Lateral Cervical Flexion, the Bladder Meridian Technique and much more are in the Beyond Horse Massage book. Amazing stuff…and so much fun to do when the dog is relaxed and just hanging out with you. Let me know if there is anything else going on with your horse that I can help you with. If you’re getting results and the horse is in work, then working on the horse every two or three days is fine. Jim has often said that before a competition, you just want to “take the edge off” and loosen up the junctions that most affect performance. I would keep working on the scapula release, even if he is limited on his hard side, eventually you will start to see results as you continue with correcting the foot. When I use lateral rocking, he shows a very strong response (hind end tensing, need to chew on something, etc.). A lot of horses get mouthy, and fidget and fuss, when you are doing this kind of work. Let me know how it goes. In my experience, bodywork reduces the cribbing but they will always want their “cigarette” after they eat or get anxious. So it may not be a veterinary issue that you need to be worried about. Find expert advice along with How To videos and articles, including instructions on how to make, cook, grow, or do almost anything. Was there anything I could have done to refocus her? I’ll be massaging a horse that is very cinchy; it takes almost a half hour before they can cinch him tight enough to mount the saddle. Is he aggravated or frustrated or is this part of releasing? He enjoys it! I get another response back from Amazon, only this is from another new person. My mare sweats around an injured shoulder during bodywork. You will know you’ve gone too long when the horse simply stops giving you responses. Follow his lead. Often the horse tells us when our fingers have found a place of discomfort by blinking. Hi Linda, Thanks for your question! and as you release them, they are gone! A client’s horse sustained damage to her shoulder and possible nerve damage (though client is not sure which nerve/muscle was affected) probably the nerve serving subscapularis, as a yearling. We had a horse that was a bit ear shy and worked on desensitizing him by “accidently” brushing our hands across his ears, however that may not always work for everyone. Yes, I think it might be surprising to have the horse jolt! I tried to help one of the mares in our care who spends her days with her ears pinned back. I’m glad you’re getting changes in the horse and your relationship with the horse with the video. is releasing might not have much to do with that particular We also have a Masterson Method You Tube channel with short clips and a Home Study Course that is Jim teaching a weekend seminar with videos, a manual you can download and quizzes. I worked on my younger horse. It is hard to say if horses actually do anticipate a release or not, but the bottom line is that he is still yawning and “letting go” in an area where he holds a lot of tension. He is having difficulty holding and relaxing with his feet being held up. Plus the SBs are being driven at night so it gives them more time to integrate the work. The tongue is attached to the Hyoid apparatus which attaches through other muscles to the foreleg. All the Hind End Points would be a great place to work. I am 5’3″, he’s 15.2.I can reach his poll area, but he “freaks out” with any kind of pressure, even light pressure. For that matter, you can do All of the techniques in the Beyond Horse Massage book or dvd, and loosen your ponies whole body up! He is fairly green under saddle and I have been working him with the method to prevent future pain. Was wondering if Jim believes if a horse started this, rope walking, with one leg in the back can it be reversed? Regarding the horse turning his head away, you may have noticed that some horses release easier than others. If the horse’s neck, shoulders and poll are also tight and sore, this is probably the case. I lay my head on her lap. Recently, heâ s been finding his quarry moody and feeding erratically. It sounds like you are doing the Bladder Meridian correctly. This doesn’t address the actual reason for your post, but at least you might be able to parse out the problem with Cyndi. Sign in with your Netflix account to watch instantly on the web at netflix.com from your personal computer or on any internet-connected device that offers the Netflix app, including smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, streaming media players and game consoles. I have a 14 year old mare who is in much need of some MM, she is incredibly sore and sensitive. This could then be the same relaxation response as passing gas. Issues from front foot soreness will travel throughout the body as the horse will likely brace and compensate adjacent soft tissue in order to shift his weight away from those feet. Does that make sense? Teeth were floated by regular vet. Otherwise he’s a very nice, sensible horse for the most part. The specially made tabletop features high