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| 3/16/2007 12:31:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Heather Hill is shown practicing equissage on her horse Pumpkin. Equissage uses massage techniques to treat a horses muscles. Horses sometimes become so relaxed during equissage that they fall asleep. |
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Equissage: the horse massage therapy system
Special Horse Section
By Wanda Hanson
RUSHFORD - Equissage-massage for horses-no, there are no scented oils, no candles burning, and no mood music playing in the background. This is not a "feel good thing," but rather a way to heal and prevent injury for a horse according to Heather Hill. Growing up with the dream of becoming a vet, Hill worked as a tour guide in Colorado and served in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. On leaving the air force, Hill worked as an assistant barn manager in West Little Rock, Arkansas at a ritzy, private barn, private housing estate setting. According to Hill the barn was "exquisite, with everything short of chandeliers!" While there, Hill saw acupuncture and chiropractic work performed on the horses. Although chiropractic methods worked to a degree, the chiropractors always recommended massage also. Knowing that sixty percent of a horse's body is muscle, this made sense to Hill.
Heather and her husband missed the hills of Minnesota and moved back to the area; Heather worked at Kwik Trip while she researched potential jobs, eventually deciding to travel to Virginia to learn equissage. The intensive week-long program ran for seven days, twelve hours a day and required prior working knowledge of horse anatomy, range of motion, and insertion points. During the program, Hill studied massage techniques and case studies. She learned where and when not to massage as well-if the horse has a fever, cancer, or underlying medical conditions, for example.
Hill has her customers fill out an extensive history on their horses, requiring the names of the veterinarian and farrier, medications and changes in physical condition. In order for a horse to have an equissage, it must be able to stand tied and accept normal grooming. She also leaves an evaluation form with the horses after working with them, detailing the problems in simple laymen's terms.
Hill is careful where she stands during a massage so she can avoid being kicked and reads the horse's facial expressions. She also keeps a hand on the horse's neck on a pressure point as she massages the horse; sometimes horses attempt to bite as she works out a spasm. The horse's inner back thigh is a tricky place to massage; horses are ticklish and often are not used to being touched there.
Demonstrating the massage technique on one of her own horses, Pumpkin, a spotted draft horse, Hill started on Pumpkin's neck, then palpated across the topline of the horse. She then moved down through the middle of the barrel, evaluating the horse as she went for muscle spasms. Massage uses several different techniques, compression (a kneading motion) palpation, jostling, and percussion (a tapping with open and closed hand). As Hill moved Pumpkin's front leg through extension and bending it, the 1800-pound horse relaxed and leaned on her, definitely enjoying the massage. "It's all in technique and leverage," Hill replied when asked how she handled the large horse.
According to Hill, she's had horses relax so much they fall asleep during a massage. After the first few sessions, horses recognize Hill and some even nicker when they see her come in, anticipating a massage. Hill uses no tools in her massages, only her hands, and admits it's hard work. She starts with a light pressure; then gradually increases the pressure as she works on a horse. One tool she would like to acquire is a photon light which could help warm the deep muscles of the horses.
Hill stresses that owners can help their horses by taking the time to warm them up and cool them down properly, leading the horses at a brisk walk for 5 to 10 minutes. Lactic acid pools in the joints if the horse is not cooled down correctly; this causes the popping noise in the joint.
According to Hill, 90 percent of horse injuries are muscle related. The first session for a horse takes between two and two and a half hours since the horse is usually tight. She recommends a massage three days before and three days after any chiropractic work on a horse, noting that chiropractic treatment is considered invasive for a horse. Hill also recommends massage before and after sending a horse to a trainer since the training results in the horse using muscles in different ways and learning to move correctly. Hill also advises owners on rehabilitation programs for their horses, going over stretches with the owners. If a problem can't be taken care of in three or four sessions, Hill suggests calling a vet or farrier.
The type of horse and its work make a difference in its massage needs. A driving horse uses its shoulder and neck muscles extensively, often getting a stiff neck. Trail horses use their back muscles more; dressage horses use an entirely different set of muscles than trail horses.
Hill admits horse massage is a dirty job, noting she's worked out in pastures in the rain. She stresses, however, that she is more than willing to do that for horse owners who take care of their horses. While she works quite a bit in Rochester, Hill hopes to bring the service locally. Recognizing that equissage used to be a service only available to "uppercrust," Hill is attempting to make it available and affordable to all. Noting it's difficult to bring new methods into the Midwest, Hill points out equissage is already popular on both the east and west coast. Some members of the Amish community have used her service to help keep their essential horses healthy.
Hill urges horse owners to be sure they have good relationships with both their vets and farriers.
"If a horse isn't balanced from its nose to its tail, they're not going to be able to fix anything," Hill proclaims. Reminiscing about her youth, Hill relates that while her family didn't have a lot of money, they always took care of their horses. She repeats another favorite quote of hers, "If you can't afford a vet, don't get a pet!"
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