Achieve Optimal Health for Your Horse With Equine Bodywork

Why Equine Bodywork?

Equine bodywork can have a profound effect on both the nervous system and the skeletal muscular system of the horse.

I combine the Masterson Method, Craniosacral, and Equissage techniques along with PEMF to create a successful bodywork plan unique to your horse.

Some benefits of the equine bodywork are:

  • Pain Relief
  • Relief from Restlessness and Stress
  • More Efficient Movement
  • Improved Posture, Circulation, Muscle Tone, and Flexibility
  • Immune System Support
  • Injury Prevention

The Masterson Method

Is an interactive method of equine bodywork in which you work together with the horse. This is performed by gently and purposefully placing your hands on the horse in isolated locations throughout the body.

I watch for a response and allow the horse to release the accumulated tension in key junctions in the body. Those key junctions are: the poll-atlas, the neck‑shoulder-withers (Cervical‑Thoracic C7‑T1), and the hind-end (Sacroiliac).

Unlike traditional massage, this method allows the horse to actively participate in the process of releasing tension.

This technique may improve performance in competitive horses and aid in overall health with our barn horses, while bridging communication and trust between horse and rider.

Our horses will naturally and visibly enter a relaxed state, showing their releases through deep blinking and twitching of the eyes, quivering of the lips, changes in breathing, sighing, dropping their head, licking and chewing, snorting or sneezing, shaking their head or body, and yawning.

For those horse owners interested in learning these bonding and useful techniques, I would be happy to share these invaluable tools so you may be able to use them on your own.

Craniosacral Therapy (CST)

Was discovered by Dr. William Sutherland, a human osteopath, in the early 1900s.

During a surgical procedure, it became evident that there was an undeniable and predictable flow and pulse in the body, one other than the well-known respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

This pulse came from the flow of the cerebral spinal fluid as it follows the path from the cranium through the spinal cord to the sacrum.

The sutures that connect the bones of the skull are designed to allow for subtle movement of the cerebral spinal fluid as it flows through the body.

There is a distinct connection between the motion of these bones and the cerebral spinal fluid, the central nervous system, and the sacrum.

In the 1970s, Dr. John Upledger founded The Upledger Institute, further developing CST techniques and sharing his knowledge through teaching programs throughout the world.

Although we strive for optimum health, this flow from the cranium to the sacrum can be disrupted, thus affecting the central nervous system and causing restrictions, by any of the following issues:

  • Injury or trauma to the head, spine, or hind end
  • Stress
  • Toxicity
  • Normal aging process

Restrictions in this flow can result in a horse:

  • Cribbing
  • Head shaking or tossing
  • TMJ (bite, dental, and conformation issues)
  • Restrictions of movement

CST frees the restricted areas and allows for motion in the bones of the skull, vertebrae column, and pelvis. By influencing and restoring the optimal “pulse or flow,” this technique can help to restore balance.

CST is very gentle and subtle, but the impact on our equine friends can be quite profound.

Both the Masterson Method and CST work with the Touch and Response technique. By using this subtle and intuitive hands-on approach, your horse will remain under their threshold of bracing (flight response), which is key in its ability to release built‑up tension.

Much like a human massage, to achieve the best results, it proves beneficial to relax rather than tense the muscles during a massage session.

Since we cannot tell our horses to relax, we must approach them with the Touch and Response technique in order to achieve the desired results.

Equissage

Is a finely tuned sports massage therapy program for equines. Sports massage focuses on the cause of muscle injury with the intent of relieving muscular pain as well as preventing future injuries.

Sports massage has its place in equine bodywork, just as the lighter touch techniques do. The preventative aspect of Equissage is a major component.

Each horse is treated based on the competitive discipline and thus which muscles are regularly affected by repeated training and competition.

Equissage can enhance muscle tone and increase range of motion, assist with proper balancing, reduce inflammation, alleviate pain, and promote healing by increasing the flow of nutrients to the muscles and expelling toxins, which can create an overall sense of well‑being.