-quite-right” or needs an adjustment, the fascia is already telling the story.

This concept applies to the horse’s entire body.

The 10 Most Important Things Fascia Does For Your Horse’s Body -
https://koperequine.com/10-most-important-things-fascia-does-for-your-horse/

Fascia is a connective tissue that surrounds and permeates all structures in the body, including muscles, bones, organs, and nerves. It’s a vital component of your horse’s body, providing str…

05/17/2024

What I have experienced working on a variety of horses is that there is a missing component, often times, that if changed can help expedite progress.

Approaching horses with the whole wellness team in mind we can accomplish quite a bit - farrier, chiropractor, bodywork, diet, physical fitness all comes together to bring a happier healthier horse.

I find many cases of horses where points I massage are a persistent issue that can be related to digestive issues. Horses range from major symptoms to stoic conditions so therefore looking at what the ingredients are that you are feeding, the horse's workload, behaviors and when they are triggered can all build a case for analyzing our individual horses' program.

Joint issues, muscle pain, behavior can be helped with a healthy diet. What is deemed healthy is broken down into how separate ingredients help or hinder the gut. When the gut is healed and healthier, nutrients are able to be more readily absorbed into the body. Eliminating the worry of a deficiency in the nutrition plan and if it's apparent are all topics I enjoy researching and talking about.

Aiming to keep it simple, however, there is a fine line in balancing this. I focus more on investing in horses long term verses quick fix methods that cover up symptoms resulting in a breakdown sooner rather than later.

Try palpating these points, look for... responses, spasms, body language in this process.

Horses can tell us a lot just by these few tips.

Even if your horse seems stoic in their ways and willing to perform doesn't mean they aren't suppressing an issue that is building due to lack of intervention.

I meet many horses that the owner notes they never show pain or reactions. The shocking find is through working on them 1 or 2 times they end up showing a response that isn't normal to the owner. I do feel horses recognize our intentions and can feel our energy.

Many of us have been told this through trainers when they recognize an anxious rider or someone who's mind isn't focused on the lesson but instead on a personal issue at home. It seems more horses feel comfortable through this intention to express what is bothering them.

I am happy to see that these type of horses become more comfortable to express their personalities more openly and their opinion in an issue. Some owners find their horses become more comfortable in expressing this outside of appointments which helps when knowing how much to push them in certain scenarios.

This helps to prevent built up injuries over time.

To learn more about these methods and how you can apply this way of identifying pain and behavior issues in your own horses or clients (for equine therapists) find out about The Equi-IX Method and pick up some new tips at this free class:

Get a peek inside the playbook of a full time equine therapy business. The 4 phase model I use (and my clients use) to break the pain and behavior cycle in horses with more clarity and less mindset struggles. Why you DON'T need to panic-buy that magical supplement and what to do instead.

05/17/2024

Two veterinarians explain why horses develop hunter’s bumps and how to treat them.

04/13/2024

: Unlike humans, horses don’t have collarbones. Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead, often referred to as the “thoracic sling.”

Why is this important? We often ask our equine athletes to perform complex movements that require tremendous strength and coordination, and horses carry the majority of their weight in their front end. Therefore, it is imperative that the bulk of the muscles that support the front end are kept healthy and conditioned, and the horse is trained to use their “motor” — that is, engaging the large hind end muscles as much as possible to avoid excessive weight bearing on the front end.

If the front end of the horse is consistently overweighted or not at an appropriate level of fitness, repetitive biomechanical stresses get transferred down the leg to the smaller ligaments and tendons that were not designed to bear this weight, which can then lead to injury.
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

04/08/2024

Join the Free Colic Masterclass with equine vet Dr Lizzie McCready and discover exactly what to do (and not do) to maximise your horse's chances of making a full recovery.

03/28/2024

Did you know?

The most common parasites of adult horses cause very little stress on the nutritional status of a horse. Just because a horse looks good from the outside, it does not mean it should not to be checked for internal parasites—as a matter of fact, it is not uncommon for the horse with the best coat and highest body condition score in the herd to also have the highest F***l Egg Count (FEC)!

If your horse has access to pasture, you should assume the animal is exposed to parasites. This spring, talk with your veterinarian to establish a dewormer plan tailored to your horse’s situation that includes at least 1-2 dewormer treatments per year and FEC examinations to monitor treatment efficacy and parasite egg shedding status of individual horses.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

03/16/2024

UNDERSTANDING HOOF ABSCESSES
Sooner or later (and especially at this time of year), nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean? The diagram below shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help you visualize the structures involved in this process.

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over the course of time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great.

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

As always, consult your horse doctor for more information and advice!

03/01/2024

As an avid learner of correct biomechanics of the horse I subscribed a while back to Becks Nairn’s Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/Becks_nairn/posts) I cannot recommend it highly enough. It has been such an eye opener and until I can get to an actual dissection, her Patreon has given me so much food for thought.

Becks recently posted a video of a horse’s cervical spine with the nuchal liagament still attached. Seeing the movement aberrations of the neck created by riding horses behind the vertical, is something every rider needs to see for themselves IMHO.

There are numerous studies demonstrating that excessive flexion puts tension on the nuchal ligament, leading to a variety of injuries throughout the horses body. As riders, it’s critical to remember that the nuchal ligament inserts at the withers (its origin is at the external occipital protuberance at the occipital crest and posterior tubercle of the atlas). From its insertion at the withers, it attaches to the supraspinous ligament, which acts much like a suspension bridge and runs the entire length of the horses spine to the tail.

