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Apollo Equine Massage Therapy

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25.01.2022 I love this picture for showing how much of an affect kinesiology tape can have on the horses body. This image shows how much the tape can work to lift the horses hair, thus lifting the horses skin and creating space/pocket to increase blood flow to the area and decompress the underlying muscular tissue. Circulation and blood flow are enormously important for efficient muscle repair and function

24.01.2022 Lovely evening massaging today! Beautiful Patrick concentrating very hard on his treatment, he was quite expressive he enjoyed the whole process a lot more this time around though, he's such a kind soul

24.01.2022 Gait Abnormalities Are they common? Yes. Are they a cause for concern? That's a harder question to answer. Gait abnormalities can include; paddling, plaiting, circumduction, medial or lateral limb placement and much more! ... What makes things difficult is that they can have a number of causes. They can be the result of conformation, farriery, muscular tension, previous injury, etc. The difficulty is figuring out which is the cause figuring out how to manage it. If a horse has a gait abnormality as a result of conformational faults (for example paddling - although this can also be a farriery issue), this can be considered "normal" and is less likely to be a cause for concern (although proper management is still very important!). However, gait abnormalities that come about suddenly, or can be attributed to muscle tension or injury are actually the more subtle early stages of lameness, or actually just lameness! Even a horse that has always moved abnormally will be putting excess strain on their muscles and joints due to the compensation for the inefficient movement pattern. If this pattern is allowed to continue the likelihood of obvious lameness issues are fairly high. Horses are designed to be able to move with maximum efficiency, utilising the energy created in the tendons and ligaments, reducing the workload needed from the muscles. However, if these tendons, ligaments or muscles are not working to full capacity it will always negatively affect the surrounding structures. This is why detecting and getting to the bottom of gait abnormalities is so important. If it is a muscular tension issue this can be easily improved through the use of massage therapy and can be maintained when backed up by correct training and posture. Just another reason regular treatments can be so very beneficial for your horses! If you ever notice your horse moving differently, or maybe after reading this post are more aware of how your horse may be moving "incorrectly", seek advice or ask for an assessment from your body worker or vet! No horse is perfect, but it's up to us to help them to be the best they can be!

24.01.2022 Love this! No one is perfect, but recognising the faults and doing what we can to correct them is the best we can do!

24.01.2022 ABSOLUTELY! It's not the horses fault we've sent their lives into turmoil, much like us, they don't like change!

24.01.2022 Here’s a question for everyone! Would you rather ride in an arena or out on the trails? My answer is clearly the trails, it's my happy place

23.01.2022 Another great post based around the psychology of the horse! I think we have probably all experienced this when we have brought a new horse home. It's a big reason why it's important to allow them the settling in time they need as well as only working with the horses current abilities in the early stages... Slow and steady Perseverance and dedication are so important with our horses, whether they are new or old. Work with the horse you have and allow them to flourish into the horse of your dreams!

23.01.2022 Can you recognise your horses signs of release during a massage? Horses show many different signs of release during a massage but one of the most obvious is definitely yawning. If they are a little more reserved they may simply just lick and chew. Not all horses show release during a session and may only reach relaxation later whilst in their paddocks when they are processing it all.... Not all horses enjoy massage therapy. Depending on how much pain they are experiencing it may actually be uncomfortable for them to begin with. But often once they get used to the experience they often begin to enjoy it! So don't stress if your horse doesn't show signs of release, not all horses respond the same! Here is Nova having a good old yawn during a therapy in motion session. It's a new concept for me but I'm having great results!

23.01.2022 Everyday the horse teaches us something new, or reminds us of something we may have forgotten. They are our greatest teachers if we stand back long enough to listen, to observe, to dig deeper and allow them to show us what they need. Everyday that I work with or on horses I am reminded of something or shown something that changes or improves how I go about treating or training horses. I think one of the best things we can do for our horses is to strive to constantly learn an...d help them along their journey of life the best we can! Enjoy this picture of my snoozy pony just before a ride

23.01.2022 Houston looking sleepy after his kinesiology tape application and amateur Reiki treatment from Mum yesterday afternoon

20.01.2022 Did you know that a horse that is experiencing muscular pain can become anxious and thus more spooky? Most of the time horses try to mask their pain or compensate for it the best they can. Why do they do this? Because they are a prey animal, and if they look weak, they will be the first target. So when a horse is experiencing pain of some kind they often experience more anxiety and are hyper aware of their surroundings and become more "spooky". Of course some horses are just more anxious than others, but if you have a horse that is usually super chilled and confident, that suddenly becomes anxious and spooky, there is likely a problem arising! It could be as simple as muscular pain that can be easily addressed by a therapist, or it could be something more. But it's always important to investigate and seek advice!

