What should I do before and after my session?

It is recommended that you drink plenty of water before and after your session.  By doing this, you make it easier for your muscles to hydrate and give the body plenty of fluids to wash out toxins that can now exit out of the restricted tissue released during the session. We would encourage you to have your horse drink plenty of water as well, but we know that you can lead a horse to water, but... (well, you know the rest)

We also recommend that before you start your session, you use the restroom so that you don’t have to interrupt your session. Allow yourself a good night’s sleep after your session and to allow your body to fully regenerate and incorporate the changes to your body.  It is sometimes common for soreness to be present the day following your session even if you did not feel like the pressure was too much.  This is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and is due mainly to toxins being flushed out of the muscles.  This is a good indicator that your session was needed and that a follow-up appointment is a good idea.  Drink plenty of water, put an ice pack on any sore areas and/or call or email us for other suggestions.

What is REQUIRED before scheduling a session for my Horse?

In order to take advantage of the opportunity for us to assist your equine athlete your veterinarian’s permission is required. Myofascial Release and Massage are not a replacement for veterinary care and we do not provide a prognosis or diagnosis. It is necessary for us to supply written notice to your vet that you are wanting to include MFR in your horse's care in order to confirm that this is approved by your vet.

What do I need to do for my horse's Myofascial Release session? 

In order to maximize the amount of time for hands-on work on your horse and since we will most likely have multiple sessions at your stables, we ask that your horse be brought in if they are in the pasture by the time of our session.  Our sessions with your horse will be most productive when your horse has the least amount of distraction.  Please be sure that your horse has been fed before our session or that feeding the other horses in the barn is not occurring during the time of our session if possible.  It is also helpful for you to determine a place for us to work on your horse with the least amount of barn "traffic" distractions for our session.  If your horse is very energetic before the session it might be helpful to hand walk him or her before the session. We suggest that after the session your horse is hand walked for a little bit if they are not going out to pasture.  Also, if you plan to ride the next day, we suggest that it be a very relaxed ride with a focus on allowing your horse to feel his or her body and not ask them to "work". 

What should I expect during my visit? 

• Questionnaire: When we arrive at your stables, you will be asked to fill out a brief medical history questionnaire for you and your horse so we will be knowledgeable about all preexisting conditions and can work with you to determine the best course of action for the sessions.
  
  
• Information: We will then give you an overview of your session(s) based on the needs you have specified.  Feel free to ask any questions about your session or discuss any and all concerns with us but remember that it is outside the scope of our practice to diagnose. For your horse’s session, we may ask you to assist in our assessment by walking him or her in different directions in order for us to evaluate movement. We may choose to do further evaluation on a lunge line or in a round pen.
  
  
• Hands-On Work:  Your session times will each last 60 minutes and will include Myofascial Release techniques that will vary from gentle stretching techniques to direct but gentle pressure into areas of restrictions. Your session may also include craniosacral therapy and recommendations for home stretches between sessions. Our goal is for the client and horse to relax into the techniques so no harsh or forceful techniques will be used.

What do I need for my Myofascial Release Treatment?

For MFR sessions you will need to bring a change of clothes for your treatment. We recommend women bring a sports bra and loose-fitting shorts or a two-piece bathing suit. Men need to bring a pair of loose-fitting shorts. Most treatments are done with these treatment clothes on but if you don’t have them we will step out of the treatment area, allow you to undress to your comfort level and have you covered with a sheet throughout the duration of the session. For your first session the assessment will be approximately 10-15 minutes. This time is allotted for us to determine the best treatment plan and goals for your individual needs.

Contact Erin or Eric to schedule an appointment at your location.