Listed in: Alternative Therapies

Integrated Sport Horse Therapy - Myofascial Release   [ MAP ]

Lexington,KY
Contact Person: Heather Brinkman
Email Address: via website
Website: http://www.sporthorsetherapy.com
Phone: 989-928-9002

I work with the fascia, or connective tissue of the equine body. Fascia is known as the organ of form. It surrounds everything in our structure from organs, blood vessels, and nerves to bones and muscles. An easy way to see fascia is when preparing a chicken breast. It's the clear, stretchy material we remove from the meat before cooking it.

So how does this affect your horse? A horse's fascia can become restricted due to trauma, a slip in the mud, repetitive training routines, poor balance (of the horse and/or rider), scar tissue, and equipment problems such as saddle fit. So instead of being flexible, the fascia thickens and hardens which restricts movement, nerves, blood vessels, etc. Once an area is restricted, the horse will compensate and move as efficiently as it can; however, it has now created other imbalances perhaps from a limp, so the fascia continues to adapt, change, and become even more restricted.

When the fascia is restricted your horse may exhibit a shortened stride, body soreness, joint stiffness, a sore back, a rotated joint, a hanging knee, lack of speed, or perhaps they are just not moving “quite right” or to the best of their ability, etc. The restoration of length and resilience to the fascial tissues will take the pressure off of the nerves and blood vessels reducing pain, as well as restoring alignment to the muscles and mobility to the joints. The body will experience greater range of motion and movement efficiency.

Structural Integration is not massage therapy or chiropractic work. This is also not a monthly maintenance program. I work with your horse typically for 1, 3 or 5 sessions. The sessions are designed to reintegrate your horse’s body, and each session builds upon the previous session.