Gippsland Equine Care & Therapy Massage

16/01/2024

🥰

15/01/2024

Some float repairs. How it was, to a whole new side. Gutted, straighten the shell. New ply and new rubber, all at a low affordable cost 😊

17/07/2023

Not too often we hope!🤣🤣🤣

02/09/2022

Vogue enjoying the massage gun 🥰 best massage equipment I've brought!! Even the humans love it 💕

21/07/2022

Good day for some rug off time & massage 🌞❣️🐴❣️

11/04/2022

Tarzan
10 years old
And a big 17hh making his owner Lacee looking tiny 🤣🥰

Such a sweet boy enjoying a massage today ❤🐴

24/03/2022

Always a lot off chewing 😍

24/03/2022

A massage this morning before a ride & a evening massage before the sun goes down. Both times Vogue just looks so sleepy 🥰

17/03/2022

10/03/2022

Vogue having a massage yesterday 🥰

If you would like to book in a session, give me a call 🐴

04/03/2022

What does your horses muscle architecture look like? 💪

Atrophy means a decrease in muscle mass and therefore function. Essentially, muscle wastage (bilateral or unilateral).

Atrophy can present in varying forms; acute, chronic, focal, generalised. Different forms of atrophy can be attributed to its aetiology.

To palpate (feel), an atrophied muscle will often feel “empty”. In comparison to a healthy tissue, there will be little responsiveness and the superficial fascia and skin can often feel firmer due to dehydration. During mobilisation and movement, the horse may struggle to execute movements that require the engagement of an atrophied muscle due to weakness.

But why is this important? Ensuring our horses are built with healthy and functional muscle is so important for their musculoskeletal and biomechanical health. Healthy muscles (those with good mass and supple tone) provide an efficient system that moves the skeletal system; without muscles and other soft tissues, our bones wouldn’t be able to move. Good posture (statically and dynamically) and the support of joints are just a few examples of how positive muscle architecture helps our horses to maintain soundness and performance.

When atrophy occurs, it is due to disuse or dysfunction. Additionally, whether it is primary or secondary, pain is involved (particularly in unilateral cases). For example, horses that lack condition and correct strengthening training will often have atrophy to the gluteal muscles. This can affect the horses stamina in collection, ability to achieve a consistent contact, and even cause a horse to knock down fences with their back legs as they struggle to achieve adequate hip flexion & experience pain on sacroiliac joint extension.

I could talk for years on how important it is that our horses are well developed in order to perform comfortably and prevent injury. But for now, develop a therapeutic eye in order to critically assess your horse for areas of atrophy. I often hear “but he’s always looked like that”, or “that’s just his shape” - just because atrophy had been there for a long time, it doesn’t mean it has to stay.