When to Avoid Equine Massage

Video Transcript

"There are other things you need to keep in mind about when not to massage your horse. If your horse is very tired and is having a hard time staying focused on you, they may just want some time left alone in their stall or left alone to chill out with their friends before they can enjoy a massage. So, pay attention to that. If they're really cranky, you know, it could be too hot for them, it could be too buggy, it could be too cold, it could be too anything. It could just be a day that they just don't feel having to focus on that for a while. If they are sick, again, you want to make sure that your veterinarian has given you clearance on it. And even if your vet has said, "sure, go ahead with it," that doesn't mean that your horse is necessarily going to feel like that. So don't try to impose what you want to do on the horse, let the horse be your guide. The horse could be too agitated for whatever reason in a new location. And you might think, "oh, this is great. I'll do some body work on them. They'll relax. They'll feel better." The horse may not agree with that assessment. So they may want you to just back off and let them get acclimated. Pay attention to what your horse is trying to tell you."