Bodywork will help any horse feel more calm, more fluid, and more connected within the body.
For the equine athlete in any discipline, groundedness and greater range of motion are assets in the competition space.
If your horse is changing to a new discipline or advancing to a new level in a current discipline, new athletic challenges bring with them new physiological and psychological expenditures. Help your horse adjust and recover through bodywork.
If your horse frequently travels to events, the stresses of trailering and stabling in strange environments generate tension. Masterson Method® bodywork allows the horse to relieve that tension during the stay at the event and can open up both range of motion and a mental clarity to improve performance.
For the horse recovering from illness/injury, once the critical phase is past, recovery can be long and slow.
Stall rest, while often required, can be difficult for the non-injured portions of the horse's body and for the mind. Help your horse through the down time with bodywork to alleviate the physical and mental tensions brought on by boredom and confinement. Once the vet confirms it is safe to do so, bodywork can be a bridge to the return to work.
For the horse returning from layup, whether post-injury/illness, pregnancy, or just off-season, getting back into shape takes a team.
Once the horse has been cleared by the veterinary team to return to work, the effort of re-engaging the body in the rigors of your chosen discipline will challenge tight, atrophied musculature. Help your horse adjust smoothly back into training by maintaining softness, relaxation, and gentle increases in range of motion through bodywork.
For the horse adjusting to a new living environment, the emotional adjustment to a new owner, new farm, new barn, new stable/herdmates brings with it anxiety, stress, and often physical challenges if the horse is working through his place in the herd, or adjusting to a new rider's size and style. Masterson Method® bodywork seeks to help horses feel at home within their own bodies and can make these transitions easier for them and for you.
For the horse receiving chiropractic or other treatments-- Masterson Method® bodywork is a brilliant softening modality to aid in chiropractic work, so scheduling prior to the chiro appointment is a win-win! For horses who struggle to stand for the farrier, a session prior to trimming/shoeing can help the horse loosen up enough to stand and improve the session for both the horse and the farrier!
For the horse experiencing changes of life-- retirement, loss of equine or human companions, age-related changes in activity, humane end of life preparation can all bring with them stressors of the body, mind, and heart. Helping your horse through these shifts by providing gentle, integrated bodywork is some of the kindest support you can offer. Your horse has given everything to you, bodywork is one way you can give back.
Feel free to reach out to discuss how bodywork may improve your horse's performance, attitude, comfort, and quality of life!