Initial Assessment & Treatment
An Initial Assessment includes static and dynamic assessment of the horse such as conformation & posture assessment. Walk & trot, small circles and walking backward.
It will help me to find where these restrictions lie and devise a treatment plan to help your horse become more comfortable again.
Please remember I am not a veterinarian. Equine massage is not a substitute for veterinary medicine. It is never used to diagnose or treat pain or injury!
If your horse is in good health and the treatment is to assist in maintaining their good health or to assist in optimising performance, veterinary consent is not required. However, I will ask you to confirm the practice that your horse is registered to.
If your horse is currently under veterinary care and the treatment is part of their rehab, prior to your horse’s treatment, as stated by law, veterinary permission is required before any hands-on therapy is administered.
The treatment itself will cover the entire body of your horse treating areas of concern as required using a variety of techniques depending on what is accepted by your horse.
Please allow around 1.5 hours for an Initial Assessment appointment and treatment. Although the treatment time may vary for each individual horse. Normally, the first visit is the longest, but I will always let your horse guide me.
During Treatment
I will usually treat your horse in the stable, or the place where your horse is most comfortable. If your horse is calm and non-reactive I will leave it untied. In the first session is very important to me to build a positive relationship with the horse and not make them feel restricted or stressed.
Please try not to move or touch your horse as I work. During each session, I am always reading their body language. This is the only way your horse can tell me if they are in pain, feeling relief, relaxed, or releasing tension and restriction within their body.
I will continually monitor and work accordingly to the physical and psychological state of your horse to ensure that the treatment is both effective and enjoyable for them.
It is expected that your horse may need additional sessions of bodywork, especially if there are chronic issues. We must work together towards gradual, lasting results. Chronic issues generally take longer to resolve/minimize than acute problems.
Prior and after care
Please have your horse clean, dry and groomed for when I arrive.
If you cannot attend the session, please plan for someone to bring in your horse, groom him, hand walk him and turn him back out.
If you are riding prior to your appointment, please allow at least 1 hour between the end of your ride and your horse’s bodywork session.
Following treatment, I recommend that your horse is turned out or walked in hand for 10-15 minutes particularly if they cannot be turned out. This helps remove any accumulation of lactic acid caused by bodywork. Then, they should be rested for 24 hours before riding work is resumed. However it will again depend on the individual horse. Let the horse guide you.
To gain the most benefit from the session, it is worth spending the next two riding sessions on loose contact, with plenty of warm-up time and hacking quietly if possible.
I will discuss my findings with you and a treatment plan. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have.
After treatment, I will often recommend exercises and stretches (only performed on warm muscles!) you can do with your horse in-between treatments. It will help to keep your horse in good form and work on the areas which may need more attention.
If I find anything which requires veterinary attention, then I will advise you to contact them. I will also send them a report regarding my concerns.
Follow up treatments usually take up to 1 hour. The frequency of these treatments will depend on your horse’s workload and lifestyle.
