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Do you feel like you aren't doing enough with your horse?
Please know you aren't alone! Most people share the same frustrations, and it is a valid way to feel. You are doing your best at a very challenging time of year to be caring for horses.
So what can you do to help with this problem, especially if you can't magically add more hours to the day or build an indoor arena?
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Not an ad, just a happy equine therapist who loves having this high powered, low level laser therapy (LLLT) device for photobiomodulation therapy for her clients - aka light therapy!
Because of its concentrated, higher power density design, this light therapy device is perfect for specific uses like targeting acupuncture points, tendon/ligament lesions, TMJ/poll sensitivities, trigger points and nerve pain - all of which I encounter regularly in my work as a Certified Equine Therapist.
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7 tips on blanketing from an equine bodyworker!
Near the end of winter, I see a lot of impacts on my equine clients from wearing heavy blankets for the last several months. Wither and neck sensitivity, shoulder sensitivity, trigger points and pressure sores, rubs, and loss of mobility in the neck and shoulders are common.
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You can have all the titles you can earn, take all the courses and learn all the modalities, hop on all of the latest bodywork and therapeutic gizmo trends - it won't get you anywhere near as far as this.
I'm coming up on 11 years as an equine manual therapist, and something that has become increasingly clear to me is that there is one quality - or skill, since it can be learned - that stands out as the thing that allows me to be good at what I do.
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Cross training is not just for horses, and it's not purely physical!
Cross training is not just for horses, and it's not purely physical!
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Have you ever heard of "Non-Scale Victories"?
Essentially, non-scale victories are improvements in health that aren't measured by purely objective metrics. Objective measurements are very important to assess the effectiveness of things like equine bodywork and equine physiotherapy.
The thing is - I really do see value in all of the other ways I can help horses outside of purely objective metrics. Here are some of the ways that my work has helped to change many of my equine clients' lives for the better - "non-scale victories", if you will.
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Myofascial therapy, sometimes called myofascial release (MFR), is a hands-on therapy that works to relieve tension and restrictions in the fascial system. Fascia is the connective tissue network that surrounds and permeates all soft tissues, nerves, bones, and organs.
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There are so many ways to support a horse that is on rest from an injury. A common misconception that we see in the equine therapy/physio/bodywork industry is that such work only has value for horses if they are ridden regularly. When a horse is on rest, especially with a restricted movement recovery space (stall or paddock), it is vital to ensure that their body is receiving support throughout their recovery.
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I read a very interesting study published earlier this year that validates what many horse people have already been seeing and experiencing. Through this study, researchers have developed a tool to aid in the assessment of musculoskeletal pain in horses. You can find the full research article cited at the bottom of this post.
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What are some of the ways that I facilitate nervous system regulation for horses in my equine wellness sessions?
The importance of honouring the horse's nervous system in their environment, relationships, training, riding, bodywork, etc. cannot be denied when you see first hand what a positive difference it makes for their welfare.
The importance of honouring the horse's nervous system in their environment, relationships, training, riding, bodywork, etc. cannot be denied when you see first hand what a positive difference it makes for their welfare. What are some of the ways that I facilitate nervous system regulation in my equine wellness sessions?
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