Equine Massage Top Line Stretch

Series Summary

The bond between human and horse has existed for a very long time. Often, just a horse's calming presence does wonders for the human spirit. In today's world, where many of us are disconnected to these large animals, encounters with these majestic creatures may be hard to come by. However, there are many people who still create a caring and exciting relationship with horses. In this free video series a certified equine sports massage practitioner will show you how to do equine massage. Massaging your horse will help you bond with your pet and relieve and sore or painful spots they may have. Learn how to do equine massage on the neck, forelegs, spine and abdomen. Get tips on horse massage for the hindquarters and hind legs, while also learning what to do after an equine massage. If you are interested in beneficial equine massage therapy for your horse, let our expert show you everything you need to know about horse massages.

Video Transcript

"So, the first thing you want to before you begin to give your horse a massage is to get them to relax and stretch their topline. And you do that by putting one hand on the horse's halter, putting the other hand on the top of their head and applying a little pressure, getting them to drop their head. (Horse lowers head). Good. And then raise it. Drop their head and raise it. And drop it one more time (Horse resists, but drops head) and raise it. Now, if you have a horse that's being really fidgety, the way Sheekoo is today, don't make a big deal out of it. Accept what he's going to give you. Don't push the issue, because right at the beginning of doing the massage, you don't want to turn it into an argument. The biggest thing is for him to drop his head a little bit, relax a little bit and then you can move on from there. But you don't, you absolutely don't want it to turn into a contest of wills. And if your horse is really, really fidgety about it and showing you that they don't want to do it at all, then you can move on and work on something else or put it off for another time."