HORSE HEALTH AND THERAPIST FOCUS
Barbara Dreyer
Equine Massage Therapist
By now, equine massage therapy is far from a new concept of treatment available to
the equine. The name can umbrella a variety of processes which together, form the
treatment programme offered after the initial consultation with your chosen therapist.
Here, Cheshire based equine massage therapist, Barbara Dreyer, gives us the ‘full lowdown’ of what’s involved, how it can help and the treatment programmes that follow to
ensure the horse is well on it’s way to a full recovery.
E
quine Massage Therapy is a
generic and collective term
that refers to the intellectual
manipulation of the varied
layers of so ft tissue structures that lay
beneath the horse's skin. Different
massage techniques are used for
detection, resolution and healing of
various malfunctions present within
specific body tissues and structures.
There are several benefits of Equine
Massage Therapy, both physiological and
psychological.
Physiological benefits
Equine Massage Therapy plays an active
role in helping to maintain the working
and retired horse, both young and
old. As well as serving to enhance and
maintain the tone, flexibility, strength
and power of the horse's neuro-muscular
system, the body organs and working
systems also benefit from enhanced
levels of working ability, performance
and stamina.
Psychological benefits
Selected equine healing massage
techniques, applications and routines
are particularly effective in treating the
emotional needs of the horse, actively
working to address and rebalance
emotional distress.
The Different Types of Massage
Therapy
Equine Remedial Massage
Equine Remedial Massage (ERM)
therapy is used to detect and treat
deep layered muscular malfunctions.
Remedial = Intent to rectify and/ or
Improve the restoration of health.
ERM therapy works with superficial
muscular structures, deep muscular
structures, superficial and deep tendon
attachments as well as superficial and
deep ligament structures.
Sports Massage
Sports massage (SM) is used to detect
immediate, referred, suspected and/ or
compensatory muscular, tendon and/
or ligament malfunctions. It creates
immediate treatment and offers relief.
SM works with the superficial muscle
layer, superficial tendon attachments
and superficial ligament structures.
Healing Equine Massage
Healing Equine Massage Therapy
(HEM) provides immediate and
progressive healing in both Physiological
and emotional form.
It works with the superficial muscle
structures, the nervous system, Chakras
and Meridians.
Barbara Dreyer
I'm an Equine Massage Therapist
based in Cheshire, providing services
through-out Cheshire and North
Wales.
I am a fully qualified (and insured)
Equine Massage Therapist and am a
member of N.A.R.E.M.T (National
Association of Registered Equine
Massage Therapists). I have worked
with and around horses all my life,
and have enjoyed competing in
dressage and showjumping. My areas
of speciality include mobile Equine
Massage Therapy consultations and
treatments, and I am fully qualified to
perform Sports Massages, Remedial
Equine Massage, Myofascial Release
Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy and
Meridian Massage Therapy.
Why book a massage?
Equine Massage Therapy is a gentle, but
effective treatment, which will benefit all
types of horses.
The intellectual application of Equine
Massage Therapy seeks out areas of
muscular malfunction to eradicate their
negative influences; helping to restore
the horse back to physiological health
and well-being.
First Visit, Consultation and
Assessment
Before the massage can start, a complete
history of your horse will be taken
including previous treatments, injuries,
lifestyle and working disciplines. I
would like to see the horse in walk
and trot up, this can be done either in
hand, ridden or lunged. This will help
the conformation assessment and gait
analysis. A tack assessment will also
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Everything Horse UK • Issue 27• December 2015
December 2015 • Issue 27 • Everything Horse UK
45