Optima Equine Therapy

06/23/2025

Did you know horses can drink up to 20+ litres of water on a hot day!

With this heat wave hitting us so hard & in the high temps, it’s important to keep our ponies hydrated & cool.

Avoid riding in the middle of this heat, Try to aim for for very early mornings & very late in the evenings.

But even the tiniest amount of exercise can cause heat stroke.

06/16/2025

I see a lot of people recommending chiropractors and pemf and excluding massage therapists. I want to give you a few reasons why I believe a massage therapist should be used regularly at times in a horse’s life:

We all have different skills to contribute to your horse’s care. Bodies need different kinds of help at different times.

Remember that it’s the muscles that create tensile strength and hold the bones and organs in place. They are also what pulls the body out of optimum, by strength or weakness, which combine to create imbalance and potential unsoundness. This is especially true and important when a horse is coming into increased work, coming back into fitness, or when a horse is older and needs a little help staying loose and comfortable. You can be a great trainer, your horse will still build strength unevenly, it’s simply what happens when out of shape horses are put into exercise. It’s natural, normal and expected.

By being proactive and working with a great massage therapist you can help your horse be more balanced and comfortable and so sounder, more mentally balanced and train more easily. We can help the horse through the process by manually suppling, helping him learn his body, improving awareness and letting him use himself the best he can while he works to build and become, hopefully, the best version of himself.

Learn more here - https://koperequine.com/why-hands-on-massage-is-the-best-way-to-for-sore-care-muscles/

06/09/2025

Is Your horse holding tension?

Tension in horses is often sometimes very much overlooked, until it evolves into a much bigger issue. But early signs can be VERY subtle!. Muscle tightness can affect behaviour, performance & even saddle fit.

Here are some signs your horse may be holding tension :

♦️ Shortened stride or stiffness
♦️Struggling with lateral work or bending
♦️ Uneven muscle development
♦️ Difficultly engaging hindquarters
♦️ Resistance in transitions
♦️Odd or unusual Behaviour

Regular Massage therapy improves circulation, helps relive tension & keep muscles supple. Reducing the risks of muscle fatigue, compensation patterns & injury.

Book your massage with us today

04/28/2025

04/06/2025

You can have all the facilities in the world, but if your horses can’t go out for 6 months of the year… what’s the point?

I came across a post this morning advertising a high-end yard:

• Olympic-sized outdoor arena
• Huge indoor arena
• Roofed horse walker
• Weekly clinics and shows
• On-site vets
• Even a café

And yet no winter turnout Oct to “Dry Spring” meaning April Time, that’s 6 months of no turnout just ridden and walker.
Because the fields are “clay.”

Look, I get that clay is difficult. But if you can invest six figures in show-standard arenas, you can invest in all-weather turnout or sacrifice paddocks. It’s not about money. It’s about priorities.

Turnout isn’t a seasonal perk. It’s not optional. It’s a basic need, for movement, for mental health, for socialisation. Horses aren’t machines you keep in a stable and bring out for work. They’re living beings who need space and freedom. A walker and a schooling session don’t replace that.

What really got me? The owner proudly says they sleep with their window open so they can hear if horses are door-kicking at night. That’s not charming, that’s heartbreaking. Horses shouldn’t be so stressed or frustrated that they’re banging doors all night long.

If we really care about horses, then we need to put their welfare before the wow-factor. The priority should never be human comfort or prestige over what the horse actually needs.

Stop building palaces for people and start building environments that let horses be horses.

FYI do you know what’s a starting to be a big selling point for stable yards now, turnout, invest and use it your advantage.

02/15/2025

What are Trigger points?

Trigger points are hyper-irritable spots within a muscle , often referred to as “muscle knots”, They occur when a small section of muscle fibres become tightly contracted, forming a noticeable nodule.

Trigger points are distinct because they involve hyper-irritable nerve endings. These nerve endings make the area highly sensitive and when pressure is applied , it can cause reformed pain - pain that radiates to a different area of the body.

