Equine Bodywork by Diann

25/09/2024

Sessions can be scheduled weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly. Payment can be made in full or by the session.
Gift certificates are also avalible!

30/07/2024

I said what I said. Some of the most skilled bodyworkers and practitioners I have seen are extremely subtle in their work. I've often been accused of having "magic hands" because my movements are small and targeted but have big results.

Other practitioners like to put on a big show during their sessions, or have bigger more obvious movements. Everyone's style is different. The important thing to note is that whether the technique is subtle or obvious- all that matters is how EFFECTIVE it is.

25/07/2024

British equestrian Charlotte Dujardin withdrew from the Paris Olympics on Tuesday when a video showed her abusing a horse. The discovery marks a moment of deep sadness for horse lovers everywhere. Fortunately, the international and national associations governing equine events acted immediately to p...

25/07/2024

Sadly just heard about a horse drowning in SC. So tragic and very sad for the owner. The horse was not wearing a tie down, was in a popular horse swimming spot and currently there is no explanation. I thought it was a good time to put out some reminders as we are all looking for ways to beat the heat with out horses.
1. No tie downs. Period!! If riding with a tie down, I would even unhook it for water crossing where the depth is unknown.
2. Short split reins! If riding with English reins, unbuckle in the middle. For barrel racing reins, take an extra rein and use one on each side when going in water. Nothing that could create a loop to catch legs!
3. Please untack for swimming! A saddle pad can easily go from 5 to 200 lbs instantly soaking up water. Plus horse hooves are nothing like paddles. Lets don't make it harder.
4. If you want to ride into the water, be careful Not to use your reins for balance. You can easily pull a horse's nose under water with reins. A horse can come out of the water and drowned on land from inhaling water. Hold the mane for balance - even if your feet are floating out behind you. Don't pull reins back at all if horse is in over his head - only for slight direction to keep in safe area.
5. Don't overdo the swimming. Again, horses don't have paddles like ducks. Swimming is hard work and is used for conditioning top equine athletes (riderless and without tack). Especially remind kids that horses need a break. Just letting your horse stand in the water and jumping off them can be lots of fun.
6. Know your area! If you aren't familiar with the water, you don't know the footing, where rocks are or submerged logs or drop offs. Make sure you are with somebody who knows the area before getting too adventurous and then make sure to stay a safe easy distance from shore. If your horse sees a closer bank, they may head for that closer bank not knowing they wont be able to climb out there (and become exhausted).
As we see, terrible accidents can happen in the best of circumstances. Please be safe!! Please be conscientious! We want you and your horse to be on the trails this Fall.

23/07/2024

Hydrotherapy, the use of water to treat medical conditions, was first practiced by ancient Egyptians, and pools, saunas, baths, and tanks have historically been used to treat health concerns from arthritis to ulcers. Muscles have to work harder to move in water than on land, while the buoyancy of water reduces weight-bearing on bones, joints, and soft tissues and the pressure exerted by water reduces swelling and inflammation. ✅ Click here to read more: https://bit.ly/3zzCGnk

23/07/2024

07/07/2024

25/06/2024

Happy belated 18th birthday to KC!
He was born on my Dad's b-day. My mom's b-day is today. They are both in Heaven now. June is a tough month to get through.

25/06/2024

Book your horses summer bodywork session today!

22/05/2024

Happy 20th birthday to my friend Lovenote! 💝💐🎂

12/05/2024

Happy Mother’s Day, beautiful ones
❤️🦄💐

28/04/2024

Ride the horse. Enter the class.

19/04/2024

Went to see my therapist today. Here is a picture of him...😍🐴❤️

31/03/2024

Recently, I’ve had quite a few people mention and/or inquire if The Masterson Method is “massage”. Though traditional equine massage is an excellent modality to help horses feel better, Masterson Method is not massage. As Jim Masterson refers to it as “Beyond Horse Massage”. And it is!

With traditional massage we manually manipulate the soft tissues with our hands (better tool than anything on the market) to release tension in the superficial and some deep muscles of the horse’s body. The horse can be munching on hay, not paying attention to the therapist but we can still continue to massage. Many horses just love it and some may be quite sensitive but the benefits are the same. During massage, the horse may constantly switch from the sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) to the parasympathetic (rest and digest “healing state”). Either way, this doesn’t really affect the work being done. The horse will still benefit.

With the Masterson Method, the horse “MUST” participate for it to work! The practitioner’s goal is to take each joint of the body through a small range of motion . . . “in a relaxed state”. It may be only seconds but can be minutes that the horse goes into the parasympathetic state and we create range of motion in that quick span of time and the “magic” is that when we do so, with timing and feel, it triggers the central nervous system to release deep seated tension and restriction in key junctions of the body that most affect performance. The joints of the key junctions are embedded deep beneath layers of soft tissue. It is impossible to “massage” these key places. But we can reach it through the central nervous system. And to bring further clarification, The Masterson Method, though it may appear that way, is not stretching either. When we “stretch” a horse, the muscles are active. With The Masterson Method we create range of motion when the muscles are “relaxed”.

And this takes us back to, “Is The Masterson Method massage?” The simple answer is, no it is not. However, it can have the same affects as massage and goes even deeper . . . It goes “beyond massage”. This is why our title isn’t “Massage Therapist”, rather “Masterson Method Certified Practitioner”. The two certifications are completely different, as is the application.

Yes, I am certified in equine massage and do still use a portion of that very effective modality but I’m also a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner and can offer the horse both! If you’d like to learn more, below is a link to The Masterson Method Website. I hope this helps to clarify those asking.

https://mastersonmethod.com

25/03/2024

Class of 1! Me learning advanced equine first aid!