MASSAGE AND REHABILITATION
The Equine Massage Academy is the only organisation in the UK to award a Level 5 qualification (equivalent to a Foundation Degree) for massage and rehabilitation of horses and is founded by Angela Hall.
Angela is a highly qualified professional with a wealth of international equestrian therapy and teaching experience. Her love for horses is clear and she educates her students with passion, always emphasising the importance of how the human and horse partnership can be improved upon which is something very close to my own heart.
In particular, the EMA prioritises patience, kindness and that always doing everything slowly with horses is the most important factor in anything we do. The horse is a highly sensitive and spiritual animal and enjoys being peaceful. Horse’s that are in pain, anxious and badly behaved are a result of human intervention and sadly we often force them to do things when they don’t feel up to it.
Horses cannot rationalise like humans so they really don’t understand what we are asking of them. We need to give them something back for all the love, hard work, loyalty and sometimes the 'machine like' existence we impose on them. The EMA teaches us to be able to show you how regular massage therapy is a perfect way to help your horse to be happy and stay healthy whilst also enhancing the human and horse bond.
Training with Angela has been enriching and mindblowing and we are always being taught new and current techniques to add to our repertoire of skills.
Massage, along with all of the other techniques that I have been lucky enough to learn, can provide your horse with a full, encompassing therapy session for your horse and is proven to provide relief in all of the following areas
Muscles - improvement to muscle tone, relief of muscle fatigue, relaxation by releasing contractions/spasms/knots/tension in the muscles
Fascia - relieving fascia tension, restoring mobility
Joints & Spine - mobility of joints by stimulation of synovial fluids & mobility of the spinal column through relief of pressure on nerves
Cells and Tissues - cell regeneration by increased blood supply, removal of metabolic waste products
Vascular system - increases both heart function and blood circulation
Lymphatic system - detoxification and drainage of lymph by increased flow
Coat and Skin - vasodilation of surface capillaries, sebaceous gland secretion
Digestive system - prevention of constipation by increased peristalsis
Neurological system - stimulation to nerve endings, relieves tension in nerve pathways
Respiratory system - relaxation
Endocrine system - enhanced hormone circulation, initiates parasympathetic nervous system thus relaxation of muscles
Bonding - watching and learning from the sessions can help owners to improve their bond with the horse.