Revitalizing Equine Services

I will be closed October 4th through the 11th.
I will not be answering messages during this time and will reply when I get back. Thank you!

Starting October 1, equine massage sessions will be $90 per horse.

After nearly 9 years of working with horses, it’s time for my pricing to reflect that continued growth.

I’m incredibly grateful to every client who has trusted me with their horses over the years. Your continued support has allowed me to build this business and continue doing work that I truly love.

Thank you for understanding and for continuing to trust me with your horses.

Just a heads up to all of my regular clients that I am working on sending out dates through the end of the year for everyone, so they are on the calendar!

As a business owner and service provider, we always want to make sure our customers/clients are getting everything they need so it may sound silly but there are things that I will not do as your equine massage therapist.

1. Diagnose and Treat
I am not a veterinarian meaning I cannot diagnose or treat your horse. I can let you know my thoughts and what I am feeling, but your veterinarian is the only one who can diagnose your horse and provide treatment/treatment plan.

2. Massage and Run
While I allot around an hour per horse, I don't put a time limit on my appointments. If you want to chat about your horse more, have questions or concerns, let's talk about them! I always make sure your questions are answered before I leave, but that doesn't mean you can't ask questions after I leave either.

3. Every horse is perfect and feels great
I can count on one hand how many times I have told a client their horse feels great. This is not because I want there to be something wrong with your horse, or get you to keep continuing services, but because nobody AND no body is perfect. Every horse, human and living thing has some type of compensation pattern, tightness, tension, somewhere in their body. No body wears itself perfectly symmetrical.

4. Release information
While we don't have to follow HIPAA laws in the animal industry, it is unethical to share information about your horse with someone else. I also steer clear of sharing that a specific person/horse is a customer.

If anyone is on the fence about signing up for the equine dissection October 23-25 presented by Trinity Equine Services, now is the time to sign up!

The clinic is taught by Lorre Mueller, Equine Osteopath and Masterson Method Practitioner and will be held right in our backyard of Berkley, MA (aka no hotel or rentals!).

Three full days of a whole horse dissection covering everything from head to hoof. The horse is our teacher for the weekend, and we just help tell their story. Everything I have taken out of each dissection has changed the way I do bodywork and provide for my own horses.

If you know me, you will know I look forward to this clinic every year and encourage all of my clients, bodyworker friends and other equine professionals, as well as horse people in general to attend - This will be my 4th dissection.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/3c7kz3xe (I know the link looks funny, I used an app to shorten it, it is real!)

Looking for some educational materials to add to your collection? Or maybe for your 4-H club or horse camp?

Check out the digital downloads I have available on my Etsy shop: https://revitalizingequine.etsy.com

If you have this or any other massage device please don’t hesitate to bring it out at our next appointment. I will gladly spend the time showing you the best places to work on and how to use them most effectively.

My rant for today and yes my opinion on the subject.

I want to talk about something I've been seeing a lot lately with handheld massage devices for horses. I have had a lot of student and clients reach out to me about this tool recently and something in to be addressed.

First, this isn't meant to bash any particular company or product. I actually think they're a great idea when they're used correctly. They can be a helpful tool between professional bodywork sessions such as massage or chiropractic care.

The problem isn't the tool—it's how it's being used.

I've watched several videos where these devices are being run directly over bony landmarks, the cervical vertebrae, the ribs, the point of the hip, and other sensitive areas. I've even seen them used very close to the jugular vein. Just because a machine has different speed settings doesn't mean every part of the horse's body is appropriate to treat with it.

Think about it this way: if someone took a massage gun and repeatedly pounded directly on your spine, hip bones, or ribs, it wouldn't feel good. Horses are no different.

One thing that concerns me is seeing horses clearly showing signs of discomfort while the person using the machine believes they're "relaxing." Reading a horse's body language is just as important as knowing how to operate the equipment. If you can't tell when your horse is saying "that's uncomfortable," then it's probably not the right time to be using a handheld massage device.

I really wish more companies spent time educating owners on proper safe treatment areas, pressure, and technique instead of focusing mostly on sales.
Education should always come before equipment.

I'm all for owners learning how to help their horses, but knowledge has to come first. A tool is only as good as the person using it.

Education protects your horse. That's always the goal.

This week is going to be a hot one and it is already stressing me out. What is my plan for the heat?

1) My horses will have a minimum of 4 water buckets with a variety of flavors - A water bar! They always have regular water and turmeric water available - Turmeric is their favorite and I fill it up at least 3 times a day. During these hot flashes, I add Gallagher's water which is their electrolyte water (there is a sugar free version!), and water with Gatorade, fruit punch, or apple juice mixed in.

2) I will hose them off at least once a day and I do NOT squeegee the water off. See my study from last year about this: https://www.facebook.com/Revitalizingequine/posts/pfbid0q3XP8pfEM5qrj2uJ8uWTrr9bjJB5bBcxTYabHAe8f3TTJ5xZKbaGSxg56hfhS9QMl

3) Fans will be going constantly and checked regularly.

4) Cool enrichment such as pony pops or bobbing for fruit:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/818180919904926

What is your plan for the heat?

Good morning! I have a couple reminders/ house keeping info to share. (This is not aimed any anyone, just a few things I’m thinking of):

Weather: summers can be hot… 95 and above is an automatic reschedule. Massage increases circulation and body temp so I would prefer that your horses work on staying cool… And I will pass out in hot weather 🙃

Sickness: horses specifically - please let me know if there is a virus going on in your barn. I have other clients to keep safe as well as my own horses at my house. I will also not work on horses who have a temp or are actively colicing.

Appointment timing: I do my very best to make sure I schedule times appropriately but there are times I may be running a little late from a previous appointment. If I know I’m running at-least 5 min late I will let you know. On the flip side, if I’m running early I will wait so you don’t need to rush.

Scheduling: Some of you know already and some do not - I will be in the office all day on Monday and Wednesdays moving forward which means my availability is no longer as flexible as it use to be. May was a hectic mess, June is getting better… I’m hoping to have everything smoothed out by the fall.

Payment: thank you to everyone who has been prompt to pay! EVERYONE is up to date on invoices and I greatly appreciate it! 🥳

I am currently booked through the second week of July. I will be working on sending out July, August and September dates this week.