LCF Equine Massage Services
Wellington County N0B 2K0 Guelph, ON, Canada

Movimentação esquelética do cavalo e cavaleiro! Show!!!

Exciting news- I will.be expanding my coverage area to include Dundalk, Creemore, Collingwood, Blue Mountain and surrounding area. I will be continuing to serve Wellington, Dufferin, Simcoe and Muskoka areas as well. Message me to set up an appointment and get your horse and yourself on the path to better living and performance.

Equine massage offers a variety of benefits for your equine partner including reduced pain, freedom of movement and improved performance. It benefits any horse from your backyard buddy to grand prix show horses. LCF equine Massage is now accepting new clients in Simcoe and Dufferin regions as well as continuing to accept clients in Halton, Peel, Wellington and Waterloo counties. Message me to find out how I can help you and your equine friend.

Remember horses can suffer from overheating just like us. Here are some tips for treating it should it happen

A great read for those getting their horses back to work

With restrictions in barns in Ontario being lifted, I will once again be accepting appointments starting June 2nd. Please note I must have your barn owner's approval prior to treatment and I will be following social distancing rules and whatever rules have been put in place at your barn including wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer, etc. Message me to set up an appointment.

Great article for everyone gettimg back to the barn, especially if your horse has not been in an exercise program the last few months

: Unfortunately, interruptions to a horses normal riding routine will lead to significant loss of fitness after 4 weeks. At 12 weeks ...of no riding, this horse should be considered entirely out of condition. . . Training and riding a horse for any discipline brings together two areas; conditioning and strengthening. From Denoix: The aim of conditioning is to develop respiratory capacity and to improve cardiovascular function. This results in a greater ability to perform with prolonged effort, while also improving the recovery time after this effort. Conditioning= cardio. Good news here- you can see improvements in respiratory response in 1-2 weeks. Strengthening of the horse has 2 main goals 1. To improve the flexibility of joints secondary to the action of ligaments and muscles. 2. To develop effective muscular contraction and coordination, making movements more fluid, lighter and confident. When bringing the horse back we should be looking at postural tone and fitness of muscular patterns. Unfortunately, supporting tissues, muscles and bones can take up to 4 months or more to recover. So, be patient. I know it’s going to be hard. But most of us are in the same boat. More to come! Source: Denoix. Biomechanics and Physical training of the horse.

Return to riding: part 2. Please, please, please - stay safe. I know we are all EXTREMELY gung-ho to get back on our horses. Please do not sacrifice persona...l safety in order get on a fresh horse. I am not a huge fan of excessive lunging, however there is NO shame in a safety lunge. Lunging is an invaluable tool for training and a great way to strengthen a horse. Use this opportunity to let your horse move and warm up, using themselves correctly. Do NOT let it be a wild free for all on the end of a long rope. Remember that speed is more likely to cause injury, especially on a small circle. If your horse hasn’t worked at all during Covid, try to keep to walk and trot to start. Try to keep the circle as big as possible by you walking the circle out. A 15m circle can easily become 40m if you have a good speed walk. If using a lunging aid, whether it be a Pessoa, ropes, side rein or bungee, keeps your horse from acting like a lunatic on the lunge, I say go for it. I would advise decreasing the overall amount of time working as it will probably be more difficult strength wise. 15 mins on the lunge using themselves correctly will be harder than just working free Also use this time to monitor their breathing. Are they puffing after 5 mins of trot? Allow them to walk and catch their breath more often than you would pre quarantine. At the end of the lunge, maybe take their heart rate so you can compare their fitness over time. (Use a stopwatch so it is accurate) And finally, WEAR GLOVES!! See more

I did not know a horse could do that... Written by Alissa Kelly I did not know a horse could bring people into your life that end up meaning the most to you. ... I did not know a horse could make the hardest days of your life bearable. I did not know a horse could teach you to put others first. I did not know a horse could remind you time and time again that your gut is always right. I did not know a horse could break your heart. I did not know a horse could pick you up when you have fallen a part. I did not know a horse could teach you to dream again, after you thought it was not possible. I did not know a horse could make you pray. I did not know a horse could bring you closer to Jesus. I did not know a horse could teach responsibility, work ethic and dedication. I did not know a horse could make you believe in something when no one else does. I did not know a horse could make you learn to forgive and forget. I did not know a horse could humble you faster than you can say humble. I did not know a horse could make you a winner. I did not know a horse could teach you how to lose gracefully. I did not know a horse could install patience in you. I did not know a horse could make you listen better. I did not know a horse could give you their heart. I did not know a horse could change your life. I did not know a horse could do all these things, but now I know.

A good reminder as peoole start to return to the barn

Pour les dresseurs, un petit zoom sur la mobilité articulaire lors du passage-piaffé Thanks Horses Inside Out and Laura Bechtolsheimer Dressage for this video ! Merci Johanna Hellborg de me l’avoir montrée.

Start the new year off right for you and your horse. Help keep them supple and working well all year long with the gift of massage. Ask me about the packages I have available.