Armed with this important information it makes perfect sense that when the nuchal ligament is over tightened, as it is when riding behind vertical, it results in a host of physiological issues. Riding horses behind vertical does not take into consideration the anatomy of the horses spine and its subsequent supporting structures. This incorrect posture, such as when the horse’s neck shows this unnatural bend around C2/C3, can only lead to stress on these structures. Bones will adapt at attachment and insertion sites to the excessive loading and remodel, creating boney formations which, more often than not, cause our horses further pain and discomfort. (Photos of some of these remodeled bones in comments thanks to Becks!)

Keeping our horses sound and working can be a challenge on a good day. Having this information can help us in ensuring our horses stay sound for many years to come.

A huge thank you to Becks for entertaining my curiosity and being so generous with her knowledge and experience. ❤️

02/27/2024

02/24/2024

02/02/2024

If you’re needing your horses felling good in the arena or out give me a call

01/25/2024

11/23/2023

Tapeworms (Part One)

We recently took the time to discuss stomach bots. And while completing a different necropsy this past week, I saw tapeworms for the first time and thought it would be a great idea to dive into these parasites next! This is a rather long read so I decided to put it in two parts and I will link them together when they are both up!

The Life Cycle of the Tapeworm

Tapeworms have a unique life cycle where they have not one but two hosts: an intermediate and definitive (final) host. The intermediate host is the oribatid mite that lives in the soil and herbage. This mite which will ingest tapeworm eggs while feeding on manure. Upon ingestion, the outer shell of the egg is mechanically destroyed and the larval development begins until the parasite reaches the final infective stage known as the cysticercoid. Eventually, the oribatid mite is accidentally ingested by the horse during grazing and the tapeworm larvae can be released within the gastrointestinal tract of the horse.

While there are three different species of tapeworm, the most common one is the Anoplocephala perfoliata. This tapeworm makes its home at the ileocecal junction in the gastrointestinal tract, which is the connection between the final portion of the small intestine (ileum) and the initial part of the hindgut, the cecum. Here, the tapeworms can mature to adults and lay eggs, which ultimately leave the body in the manure to perpetuate this life cycle.

How does it impact my horse?

Horses do not develop immunity to tapeworms and can harbor them at any age. And while tapeworms are common and widespread, their prevalence is dependent on housing and climatic conditions. Horses grazing green, lush pasture are at the greatest risk of exposure (this is where mites live!) and are most likely to harbor tapeworms in the fall (at the end of the grazing season). In comparison, horses without pasture access or living in dry and arid regions are unlikely to be exposed to these parasites (Nielsen/AAEP). It is important to note that just because a horse is exposed to tapeworms, it does not mean they harbor the parasite. Rather, the number of horses within a herd infected by tapeworms can vary significantly. But the bottom line is: if your horse has access to pasture, it would not be surprising to learn they have tapeworms.

Considering this and that the most common species of tapeworm persists at the ileocecal junction, a small opening connecting the foregut and hindgut, horses who are diagnosed with an ileocecal colic or ileal impaction are statistically more likely to also have an A. perfoliata infection (Proudman et al., 1998). HOWEVER, the risk of having these types of colic if a horse has tapeworms is unknown as many horses harbor tapeworm infections and do not display any clinical signs or discomfort (Nielsen, 2016). So the takeaway here is: if your horse has an ileocecal colic or ileal impaction, you are more likely to find they also harbor an A. perfoliata infection, but just because your horse has tapeworms, does not mean they will experience this colic.

Part two will focus on how to test your horse for tapeworms and how to combat them so stay tuned!

Dr. DeBoer

Nielsen, M. American Association of Equine Practitioners. https://aaep.org/horsehealth/tapeworms-horses

Proudman, C.J., N.P. French, and A.J. Trees. 1998. Tapeworm infection is a significant risk factor for spasmodic colic and ileal impaction colic in the horse. Equine. Vet. J. 30: 194-199. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1998.tb04487.x

Nielsen, M.K. 2016. Equine tapeworm infections: Disease, diagnosis and control. Equine Vet. Educ. 28: 388-395. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12394

11/14/2023

DID YOU KNOW?

Strangles is one of the most commonly contagious diseases of the horse (worldwide) and in 2017 it became a nationally monitored disease. This condition is caused by bacterial infection with "Streptococcus equi subspecies equi" (referred to as "S. equi”), which typically infects the upper airway and lymph nodes of the head and neck, and is highly contagious in horse populations—particularly affecting young horses.

Transfer from horse to horse usually involves direct face-to-face contact, or exposure to things such as contaminated feed, water, hands, veterinary instruments or grooming tools. A stall or van recently used to house or transport a horse that is shedding the organism may also be a source of infection.

WATCH OUT FOR ASYMPTOMATIC CARRIERS!
It is not uncommon for strangles infections to recur on a farm with previous outbreaks of the disease, and the primary source of recurrent infections are most likely asymptomatic carrier horses—animals who display no clinical signs but may continue to shed the bacteria for months to even years, serving as a continual source of new infections.

If you suspect a strangles outbreak, be sure to involve your veterinarian right away to determine the diagnosis and the best control practices for your particular farm. Without control and biosecurity measures, a strangles outbreak will ultimately affect all susceptible horses, last longer, and have a greater chance of leading to complications.

**Please note that strangles is a reportable disease in some states.**

To learn more about strangles, visit our website at https://aaep.org/issue/understanding-equine-strangles
And as always, contact your veterinarian for more information as they remain the best source of advice!

11/09/2023

09/29/2023

09/20/2023