What to Expect
Below you'll find a thorough description of what to expect during your first appointment with me. Please take the time to read it and get in touch if you have any questions.
Equine
I will ask you to obtain prior confirmation from your horse’s vet that they are happy for the horse to be treated, and I will ask for your signature on the day of the treatment acknowledging permission has been granted.
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Your initial appointment can last between 60-75 minutes so please allow yourself this amount of time.
A thorough history of your horse’s health will be taken and recorded, including any specific problems you may have experienced. After that, the horse's conformation and gait will be evaluated under walk, trot, turn, and rein back
It may sometimes be beneficial to see how the horse behaves on the lunge so where possible and relevant you may be asked to do this. In addition, the tack may also be evaluated if the horse is in work, so where possible please make your tack available too.
The entire horse will receive therapy; to treat each location, I will warm the muscles and gently palpate them. If necessary, I will use a number of techniques to address the areas of concern, based on what the horse accepts and what I believe is necessary.
In addition, skeletal mobilisations and mild stretching specific to each horse will be part of the treatment plan, which will be determined by the results of the examination.
I will regularly evaluate the equine's physical and mental health to make sure the treatment is successful and pleasurable for your horse, however most horses find their treatment to be very relaxing.
Treatments & Assessments will take place at the horse’s own yard unless alternative arrangements are agreed in advance.
Before your visit, please make sure your horse is clean and dry. Usually, I will tend to the horse in the stable, while it is tethered in the yard, or wherever else the animal feels most at ease.
Follow up treatments usually take up to 1hr.
After treatment, I would typically advise that the horse be rested for 24 hours or turned out or walked in hand for ten to fifteen minutes before returning the horse to work.
Depending on the care your horse has had, this may vary. If desired, massages can be customised so that your horse doesn't need time off from work.
A copy of the notes that are taken during the evaluation will be given to you at the conclusion of your session together with advice on appropriate follow up exercises to promote the benefits of the treatment given.
Canine
I will ask you to obtain prior confirmation from your dog’s vet that they are happy for the animal to be treated, and I will ask for your signature on the day of the treatment acknowledging permission has been granted.
Prior to commencing treatment, a full consultation will take place, where I will ask you questions on a number of topics, including the reason you have decided to start Massage treatment for your dog, their nutrition, exercise routine, lifestyle, and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
I will examine how your dog walks, and runs in order to identify any areas where they may be overcompensating, as well as any stiffness or inconsistencies in their gait. In order to ensure that your dog is carrying weight equally on all four limbs, I will also examine their posture. Any abnormalities that you have personally observed, such as lethargy, a reluctance to climb onto the sofa, or bunny hopping, will also be taken into consideration.
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Palpation is a useful technique for acclimatising your dog to my touch, since it allows me to feel for the ‘four T’s’: tenderness, texture, temperature, and tone. This will also help me to identify any problems with muscle tone as well as injury, scarring, trigger points, and temperature variations. This step will be undertaken immediately before the massage, whilst your dog is still upright, however if they seem more comfortable lying down then I’ll just go with their lead and carry this out whilst they are in a lying position.
The massage will cover your dog's entire body, not just the troublesome spots, but as every dog is different, no two sessions are ever the same and I will customise the massage to your dog's needs, and respond to the circumstances as necessary. Whilst most dogs find massage a pleasurable experience anyway, I will comfort your dog during the session to ensure they have the most pleasant massage possible. Each massage session lasts between 45 - 50 minutes and I will be assessing your dog throughout to check how they respond both physically and mentally to this new experience.
Your dog’s wellbeing remains of the utmost importance.
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At the end of the session, you will be given a summary of my findings and provided with diagrammatic comments that highlights any problem areas. In order to help you continue with their care in between visits, I will also provide you with aftercare instructions, and there will also be ample time to ask me any questions you may have regarding the session or anything you are unsure of.
The goal of canine massage therapy is to help your dog to recover and improve within one to three sessions, but this will vary depending on how well your animal responds to the treatment. Previous experience suggests that the best results are achieved by conducting three Canine massage sessions over three consecutive weeks, with each session lasting approximately 50-60 minutes, therefore you will be encouraged to book three sessions in a row to deliver the best outcome for your dog, but of course we will work with you with complete flexibility on this.
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As we follow ‘Best Practices’ for Canine Massage Therapy, if, after the third session, there are still no improvements with our dog, the recommendation will be to pause the massage therapy and refer you back to your veterinarian for more care, however under these circumstances I will provide you with a report to take back to your vet which details the treatment I have conducted and any findings I feel they should be aware of.
