By Paige Cerulli, Certified Equine Massage Therapist
Equine massage can be a wonderful tool for horses who are hot or anxious, but it’s also important that you adjust your technique accordingly to benefit the horse’s current state. If you anticipate that you may ever need to massage a hot or anxious horse, check out these tips so that you can stay safe and provide a massage that the horse will benefit from.
Schedule the Massage for a Quiet Time
Set the horse up for success by carefully scheduling the massage session. Attempting to massage a horse during a time when he is normally being ridden or when the barn is crowded and busy will make it even more difficult to keep the horse calm and focused on the massage. Instead, schedule the massage during a time when things are quiet around the barn and the horse is likely to be relaxed, such as an hour or two after he’s been fed or during a time when he normally relaxes in the pasture.
Have Assistance Ready
It’s always a good idea to have another person nearby when you’re massaging a horse, but it’s particularly important to have help available when you’re massaging a nervous or hot horse. While you don’t necessarily need an assistant to stand by the horse (and some horses are better when there are as few people present as possible), make sure that you can quickly summon help if you need it.
Choose a Location Where the Horse Is Comfortable
Many hot or nervous horses will do better if you massage them in a location where they are comfortable. Some may be better in a grooming stall versus crossties, while others may be more comfortable in their stalls. Whichever area you choose, make sure that you always have an escape path in case you need to get out of the area quickly. You should also consider whether the horse may be more comfortable tied or being held by an assistant. You can always try different options id short, intense strokes which can further excite the horse.
Make Comfort a Priority
Instead of focusing on completing an entire massage, focus on keeping the horse relaxed and comfortable. When working with a hot or anxious horse, you may only get a few minutes of massage work in during your first sessions. That’s okay – the horse needs to get used to being massaged, and with time and repetition he will learn to relax during the sessions. If a horse is not yet ready for a full massage, then do what you can and end the session – don’t push things too far. Instead, keep the experience positive and pleasant.
Massage, especially cross fiber massage can help to soothe and relax an anxious or hot horse. With time and practice, you can learn to use massage to relax and focus your horse, and to help encourage him to relax muscles which are typically tense when he is nervous.