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  • Alli Mason

Massage to feel good!

What is massage?

Massage is a manual technique that involves a variety of hand movements and strokes to achieve different aims.

These aims can include any or all of the following:

•Enhance blood flow

•Reduce swelling

•Reduce tenderness related to muscle spasm

•Enhance flexibility

•Reduce the onset of delayed muscle soreness from exercise. Excite muscles for exercise.

What techniques can I do on my horse?

Much like in humans, ‘Swedish massage’ can be applied to horses or dogs

, this typically involves three movements that are:


This technique is carried out both light and deep and can also be identified as the stroking technique. This should be in the direction of blood and lymph fluid flow.


This technique is repetitive light striking to the skin in a cupping formation with your hands, your wrists should be light and flexible.


This technique involves compressing and releasing the tissues and is often accompanied by effleurage between compressions.

What effect do the massage techniques have on the tissues of my horse?

Massage is proven to induce a state of relaxation both physically and mentally. The different techniques will induce different responses.

Effleurage when slow can aid with helping the horse to relax as well as improve blood and lymph flow, gradual compression reduces muscle tension which helps relieve spasm and pain.

Tapotement aims to create a vibration within the tissues which trigger skin reflexes and cause vasodilation.

Petrissage is particularly useful for alleviating spasm within dense muscular tissue. This technique suddenly increases the blood flow, aiding in the removal of toxins.

All of these techniques can be demonstrated by myself for you to apply to your animal to help their performance and comfort.