Bodywork...

The Pregnant Mare

Massage Therapy is extremely beneficial for pregnant mares to help reduce muscle soreness due to compensated movement from the growing fetus. Many mares will begin to develop edema (swelling) under their belly and their legs towards the end of the pregnancy and massage can help mobilize that fluid and decrease the discomfort associated with it. There are some schools of thought that massage and cause pre-mature labor by unintentional stimulation of acupuncture points that are known to be associated with stimulating labor. I have not found this to be the case. I have been working on pregnant mares (both my own and clients) for the past 10+ years and have never had any issues. I do recommend avoiding the abdomen during the massage session (stay away from the fetus) and when in doubt, check with the horse’s veterinarian first!

Body alignment is another very import modality that pregnant mares can benefit from. If the lower back, pelvis or sacrum are out of alignment, there is potential for a difficult birth. Ensuring that the mare is aligned will greatly aid in her ability to pass the foal through the birthing canal.

The images following are of Shea’s recent birth. She was aligned using ANMR technique through her pregnancy and the morning before she foaled.

Kinesiology tape has been used on pregnant women for many years to help decrease back pain and add support due to the increased stress from the weight of the fetus. Mares can benefit from tape as well. The back pain support taping can be used to support the paraspinal muscles.

When Should You Refrain From Working on a Pregnant Mare?

Contraindications would include any underlying health issues, such as infection (placentitis), inflammatory conditions or any other health issue that would be a contraindication for massage in general. It is always best to consult with the mare’s veterinarian before working on a pregnant mare.

Foals

It is never too soon to start massaging foals and introducing them to bodywork. This is a great time in their lives to get them used to having your hands on them and utilizing other tools such as mechanical massage tools, body alignment tools, red light pads, etc. Massage and bodywork will allow them to maintain proper function and range of motion as they grow and will also prepare them mentally to be handled as adults. I always perform ANMR technique on my foals to ensure that they are in alignment after labor and also to get them used to the tool. Below is a link to a video of Stoli, receiving her first ANMR session at 10 days old. They normally are standing during the session, but she was so relaxed that she slept through most of it! https:// www.youtube.com/shorts/ XvUSVBWHdG8

Kinesiology tape has been shown to be very beneficial for foals who are suffering from angular limb deformities.

Take Home Message: www.HolisticAnimalStudies.org

Yes, pregnant mares, mares who have recently foaled and foals can all greatly benefit from massage and bodywork. I recommend utilizing someone who is trained in Equine Massage and Bodywork. Want to become trained yourself or add new techniques to your practice?

Check out our courses.

About the Author

Dr. Angelique Barbara (affectionally called Dr. Angel by many of her clients) is a Doctor of Chiropractic who holds additional degrees in Veterinary Science (B.S.), Equine Science (Minor) and Veterinary Pathobiology (M.S.). Dr. Barbara has been passionate about animals her entire life and has spent the majority of her life studying animals (both in the classroom and in the field). She developed her first animal bodywork seminar in 2009. Since that time, her seminars have grown both in number and popularity and she has fine tuned her seminars and techniques to optimize the learning experience. Dr. Barbara was one of the first practitioners to start utilizing kinesiology tape on animals and she was so impressed with the results that she decided to develop an entire seminar dedicated to the taping applications she developed. Her background in both the clinical and research animal health care world as well her experience as a human chiropractor give her a unique perspective on animal bodywork, which is evident in her courses.

Holistic Care and Seminars

As horse owners it is inevitable that at some point you will head out to the paddock to visit your horse only to be confronted by a grisly paddock wound, whether a few days old or new, or be watching on as a seemingly innocent situation suddenly ends in injury. Whilst wounds and lacerations can be alarming and tend to create distress for owners, it is important to remember that with a calm and level-headed approach you can greatly improve the success of any treatment that may be required.

It can be difficult but take a deep breath, put aside emotion and approach the injury with a clear strategy:

• Assess the injury and gather information,

• Involve your vet early with a text or phone call,

• Prevent blood loss as required, and

• Clean the wound and manage until treatment is decided.

Some basic knowledge around how to make an assessment, a good working relationship with your vet, and a well-stocked but simple first aid kit is really all that is needed to ensure the best outcome for your horse. By staying calm and being organised you can likely have the situation under control quickly and effectively.

First and foremost, decide if the injury is an emergency. Emergencies are based on the animal’s immediate welfare and a simple decision can be made on whether blood loss is extreme (it is flowing faster than a garden hose, or at a great distance), the animal is in unbearable pain and deteriorating rapidly, or the injury involves an eye, tendon or joint. In these instances, it is reasonable to request emergency assistance from your vet.

However, the overwhelming percentage of paddock wounds fall into the category of same day or next day treatment. Some basic guidelines to help you determine if the wound needs to be seen that day:

• Eyes, joints and tendons are considered urgent and should at least be assessed the same day. Left unattended these injuries can deteriorate quickly.

• Leg wounds are the most common, but in the case of legs, injuries sustained to the front of the leg are often less serious than those to the back of the leg. The back of the leg involves tendons and structures that may present difficulties if untreated.

• Wounds to the body are not as serious as leg wounds, however they typically respond better to being sutured in which case should be seen to by the vet the same day.

The reality is that whilst they can be unsightly and alarming, lacerations and paddock injuries are rarely true emergencies. There are exceptions to this of course as a catastrophic wound can cause fatal haemorrhage before help arrives, however in most cases same day or next day treatment is perfectly adequate so your role following the discovery of an injury becomes focused on triage and assessing the wound, stopping any major blood loss and cleaning it up in preparation for the vet’s assessment and/or treatment.

If possible, move the horse to a safe and comfortable location. Think about shade, access to water for cleaning the wound, and containing the horse. At the very least ensure both horse and humans are safe from further injury and begin to gather some information about the wound. This includes: location on the horses body, how old the wound appears to be, is it shallow or deep, can you see any tendons or structures, if so are they damaged/severed, how the horse is coping (is he standing or laying down), what the pain level appears to be (signs of pain include shivering, being vocal, abdomen tucked up), and how much blood loss there is. At this point we recommend contacting your vet and providing this information. Even if you decide that the injury isn’t critical, it pays to at least alert them. Maintaining a good working relationship with your vet is key to successful treatment outcomes should complications arise; if the horse suddenly deteriorates at midnight, it is certainly helpful if they were aware of the injury earlier in the day. Your vet will appreciate your information gathering, including clear and close photographs of the injury and they will use it to guide you on the next stages of cleaning and dressing the

Complete equine and bovine veterinary services in the NSW Northern Rivers, covering Lismore, Casino, Kyogle, Bonalbo, Ballina and surrounding areas.

• Equine veterinary dentistry, using Powerfloat and portable crush

• Equine reproduction, including chilled and frozen AI wound, deciding the best course of action throughout the hours and days that follow, including what products are recommended (if you’re treating yourself) and which to avoid. The point is simple, together you can decide what is best for your horse, if you’re able to provide factual, clear information and the best way to do this is to stay as calm as possible.

It is very likely that you will be required to administer initial first aid at this point and a basic first aid kit for lacerations is vital. Keep it stocked and keep it handy, which includes taking it with you whilst travelling with your horse. You do not need every lotion and potion, but for simple triage purposes it should contain:

• Clean towels or pressure bandage to stop blood flow

• A bucket or container to transport clean water and/or mix cleaning solution

• Plenty of cotton wool or gauze for cleaning the wound

• Betadine/povidone iodine for cleaning

• Cotton dressing roll to apply before bandaging

• Several cohesive and adhesive bandages

• Scissors