More, more, more, on your horse's back.

Here's an easy check that you can do to see if your horse's back is hurting. Run your thumb down along your horse's topline, starting at his withers, with your thumb about a hand's width from his spine. Do this check on both sides of his spine. Use moderate pressure--more than you would use to brush your horse's face, but less than you would use to curry a really muddy horse. Does your horse duck, flinch from the contact, pin his ears, move away from your touch? Aha! These can be signs that his back is tight or sore, and it's probably time to pick up the phone to call your equine massage therapist, your equine acupuncturist or chiropractor, or your vet. They'll help you assess what's going on and give you ways to deal with it.

The problem with this hand's on assessment is that not all horses are going to be so clear in telling you, "Ow! That hurts! Cut it out!" Some horses are much more stoic than others, and you have to pay attention to the good deep listening that you do with your horse. If your still, quiet voice is telling you that your horse just isn't quite right, that's a voice you need to listen to.

So, you've figured out that your horse has a sore back, and your equine health care professional has paid a visit and given you a plan of action. Your horse feels better, and you have the all-clear to go back to work together. How can you KEEP your horse's back in great shape? My favorite: STRETCHING! Stay tuned.....

The back is at the forefront!

What a great week it's been! One of the highlights was giving a clinic on Equine Massage to a group of Pony Club kids at Western New England Pony Club Days at GMHA in Woodstock. The topic? Your horse's back.

And this has really hit home for me lately. Thankfully, this increase in empathy has nothing to do with my horses or my client's horses suddenly suffering from sore backs. Rather, it is due to something that I have never before had to deal with--debilitating back pain. For several reasons (two "involuntary dismounts" from my horse, lots of lifting, a very strenuous lesson, and laziness on my part in keeping up with my exercise regimen), last week I had a bout of severe lower back pain, requiring a visit to my chiropractor and acupuncturist. I am grateful that, after two chiropractic sessions, my back felt back to normal. But then yesterday, the pain flared up again, probably due to too much time riding in the car, with the seat not adjusted properly. Some stretching, some pain meds, a decent night's sleep, and I felt much improved today. I will be might cautious about the kind of work I do today, and have renewed my commitment to getting my exercises done before my day gets too busy to fit it in.

But the kicker is this: I KNOW how much my back hurts, or when it hurts, or if it feels just fine. If it doesn't feel great, I can pick up the phone and make a couple of calls to get back on track. What about your horse?

Your horse relies on you to pay attention to his back. Oh sure, he knows if or when his back hurts, and will no doubt try to tell you. Reluctance to pick up a lead, pinning his ears when he is being saddled, a suddenly sour attitude from your previously sweet pony, an unwillingness to go forward or do any of the tasks that he normally performs with aplomb; all these can be signs of discomfort in your horse's back.

Next week: How to detect a sore back, and some things you can do to prevent it.

Body work matters!

Yes, body work matters! And what are the matters of body work? Two different ways of looking at the same subject.

Yes, body work is important for your horse. Ongoing body work helps your horse be more comfortable, perform better, be a happier, more willing partner. And once you get your horse to that comfortable, firing-on-all-cylinders level, that's where you want to keep him! And that is why regular massage matters. An occasional session is great for a quick fix, or to address a specific problem, but nothing beats the benefits of on-going, regular work!

And that brings me to my second point: The matters of body work. One might think that, once a horse is brought to that optimum level that is found from regular body work, all that's left is maintenance. Not necessarily so! Of the horses I worked on this week, all regular clients, I found new issues with each of them. One mare had a new, very tight region on her neck, leading me to believe that she could benefit from chiropractic as well as massage--the two work very well together! And another horse, a very sweet little Morgan gelding, had a knot high up on his gluteus muscle. When I released the knot, he suddenly arched his lower back and "cracked" his pelvis--we heard a loud pop as he "readjusted" himself.

If you really want your horse to be the best he or she can be, give your horse the benefit of regular body work, and allow yourself and your horse to enjoy the benefits that equine massage brings.

Benefits of Stretching

When I have finished working on a horse, I give the owner recommendations for how to ensure that they and their horse get the most from the session. These tips invariably include stretching exercises for the horse (and the rider should be stretching too!)
Here is an article from The Horse.com, the AAEP's on-line magazine. It details, quite nicely, why stretching is such a good idea for your horse--and it only takes a couple of minutes a session! No reason NOT to, and plenty of reasons to take the time to help your horse be more limber. Enjoy!

http://www.thehorse.com//ViewArticle.aspx?ID=16107&eID=298283

New!!! Good "Neigh"-bor Discount!

To celebrate my three-year anniversary as a certified Equine Sports Massage Practitioner, and my excitement at having been on Vermont Public Radio this week talking about equine massage, and most importantly, to say a big THANK YOU!!!!! to all my clients and their horses, I am very pleased to announce my Good "Neigh"-bor discount!

If you and a neighbor--someone from across the barn aisle or across town--book back-to-back massages, you will BOTH receive a discount! The same discount will apply when you book back-to-back massages for two of your own horses.

The less time I spend driving, the more time I have to work on your horses!

Thanks for helping me make your horses happier, more comfortable, and more willing partners.

Horses in the moonlight; or, night turnout

What a pretty picture! Horses in and out of shadows, as the moon hides and reappears behind the clouds. Grazing peacefully.
What's missing? Foot stomping, agitated tails swishing, sweating while just standing around. Ah yes, the joys of night turnout.
Night turnout is one of my favorite ways to bring added comfort to my horses during the hot, humid days of summer. The benefits include relief from flies and heat, easier access to your horses during the day when you want to ride, but for me, it has been the best way I have found to get rid of horse flies and deer flies, those fierce little bloodsuckers that are active only during the day. I have repeatedly found that just a few days of night turnout is enough to confuse the flies, and send them off to easier feeding grounds. To which I say, good riddance!
It typically take my horses no more than a day to get used to the idea of night turnout, so I switch their schedule around on a day when they won't be working.
As a massage practitioner, there are benefits too. That foot stomping leads to tighter shoulders, along with the possibility of hoof and leg concussion injuries. The tail wringing leads to tighter, fatigued muscles in the hindquarters, and if the horses are stressed by being hassled by flies all day, they will be tighter all over. Night turnout can be an easy thing to do to give your horses a higher level of comfort.
Do yourself and your horses a favor. Try night turnout when the biting flies get bad!

The joy of fly sheets.

Fly sheets! Possibly the number-one thing you can do to protect your horse from the nasty biting flies--deer flies, horse flies, and big ol' green-headed flies. And you don't have to spend a ton of money on them! Last year, I bought 3 new, soft and silky fly sheets for my guys, and spent less than $100--TOTAL! Now, you do have to watch for the deals, and try to buy in the off-season when possible, but good deals come up from the major suppliers all the time. (Think Dover Saddlery, State Line Tack, and TackoftheDay.com.)
You want soft fabric, not the stuff that feels like lawn chair fabric, so that it doesn't chafe your sensitive pony. A belly wrap style is great, and that way, you won't have to fly-spray your horse's belly. Neck covers are great too--as long as your horse has some shade to get into, as even the lightest fabric can cause your pony to be uncomfortably warm on those hot, steamy summer days.
For my money, NOTHING beats looking out at my horses on a hot summer day, and knowing that they are totally unconcerned with the flies buzzing around.
Next week: Night turn-out.