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Horse Massage for Horse Owners – Online Course
This comprehensive video course is designed with you in mind. Whether you’re an experienced equestrian or completely new to horse care, it’s the perfect opportunity to enhance your skills, build a deeper bond with your horse, and boost their wellbeing—all at your own pace.
Why Horse Massage?
Massage isn’t just for pampering—it’s a vital tool to improve your horse’s performance, comfort, and overall health. It can help:
Relieve muscle tension after exercise or long periods of inactivity.
Boost recovery and maintain peak condition.
Enhance your relationship by building trust and understanding.
Best of all, horse massage is something you can learn to do confidently, and it doesn’t require a veterinary degree or special experience.
What You’ll Learn in the Course
Horse Massage for Horse Owners breaks everything down into simple, easy-to-follow lessons. Through lifetime access to step-by-step video tutorials, you’ll learn:
How to be aware of areas of tension or discomfort.
Key massage techniques that are safe and effective.
When and where to massage your horse for maximum benefit.
This course empowers you to be proactive about your horse’s health and happiness. It’s suitable for any horse owner, whether you have a beloved companion, a competition partner, or a young horse in training.
Why Join Now?
Horse Massage for Horse Owners is more than just a course—it’s your gateway to a lifetime of learning. Once enrolled, you can revisit the lessons whenever you like. There are no deadlines, no rush, and no pressure. Learn in your own time, at your own pace, and in the comfort of your home (or stable!).
How to Join
Just click here!
Manual Therapy: Easing Stiffness, Improving Movement, Reducing Pain
I feel privileged in my work to have treated so many horses – from high-level competition athletes to happy hackers and retirees. I’m endlessly fascinated by how the body works and how every part is connected in some way to everything else.
If a horse (or human) has restricted movement in a particular joint, that restriction can affect the entire body. That’s why I place a strong focus on joint range of movement during assessments. I carefully pick up each leg and assess each joint to the best of my ability, looking for stiffness, restricted movement, or signs of pain. I also evaluate the spinal range of motion, again checking for stiffness, restriction, or discomfort.
One of the key players in this interconnected system is fascia—the connective tissue web that surrounds every muscle, bone, and organ in your horse’s body. Fascia provides structure and support while enabling smooth, coordinated movement. However, when fascia becomes tight or restricted, it can cause stiffness and discomfort, impacting your horse’s performance and overall well-being.
While we may not yet fully understand the science behind how manual therapy and movement ease pain and improve range of motion, I like to imagine fascia softening and releasing where it’s tight, allowing the layers to glide smoothly. This “fascial freedom” lets the joints move painlessly through their full range, helping the horse let go of compensatory movement patterns that might have been causing secondary pain.
In my experience, these changes often happen during the treatment itself, and owners frequently tell me their horses feel more forward, willing, relaxed, or comfortable in the days and weeks following therapy. It’s a joy to witness these transformations and know I’m making a positive difference. Thank you to all those who allow me the joy of treating their horse, and thank you to you for supporting my work.
Harmonious Horsemanship: Understanding Gastric Ulcers and the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram
If you haven’t subscribed to the Train With Trust Project on YouTube yet, and you’re interested in horse welfare, now is the perfect time! Today, I’m talking about gastric ulcers, and their freely available video, “Live with Dr Sue Dyson: Gastric Ulcers in Horses,” is a fantastic resource to explore this topic further. Dr. Dyson delves into the connection between recurring gastric ulcers and chronic musculoskeletal pain in horses.
If YouTube isn’t your thing, you can find the videos for free on the 24 Horse Behaviors website or join the monthly Facebook Live discussions on the page The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain.
Equine gastric ulcers are painful sores in the stomach lining, often caused by stress, diet, or management practices. Horses are naturally designed to graze continuously, so extended periods without forage can increase stomach acid and lead to ulcers. Signs may include weight loss, irritability, poor performance, and changes in appetite or behaviour.
Chronic, low-level pain acts as a stressor, which may explain why it often correlates with recurring gastric ulcers. Many horses with gastric ulcers also suffer from hindgut dysfunction, a separate issue requiring a different treatment approach.
If you suspect your horse has gastric ulcers, consult your vet, physical therapist, and coach. Diagnosis requires scoping, as hindgut dysfunction remains harder to detect scientifically, though advancements are being made.
If ulcers recur after treatment, it might be time to explore underlying chronic pain. Neuromusculoskeletal pain doesn’t always cause visible lameness. For example, a horse lame on both sides or with neck or back pain may not show an obvious limp. The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram – developed by Dr. Dyson using robust science – is a powerful tool to assess pain in non-lame horses.
For more on the Ethogram and its relationship to equine welfare and well-being, check out Harmonious Horsemanship, co-authored by Dr. Dyson and me. Subscribers to my newsletter receive a 20% discount, so if you’re not already subscribed, why not sign up today?
Sue Palmer MCSP – The Horse Physio – is an award-winning author, educator, and Chartered Physiotherapist. Sue specialises in understanding the links between equine pain and behaviour, with a focus on prevention, partnership, and performance. She champions the kind and fair treatment of horses through empathetic education. Sue is registered with the RAMP, ACPAT, IHA, CSP, and HCPC.
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