Equus is an athlete, as much as any human. Our expectations of their demeanor
and performance are great. There is little that a horse can do that does not involve
the use of muscles. From chewing its food to swishing its tail, and all of the
gross and fine motor movements in between -- muscles are contracting.
The
study of equine massage therapy involves not only studying the structure and function
of the horse, but as importantly -- equine movement. Through gait analysis, conformation
analysis, and muscle assessment, a skilled therapist can determine how to treat
the animal holistically, in conjunction with other healthcare practitioners.
I
received my licensure as a massage therapist (for humans) in New Hampshire in
1997, receiving certification from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic
Massage and Bodywork. In addition I successfully completed a 500 hour program
focused on equine anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, medical massage, lymphatic
massage, neuromuscular massage, sports massage, preventative maintenance, essential
oil therapy, herbal therapy, accupressure and chinese medicine.
Topics
include:
Massage,
Holistic Horse Care
Equine Health Articles and Resources
Parasites and Diseases
Dangers
for your Horse and You
Equine Health Events, Conferences
& Seminars
Research Articles & Publications
Equine Massage Schools & Training
Massage,
Holistic Horse Care
Care
for Horses' Backs - KBR Horse Health Information.
Gait
Analysis, Principles of - ARIEL DYNAMICS WORLDWIDE presents information about
quantifying gait characteristics.
Guidelines
for Alternative and Complementary Veterinary Medicine
Holistic
Practitioner & Product Directory - commercial site.
Homeopathic
Primer
Massage
- for horses, article by Gayle Bach-Watson
Health
Articles & Resources
Dental
Care - The Importance of Maintaining the Health
of Your Horse's Mouth by Bayer Corporation.
Equine Health Links -
Equine
Health - articles, Alberta Equine (Canada) ; an online health care guide with
some fantastic links to health information regarding horses.
First
Aid Kit for Horses - How to make a First Aid Kit for your Horse, from PetPlace.com
Health
Program for Horses
Also
see General & How-To's of Horse Care on "Celebrate
the Horse" web site.
Health
Management for Your Horse - Purdue University offers publications of assistance
to you in all levels of horse care and management.
Parasites
& Diseases
Coggins
Testing - Coggins is the name of the test that is
used to check blood for the virus that causes the disease.
The disease is called Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA
for short). Info from the Allen Financial Insurance
Group web site.
Eastern
Encephalomyelitis - (EE), sometimes called sleeping sickness. Info from the
CDC.
Equine
Influenza - Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention by RIRDC.
Equine
Infectious Anemia - The Only Protection is Prevention
by Bayer Corporation.
Equine
Motor Neuron Disease
Equine
Protozoal Myeloencephalitis - Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis was originally
identified in the 1960's by Dr. Jim Rooney, although protozoa were first identified
in the lesions in 1974. This disease has been considered to be sporadic and rare,
but recently, researchers have begun to learn the extent of distribution of this
disease.
Equine
Recurrent Uveitis: Information for the Horse Owner - information for the horse
owner.
Equine
Salmonella Infection (Salmonellosis) - NY State
Equine
Tying Up Disease - News from Morris Animal Foundation
at Horse Previews web site.
Hyperkalemic
Periodic - Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis or HYPP is a genetic muscular disorder.
HYPP effects nearly 55,000 decedents of one of the most prominent quarter horse
stallions ever, Impressive.
Laminitis
Page - Shadowfax Publishing offers an extensive page on laminitis. The site
includes information about First Aid, Questions and Answers, Introduction to Laminitis,
Stages of Laminitis, Laminitis Reference List, Resource List, Book List, Shoeing
Methods, Causes of Laminitis, and a really neat Clickable Hoof.
Parasite
Control - Waging War on Equine Parasites by the
Bayer Corporation yourhorsehealth.com web site.
Potomac
Horse Fever (PHF) - Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention by VetCentric.
Rabies
- Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention by Checkerboard
Corral.
Rhinopneumonitis
- a viral disease caused by a herpesvirus. This highly
infectious disease can cause respiratory infection,
paralysis, and death in horses. Information from Choose
To Prosper.
Sleeping
Sickness - (Encephalomyelitis) a viral disease also
known as "sleeping sickness". The three types
are Eastern, Western, and Venezuelan from Animart.
Strangles
Information Page - Everything you would want to
know about Strangles including Cause, Signs, Epidemiology,
Immunity, Treatment and Control by CLS the Australian
Vaccine Specialist.
Tetanus
Information Page - a non-infectious disease caused
by a bacterium and is characterized by a general increase
in muscle stiffness, tremors, lockjaw, and prolapsed
third eyelid; Cyberhorse web page offers information
on Tetanus including Cause, Signs, Epidemiology, Immunity,
Treatment and Control.
Vesicular
Stomatitis - presented by the American Quarter Horse.
