Hands-On Horses

How to Contact Me

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You can call Windy at 817-713-6487 or you can e-mail me handsonhorsesaledo@yahoo.com

Why Massage?

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Most horses work very hard to do what we ask of them Whether it be trail riding, pleasure, or top performance, horses working this hard can often experience injury and/or pain as a result.
Massage is an important step to preventing injuries and is a great form of stress relief for the horse. It is also helpful for the recovery of an injury.
Massage releases endorphins in the system that have a calming effect to the horse. It also increases blood flow which results in increased oxygen and the release of toxin build up as well as speeds up the metabolism and shortens recuperation time.
The following is a list of other benefits of massage:
· Balances and Aligns the horses body
· Assesses saddle fit issues
· Assists the trainer and rider by removing pain related behavior
· Prepares healthy tissue for strenuous exercise
· “TOUCH” is therapeutic and can promote a healthy mind
· IT FEELS GOOD

How do you know if your horse needs a massage?

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Have you noticed any of the following behaviors or issues?
· Head Tossing
· Stiff to warm up
· Shortened Stride
· Restricted Gait
· Pinning ears when you tighten saddle or cinch
· Difficulty bending one way more than then other
· Loss of power or balance
· Tripping or Limping
· Avoid coming onto the bit

Considerations for Massage

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· 60% of a horse’s weight is muscle
· Muscles respond to stress or injury by hyper-contraction. This results in unnecessary stress on an opposing muscle or joint.
· Muscle soreness can be a result of injury, cooling down too fast, overstretching or overuse/misuse.
· Muscles, damaged or not, do not show up on x-ray.
· Like us, horses anticipate pain. There way of going become short and choppy resulting in an uneven gait.

Services and Rates

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$ 75 Per Session*
$ 5 Big Horse Fee (over 16 hands)
$ 25 Travel Fee if more than 30 miles. Waived if 3 or more.

3 for $ 200-Sessions are scheduled every 4 weeks and must be on the same horse.
Refer someone and receive 1/2 off one massage.

Gift Certificates are Available

*Sessions usually last around an hour or an hour and a half.

Saddle Fitting

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Yes it is important for the saddle to fit the rider, but it is just as important if not more so that it fit the horse.
Imagine trying to carry a backpack full of camping gear, climb and exert yourself, and move balanced under the weight. Now imagine if the frame of the backpack has a point or two which is causing you pain. You will move differently, trying to avoid the pain. And you would not take to kindly to putting it back on the next time you hike.
It doesn't take much pressure to cut off the blood supply to a muscle. Pressure over a period of time of 20 minutes or more is enough time to cause major deep tissue damage.
A bad fitting saddle can cause or
contribute to lameness in a horse. It can also cause many behavioral issues.
· The horse may be cranky towards the saddle or cinch.
· The horse may show its upset by pinning its ears or , swinging its head at the rider, or raise a threatening kick at the anticipation on pain.
· When mounted the horse may try to bite back at the rider, or buck and kick.
· The horse could even start to show resistance to being haltered knowing what comes next; being saddles and ridden– is painful.