durability, heavy-duty and sturdy, heavy load capacity. Do you think this seems like a reasonable routine. She has improved greatly but on occasion she still cocks her jaw (always to the same side) and will completely let go of bit. After on session doing the whole horse and special attention to the lumbar area would that pain go away if it were not caused by saddle fit? Is he short strided in the front, especially his left leg? More advice: when his head is down or relaxed even a little bit, try gently (I said GENTLY!) I asked the owner if anything was different in regard to his front feet. So, short answer, a painful reaction to that point, especially if it shows up on one side more than the other, may point to foot soreness on that side, especially if the horse is sore in the poll area. By putting together a picture or pattern of what’s going with the horse’s body we can find out what might be causing the soreness or restriction. Nothing that a horse does is arbitrary. Most TBs can’t tolerate racing more than once a month, while the SBs will go every week and are trained and warmed up in a much more vigorous way than TBs. While coming back to the barn from the opposite side, I happened to spot her in her shelter…head down, little shake, and then a huge yawn in which she rotated her head and neck in a huge circle. You have to take into account other factors before you call your farrier to complain that your horse’s feet might be sore. I have had the body worker come out and work on her ever other week for the past 8 weeks and she is responding well to his work as well. I was wondering why my horse has suddenly changed his release reactions. Now I stay there longer because he still jolts, but it might take a couple of minutes now versus a couple seconds it used to. Do the Hind End Points and you can use the “marble rolling “ soft tissue work all over the large muscle compartments in the Hind End. Usually when this happens, the horse needs a couple days off. Hope this long-winded answer helps. It’s a great technique for helping horses recover from injury, etc. Then, stick with it, and pay attention to what the horse is doing. When you do this remember to go slowly, search for blinks, stay on the blink until it’s gone and usually the horse will release with a lick and chew, then continue on, if you aren’t sure of a response, go back over it and check, if no response you move on. Good work on finding a work around. If they feel really heavy you can then start to ask for movement in the poll in a relaxed state by lifting the chin or moving the head around a little. Although horses are also better than humans in taking care of their needs, like drinking while receiving bodywork, so perhaps they find that they need to replenish themselves with the salt. Does resting my other hand on my horse while searching or staying interfere with getting a release? You can search for a blink around the poll, when you find the blink stay on it and wait, often you will feel the horse relax and the head gets heavier (this is a really good sign). You are not trying to DO anything, just put your attention on softening your hand (even though you aren’t touching him) and do the Bladder Meridian. If the cause can be determined and removed, the prognosis is often good. An example: Yesterday I worked on Gunner, a sensitive TB with long standing front feet problems and special shoeing. I would then build upon the release that you are getting. Like many things in life, do it when you have the opportunity vs. not at all! You’ve released tension and stress in those key junctions and they are now experiencing greater ROM and move more freely that can potentially make them sore as they use themselves with new movement and feeling. I know you’ll be able to make him more comfortable taking the right lead. Stop and have hot sake or something. When she came to me she was being ridden but was very very shut down. It’s always worth a try to use the MM or find a Masterson Practitioner that is close to you and determine what is bothering your horse. If you’ve never worked on the horse before, give it a minimum of 3 days before the race in case the horse takes time to recover from having their compensation patterns disrupted by a lot of releases. The tightness across her back may be a muscle spasm created by the bruising and swelling and initial incident when she ran backwards. If the sore feet are causing the problem, then the pain will continue to come back, but if there is an improvement at first then you know you are on the right track. . Does the MM work alongside traditional massage or is it more a standalone therapy that can be used instead of, in most instances? How often should you do treatments for a horse in training and a horse with an injury? Is that correct? Or should I try something different? I repeated leg down and back, yoga and leg down and forward, as well as cervical flexion. This could have been caused by some type of trauma such as hitting the head, by pulling back