Equine Touch

Contact Belinda Atkinson via phone or email and arrange a suitable time for an Equine Touch Session. Please allow 30-60 minutes per horse for the first Equine Touch Session.

This depends on each individual horse. Most 1st Equine Touch sessions go for 30 -60 minutes per horse. The session will include collecting details about your horse, assessing your horse, bodywork (body balance) and addressing the areas of concern. Saddle fit could also be looked at, if required. A follow up session will be about thirty minutes.

It is best not to ride or work your horse for 24 hours after a Equine Touch session. This gives the horse time to process the work that has been done on it and the body time to address any pain issues that may have be resolved during the session. It is also advised not to groom your horse for the rest of the day of Equine Touch session, as this may scramble the messages.

The skeletal system is held upright and together by muscles and is not the bones that need addressing, but the muscles that hold the bones in place. As the Equine Touch create’s relaxation of the muscles the skeletal system rectifies itself. The Equine Touch is compatible with chiropractic work and can improve the long term results of any chiropractic work done on your horse.

Results are apparent after one session. Depending on the individual case, results are improved if 2 to 3 sessions are repeated once a week. When an injury or condition is chronic more than one treatment is necessary. Regular Equine Touch sessions, once a month are recommended to help prevent injury. A well balanced body is less prone to injury & illness.

Some horse’s show results during & after the session. Depending on how deep the pain is it can take 2 to 3 days to see changes in your horse’s behaviour. Most horse’s will feel great after the session, they usually run & buck around the paddock – pain free! You may see increased urination and your horse may have discharge from the nostrils, this is due to the lymphatic drainage. Your horse may become more social with other horses & humans due to being relieved of their pain. The happier your horse, the better they will perform. A balanced body knows no disease.

Yes, definitely! The effect and results on older horses is quite remarkable. Equine Touch would increase their circulation, address any pain issues and any stiffness would be reduced.

A full body balance is best used 3 to 5 days before the event as this gives the horse’s body time to detoxify and process the work. Remember to rest your horse for 24 hours after the session, this need to be taken into account with your training schedule. Areas of concern can be address on the day of the race or a pre-race tune-up, if this is required.

An ill-fitting saddle not only affects the horses back but the whole horse. A poor fitting saddle can inhibit natural movement & cause pain. Long-term problems from saddle discomfort can lead to:

• atrophy (wasting) of the back muscle
• lameness
• unsoundness
• behaviour problems such as rearing and refusal to go forward
• postural changes
• health dysfunction (stress depresses the immune system)

Your saddle fit can be checked by Belinda during your Equine Touch session.

Most horse owner know the saying ‘No foot, No horse’. The foot is responsible for bearing all the horse’s weight and provides the contact with the ground, any problems in the hoof tend to reflect in the horses movement.

• Check your horses manure for long partials or whole seeds, this can be an indication of improper chewing.
• When feeding your horse large amounts of feed may drop out of your horse’s mouth or twisted wads of hay or grass may fall out (called quidding).
• When you put the halter on observe the horses behaviour, if the horse does not like its head being touched it could be an indication of dental pain.
• Check the breath, bad breath can be an indication of dental problems
• Observe your horse behaviour when bridled; head tossing or swinging or tilted neck & head carriage can also be a sign of dental pain.

Horses with dental problems may have performance problems. Mouth pain can also be a reason for bad manners, spooking or rearing.

This would disturb the ‘rebalancing’ that follows the moves & can interfere with innate healing system by confusing the simple messages. It is best to give 5 days after your Equine Touch session before using massage on your horse.