Promoting Equine Muscle Health – Horse Health Tips

Many of our customers are familiar with our products intended for human use – but we are avid horse-lovers and fans, and we believe that healthy, relaxed muscles are important for the happiness of our equine friends as well! We developed our Equine Massager with athletic horses in mind – owners and trainers expect their horses to perform athletic feats on a regular basis. But, much the same as humans, all that wear and tear without the right treatment can lead to pain in your horse’s muscles and the dreaded “tie-up.” In mild cases of tie-up, horses will feel stiff after exertion, and in more severe cases, their gluteus or hamstring muscles can seize up and make any movement extremely painful. It’s important to note that some horses are genetically predisposed towards tie-up, and may need specialized treatment at the advice of professionals. Using the Equine massager and other techniques can help prevent painful muscles and tie-up for horses. Since the weather is warming up, our thoughts are turning to our horses and their health as they begin to exercise and train more strenuously – with that in mind, we are providing a few tips to keep your horse happy and his or her muscles healthy and relaxed.

1. Regular exercise – Horses need exercise daily. You should avoid leaving your horse in its stall for more than two days. Keep their rest periods to a minimum, and keep a regular routine of exercise. Exercises can be increased in intensity over time. Any strenuous exercise should be preceded by a warm-up period and followed with a cool-down period, much the same as you might do before going for a run.
2. Diet – Keeping your horse’s diet on a minimum level of grain, with a higher percentage of oils (along with supplements to reduce stress) can help manage your horse’s muscle health. It’s important to talk to a veterinarian to determine the proper diet for your specific horse. If your horse is tying up, you can perform the “pinch test” – pinch the horse’s skin and see if it springs back quickly. If it doesn’t, your horse may be dehydrated and need frequent sips of water (or intravenous fluids in severe cases).
3. Massage therapy – there are a number of different factors that can contribute to tie-up, and one of them is the buildup of lactic acid in the horse’s muscles. With our massager, you can help relax your horse’s muscles by increasing blood flow, expediting the elimination of waste buildup in the muscles, and relieving aches and pains.

With these tactics, you can help prevent your horse’s muscles from seizing or treat muscles that have had problems in the past. It’s essential to talk to your veterinarian regarding diet, exercise, and treatment of your horse, especially if muscle tie-up is a chronic problem. We don’t just want our horses to perform – we want them to be healthy and happy. Ensuring their muscles are relaxed and in good shape is one important aspect of their overall health and condition.