against the halter when hard-tied, or in the case of TMJ, by dental issues. The horse is programmed (sympathetic nervous system) to block it out and get on with it. Especially for a horse that has spent a lot of their time in a stall and it becomes a vice for boredom. You would want to rule out any health issues as a cause first. When you first start working with a young horse, you are not only asking her to learn a whole bunch of new things, but you are also asking her body to change, develop muscle, find confidence in certain movements etc. We tend to want to “fix” the problem, but the problem could have started in another area entirely and the injury is a compensation. Again, sorry for taking so long to get back to you. We have worked with him for about a year on this and there is improvement but there’s no way I could do any pole work without creating a lot of tension, even just putting my hand up behind his ears would have him locked in tension. It will come with time. To clarify what I’ve been doing: When I started working with him, he would do this reaction nearly right away at this spot on his neck. When you pick up the foot, sometimes it helps to support the leg for a while by holding it up as if it were on the hoof stand to let everything relax, then set it slowly down (by then she will be relaxed and YOUR back will be a mess.) I try bringing his leg back and he wants that leg to go down quite quickly as well. There are no cancellation fees – start or stop your account anytime. He has responded to the MM exactly as described in your book & DVD. I have been working on the opposite hip where she is carrying most of her weight, to keep it loose too. Is that too often? I have been practicing on 12 horses, welsh cobs, thoroughbreds, and Arab crosses. Or what would you suggest? Does MM work alongside traditional massage? Being an OT in a previous life, my thinking tends to run along sensory input & he may be using the cribbing to handle his anxiety. The horse bit me when I attempted to approach her poll on the right side. The bodyworker feels the rope walking will correct, the vet doesn’t think it will…what is your thought?? Why didn’t the horse tell us this in the first place? If the head-shaking persists there may be more investigation necessary to get to the root cause. Remember: Search, Response (blink or twitch) Stay (stay, stay, stay, stay very lightly) until there is a Release. So don’t give up hope, use all the tricks in your tool bag and good luck. Horses have things done “to” them all the time: Veterinary treatments that they learn to endure, saddling and bridling, grooming, blankets on and off, being led, being tied,bandages on, bandages taken off, being shod and in some cases being ridden…the list is nearly endless. The short answer to your question is; “Yes”, licking and chewing is a sign of stress release. This may bother him at first, but it will release a lot of tension in the jaw and the poll. Rope Walking Question (and Uncomfortable with Lifting Back Feet and Balancing for Farrier). Hope this helps. ), and will spook, drop a shoulder and spin – sometimes dumping his rider. Unfortunately, I have limited funds at the moment, so only want to have the Chiropractor out when the most benefit is likely to occur. You can start with using the Bladder Meridian and go over both sides of your horse and make note of where you find reactivity, i.e. Yes, great release! Hand-walking, a relaxed ride on a loose rein, or turn-out would be good. The ‘foot point’ never fails me. Watch anywhere, anytime, on an unlimited number of devices. I've watched equine massage before so I think I know what to do... Race horses: When is the best time to massage? If you get into too much of a struggle on one spot, it will turn into a…well, struggle. He has become very tight almost spasmodic in the loin area of the affected leg. The same thing….if he gives a lot of responses or appears uncomfortable when you put your hand up where the ligament damage showed up. Sometimes if I have a horse that wants to stretch, I hold them under the “knee” and let them drop the lower leg and let it relax and then bring it down. I was doing a 20 yr. old kids show mare, she had A LOT of tension in the neck withers and shoulders. If so, what exactly should I feel? Nothing!  Just let them relax onto your arm or shoulder (often the shoulder can be too high for them to start with) This alone is giving them a lot of help. If you are taking your time and not doing too much in one go, then over two hours is not too much. Shaking is a common behavior when this happens. Yes, isn’t it amazing that we are healed too while doing this subtle I’m very happy with the DVD. I have a very over sensitive uptight warmblood who was very headshy/protective of his poll area and very tight here too. What you (and your observant barn manager) are seeing is the horse releasing and relaxing when you are around. To release tension in the horse’s body, we have to work on the inside of the horse. If you are doing the Bladder Meridian – you can do a little bit every day. So I made up something I had not learned in my two seminars – I did the “accordion” move from his shoulder with one hand and his loin with the other and went over his ribs this way from top to bottom both sides. When in doubt I go lighter. Now, watching my horse, people have been eager to have me work on theirs! Easy movement after the massage is generally good. If I am away and not able to do these sessions my friend who helps look after him notices that after being untacked and settling in the stable he starts yawning and chewing himself. Your question is a common one as a lot of performance horses do have ulcers.  