Wellness for Horses
We're not the only ones who enjoy an extensive wellness day. The market is now saturated with self-made wellness options for our horses. Here we look at what needs to be considered and whether all measures are really suitable for personal use.
Where wellness ends and therapy begins is not easy to tell. Basically, all wellness treatments are always suitable if there are no acute injuries or illnesses. In such cases, a veterinarian should always be consulted first. In principle, wellness is everything that relaxes your horse.
- Warmth
Heat applications are among the oldest forms of therapy. It not only helps as a form of therapy for acute tension, but also as a wellness method for in between. Depending on how the heat treatment is carried out, the superficial muscles or the deep muscles are addressed. The simplest heating method is the solarium. Here, however, the heat acts primarily on the surface. If you want to specifically address individual muscle groups, then hot compresses or moor or cherry stone pillows are suitable. In order to be able to reach the deeper muscle layers, the heat should be combined with moisture. For example, with damp cloths that you place under the heat pads. The applying of external heat increases blood circulation and has a relaxing effect. Solariums, on the other hand, are equipped with infrared and ultraviolet light. The artificial daylight stimulates vitamin D formation and can have a positive effect on the well-being of the horse.
- Magnetic Field Theraphy
Enthusiasm for magnetic field therapy has increased rapidly in recent years. There are now countless products in all price ranges on the market that are supposed to increase well-being and have a regenerating and healing effect. There are various products that work either statically, i.e. without electricity, or pulsating, with electricity. Basically, the blanket, gaiter or the cushion generates an electromagnetic field. In the case of products operated with electricity, the intensity of the magnetic field as well as the frequency and pulsation can usually also be adjusted. Magnetic therapy acts directly on the cell. The body's cells are surrounded by electrical voltage - positive and negative, to ensure a balanced cell metabolism. Stress, injuries or illnesses can disrupt this metabolism, including the tension itself. The cell tension is brought back into balance through the magnetic field therapy, the cell metabolism is activated and waste products are removed more efficient. Of course, this can have a positive effect on regeneration, well-being and healing. Nevertheless, it is advisable to get a good overview of the operation and handling and, if necessary, to seek professional advice. But be careful with horses that have kidney disease, tumors or sepsis.
- Massage
It's not just us who enjoy a good massage after a stressful, exhausting day. Tense muscles are loosened, the blood circulation is stimulated - and sometimes massaging can really hurt if the muscles' critical points are massaged. But all the better is the feeling when the blockages are released. When massaging, it is crucial to always keep an eye on your horse: how it reacts to different pressure levels, what is comfortable for it and what is not. Depending on the application, use and product, there are different massage approaches. But the first priority should always be to feel it with your hands. Massage products are all well and good and save us from having to put on our hands, which is quite strenuous, but in order to be able to massage in a targeted manner, we first have to know where the problem is hiding. Tense muscles feel completely different than loose muscles, but of course this feeling has to be developed first. Cleaning is one of the easiest massage methods ever. The various cleaning utensils offer the most obvious massage devices. Even the simple stroking in a circle stimulates the muscles and stimulates the metabolism. By the way, grooming not only serves to care for the coat, it also creates a connection between horses and humans. When used ritually, the horse can relax and enjoy the "treatment". Cleaning does not always have to precede riding, you can simply do something good for your horse with it.
But if other devices are connected between your hand and the horse, then a lot of empathy is lost. If a wooden roller is rolled directly over the hip bone, it can be very uncomfortable for your horse. Working with additional equipment always requires a special knowledge of the anatomy of the horse: Where are the muscle groups, where are the bones just under the skin surface, how do I reach specific muscle parts and of course how do I use certain equipment, how are they adjusted, which Treatment options arise for me and my horse. Fascia literally holds the entire organism together. They surround the individual muscles, allow them to slide and enclose the organs. The importance of the fascia has increasingly become the focus of holistic treatment in recent years. The superficial tissues are primarily addressed with rollers, blankets and other massage devices. The muscles can be warmed up and relaxed, the horse can relax better before or after stressful situations and blood circulation is stimulated. With the appropriate know-how, massaging with rollers and the like can have a lot of positive effects on the horse.
