by Sara Taylor, REMT

By nature the horse is designed to be an athlete and, through breeding, humans have modified these athletes to go above and beyond what nature ever anticipated. We challenge our horses to move faster, jump higher and turn tighter corners all in the name of winning. This is where a dedicated sports massage therapist, with the guidance of your veterinarian, can be one of the best assets in your horse’s medical team.

As all athletes know, preparation is the key to success. During the months before competition, training massage, combined with proper coaching, can maintain the suppleness of the horse’s muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints while pinpointing areas of tension and uneven muscle tone. The goal over this period is to focus on strengthening exercises to reduce risk of injury. While this is a wonderful aid for ensuring the horse is in peak condition, it is on the day of competition that massage therapy can give your horse that extra edge which leads to success.

Pre-event sports massage is used minutes before an event to prime your athlete. Designed as an adjunct to physical warm-up, pre-event massage only lasts about 15 minutes and involves quick superficial movements. These movements will increase the blood flow to the muscles, thereby, increasing the horse’s endurance level and flexibility. The quick stimulation will also activate the nervous system for faster reactions and better coordination. Best of all, pre-event massage can be done right before the event with the rider in the saddle!

We all know the pain of sore muscles once the competition is over. This pain is caused by the build up of toxins and bigger muscles means bigger pain. Post-event sports massage uses soothing movements to help remove these toxins. Performed once the horse has cooled down and has a normal pulse rate, post-event massage is more effective than simply resting and will decrease recuperation time and reduce the likeliness of muscle spasms. In addition to a relaxing and rhythmic full body massage, cryotherapy, or ice therapy, can be used on any areas of swelling caused by sprains, strains or cramps.

For decades human athletes have known about the vital role that sports massage plays in training and during events. In more recent years, equine coaches have come to recognize how sports massage can help to prevent injury and speed recuperation time priming their horses for peak performance and gaining the winning edge.

Sara Taylor, REMT of Taylor Equine Massage Therapy practices in the Niagara Region and Outer GTA. Graduate of the D'AL School of Equine Massage - a 2200 hour course that encompases classes in anatomy and physiology, pathology, hydrotherapy, equine behaviour, massage therory and techniques and massage treatments. Member of the International Federation of Registered Equine Massage Tharapists (IFREMT. www.stremt.com