If the horse is under Veterinarian care than I would not do the bodywork per their instructions.  However, anything that reduces stress is known to help with ulcers and you can work on them if they are being given medication for them, but just keep in mind it should not replace Veterinary treatment or go against the Veterinarians instructions, we don’t want them upset with us. And then… I got to just below the hock and he had the same jolt that he gets at the neck. If there is any tension in the leg, it can be dispelled, allowing the farrier to trim to a relaxed set of the leg. You’re making big changes, and your pony’s nervous system needs time to process the changes between sessions. However, radial nerves will repair if given enough time; the main thing to do is to support the opposite leg while the injured leg is not being used, as the horse is frequently lost due to the support leg failing during the healing process. He will pull up, paw forward and walk sideways to avoid his front feet being held. It’s a good read, and there is a video attached. It has been observed by the barn manager that he has a very mellow/ peaceful energy when we are together. I would wonder how he feels afterwards? I lease a senior horse as a companion that has a history of pelvic arthritis. Shake your hands once in a while to make sure they are soft, and remind your body to be soft too! Is he barefoot or shod, have you noticed any compensation in his front end as he moves out? Another thing we emphasize while doing the work is that not to doubt (if it’s not clear to you already) what is going on. Why are my dressage horse's pectoral muscles sore? Even, if you do not think so. I adopted a BLM burro last fall and have been using the MM on him. The idea is to let the horse’s body move and feel what’s been released.If your horse needs to be ridden, give him as easy a ride as possible. Horses that are very strong survivors don’t want to show the releases. Horses that are very strong survivors don’t want to show the releases. We search for an area of tension by using no pressure and looking for a subtle response (a blink for example) from the horse. A friend suggested your method. It is a language as clear as any spoken language, but it is unique to the horse. I am new to the method & very excited about the results with just the Bladder Meridian that I have tried on 3 different horses. You may want to find a MM Practitioner in your area to do a thorough evaluation of your horse or take a weekend class to further you knowledge and get some hands on experience. If you find yourself applying too much pressure, then consciously soften your hand, and see of the horse’s behavior changes. She responds to body work with a “shivers down her spine” sort of thing (as well as the more typical head tossing and yawning, blinking, etc.). She did have an accident a few years back that may have caused this but I can’t be for sure. I am working on 2 Hanoverians 5 & 6 years old. He has been checked by a dentist/vet. The mystery part comes in as nothing shows up on examination of the joints, tendons or ligaments in the feet and legs or back, yet there is pain or restriction behind. You are on the horse’s time clock, step back and allow the releases. There is what the Germans call the Connective Tissue Matrix (or Matrix for short) and sometimes referred to as the “Ground Substance,” which is a complex of compounds and cells formed by the connective tissue or Mesenchyme. My question is: After I had finished with my horse she took two steps forward and stretched her back leg on her own and held it in the air for about 30 seconds. When he walks around you need to, “Stay, Stay, Stay, Stay” through that fidget – because that is a classic fidget response meaning something is stirring and he is fidgeting by walking around. Check out some of the frequently asked questions we get about The Masterson Method and how these equine bodywork techniques can help with a myriad of behavioral and training issues. Releasing tension through the Masterson Method bodywork will put the muscles in an optimal relaxed state. If you don’t have your copy yet, grab it here. Am I working them too much in the course of a week? My trainer is going slowly and building a solid foundation in classical riding for both of us. Thanks for