For millenia horses have been our partners in work, sports and play and have given their all and often their lives in war and the conquest of new worlds. They were indispendible partners in agriculture and transportation and only 100 years ago, life without the horse would have been unthinkable in our society. Never before, however, have the knowledge about the nature and the needs of the horse and our possibilities to provide adequate care to our equine friends been greater than today.

Locking stifles?
Read the article:
How to help your horse overcome a locking stifle
(Upward Fixation of the Patella, UFP)

	Today horses are our partners in equine sports and leisure activities. Thoroughbred racing, harness racing, driving, endurance or trail riding, dressage or eventing; all these activities give us tremendous joy, even more so when our horses are performing to their full potential. Due to the physical and mental demands we place on horses in our activity of choice, many horses suffer from performance limiting muscular and biomechanical problems and tension in soft tissues.
	“If we consider ourselves to have the moral right to use a horse for our own purposes, we ought also to accept the obligation to help him carry them out.” Baron von Blixen-Finecke, 1916-2005, Olympic Gold Medalist, cavalryman, trainer of Olympic medalists
These tensions can translate into performance issues and often go unnoticed due to the nature of the horse as a prey animal, who is trying to conceal his discomfort as long as possible. The first step to betterment is to recognize the subtle signs of performance limiting discomfort and tension that can point to muscular and soft tissue restrictions. Both horse owner and vet can determine if equine massage would be a beneficial course of action when problems with a horse's soundness or self carriage arise. Some of the symptoms of muscular pain, stiffness and soreness in a horse can be:

• shortened strides, restricted range of motion
• general decline in the horse's performance
• refusal to take a lead
• not stepping under, not rounding
• crow hopping, bucking
• hollowing back, raising head, throwing head during gait changes
• unwilling to change gaits
• stiff gaits
• general behavior issues (biting, unwillingness to be ridden, unwillingness to be saddled etc.)

Equine massage and bodywork is a low impact, gentle method to help the horse release tension in muscles and adhesive tissues and regain free range of motion, improve performance and prevent muscle injury and painful muscle spasms. Proven effective on racetracks, during international competitions and in equine rehabilitation centers, equine massage and bodywork has been enjoying increasing popularity, even though humans have been successfully massaging horses for centuries.

On this webpage, I'd like to introduce my work to you as well as my understanding of holistic horse care. I am a certified Equine Massage and Masterson Method™ practitioner and instructor, working on all types of horses. "Horse Wellness" is my passion and I truly believe that 'Well horses perform well!™'. To read more about me and what I do, please visit my ABOUT page.

I invite you to read the horse wellness related articles on this site, visit my "Horse Wellness Blog", contribute by sharing your own experiences and contact me with any questions or to book an appointment for an evaluation and/or bodywork session for your horse.

Thank you and enjoy your horse!

Stefanie Reinhold
ctfd. Masterson Method™
Practitioner (MMCP) & Instructor

*) Please note: Equine massage and bodywork is a non-invasive, gentle wellness modality aimed at enhancing performance in the healthy horse and never replaces proper veterinary care. If in doubt regarding the physical health of your horse please consult your veterinarian.