Equine bodywork-What is it all about?
by Lise A Lunde – of Black Gold Massage hosted by Spirit Horse Center.
Lise is a Nurse Practitioner in Cardiac Medicine, an Equine Massage Therapist and an avid horsewoman. We are privileged to have Lise working with us at Spirit Horse Center as the Program Director for our Similar Spirits Women and Horses Program as well as our Equine Masseuse. Lise enjoys spending her free time with her horses trail riding, endurance riding and doing dressage.
There are a variety of types of bodywork available for our equine partners including chiropractic care, pain release therapy, aroma therapy, energy work, Reiki, acupuncture and acupressure and massage therapy. Well, now there is one more to choose. It is called the Masterson Interactive Method of
Bodywork.
The Masterson Method was developed by Jim Masterson, and is directed at alleviating soreness, strain and tension in the horse’s body. The Masterson Method is based on the use of touch to find and help release accumulated tension in key junctions in the horse’s body. These key junctions have an effect on the horse’s movement and performance and include the poll-atlas junction, the neck-shoulders-withers junction and the hind-end junction.
The Masterson Method is an interactive therapy. The horse is an active partner in this bodywork. The bodywork incorporates touch, response from the horse and release of tension in the key junctions. Recognizing the response of the horse and adjusting the level of touch and pressure is the key to this method of bodywork. The horse is an active participant because his response and release is what makes it work.
Having recently had the opportunity to become an advanced student- in- training in the Masterson Method, I have been impressed at how subtle some of the bodywork is and how expressive the horse can be in responding. As I continue to have the opportunity to learn the technique by working with a variety of horses I have experienced:
- A new way of listening to what the horse is saying
- Observing the visual signs of release of tension in the horse
- Observing more comfort, suppleness, mobility and improved performance
- Development of a bond of cooperation with the horse
To learn more about the Masterson Method go to Mastersonmethod.com or contact me at lisealunde @aol.com
