PITTSTON, Pennsylvania: Everybody needs a good back rub at the end of a long, hard day's work.
Aching muscles, stiff joints, cowboy-like bowed legs... anyone who has ever gone for a nice long ride on horseback knows these feelings all too well. And that's just the riders.
Imagine the extra muscle pain and equine joint stiffness felt by the horses themselves after an exhausting trot, carrying all that extra saddle gear and rider weight on their backs. True enough, nothing beats a good 'ol massage after a hard day's work. Surprisingly, this goes not only for humans, but for horses as well.
Equine massage is growing in popularity as more and more horse owners appreciate its necessity and importance. Equine massage has quite a number of benefits. It loosens up tight muscles and increases your horse's range of motion, giving the equine more stamina to perform better. It also improves your pet horse's disposition.
Oftentimes, horse owners are quick to judge their horses as misbehaving if they refuse to follow a command. They think that these horses are suffering from behavioral problems. However there is another possible option - the horse is just feeling cranky because of aching joints and sore muscles. As horses cannot speak and complain, their bad mood caused by their their aching bod manifests itself via uncharacteristic mood swings.
Licensed horse massage therapist Leah Hanley told MaineCoastNOW.com: "If a horse is uncooperative, it does not mean that it is misbehaving. There is just a lack of communication between the owner and the horse."
Horse masseurs are relatively rare. Hanley told MaineCoastNOW that horse massage isn't merely rubbing a horse's body and stretching its legs. A horse masseuse must first find the sore spots on a horse's body before an actual massage can take place. When a sore spot is found, the horse will pull its ear back, move away, or even kick. When the rubbing attention feels good, horses lick their lips and lean on the masseuse's hands.
However not just anyone can just proceed and massage a horse and expect the best results. Equine massages are usually performed by professionals, as they have the knowledge and expertise on how to rub and stretch your equine's body the right way.
However your can still give your horse a good rub down. Giving a horse such attention breaks down the barrier between a horse and its owner. It also forms a strong bond as horses feel that they are able to communicate with their owner, and the owner is able to reciprocate.
For horse owners interested in giving their horses their own personal touch, several schools offer equine massage training and seminars.
Unless you know where the sore spot is, horse owners should wait for professionals to come in and do the massage. One kick from the horse will take more than a massage to heal.
I have heard of touch therapy on babies and adults but I've never heard it done on animals. I think this kind of massage would be good for dogs and cats too.
Y'know, never entered my mind that horses needed a rub down too. Come to think of it, yeah, they have too much of a hard work not to have aching muscles. What do you know, eh? you really do learn something new everyday.
Massages for your horse? Wow! That's a new one! It's actually a very good idea. I cant believe it's only now being done. I've actually noticed my four-legged friend's nasty mood swings. Now I understand why that happens. I will definitely give this one a try.
hey, massages are good for dogs too! when they are stressed about something - like going to the doctor - a good rub down calms them down. but, you don't need to be a licensed therapist to massage your dog!
if i had to trot around and carry 200 lbs. of dead weight on my back for hours at a time, then i would have to say, yes, lay on the shiatsu, baby!
yes horse masseuses are pretty rare, but i've heard it's picking up. particularly among those who are into racing more than anything, i suppose.
a rubdown is one thing, and a massage is an entirely different thing altogether. a horse is a very solid animal, but if you don't know what you're doing, you may cause more harm than good. hire a professional, everybody!
Carrying my wife's shopping bags hurt my arms! What more these horses if they have to lug a human on their backs! What do horses use? oil or baby powder? lol seriously, what do they use to massage horses?
Baby powder for massaging horses. LOL! hey, massaging horses are no laughing matter. I've a friend who's into it, took a few seminars and stuff. Horse's bodies are really tough. full of muscles. Women who massage these big guys must have REALLY strong hands!
everybody needs a massage now and then especially for horses who normally carry heavy loads. that's why as much as possible whenever i notice my horse feeling a bit grumpy, i make sure to give them a good rubdown. its also a good way for me to de-stress myself.
I've had a lot of chances to be with horses in the past. Yes, these beautiful creatures love to be touched. They are quick to respond to a human touch. If you do it right, you could almost sense them being vulnerable to your touch and completely trusting you. It is such a wonderful feeling.
hey, if these beautiful creatures need a back rub every so often then i'm all for it. if people get aches and pains regularly, what more horses who do more physical stuff than we do.
oh god, that's what i really need now! a good whole body massage.
you can say that again Rowena! i need a good old rub down to release all this stress and aching muscles that i'm having right now.