contacting us and if you are familiar with The Masterson Method (MM) at all you know that this can provide relief for a horse ins so many ways. She is definitely an Alpha female but I have never had her do this to me. I would concentrate on the 3 Key junctions, as you release from the top, the lower legs will benefit and eventually he will feel comfortable to balance and pick up his feet. Hold the halter with the other hand, and just stay with him as he works his tongue in and out for about 30 seconds. So that usually means start working on them 3-4 weeks before the race they’re being pointed towards. My 4yr AQHA mare has become so aggressive that I cannot do the Bladder Meridian work on her right side. Stefanie’s experience above is a good example of how identifying this point usually works out. The muscles will be screaming and in desperate need for help. I owe it to her to research all options and opinions. Has anyone experienced this before? During the first session I do the front end and during the second session of the week I do the hind end. About the time a TB is in good enough shape to run in a race they’re also ready to breakdown. So, don’t start by touching him. Looking for any suggestions that might help.  Something you can do to help alleviate some stress and tension is find the  temporomandibular joint and very lightly hold your fingers over that joint, watch for blinks from the horse and hold there until the horse responses with a release.  By lightly, meaning air gap touch, which would be barely touching the hairs on the joint to egg yolk touch, which would be the amount of pressure you need to break the yoke of an egg when you are on the spot where the horse is holding tension in the joint they will blink, if you aren’t sure move away from the spot and come back and watch for the blink again, this should be consistent with where there is tension in the joint and your direct contact with the point.  Releases from the horse would be licking and chewing, dropping their head, eyes half closing, sometimes yawning. Keep peeling the onion (so to speak) and remember, what you do on the front end affects the hind end and visa versa. But the misunderstanding is that stress isn’t the bodywork, as anyone who is watching our type of bodywork can tell from the horse. I don’t need to explain to you what an amazing animal the horse is, but I thought this experience with your horse was a good opportunity to explain how this process with the horse works. Mild nerve damage should recover in 6-8 weeks. I continued my ministry with the cancellation of just one Church group – which was my own Bible study group. And if possible have a partner to hold on to them so they can’t kick or bite. I have a question, can the MM help an older horse that has stifle issues? You can put that all together with any other data, such as movement, flexions, etc. This will help relax the soft tissue right above the foot but it will also help begin to relax the muscles up the cervicals, over the withers as well as the pectorals which are all directly connected and affected by front foot soreness. Also, if I try to do the lateral neck release, he doesn’t like any pressure anywhere on his face; even just to rest a hand there, so encouraging the bend is a challenge. I have had a vet & a chiropractor check her to no avail. So yes, if you have a hand just resting on the horse, it does distract the horse’s attention and interferes with processing and releasing (the same goes for petting). You may find after using this method you will use no other it’s that effective. A no-show, a cancellation, a disinvite, the pettiest excuse to put one off is a … Attached a link on how to check your horse for gut sounds. BTW, if I close the stall door, he becomes claustrophobic and becomes so nervous that he can think of nothing else but escape. rocking the nuchal ligament back and forth. It’s good to work really, really light, but also read in the book about the second part of the equation which is more movement rather than light work. It’s not cookie cutter, but following the horse’s response, which it is obvious that you are doing! Is it a guarded response? But it’s an addictive habit. (ie, pinning his ears, or grinding his teeth trying to pick up the (R) lead canter, not wanting to move out in general at times, etc.) The Masterson Method is just one more thing for your tool box to aid the horse, you can certainly incorporate it into your own work or it stands alone. Nerve pain around the girth. A lot of people tell me that once they start working regularly on their horses that the horse starts to relax and release when they show up. If you’re not sure that the horse has blinked at a spot in response to your touch, move your finger back a few inches before that spot and slowly go over it again. I did drag myself to see my horses yesterday. You didn’t mention whether the bodywork you’re having done is Masterson Method but it looks like you and your vet and bodyworker are on the right track. I always stop there because I don’t know what is going on. If you’re doing it every day it’s better to do it in smaller doses, say 10 or 15 minutes. The most significant for me was an Arabian mare, who no matter what I did, would just give little licks. After my departure from the Church, most of the groups one sees in the photos closed. It sounds like you are doing everything right with her. You may be thinking that we are asking for large changes and stretching the front leg. The flehmen response is normally the horses way of taking in a scent they are not used to, in this case you may pay more attention to the licking and chewing, shaking the head etc.  