The general “Rule of Thumb” is a minimum of every 6 months. Though, because significant fluctuations in weight and musculature can happen very rapidly (especially once a saddle is altered to fit and no longer impeding topline development) and rechecks and adjustments can be made as quickly as within a few weeks time! After a full re-flocking, we recommend a check and adjustment after about 30-40 hours of saddle time.
- Your consultation will begin with a full case history, and a set of tracings and measurements will be taken to assist in the saddle fit process, as well as recording any changes that will occur over time as your horses back changes!
- A basic saddle soundness check will be performed to rule out any dangerous defect or changes in your horse’s current tack.
- Once the saddle has been deemed sound, a full dynamic assessment will be performed with the rider mounted. You will be expected to ride through each gait and movement that you would normally perform during a workout session with your horse. After this, we will use your horses dust patterns, sweat marks, and dry spots to identify areas of excessive pressure, movement, or imbalance in your saddle.
- A full muscular health assessment will also be performed at the same time as your saddle fit assessment, to isolate any pain, restriction, and muscular imbalance that could be contributing to any saddle fit complications, or that may affect future fittings
- If adjustments need to be made, any reflocking will be done on-site at the time of the fitting. More complex changes such as repairs, or panel alterations will be arranged to be done at the workshop.
- After an On-site adjustment is made, the saddle will once again be checked to make sure we have the perfect fit!
Don’t choose! Both are incredibly important members of your animal’s healthcare team! Horses have over 205 bones (dogs at 320!) and almost as many articulations that are held together and mobilized via the muscular system. Muscular imbalances are the leading cause of skeletal misalignment, as skeletal misalignment can cause muscular imbalances. A REMT will help you assess the location and most likely cause of your animal’s weakness, and should it be required, refer you to a qualified chiropractor in your area.
Equine clients: BEWARE. There are NO REGULATIONS on who may practice chiropractic on large animals in Canada. Be wary of any massage therapists who also claim to practice chiropractic. Chiropractic uses “high velocity, low amplitude thrust” and is different from joint mobilization techniques that massage therapists will regularly use. HVLA can be very dangerous when not performed by a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine or Veterinarian. If you would like the contact information for a qualified AVCA trained chiropractor, please do not hesitate to contact me!
1) Download and fill out the Equine or Canine Client Intake Form from my website. The third page of the downloadable form is for you to keep, and has information regarding preparation for your dog or horse!
2) When your therapist arrives, be prepared to answer questions regarding every aspect of your horses or dogs past and present health and wellness, including details of turnout, workout regimen, feed schedule, recent medical concerns, and supplementation. Every little detail matters!
3) Once a full case history is reviewed, the therapist will then perform a dynamic gait analysis, requesting to see different movements based on your case history. This will allow them to identify areas of weakness, imbalance or pain. Horses: this may include seeing your horse move under saddle, so be prepared to tack up if asked.
4) This is followed by a muscular health assessment. This includes a range of motion and palpation assessment to isolate and identify the cause of your animals restriction or pain.
5) The massage treatment itself will involve employing many types of techniques such as trigger point therapy, friction therapy, fascial release, manual lymphatic drainage, joint and spinal mobilizations, stretching, passive range of motion, kinesiotape applications, hydrotherapy, cryotherapy and nerve manipulations etc, specifically tailored to your horse’s individual needs
6) You will then be provided with a series of home care suggestions to further assist you and your horse. These could include stretches, remedial exercises, hydrotherapy, grooming, tack changes, feed and supplement recommendations, or even referral to a chiropractor, farrier, or veterinarian.
For the initial visit: allow 1 hour-1.25 hours in your schedule between arrival and departure for dogs. For horses allow for 1.5-2 hours.
Any follow-up visits: dogs 45 minutes-1 hour from arrival to departure. Horses allow 1-1.5 hours.
Though certain types of treatment may cause post-treatment soreness, this is not always the case and your therapist will warn you should that be the case for your individual horse. Personally, I do not perform techniques on dogs that have potential to cause tissue soreness, so this is not a concern for my canine clients. Ideally, 48 hours of relative rest or light work only is encouraged after a deep tissue treatment to allow the soft tissue to adjust to its “new normal.” Post-treatment soreness can easily be avoided using certain techniques, and your therapist can adjust your horse’s
treatment accordingly should you require treatment within a few days of a clinic, lesson, or show. Just let your therapist know ahead of time if you have an event planned!
This may vary in range from once weekly, to a couple of times annually. This is dependent on many factors, including, but not limited to; animals exercise regimen, competitive expectations, turnout, severity of injury or restriction, and how frequently the owner is able to complete home care suggestions. Your individual situation will be assessed on your initial visit, at which time your therapist will outline the ideal treatment plan for your individual animal.
A Registered Equine Massage Therapist (R.E.M.T.) is required to abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the International Federation of Registered Equine Massage Therapists. To become a member in good standing, an R.E.M.T. must first complete a diploma program of a minimum of 2200 hours through an I.F.R.E.M.T. approved institution (see the home page for course details). This includes extensive study in the techniques and application of Swedish Massage Therapy, Equine Anatomy, Equine Physiology, Equine Pathology, among other courses designed to create effective and knowledgeable massage therapist that works in conjunction with your vet to provide the best
care possible for your equine partner. The massage therapist must then pass the theoretical and practical examinations designed and held by the I.F.R.E.M.T.
Because there is currently NO REGULATING BODY in North America legislating and controlling massage therapy for companion animals, it is possible to take a short four-day program, to a program that runs over the course of several months, to gain the status of Certified Equine Massage Therapist (C.E.M.T.) or other variant of this title (CEMMT, CEMP, etc). This means that there is a vast disparity in knowledge and understanding of the equine body and contraindications to massage that cannot be guaranteed as that of a REMT.
Clients of EED will be guaranteed a service with a minimum education of 2200 hours of study in; Equine Anatomy, Equine Physiology, Equine Pathology, Conformation and Kinesiology, Equine Massage Theory and Technique, Equine Massage Treatments, Hydrotherapy, Equine Behaviour, Equine Management, Professionalism and Ethics, and Business Management, through the D’Arcy Lane School of Equine Massage Therapy and Rehabilitation. This guaranteed level of education can only be achieved through an R.E.M.T. program.
That being said, there are many qualified C.E.M.T’s available for hire. Such as those who have taken RMT human massage therapy programs, then branched off to apply their knowledge of massage to the anatomy and kinesiology of a horse. When looking for a therapist to work with you and your horse, it is recommended to do thorough research and receive references for any C.E.M.T. or R.E.M.T. that you are considering, and find someone that works for you.
Simply, YES! Contact me now if you are interested in purchasing a gift certificate for your friend, trainer, coach, groom, or loved one!
I accept cash, personal cheque, e-transfer, Visa, and Mastercard! All prices quoted will always include HST, and payment must be provided before the therapist leaves the property at the time of treatment. If you need to arrange a delayed payment, simply let me know ahead of time and we can make arrangements!
