EPONA Equine Massage Therapy

18/09/2025

In hand walking after massage????

Should we??? 👍👍👍👍 yes

In-hand walking after equine massage is recommended to help the horse recover, remove lactic acid, and encourage circulation. A therapist may recommend 5-10 minutes of hand walking, or light groundwork, depending on the intensity of the massage. This gentle movement aids in the drainage of toxins, keeps the muscles supple, and allows the horse to adjust to new biomechanical freedom, but should not involve hard or intense work.

Here is Dreamer modeling their in hand walking after a full body massage. Little star 🌟 🤩 ✨️

17/09/2025

My how they grow 💜

16/09/2025

Such great advice 👍 love a top tip

🍂 Tip for chillier mornings:
Before you ride or lunge, try a few minutes of in-hand mobilisation. Gentle walk patterns, turns, and transitions warm up the joints and reduce stiffness before your horse starts proper work.

These small habits go a long way in keeping horses comfortable as the weather cools. 🍂

I shared more autumn care and exercise tips here 👇
(blog link below)

14/09/2025

Top Homework Tip 👌

The 'L Chute'

A great groundwork or ridden exercise to support straightness in back up. And to build topline as this can be worked in so many ways.

Back up is a key part of a massage therapist dynamic assessment, looking for lift, arc of flight, comfort, softness etc but what happens if our back up is ... well .... wonky? This is a tell for your therapist who can take this into account when palpating but there are activities you can do to work your horse to help develop a more refined back up (once we have ruled out any imbalances of the body of course with body work)

This pole set up is fantastic for supporting the refinement of your horses back up. Start on the ground first and top tip from me, think about where you are as well as where the horse is, don't rush and take a break when needed, keep that softness through the movement. Short stint practice is all that's needed. Have fun

14/09/2025

Lovely day today spent with Dreamer and his lovely owner. 😍 This boy communicates so well and we listen. Lots of softening of eye, blinking, releasing and boy does he love the facial edge tool. Great day undercover out of the rain ~ happy Dreamer, happy owner, happy therapist 💜

14/09/2025

Happy Sunday 🍁
Longissimus Dorsi the largest muscle that's crucial for stability and proper movement.

The longissimus dorsi is part of the broader "longissimus" system of muscles, which also includes the longissimus cervicis in the neck

It plays a key role in transmitting forces generated by the hindquarters forward through the body, supporting the rider and influencing performance

To develop your horse's Longissimus dorsi (the primary muscle of the back, supporting the topline), focus on training exercises like "long and low" work to stretch and engage the muscle, hill work for hindquarter and back engagement, and belly lifts, a technique that encourages spinal flexion and core strength.

Here is Duke's massage sequence undertaken prior to his belly lifts (rep of 3) to develop his ability to lift through the back. Coupled with good nutrition ( protein and amino acids) and movement. (We usually use 2 hands but filming with one) You can see that he lacks some topline so as we develop that over time, this sequence is essential to keep him soft, supple and able to easily lift through his back for his belly lifts. These will really help with some long and low work to bring it back where it was 💪 always a work in progress to build back. We got this

13/09/2025

September 2hrs CPD with Wolds Equine Sports Massage Approved Courses. Hugely insightful, some techniques to refine, sometimes its a great reminder (refresh always welcome). A peaceful evening spent immersed in equine massage therapy techniques to support recovery and enhanced performance.

Highly recommended. ✅️ Staying up to date to offer the best therapeutic experience for horses and owners.

The 5 R's ~ reflecting, revisiting, re thinking, re- applying and revising ~ 🏆💛

11/09/2025

Fantastic 6 monthly teeth check for my boy yesterday from the amazing team Bee May Equine Dental Services for Duke. We have it down how to best treat the big lad safely. He was a good boy and was treated so kindly and quickly and I'm delighted he is so much improved. We stick to every 6 months to make sure his mouth remains in tip top condition. Highly recommend the team. Check out their page, give them a follow . Thanks guys appreciate all that you do 💜

09/09/2025

Found a 'Friday Fun Fact' on topline massage and development where I give a shout out to saddle fitters for any discipline. They are an essential part of you Horse Team. My last saddle fit session with The Western Saddler Ltd. Started with a discussion on how he moves, feels, any issues, changes ⏭️ followed by a detailed palpation of his body ~ a real hands on check ⏭️ followed by a discussion of findings ⏭️ only then do we move to a detailed saddle fit/check ⏭️ then it's onto looking at the pad/shims ⏭️ all peppered with cuddles and scratches 😍🥰. A lovely, positive, thorough, calm, sensitive, experience. For my boy we had checks to do, back xrays later, all clear but without those checks we would never have truly known. We now have a full set of baseline xrays which, those of you will know, are a valuable resource for further checks later on as they mature, grow and change. It was the right horse centered approach and one I was grateful and happy to do ✅️ vet agreed with me and Maria that a check was right, and to have a Clydesdale specialist was just the icing on the cake. We truly know he and his saddle are good to go 🏵🏵🏵

09/09/2025

Wonderful to have the honor of being showcased by The Western Saddler Ltd. I can highly recommend their truly 'horse centered' approach. It's such a joy to have my little business showcased ~ thanks guys 💜 go check out their pages, their website and give them a follow. It's not just western saddles, check out their treeless, bitless, accessories and their new horse care range. It looks amazing and oozes quality. Lovely products bought to us by a lovely mother and daughter partnership 💜💜💜

08/09/2025

Poles, cones, barrels for ground work ✅️✅️✅️

Epona clients can access a new set of 9 resources cards in the resource section on the Equigate app. Let's get playing ▶️

Resource library is growing. After care is valued and the work my clients do for their horses shows their care, love and attention. It doesn't have to be all the time and rest is part of the process too ✨️ 😌