SPONSORS - EQUISSAGE
We were introduced to Equissage about 11 years ago and can honestly say it is a piece of equipment
that we just would not be without.
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If you are not familiar with Equissage - in simple terms, it is a massage therapy system that can help to improve your horse's life, fitness and performance. |
Equissage massage therapy provides a "Cycloid" massage to the horse's body - "Cycloid" massage being a 3-way massage (i.e. horizontal, vertical and circular motions all at the same time). Such system stimulates the circulation so not only aids the healing process but also helps the body eliminate toxins as well as being extremely relaxing for the horse..
The therapy system comes inthe form of a hand-held unit or a pad which is fitted on the horse and held in position by way of a breast girth and surcingle.
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We elected to purchase the complete package which obviously we would not have done if we had not been firmly convinced of the tremendous value this equipment would have - and we have not been disappointed.
We use the pad on a regular basis, either before or after exercise, on all of the horses in the yard and the results are apparent - no stiff muscles and no swellings, all of which are common occurrences in horses being backed as their bodies adjust to being introduced to work and weight. All of the recipients of the treatment evidently enjoy it and are so relaxed. Strictly, the hand held unit should be used in conjunction with the pad for localised treatments but we use it on its own for very nervous horses as a therapeutic massage to relax them, and as a prelim to clipping for the first time as the unit acclimatises young horses to vibration and movement without the involvement of electricity! We have found many other benefits for older horses especially those that come to us with injuries, haematomas, muscle tension, etc. - the list is endless.
How Equissage has helped the following 3 horses:
Light the Fuse
Bombie, as he is known to his friends, raced from a 4 year old to a 12 year old. Unfortunately a promising racing career was beset by injuries. He had bone chips removed from both knees, severed a tendon and fractured a knee. A back injury which, despite a return to the racecourse for 2 more runs, was clearly causing the little horse discomfort and resulted in his retirement. Following a long rest he was slowly brought back into work and his rehab began. When Bombie came to us he was already competing in unaffiliated dressage competitions. We wanted to up the stakes and get him in the Affiliated arena.
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However Bombie needed to be considerably more supple and build a much improved physique if he was to hold his own again the army of warmbloods he would face. Our biggest hurdle was to get this horse working through and over his back well enough for dressage which was not going to be easy not only because of the back injury he had sustained but also due to the general stresses and strains that racing and his falls had imposed of his body. Years of a racing diet had also left Bombie with a not-so-healthy constitution and he often exhibited tenderness over the kidney region; his kidney function was not as efficient as it could have been so this in turn would not have allowed for the effective removal of excess lactic acid. |
Correct dressage training takes time and of course, just as with someone who starts a training regime at the gym, can readily cause tight, sore muscles if proper warm up and cool down exercises are not undertaken. Whilst there is no substitute for these most important procedures, using the Equissage has helped us enormously with this horse. A horse that once pulled out stiff no longer does so. As we have slowly eased his body into a new way of working, the Equissage has kept his muscles soft, prevented tensions and soreness and helped with general joint mobility. And his newly developing muscles are being kept perfectly honed and toned!
Bombie has competed at Area Festivals and at the Winter Regionals, he either competes or attends dressage training clinics every week and is now working at Elementary level – not bad for a 18 year old ex-racehorse. Bombie's Equissage is much travelled as he doesn't leave the yard without it!
Freddie
This little horse clearly had not had the best of experiences whilst in NH training and then in a point-to-point yard. When his current owner "found" him he was a bag of bones and a bag of nerves. Successive attempts to re-habilitate Freddie failed as he became more and more distressed. The decision was taken to let him live his days out in the field following an episode when he bolted, crashed through a gate and skidded along a concrete roadway injuring himself considerably. However a year or so later, his owner found us and Freddie duly came to our yard.
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Freddie is the most incredibly sensitive horse we have ever worked with. |
By following an extremely careful management and training programme Freddie's tension can be controlled and he is now a happy little riding horse; you just think of the movement and he does it - he is so responsive and his lateral work is wonderful. Tension to the extreme that Freddie displays just piles up the toxins in the body, compromises the workings of the organs (such as liver, kidneys) and doesn't allow for a healthy digestive system. Use of the Equissage not only effectively eliminates the toxicity by way of lymphatic and venous drainage but also as a result of improved circulation. And improved circulation equates to better utilisation of nutrients which equates to a healthier horse; Freddie now carries weight instead of looking like a greyhound. The massaging effect of the Equissage is extremely therapeutic and so helps keep the horse in a more relaxed state of mind as well as keeping his muscles soft and supple.
Oscar
This horse has dressage breeding to die for. His early training saw him accomplish high scores. However he started to introduce a few moves of his own and this resulted in the conclusion being reached that he was experiencing discomfort somewhere. Veterinary examinations were inconclusive and so his training should have continued but connections were not prepared to carry on. Consequently after a two year break Oscar found his way to us. And what a joy he is to have.
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We concluded that basically Oscar was a little misunderstood and his outbursts were just him trying to make his feelings known. He did appear to be like a hyper-active child - although not a box-walker he was always "on the go"; although not tense, he didn't really relax either. It was more that him just taking an active interest in what was going on around him. If the horse could not relax properly then he couldn't be expected to work properly either. By using the Equissage twice a day – once prior to work and then later on in the afternoon, we have been able to help Oscar still his mind and now the horse rests as he should. |
Oscar is now such a happy horse and just loves to work; he abodes with enthusiasm and tries so hard to please.
Look out for the addition of more horses and how Equissage has helped them.
So in conclusion - Our Testimonial
As a training, schooling and rehab yard we have horses at all stages of their physical development. We have found that use of the Equissage on a regular basis, either before or after work (or both for some individuals) eliminates stiffness and swellings which are common occurrences especially in horses undergoing their early training and backing as their bodies adjust to work and weight. Using the Equissage has also proved to be of great benefit with horses suffering from muscular tensions or dysfunctions, respiratory conditions, leg injuries and haematomas as the cycloidal massaging improves the circulation, and hence venous and lymphatic drainage, aids joint mobility and improves muscle tone, flexibility and suppleness. The horses evidently enjoy the relaxing yet stimulating effects and use of the Equissage therapy package (pad and hand held unit) has become an integral part of our daily management routine so we say "Thank you Equissage for providing a 24-7 physio".