Active Trigger points cause noticeable discomfort, even without direct pressure, often effecting movement and behaviour.

Latent trigger points: these are dormant, and do not cause pain unless pressed but may still restrict range of motion and muscle flexibility.

Are they different from stress points? Yes! Both cause different responses for Nerve sensitivity, pain response, tissue involvement & tension.

There are very specific treatment approaches to work with trigger points.

Do you feel like your horse is experiencing a trigger point?

02/03/2025

What is a stress point?

Did you know a stress point in a horse refers to a specific area of muscle or connective tissue that becomes tight, tender or over worked. These points can result from physical strain, poor posture, overuse or emotional stress. It can impact a horse’s performance, comfort and way of going.

Stress points can also lay dormant in area of tension in the muscle or fascia that is present , but it is not currently causing any noticeable discomfort affecting the horses movement. These points remain asymptomatic until triggered by additional stress.

Active stress points are painful and affects the horses performance and behaviour often leading to compensatory movement patterns, reduce flexibility or visible signs of discomfort.

Common causes of stress points:

• Overwork or fatigue
• Poor saddle fit or equipment issues
•Trauma or injury
• Postural imbalances
•Emotional Stress

All of these can lead to reduced stride length and flexibility, an increase in sensitivity in the areas affected, Compromised athletic performance, difficulty with specific movements.

Massage and different types of bodywork can help with reducing & treating any tension or pain felt in the areas that may be affected.

Does your horse experience any of this symptoms ?

01/05/2025

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas and happy New year from Optima Equine therapy!!
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11/11/2024

Our Black Friday deals are here!! Starting November 12th to December 21st 2024.

Enjoy 15% off our Individual Massage packages

20% off Group bookings for groups of 2 or more

25% Our Massage & heat wand bundles

Each of these includes: a full report, 70 minutes of massage, exercise & stretching programs each suited for each individual horse. The heat wand pacakages also includes 20 minutes to an hour with the heat wand, after the massage. The discounts also apply to any follow up appointments until the 21st of December.

We also offer different pricing for Minis & donkeys as well.

Contact us today to book your horse for a spa day.
You can DM us or text 📞: 905-299-8043,
📧:optimiaequinetherapy@gmail.com

Serving the all over the GTA, Halton, Kitchener/Waterloo, brantford, Puslinch, fergus etc.

08/10/2024

Red Flag for Pets: Stiffness

Stiffness may be the result of age and arthritis. It may show itself in a number of ways. What to look for in your pet:

- difficulty sitting or standing from a prone position.
- slow-moving gait that eases after the muscles are warmed up.
- pacing.
- unwilling to go up or down stairs.
- wanting to turn around and return home or lay down on walks.

Please contact your veterinarian for any concerns with mobility. If arthritis or soft tissue is determined, I would love to show you the all natural and gentle benefits of therapeutic massage therapy to improve mobility.

06/03/2024

Muscle Monday: The trapezius muscle

Did you know the trapezius muscle consists of a cervical & thoracic portion. The cervical portion of the muscle originates from the nuchal ligament whereas the thoracic part originated at the Supraspinous ligament T3-T10. It inserts at the spine of the scapula

The trapezius crevicus functions to draw the scapula upward & forward whereas the Trapezius thoracis draws the scapula upward and backward. Together they raise the shoulder.

The trapezius crevices is considerably thinner than its thoracic counterpart. It has been revealed that there can be considerable variation in size, shape and thickness in this part of the muscle from horse to horse. On the superficial surface there are fibrous strands and muscle fibres that are difficult to define and these can extend as far as to the Brachiocephalic muscle and in some horses even over it.

Function: elevates scapula, allows scapula movement both craniodorsally and caudodorsally

Indications of issues: visible dip in the muscle development in front of the withers, lack of coordination and poor shoulder movement, short choppy forward phase of forelimb stride.

Origin: nuchal and supraspinous ligaments from C2- T10

Insertion: thoracic portion: dorsal third of the scapular spine. Cervical Portion: entire scapular spine.