Providing sports massage to horses of all breeds and athletic disciplines.                                    
 

HUNTERS
 

Hunters can be of any breed and are usually very energetic. They must be smooth, agile and possess a lot of stamina and strength.  

Problem Areas
Running over rough and uneven terrain places additional stress on the legs of the horse. Jumping puts stress on the forelimbs, chest, and entire back during landing.

The hindquarters are under a great amount of stress during the take-off for a jump. The level of stress often depends on how the hunter is used. In hunting, for example endurance is a factor, and fatigue may cause compensation and additional stress points to develop. The show ring hunter will have soreness according to the difficulty of the course.     

JUMPERS
 

Stadium or show jumping tests an animals ability to jump a challenging course, often with the fewest faults and within the shortest time possible. In order to participate in this competitive discipline, a horse needs balance, agility, power and control.

Problem Areas
During the take-off stage of the jump, added strain is placed on the flexors, extensor muscles, ligaments and tendons of the hindquarters. Landing places a great deal of strain on the flexor muscles, tendons and ligaments of the foreleg, the shoulder and the chest muscles along with the entire back. The landing impact causes neck tension.

Footing is a key factor. Slippery ground may cause a tendon to strain because the horse tenses up to avoid falling. Deep or very soft ground makes it difficult for the horse to raise his feet. Often, a ligament sprain may occur in the foot structure because the joint if forced to stretch beyond its normal range of motion.

DRESSAGE
 

Dressage horses are trained to perform with finesse of execution and elegance. In order to accomplish this they must exhibit control, flexibility, accuracy, and be very sensitive to the rider's cues. Proper conformation is essential because of the demands dressage makes on a horse's body. The type of work involved in this discipline necessitates coordination and great
muscle control on the part of the horse.

Problem Areas
There are great demands placed upon the entire body of the dressage horse, especially on the hindquarters. As a result, stress may occur in the pectoral muscles, back, hips, stifles and hocks. Lateral work contributes to stress buildup in the horse's chest, shoulders, back, hips, legs and inner legs. Any restrictions the leg extension is unacceptable in dressage so shoulders must move freely. Collection can make the jaw area tense an develop stress points in the neck.

PLEASURE HORSES
 

Pleasure horses will experience problems similar to those faced by school horses since they are often ridden by several members of the family. Often an irregular schedule can cause added stress: for example, a lot of riding in spring, little riding in winter, little training during the week, a lot of exercise on weekends---many times family members are involved.

A pleasure horse might be expected to participate in western performance or jumping. Although pleasure horses are versatile, they often develop tender areas due to the demands made on them during cold weather months, and irregular training schedules, along with the number of people riding them.   

Problem Areas
Depending on the horse's discipline, conformation, breed and training level, other stresses might occur. Pleasure horses will most commonly show neck, back and hind end problems in response to stress caused by inexperienced family members. The muscles along the horse's spine show tension and stress and occasionally inflammation. Often times the rhomboid muscle will also be sore because of tension in the neck caused by continuous pulling on the reins by the more inexperienced family members.

Shoulder and hindquarter muscles need to be checked when the horse is being used frequently for lessons or involved in jumping. Frequently you will find that older pleasure horses show arthritic pain; light massage around the arthritic joint will help them feel better.
 

POLO HORSES

Polo is an athletic and fast paced game in which two opposing teams of four players on horseback use mallets to score goals with a ball. In order to execute the quick starts, fast stops and sharp 180 degree turns that are of major importance in the game, the polo pony must be flexible well balanced, fast, agile and obedient. Polo ponies must be able to turn on a dime, do sliding stops, neck rein and flying changes of lead.

Problem Areas
All ligaments and muscle groups of the leg are under constant stress. Strains and “fat” (bowed) tendons are common. All muscle groups will exhibit stress points.

 

HARNESS RACERS      
 

Bred for their speed in pulling light, two wheeled, single seat carts. Standardbreads dominate harness racing. In harness racing, the horse is either a pacer or a trotter. In the pace, the front and hind feet of the same side push off and land on the ground together. In the trot, the opposite front and hind feet push off and land at the same time.

Problem Areas
Trotters and pacers may develop problems in the hindquarters, small of the back, neck and jaw. Tense muscles in the neck and chest area may develop as a result of the harness. Inflammation throughout the bodies of trotters and pacers is common because of the repetitive nature of the gaits they perform. Pacers are more likely to have more tension behind the shoulder and in the rib cage area. Pacers do not stretch these muscles groups as freely as trotters do.