Bodywork Sessions...
What is bodywork?
Bodywork is the name given for studying and applying the Equinology programme. It is a combination of sports massage, trigger point therapy, stretching and soft tissue mobilisation techniques to target areas of muscular tension and restrictions. This type of work can be incorporated into your horse's competitive programme, to use as a preventative measure to ensure any areas of concern are picked up and monitored before leading to something more serious or to maintain the well being of the individual horse.
Benefits to your horse;
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Reduces muscle tension and soreness.
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Increases circulation and metabolism.
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Improves range of motion.
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Improves muscle tone and suppleness.
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Allows the horse to process emotions locked into muscle memory.
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Provides the horse an opportunity for downtime and to express themself without reprimand.
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Improves the horse/human interaction experience.
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Provides an opportunity to break unwanted habitual locomotory patterns, encouraging the horse to utilise its body correctly.
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Improves athleticism.
What do I get from this?
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A deeper understanding on how your horse prefers to move, how you can adapt their work and management to help alleviate one sidedness, as well as, improve their well being.
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Understand compensatory patterns and increase your knowledge.
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It will highlight influences you have that present themselves in your horse and allow you to take responsibility for changing anything that is unwanted.
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Improve the bond with your horse, as you will be coming from a more sympathetic and understanding view point.
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Provide you with areas to work on, gives you focus and a baseline to see changes.
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Gives you the opportunity to work on areas of difficulty (emotional and physical).
Signs my horse may need work;
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Changes in behaviour when handling, grooming, tacking up, rugging and/or during ridden work.
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Reoccurring dipping away when you run your hands or groom over certain areas.
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Unwillingness to bend in a certain direction when riding.
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Difficulty turning in hand.
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Bucking, not wanting to go forward, toe dragging, stumbling in front.
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Reluctance to stand when mounted by a rider.
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Turning away when the tack is presented.
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Difficulty standing for the farrier.
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Changes in fascial expressions and attitudes during transitions and in other situations when being handled.
Reasons why horses need regular work;
Just like people, horse's have an innate one-sidedness, meaning they are more dominant on either the left or right side of their bodies. Add to this their conformational influences, avoiding pain, unaddressed musculosketal restritcions and previous injuries the horse creates compensatory patterns and acquired postures that may not benefit them for long term soundness. Left unaddressed these perpetuate the situation and their habitual preferred ways of moving. Then add to this situation the owner's own one-sidedness, injuries, emotional baggage and physical limitations. Horses have enough stress on their own bodies without the added influence of a rider and then the intensity of work being asked of them. This is why all horses can benefit from regular sessions even the non ridden, retired and young horses.
