Equine Massage TherapyMassage among human beings has been around for ages but a relatively new concept is that of equine massage. This kind of massage is specially meant for horses and gradually an increasing number of horse owners are thinking of giving their animals some sort of relaxation for the hard work they do, in the form of equine massage. Most people would not know much about equine massage but in reality, contrary to what many think, horse massage therapy has existed for centuries and the Chinese believed in the massage of animals as early as 3000 B.C. Currently, most horse owners are interested about equine massage since they want to learn more on this form of healing, which forms a part of alternative healing methods. Most experts suggest equine massage therapy because it works excellently as a preventive measure and saves horses from getting injuries many in number. Equine massage therapy has several advantages that not only involve releasing tension from the muscles with the help of various strokes, but also around the working of the nervous and digestive systems which improves due to this kind of massage. Often horse owners make the mistake of thinking that their animals are not as vulnerable as others since all that they do is graze around the field. But now various studies are stating that horses can get injured even while doing the most seemingly harmless activities. And it is obvious that when a horse pulls a sore, its capacity to work to its optimal level gets lost. At such times it is best to serve them with a few sessions of equine massage so that they can regain their original potential. Now that equine sports massage therapy has become a popular option among many horse owners, several equine massage schools have come up in North America, which specialize in this kind of animal massage therapy. When aspirants learn equine massage they are guided by experts like registered massage therapists, veterinarians etc, to understand the intricacies involved in providing the perfect massage to horses. The uniqueness of most equine massage programs lie in the fact that students are asked to consider themselves as an extension of veterinary health care, rather than an alternative. This usually helps them to feel sympathetic towards the animal and the importance of the procedure. Certain programs make students learn equine massage so as to understand the requirements of an equine athlete in rehabilitation and also provide vital assistance to owners, so that they can maximize the potential of their horses. At the very initial stage students are made to learn some basic techniques like effleurage and pertissage. The former is suggestive of a brush stroke that is commonly used to begin a massage session and the latter is the alternate application and release of pressure, the use of which is beneficial for releasing muscle and soft- tissue tension from a horse. After the basic techniques are dealt with teachers move forward to advance techniques of massage that generally involve compression, acupressure and myofascial release. The first of the three is when the masseur provides downward pressure to the horse's body so as not to irritate the animal. Acupressure is all about treating the sensitive spots of the horse by means of downward pressure. Myofascial release is another kind of compression, the only difference being that gentle rotating movements are made. Personally, I prefer hiring an equine massage therapist with the the proper certification and training rather than doing the massaging myself. |