This sounds like you got a really good release, well done. They have tried chiropractic, acupuncture, etc and now want to try The Masterson Method. I thought he was going to collapse at one point (which is where you see me take a few steps back) I am happy to keep working with him if it is a positive response but I guess I would just like reassurance re this as his behavior and the noises he was making were quite bizarre (to me anyway) It is also a good example of what type of strange little problems pop up after works and shows that if you don’t get it worked out when it’s a small problem, it might become a big problem later on. I am recently certified in equine massage therapy and I’m fascinated at the methods discussed in the book. I consider this a good thing as it is often accompanied by progress in the work in the days and weeks ahead, which is extremely hard to produce at all in a Thoroughbred in active race training. her lower jar is set off to right, does not line up.left cheek very sunken in, muscle atrophy. If the cinching comes from a sore back (palpate down the back to find out), then the back may be sore from the present saddle fit, or accumulated pain from poorly fitting saddles in the past. Her head is soooo off, not in balance. If the horse stops responding, or starts to look “fried”, then you’ll know to back off. Weeks ago he used to lick his lips, shake it out, etc, just like he had read your book. It brings the horse’s awareness to tension it’s holding in the body in a way that it can’t brace or guard against it. Some horses are programmed to be more guarded than others. Would this have an effect on how he does during the lesson? I have your book and DVD. I have returned to putting a halter on him, and running the lead rope through the rails, which didn’t use to be necessary. Meanwhile the TB times haven’t changed at all. He might be holding a lot of stress in his poll (horses in training and are working a lot, and can accumulate stress in the poll/neck junction) and when you even start doing the techniques, he starts to release the tension – good on you!! I hope that this is helpful. He will tell us where the discomfort is, where the restriction is. I know we discussed some hoof concepts at the clinic but can’t recall this. Or would it be worse now? Same thing is happening but the stress is the mental pressure put on by the training. That way, you can work through this without any worries. She did have trouble with the shoulder releases, although she tried. Learn Masterson Method techniques in the Beyond Horse Massage Book and DVD. The more you can get her to drop the pelvis on both sides, the better. Working with another mare who was more in tune with what I was doing, I found her to be more sensitive the second time I attempted the bladder meridian technique. Any thoughts on why he does this? I am hoping I can figure out how to release his tension. Before charging, it’s best to become certified. I have the opportunity to work with rescue horses with different stories. Can you explain how to deal with cold back? I often do horses the day or night before an event. You have mentioned the connection between persistent reactions to the girth area and neck/shoulder areas to pain in the front feet. I’ve only been going along the Bladder Meridian. I have had several body workers come to her and they have experience similar responses, but stopped what they were doing and we backed her up and suggested to her that that was not appropriate behavior. My theory (the world according to Jim) is that, for survival reasons, horses are genetically programmed to hide weakness or pain, as those will be the ones picked out by the predator. Then have a good release and all is quiet until next response… holds….. One of the 3 horses is a very restless TB mare which has a serious wind sucking habit. The odd thing is when I do get done and she gets a few releases. It makes sense now that you say that. Her assessment is that he is “loose in the poll” and a little crooked in the sternum. Keep up the good work with those rescued horses; they can really use the work. Work both sides and also under the scapula (C7 release). He’s my first horse and we’ve had our ups and downs! Can this equine bodywork method help my performance horse to relax?

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