Like any athlete, taking care of the body is essential. It is our duty to ensure that our horses are pain-free and able to perform at their best.
Our team practitioner has been a regular at major stables all around the world
Myofascial Release for Horses: Improving Health and Movement
What is the Fascial System?
A horse’s body is made up of several systems, each doing a different job. The fascial system is like a web that connects everything inside the horse. It’s made of collagen, elastin, and a gel-like substance, and it surrounds and protects all parts of the horse’s body. Every nerve, blood vessel, bone, muscle, and organ is supported by the fascia.
What Can Happen?
If a horse experiences trauma or inflammation, its fascia can become tight and restricted. When this happens:
- Elastin fibers overstretch and lose flexibility.
- Collagen fibers become stiff and tough.
- The gel-like substance in the fascia dries up and hardens, putting pressure on nearby areas.
Since fascia is connected throughout the body, a problem in one spot can affect other areas, causing symptoms like pain, numbness, or poor movement.
What Causes Fascial Problems?
- Physical or emotional trauma
- Inflammation
- Overuse or repetitive training
- Poor saddle fit
- Issues between horse and rider
- Surgery or injury
- Stress from sports activities
- Poor nutrition
- Bad footing
How Myofascial Release (MFR) Helps:
Myofascial release is a therapy that targets these tight areas in the fascia. By releasing knots and relaxing muscles, MFR helps restore the fascia’s flexibility.
Benefits of MFR:
- Muscle relaxation
- Better range of motion
- Smoother, more efficient movement
Myofascial release helps horses stay healthy and move better by fixing tight fascia and improving overall well-being.
Myofascial Release has shown me the best tangible results – the improvement in the horse’s movement is often noticeable on the next ride.
David Marshall – CEO of IHS
Our Bodyworker will inform you of any issues and recommend exercises that you can follow up with.
There are only a limited number of Equine Myofascial Release practitioners in the world.
We are lucky to have an experienced teacher on our team.
If you are interested in learning this important skill, we could arrange an intensive course based in Australia. The candidate will have a good knowledge of horses already, and be skilled in English. There is a demand for this skill worldwide.