8 ways to get the most out of your equine bodywork session
Equine bodywork isn’t the cheapest thing we do for our horses. Actually, let’s be honest, is anything we do for our horses cheap? 🥴 We probably should have picked a different hobby.
You know your horse(s) loves their sessions. You can see firsthand through licks, chews, yawns etc. that they enjoy the experience and it makes them feel good, but bodywork is not just a “spa day” for your horse. It’s a true investment in their health! When you pay for professional bodywork, you are enhancing the longevity of your horse’s ridden career and comfort. Yes, bodywork feels good for them. But more importantly, it creates lasting effects for the horse to be able to use their body properly and more comfortably, preventing unhealthy compensatory patterns and damage.
So, we know bodywork is good. But we also know it’s an investment. Are there ways you can stretch your dollar even further!? You betcha! Here’s a list of 8 ways to get the most out of your equine bodywork sessions.
Schedule the session during your horse’s “downtime” in the day. Avoid scheduling during feeding time, turnout time, or times when the barn will be super busy. We want your horse to be as present as possible during their bodywork session, not distracted by the feed cart rolling by, their friends riding out for a lesson, or watching their buddies leave for turnout without them.
Location. Location. Location. Before I arrive, think about where your horse will be most comfortable...in their stall? At the crossties? Tied to the hitching rail? When the horse is comfortable, it will be so much easier for them to relax into session and get the most of their time with me.
Arrive early! Give yourself ample time to catch and groom your horse. I’ll admit… watching you run after your horse in the pasture is highly entertaining for me, but it eats into your session time! Don’t wait to catch them as I’m pulling up.
Have your horse dry and groomed with no fly spray or show sheen.
Why dry? A wet horse (either from being hosed down or from sweating) interferes with the strokes and makes your horse "sticky". If you’re riding before I get there, give yourself ample time to unsaddle and cool your horse down/dry off the sweat before I arrive.
Why groomed? Listen, I’m not afraid to get dirty. However, if your horse hasn’t been groomed and is crusty with mud or dried sweat, it hurts. Seriously! Rubbing knuckles over dried sweat crystals or mud is painful. If your horse is crusty, I'll skip those areas.
Why no fly spray or show sheen? It makes your horse slippery! I've talked about this one a lot before as it pertains to toxin absorption but a horse doused in fly spray or coat shine also makes them too slippery to work on! Massage requires a certain amount of resistance against the coat and when that's missing, many of the techniques are impossible to administer.
Be prepared for me to ask you to step away from your horse. Yikes...harsh right!? I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m there to help your horse work through discomfort. Sometimes owners can be a distraction to their horse’s ability to be present or “let go”! I often prefer owners to either stand at the end of the lead rope or to allow me to work alone in the stall or with the horse tied up. It doesn’t mean I don’t want you there! Sometimes your horse just needs you to take a few steps back 😉
ASK QUESTIONS! There are no stupid questions... seriously! I’ll never make you feel dumb and I’ll always do my best to help you understand what I’m doing and how it helps your horse. Don’t forget… there was a time when I didn’t know anything about equine anatomy or bodywork, I know how it feels to be a horse owner without that knowledge. Ask the questions!
Read your session notes & stay in touch. The session notes provide a detailed summary of the information we discussed in person and give you a roadmap of your horse’s pain, restriction, and strengths! If you skip reading them… you’re missing the point. I need you as a partner in your horse’s bodywork! By reading your session notes and staying up-to date, we can more easily work together to identify trends and notice changes. Also, stay in touch! Did your horse feel better, worse or no different after our session? By keeping in communication with me, it gives me a clearer picture of your horse’s response to session and how I can best serve them.
Stay on the recommended schedule. When I make recommendations for ongoing support for your horse, I consider what I saw/felt during the session, what their weekly workload is, and your goals for the horse. I’m not just picking an arbitrary timeline. The more consistently (note: more consistently does not necessarily mean more often) I see your horse, the greater benefit they will receive.
Sometimes, budget plays a roll - I get that! If you need to skip a month or take a break from bodywork, I won’t take it personally! Let me know and I can give you some exercises and stretches specific to your horse to do in the interim until I see them again ❤️
Moral of the story: Help your money work harder! By following the steps above, your equine bodywork session will extend further than just the short time I’m there with your horse.
Do it for you, do it for me, do it for your horse.
