Equine Massage: A Practical Guide (41 page)

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Authors: Jean-Pierre Hourdebaigt

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Stress point 40 will be felt as a rigid knot of tissues next to the attachment point on the fibula. It feels very tender to the horse.

The whole muscle might show tightness along its course.

Having a thorough knowledge of all the stress points found on the
body of the horse will contribute tremendously to the quality of
your massage work.

Stress Point Check-up

Routine

The stress point check-up routine is divided into three sequences.

But, before you start, to best evaluate potential stress point areas in your horse, take note of his history (type of training, accidents, traumas) and current training program (chapter 15). Keep in mind the horse’s conformation and way of going (chapter 9).Then, first evaluate all 40 stress points on each side of the animal to get direct feedback on your horse’s physiological state. This will tell you which part of the body needs emphasis. Second, using the stress point technique, work the whole body of the horse, spending more time on the areas showing active stress points.

Finally, go over the whole horse again, strongly emphasizing drainage. Remember to use hydrotherapy (cold application) over tender stress points when needed. Complete your work with a thorough stretching routine.

It took a certain amount of time for these stress points to develop, so it will probably take a few treatments before you see full recovery. Be patient; you will see improvement right from the start of your massage.

Take notes so that you can assess the progress of your work and its effect on the horse.After your first evaluation, you can consider giving small local treatments of 20 to 30 minutes to the most

228

Equine Massage

View

Side t,

tion Char

oint Loca

ess P

Str

10.9

Body Parts and Their Stress Points

229

(continues)

eleg

ds (adjustment)

events dislocation

lifts for

unk upw

ds and backw

events dislocation

vement,

ws tr

w joint

vement

rotates head to opposite side

forw

dra

vement

ds,

ing mo

rotation of shoulder joint,

UNCTION

eleg dur

eleg backw

ays head and neck mow

s scapula backw

es neck to the side

ws scapula upw

ws leg backw

es shoulder joint

ws for

es hoof dur

USCLE

raw

Flexion and lateral flexion of the head

Lateral flexion of the head

Side

Flex

Extends the back

Dra

Extension of shoulder joint,

Abduction,

Dra

Flex

Extends and locks the elbo

Adducts for

Dra

Extends hoof dur

Flex

sclesu

yoid m

uscles

uscle

General Stress Point Char

uscle

rate m

uscle

entralis m

uscle

yoid and omoh

si m

t of ser

er end) m

AME

vicis m

si m

pal flexor m

pal extensor m

us dor

noth

USCLE

riceps (upper end) m

riceps (lo

Rectus capitis v

Splenius cer

Brachiocephalic m

Ster

Spinalis dor

Rhomboids and trapezius m

Supraspinatus m

Infraspinatus m

Thoracic par

Latissim

Cranial superficial pectoral m

Caudal superficial pectoral m

Caudal deep pectoral m

Radial car

Lateral car

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.
230

Equine Massage

dar

otates leg inw

d attachment) flexion

ib cage attachment)

es stifle and r

flex

lateral (forw

unk

otates thigh outw

flexion of stifle joint

rotates thigh outw,

UNCTION

opulsion

unk straight and laterally (hip attachment)

unk straight and laterally (r

unk straight and laterally

d pr

es tr

es the stifle and the hock joint

es hip joint and extends stifle

es hip joint and r

es the hoof

USCLE

orw

Extends back and loins,

Lateral flexion of the tr

Flex

Extends and abducts hind leg (hip and hock flex stifle) Flex

Extension of hock,

Flexion of hip/fem

Adducts hind leg

Extends hip and hock joints;

Extends hip joint

Flex

Extends hip

Extends the hoof

Flex

uscle

tion)

uscle

lique m

uscle

lique m

uscle

ur inser

uscles

uscle

ib) m

uscle (stifle)

uscle

si m

uscle

uscle (belly par

uscle

uscle (stifle)

si m

is m

uscles (fem

AME

us dor

se abdominal m

astus m

asciae latae m

uscle

ital extensor m

ital flexor m

issim

nal abdominal ob

costal (10th r

ocnemius m

USCLE

ransv

ensor f

Long

Iliocostalis dor

Exter

Inter

Junction of gluteus m

Biceps femor

Gastr

Lateral v

Rectus femor

Adductor m

Semitendinosus m

Semimembranosus m

Iliacus m

Superficial gluteus m

Long dig

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

Body Parts and Their Stress Points

231

10.10 Stress Point Location Chart, Front/Rear View

active stress points in order to provide relief. Hydrotherapy (chapter 4) and stretching exercises (chapter 8) are useful additions to these short treatments.

A thorough knowledge of these 40 stress points will allow you to make more accurate evaluations and thus ensure better treatments. Remember that the whole muscle structure of the horse works simultaneously and that consequently you will most likely find more than one stress point.

232

Equine Massage

First Sequence

After applying a relaxation massage routine, use light strokings or effleurages to go from point to point, evaluating all 40 points in approximately 10 minutes. Palpate lightly with the tip of your thumb or fingers to determine the degree of tension and inflammation (if any heat or swelling is present) at each point.

Remember the four T’s—tension, texture, tenderness, and temperature. As you go along, note the areas that need work. At the end of this pass, record your findings to remind yourself of the area that will need more attention.

The Head and Neck

Use gentle muscle squeezing. Start with the ears, massaging thoroughly from the poll down (a few inches) to the throatlatch. Feel the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae and check if the vertebrae are aligned. Then flow into strokings or effleurage to check the stress points and the main muscles that attach to the head: the rectus capitis ventralis (SP 1), the splenius muscle (SP 2), the brachiocephalic muscle (SP 3), the sternothyrohyoid and omohyoid (SP 4), and the ligamentum nuchae (nuchal ligament).

The Shoulder

With gentle muscle squeezing, check the stress points over the withers (SP 5 to 8). Then with light stroking go down over the scapula to check stress points related to that bone (SP 9 to 11).

Flow over the triceps muscle to check its stress points (SP 13, 14) and the one pertaining to the latissimus dorsi (SP 12). Stroke gently to the front of the shoulder to check the pectoral muscle and its stress points (SP 15 to 17). Keep stroking down the leg to check the flexor and extensor of the foreleg (SP 18, 19).Assess the joints with a light palpation. Look for any inflammation, swelling, or abnormal bone formations.Then weave your strokes into light effleurages going up the leg, over the shoulder, and up to the withers.

The Back and Chest

Continue with some gentle strokings to assess the back muscles, the longissimus dorsi and iliocostalis dorsi muscles (SP 20, 21).

Weave your strokes to the abdominal muscle, the internal and external oblique muscles, and the intercostal muscles (SP 22 to 26).

Body Parts and Their Stress Points

233

The Hindquarters and Hind Legs

Follow with strokings to the muscles of the hindquarters, starting with the gluteus maximus (SP 27). Move to the semitendinosus and the semimembranosus muscles (SP 34, 35), the biceps femoris (SP 28, 29), and the gastrocnemius (SP 30). Gently go over the stifle area to check the quadriceps group of muscles, especially the vastus lateralis (SP 31,).Then gently effleurage on the inside leg to check the adductor group (SP 33). Continue by stroking down to the long digital extensor and long digital flexor muscles (SP 39, 40). From there, effleurage up the leg all the way to the flank, where you will check the iliacus, the tensor fasciae latae and the superficial gluteus muscles (SP 36 to 38). Weave some gentle strokes back to the withers and up the neck.

This completes the first side. Duplicate your assessment routine on the other side of the animal.

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