How To Get The Most Bang For Your Buck Out Of An Equine Bodywork Session
Updated: Sep 17
Equine bodywork isn’t the cheapest thing we do for our horses. Actually, let’s be honest, is anything we do for our horses cheap? We probably should have picked a different hobby.
You know your horse loves their bodywork sessions. You can see firsthand through licks, chews, yawns etc. that they enjoy the experience and it makes them feel good, but bodywork is not just a “spa day” for your horse. It’s a true investment in their health! When you pay for professional bodywork, you are enhancing the longevity of your horse’s ridden career and comfort. Yes, bodywork feels good for them, but more importantly, it creates lasting effects. It allows the horse to be able to use their body properly and more comfortably, preventing unhealthy compensatory patterns and damage.
So, we know bodywork is good… but we also know it’s an investment. Are there ways you can stretch your dollar even further!? You betcha! Here’s a list of 8 ways to get the most out of your equine bodywork sessions:
Schedule the session during your horse’s “downtime” in the day. Avoid scheduling during feeding time, turnout time, or times when the barn will be super busy. We want your horse to be as present as possible during their bodywork session, not distracted by the feed cart rolling by, their friends riding out for a lesson, or watching their buddies leave for turnout without them.
Location. Location. Location. Before your bodyworker arrives, think about where your horse will be most comfortable...in their stall? At the crossties? Tied to the hitching rail? When the horse is comfortable, it will be so much easier for them to relax into session and get the most of their time with their bodyworker.
Arrive early! Give yourself ample time to catch and groom your horse. Watching you run after your horse in the pasture is highly entertaining, but it eats into your session time! Don’t wait to catch them as your bodyworker is pulling up.
Have your horse dry and groomed with no fly spray or coat shine.
Why dry? A wet horse (either from being hosed down or from sweating) interferes with the strokes and makes your horse "sticky". If you’re riding before your bodyworker gets there, give yourself ample time to unsaddle, cool your horse down and dry off the sweat.
Why groomed? Listen, bodyworkers are not afraid to get dirty. However, if your horse hasn’t been groomed and is crusty with mud or dried sweat, it hurts. Rubbing hands and knuckles over dried sweat crystals or mud is painful for both your bodyworker and your horse. If your horse is crusty, your bodyworker will need to skip over those areas.
Why no fly spray or coat shine? It makes your horse slippery! A horse doused in fly spray or coat shine makes them too slippery to work on! Massage requires a certain amount of resistance against the coat and when that's missing, many techniques are impossible to administer.
Be prepared to be asked to step away from your horse. Yikes...harsh right!? Your bodyworker is there to help your horse work through discomfort. Sometimes owners can be a distraction to their horse’s ability to be present or “let go”. Many bodyworkers will prefer owners to either stand at the end of the lead rope or to allow them to work alone in the stall or with the horse tied up. It doesn’t mean they don’t want you there! Sometimes your horse just needs you to take a few steps back,
ASK QUESTIONS! There are no stupid questions... seriously! A good bodyworker will never make you feel dumb and always do their best to help you understand what they are doing and how it helps your horse.
Read your session notes & stay in touch. The session notes provided to you after a bodywork session provide a detailed roadmap of your horse’s pain, restriction, and strengths! If you skip reading them… you’re missing the point. Your bodyworker needs you as a partner in your horse’s bodywork! By reading your session notes and staying up-to date, you and your bodyworker can more easily work together to identify trends and notice changes. Also, stay in touch! Did your horse feel better, worse or no different after the session? By keeping in communication, it gives your bodyworker a clearer picture of your horse’s response to the session.
Stay on the recommended schedule. When your bodyworker provides recommendations for ongoing support for your horse, they will consider what they saw and felt during the session, what your horse’s weekly workload is, and your goals for the horse. They are not just picking an arbitrary timeline. The more consistently (note: more consistently does not necessarily mean more often) your bodyworker sees your horse, the greater benefit they will receive.
Moral of the story: Help your money work harder! By following the steps above, your equine bodywork session will extend further than just the short time your bodyworker is there with your horse.
LIZ BUTLER
CERTIFIED EQUINE BODYWORKER
OWNER OF BARRIO PERFORMANCE THERAPY
Liz is a Tucson native and a lifelong equestrian with a passion for horses. She specializes in Equine Massage, PEMF therapy, cold laser, kinesiology taping, and stretching, integrated approaches that help the body heal itself. Whether your horse is a performance athlete or a backyard pet, Barrio Performance Therapy will help them meet their potential.
This article is from the September issue of Equine Business Magazine
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