20.01.2022 A really good short, yet informative video on rehab for tendon recovery!

18.01.2022 I have a nice study of the facial nerve, BUT not surprise here! Each horse is different. I prepared more pictures for my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/equineanatomyinlayers

18.01.2022 Throwback to Houston's birthday last year I'm finding more and more how much therapy in motion is beneficial for our horses. It drastically improves their posture and movement, not only in ridden or in hand work but also in the paddock. I have been doing in hand work with Houston for the last 2 and a bit months and the changes I have seen are remarkable. He is a very complex horse and very opinionated, so he can be difficult to work with. But by focusing on his way of move...ment, encouraging proper engagement, using his back muscles more efficiently, focusing on limb placement and straightness, using some basic collection work and a tailored stretching routine, I have seen unimaginable differences in his posture! He's still very... Spirited... But I can see how much his body has changed. He stands square majority of the time, even if he's resting a leg he's still standing square, he's less wobbly in his movement with far better balance than he's ever had and just recently I've noticed how much his backing up is improving. He's started to recruit his muscles better and is actually able to pick up his front feet rather than dragging them across the ground. The hind legs are a bit more complicated but it's a start! I cannot put enough value on the use of training for functional movement. If I'd have known more about this 5 years ago I may have been able to achieve a lot more with Houston, or at least have been able to further reduce the extent of his many muscular issues. I'm still learning along the way, it's complicated and ever changing, but that's why we strive to learn! In fact I'm starting another short course on functional biomechanics. Remember every horse is different, but they all need a solid foundation to work from. So don't underestimate the power of very basic work executed correctly! You can build strength and start to correct muscle imbalances with the most basic movements, but perseverance and consistency are some of the most important factors!

17.01.2022 I am thankful for my wonderful clients and their support. I am also thankful for my brilliant horsey companions that are always here by my side no matter what! What are you all thankful for today, big or small?

16.01.2022 Kinesiology taping application to release fascia and assist the gluteal muscles Instant releases were seen following the application including licking and chewing as well as yawning This application lasted the distance through moulting hair, exercise, rugging, hosing and rolling before it was removed due to elasticity loss

16.01.2022 Equine Cervical Vertebral Malformation Take a good look, this is a neck vertebrae from an affected horse. It is not symmetrical and it should be, so where and h...ow do muscles attach?. It is missing foramen (holes in bone for the nerves to pass though), so where do those nerves go? How does the horse with ECVM feel? In the words of a young rider,'....he feels like he doesn't know where his feet are. He starts off very stiff and then seems very bendy but then he gets stiff again if you stop for a while...he stands with his feet wide apart, like he is doing he splits...he trips with his front feet a lot...' this description is from a junior rider who knew nothing about ECVM. It is spot on, but the feel of riding an affected horse will vary in each individual case. This is a distressing abnormality the horse is born with, the horse will lack some awareness of their feet and body from a very young age, and this only gets worse as they age. Many of these horses are very quiet, as was the horse I met this week, that has prompted me to write about this problem (not for the first time). Horses with ECVM are often very quiet, conversely they can be violently unpredictable. Both are coping methods for the horse that is lacking balance, co-ordination and proprioception (knowing where their body parts are in space, without actually looking). Horses with ECVM can be dangerous to ride because they are likely to trip and fall, especially as they age and the problems get worse. Horses with ECVM are likely to suffer early onset arthritis, and it is likely to be quite severe at a young age. Horses with ECVM will slowly lose muscle despite being in work and fed adequately. We can help them a little, with simple balance exercises that need to be specifically designed for each individual horse. We can also use fascial taping, and T-touch wraps to improve body awareness, again this needs to be done with the help of a professional. We can help by lowering our expectations of the horse: instead of eventing we could do low level dressage, instead of cantering we could stay in walk and trot, instead of twilight rides we can go out in full daylight, instead of exploring new trails we could stick to the same easy terrain pathways. However, there will be a day when it is no longer safe, or fair, to ride a horse with ECVM. ECVM is in a very high percentage of our thoroughbreds, and it is also found in breeds that incorporate the TB such as many Warmbloods and our Australian Stock Horses. ECVM also occurs in any crossbreeds that include TB, such as the Anglo Arabian. ECVM is also found in Standardbreds, at a much lower percentage. Your vet can test your horse for neurological deficit, and then specific xrays can be taken to confirm ECVM. See more

15.01.2022 Remember that no horse is perfect! Especially not our domesticated horses! Horses were not designed to be ridden, we have just figured out that we can. So our main goal is to be able to maintain the health and functionality of their body despite the fact that we interfere with them in such a large way! So it's so important to remember that no horse will be perfect, no matter what we do, we can only do our best and it's important not to get discouraged! This is why we strive to learn, strive to always improve, it's all for the horse Throwback to baby me and baby Houston in 2014 beginning our journey into the abyss!

