​BENEFITS OF SPORTS MASSAGE
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​Enhances muscle tone
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Aids posture
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Relaxes muscle spasm
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Prevents and relieves adhesions
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Stimulates circulation, releasing endorphins and helps flush toxins and excessive fluids therefore reducing swelling in joints and helping relieve pain
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Prevents injury by increasing range of movement and flexibility
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Helps bring dead hair and excess grease to the surface to be removed and so improves the coat
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Mental relaxation; by releasing tension in the body, this can change the behaviour and attitude of a horse, therefore solving some behavioural issues
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Helps behavioural issues - many behavioural issues are not caused by badness but a cause of pain and tension, by resolving these the horse should be more willing to perform and less likely to fight what is asked of them.
Did you know?
60% of a horse's body weight is muscle
DOES MY HORSE NEED A MASSAGE?
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Horses are athletes and deserve the same treatment as the human ones; whatever your discipline dressage, show-jumping, eventing, driving, racing, hacking, showing or endurance.
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Horses evolved to roam and graze in herds looking out for prey animals; we ask a lot more from them than that. By domesticating them we ask them to ignore their flight instinct, carry us and our tack and then perform. This can add a lot of tension to the mind and body that they wouldn't get in the wild.
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All horses can benefit, from retired horses turned out at grass (easing aches and pains) to performance horses (helping them be the best they can).
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Prevention is always better than the cure, massage will help maintain the musculoskeletal system and allow the body to heal itself naturally.
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Depending on the individual needs of the horse, happy hacker to competition horse, this can be weekly, monthly or every 6 weeks.
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Sports massage can be used alongside regular chiropractic and physiotherapy sessions or on its own.
Fact:
Small muscle injuries can take up to 90 days to become apparent (behaviour, attitude, decreased performance, lameness).
Prompt attention can enhance the horse's performance and prevent the injuries becoming more serious or having further problems in the future
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DOES YOUR HORSE SHOW ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SIGNS?​
Any of these symptoms could be signs of pain or discomfort and should be investigated.
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Discomfort or irritation at being groomed
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Preference to one rein
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Lateral stiffness
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Reluctance to canter on a certain lead
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Hollow backed
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High headed
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Head shaking/tossing​​
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Bucking, broncing, humping
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​Cold backed when tacked up or mounted
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Girthy when the girth is tightened
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Lack of poll flexion and bend
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Head tilting
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Uneven stride or not tracking up properly
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Holds the tail to one side
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