White
Line Disease - International Equine Resource Center
Dangers
for your horse and YOU
Colic
- Understanding the Digestive Tract and its Functions;
includes Recognizing Colic, Taking Immediate Action,
Diagnosing the Cause, Classifying Colic and Preventing
Colic by Bayer Corporation.
Colic
Emergencies - info by KBR.
Enterolyths
- Enteroliths are stones that form around a foreign objects in the intestine of
horses. Information about them from KBR.
Emergency
Care - Guidelines to Follow During Equine Emergencies
by Bayer Corporation.
Heat
Stress in Horses
Outdoor
Safety & Survival - Information provided by KBR's Equestrian "Crash
Course" Series including these topics: Catching Difficult Horses (Some basic
steps to more easily catching loose horses, or teaching your horse to be caught);
Working Horses - A "Kick" Away (How to size up when you might get kicked
and how to prevent it), First Aid Supplies for the Barn (A checklist of first
aid supplies useful around the barn); First Aid Supplies for the Trail (A checklist
of what you should be taking on serious trail rides); First Aid Supplies for the
Trailer (A checklist of first aid supplies useful when trailering out), 30 Steps
to Good Trail Manners (Things every good trail rider should know); and What's
Your Head Worth? (Breaking your helmet and walking away from
Equine
Health Events, Conferences & Seminars
Many
of these programs are open to the general public, these are traditional "western"
medicine-related
Continuing
Education - California-based seminars, workshops and classes for equine health.
Continuing
Education - Kansas State University College of Veterinary
Medicine
Continuing
Education - University of Minnesota
Horse
& Rider Program - University of Montana
Continuing
Education - University of New Mexico
Continuing
Education - North Carolina State University
Veterinary
Medicine, Continuing Education - Tennessee
Continuing
Horse Care Education - Texas
Equine
Courses (some online) at Rutgers University, New
Jersey
Please
contact us if you have a link you would like to add.
Research
Articles & Publications
Diseases
Aquired from Animals - a list of communicable diseases
that humans can contract from animals including horses.
(PDF file)
Headshaking
in Horses: Resources - Headshaking is a mysterious problem in horses. Recent
research suggests that it can be caused by a variety of factors: it can be behavioral
(a vice or disobedience) or biological (caused by physical discomfort arising
from tack, teeth or ear problems, allergies, nerve stimulation, sensitivity to
light, and a variety of other possible causes).
Information
for Horse Owners - Bayer Corporation offers a variety
of educational and well-written articles on horse health
care. Use the search engine to find a particular topic.
The
Equine Disease Quarterly - online quarterly funded
by Underwriters at Lloyd's, London, Brokers and their
Kentucky Agents and presented by the University of Kentucky
College of Agriculture Department of Veterinary Science.
PubMed
- looking for a specific technical article on horse health (or human health for
that matter), visit this free searchable database maintaine by the National Library
of Medicine.
Public
Health Information - provided by the UVMA
Veterinary
Technical Articles - by Anvil Online.
Equine
Schools & Training
Since
I have received a great many e-mails about schools or training available, I recently
added this section. Inclusion does not indicate that I endorse OR recommend
any of these schools or programs in this listing. You are responsible for researching
these schools to insure they are appropriate for your needs.
Australian
College of Animal Tactile Therapy - For Professional Education in Horse Massage
and Natural Horse Care
The
D'AL School of Equine Massage Therapy - London,Ontario,
Canada. - registered program. With the assistance of
veterinarians, registered massage therapists, C.E.F.
certified coaches, competitive riders and horse owners,
a program has been designed to provide the student with
the expertise to aide the equine athlete in rehabilitation
as well as helping owners maximize the potential of
their horses.
Don
Doran's Equine Sports Therapy Programs - Reddick,
FL, 2 week program
The
Equine Natural Movement Series - "Bodywork
that honors and respects the horse's structure and spirit."
A structural integration program for horses. Courses
held in Washington state and Massachusetts. The Washington
classes include residential room and board.
Equinology
- Windsor CA - Specialty in Animal Therapy
Equissage
- Round Hill, VA- Equine Sports Massage
Equitherapies
- Fort Myers, FL - clinics
Equine
Massage Therapy School - Wellington, CO
Equi-Myo
- Connecticut
Geary
Whiting's Equine Massage School - Douglas City, CA - 60 hours of education.
Integrated
Touch Therapy - Circleville OH - Animal Therapy
National
Center for Homeopathy - Alexandria VA - Animal Therapy
T
T.E.A.M. - Tellington-Jones Equine Awareness Method & TTouch International
training.
The
Chi Institute - Florida
Tufts
University, North Grafton MA - offers signature programs in equine sports
medicine.
NOTE:
I would be happy to add your equine massage school or training course if you have
a web page. Simply send me an e-mail with
the web page address you'd like to be included here.