15.01.2022 Never underestimate the value of walking for fitness training! I think a lot of people have the idea in their heads that walking doesn't achieve much in regards to fitness training with our horses. Often we focus primarily on trotting and cantering or progress to these gaits too quickly in our training. Think about it... Yes we walk around in our day to day life, but if you went out for a brisk walk around the block you'd feel like you had done a bit of hard work, especially... if it was undulating. Walking around in day to day life, or mosying around a paddock eating grass as horses do, is not the same as walking for a period of time consistently. Walking is an awesome, low impact gait that can be utilised to help increase fitness, gain strength and is great for focusing on balance and straightness. I think the walk is very underrated, probably because to most of us it seems "too easy" for the horse. But in actuality, having a horse achieve good balance, engage the back muscles and actively think about proper limb placement is actually pretty hard work. In fact, the walk is one of the more difficult gaits for the horse to coordinate properly, as there is more movement/less rigidity and support through the spine than at the faster gaits. Walking doesn't have to be boring either, you can play around with the speed within the walk, asking the horse to walk "slo-mo" is great for encouraging proper engagement of the muscles during the walk! You can work on achieving proper bend and rotation in the lateral work. If you're on a trail ride introducing hills is great for building strength and stamina! So remember, don't underestimate the power of walking!

13.01.2022 As we are discussing breakover Here is a really interesting photo of a barefoot horse after 90klm endurance event. Horse trotted out perfectly sound in the trot up

12.01.2022 Here's a funny throwback picture for your Thursday night... Who else's horse is an absolutely savage with food?

11.01.2022 Did you know... Muscle damage takes 2-4 months to properly heal Collagen fibres, such as tendons and ligaments take 6 months - 2 years! Cartilage takes 2 years... While bone takes 2 - 4 months as it is constantly remodelling! See more

09.01.2022 It's that time of year where the paddocks are boggy and muddy and our horses are running around and a bit silly because of the sometimes crazy weather. It's not really the best combination... Horses can easily slip and fall in muddy paddocks, or get pulled into awkward positions due to their feet being suctioned into the mud! If you've watched a horse walking in very boggy ground you'll probably have seen the extra strain and effort used to simply walk! We're not always aroun...d to see our horses running around in these conditions, to see whether they have slipped or fallen over. Slips can cause muscle tears, while falling over can cause other traumas to the tissues and underlying structures! This is why having your horse checked regularly by professional body workers is so important. Horses do some silly things and we're not always there to witness them, nor are the signs of such an event often obvious! Muscle damage can be very subtle tightness in a certain group, but before long it will start to affect the nearby structures causing more issues. By watching how the horse is moving/carrying themselves and thorough palpation of the muscles we can uncover and deal with the muscle tightness or damage before they cause further problems, as well as giving you some guidance on how to best manage any issues that may arise! See more

06.01.2022 New Financial Year Price List ~ As of July 1st 2020 Over the last 2 years of running Apollo Equine Massage Therapy I have learnt a lot! My knowledge, understanding and confidence in my ability has exponentially improved. Along with my growing experience levels as time goes by, I pride myself on my constant drive to increase my education and understanding of the equine body, muscular system, biomechanics and functional movement. In the last 12 months I have commenced further... study to add a range of modalities to my services! As well as signing up for endless forums, seminars and other online educational platforms to increase my knowledge and ability to help you and your horses! As of 1st July 2020, a fully comprehensive and tailored Equine Massage Session through Apollo Equine Massage Therapy will increase to $80! Please note I am still currently undertaking my Tissue Mobilisation course as my practical intensive has been delayed due to covid. But once travel is all up and running again I will be getting it done asap! I'm currently undertaking my case studies for kinesiology taping and should be completed soon! Apollo Equine Massage Therapy Services Include: Equine Sports Massage Therapy Red Light Therapy Tissue Mobilisation (completing study) Kinesiology Taping (completing study) A Fully Comprehensive Session Includes: Standing and Dynamic Evaluation Palpation Evaluation Full Body Massage | Tissue Mobilisation | Red Light Therapy Stretching Kinesiology Taping (if needed upto $20 extra {once certified}) Aftercare Plan/Recommendations Full Written Report Book in now to reap the benefits of a comfortable, supple and willing horse. You will be amazed at the improvements after just one full body session! {Pricing applies to clients within regular service area ~ within 50km of Forreston ~ arrangements can be made for clients outside of this radius}

05.01.2022 Circulation taping done yesterday for a kick to the leg! Looking reduced already today although I forgot to get a photo. Aren't horses just always hurting themselves...

02.01.2022 Absolutely! Same as when you buy a new horse, have all of your gear checked over for that specific horse before you start ridden work with them, both you and yourself will be thankful for it in the long run

01.01.2022 Fetlock support application, with enhanced tendon and ligament support done today! In preparation for some hard work tomorrow