Laura Stickley Holistic Equine Massage Practitioner

09/04/2026

For a horse being worked in the correct outline, the poll should be the highest point of the horse and the flat of the horse’s face should be slightly in front of or on the vertical.

Although it is common to see the neck bent at the 4th cervical vertebrae and the head behind the vertical; this is known as overbent or in extreme cases when created with excessive force, hyperflexion. A broken neckline is associated with the horse being trained using hyperflexion.

Incorrect head and neck carriages will create compensatory effects such as a hollow back action, stiff/abrupt movements, short strides and a lack of engagement, the latter being caused because the horse is unable to generate hindquarter energy through collection and propulsion.

Whilst these head and neck positions are commonly associated with dressage, they are frequently seen in many disciplines and at all levels; sometimes caused unintentionally by an inexperienced rider.

Horses being worked in an incorrect outline will develop muscular stress through their entire body with problems primarily arising in the muscular, ligament, fascial and skeletal structures of the topline.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk



Image from: myhorseforum

08/04/2026

Massage therapy isn't just a luxury, it is a key part of performance and recovery care. It is impotant across every working discipline. From endurance and dressage to show jumping, eventing, happy hackers, and even our retired companions. It supports the body in ways that directly impact the horse's performance, recovery, and long-term health.

🐴 Massage improves muscle function and performance by increasing blood circulation, to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. This helps horses perform more efficiently, whether they’re covering long distances like an endurance horse or maintaining precision in dressage.

🐴 Massage reduces muscle tension and stiffness caused but repetitive strain on certain muscle groups. Different disciplines will affect different muscle groups. Massage will help release tightness, preventing minor issues from developing further and causing significant discomfort.

🐴 Massage speeds up the horse's recovery. After hard work lactic acid can build up in the muscles causing soreness. It promotes lymphatic drainage and circulation, helping the horse recover faster between training sessions or competitions.

🐴 Massage helps prevent injury. By identifying and releasing areas of muscular tension early, massage reduces the risk of strains, tears, and compensatory injuries. This is particularly important for horses wirh a high-impact or repetitive work load.

🐴 Massage improves flexibility and range of motion. Greater flexibility improves stride length, joint mobility, and overall movement quality. This benefits everything from jumping technique to complex dressage movements to endurance efficiency.

🐴 Massage supports mental relaxation, massage has a calming effect on the horse's nervous system. A relaxed horse is more a focused and responsive horse, which is helpful in any discipline.

🐴 Massage helps with symmetry and posture, horses often develop uneven muscle tone depending on their training, favoured way of going and their riders dominant side. Massage helps rebalance the horse's body, improving posture and reducing uneven development.

No matter the discipline a horse is working in they need healthy muscles.

06/04/2026

Who else leaves offerings for their local bird community after a good grooming session?

I have 2 crows that nest in the trees around the yard, they have trained me very well and if I don't put the hair in the correct place the jump around the yard squawking at me.

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

As many of my customers know I sometimes have crazy ideas and sign myself up for challenegs. This year is no different and I am currently swimming 22 miles for Diabetes UK.

This is such a worthwhile cause and whilst I know times are fairly tricky for everyone I will add my sponsorship page link to this post. If anyone can donate that would be amazing and if you can't I totally understand but a few words of encouragement along the way would be gratefully received. This morning I swam a further 132 lengths totalling 2 miles, taking me up to 5.3 miles swum in total so far.
https://swim22.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/lauras-fundraising-page-461d65c1-e237-4eb1-bd1a-af6250a142ce

05/04/2026

🐣🐰 Happy Easter 🐰🐣

04/04/2026

🥰 Oh Dallas 🥰

Dallas made the most of some gentle myofascial release therapy during his treatment today. He really enjoyed the static hand placements used during fascial tissue release today over the more traditional massage applications.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

01/04/2026

Long reining is one of the best ways to bring a horse back into work following a break.
It let's you rebuild fitness, communication, and confidence without the added weight of a rider.

Here’s why it's useful:

🐎 Rebuilds Fitness Safely
Following time off, a horse’s muscles, joints, and cardiovascular fitness need gradual reconditioning. Long reining:
Allows controlled, low-impact exercise.
Encourages steady work without overloading the back.
Helps reintroduce routine without rushing into ridden work.

🧠 Improves Focus & Mental Engagement
Horses coming back from a break can be fresh, distracted, or even anxious. Long reining:
Re-establishes voice commands and responsiveness.
Gives them a job without the pressure of a rider.
Helps settle excitable or nervous horses.

🏋️ Builds Core Strength & Topline
Because the horse works without a rider:
They can stretch and use their back more freely.
Long reining: Encourages correct posture and engagement from behind.
Helps rebuild topline muscles gradually.

🎯 Refines Communication & Training
It’s a great reset for basics:
Reinforces steering, transitions, and halt aids.
Improves responsiveness to light contact.
Helps correct bad habits that may have developed before the break.

👀 Lets You Observe Movement
From the ground, you get a clearer view:
Spot stiffness, unevenness, or lameness early.
Assess how your horse is moving and developing.
Adjust training accordingly before riding.

😌 Builds Confidence (Horse & Rider)
Helps rebuild trust and routine.
Gives you confidence before getting back in the saddle.

⚠️ Tips for Starting Again
Keep sessions short (15–25 minutes initially).
Work on large circles and straight lines.
Use a safe, enclosed space.
Gradually increase intensity over time.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

30/03/2026

And I didn't even have my running shoes on 🤣🤣🤣

21/03/2026

The Benefits of Grooming

🐴 Grooming and Fascial Tissue (Connective Tissue)
✅️Breaks down adhesions and restricted fascia: ➡️Using a curry comb or plastic Magic brush, particularly in a cross-fiber motion, helps release restricted fascia and break down adhesions, which can limit movement.
➡️Maintains Elasticity: Regular grooming keeps the fascia flexible, preventing it from dehydrating, becoming tight, or restricting muscle movement.
➡️Releases Tension: Grooming helps release deep-set tension in the fascia, including the Thoracolumbar Fascia plane which is crucial for back flexibility.

🐴 Grooming and the Muscles
✅️Increases Circulation:
➡️Vigorous grooming promotes healthy blood flow to the skin and deep into the large muscle groups. This aids in delivering oxygen to the muscles and speeds up recovery.
✅️Reduces Lactic Acid Build-Up:
➡️A post-workout groom helps remove waste products such as lactic acid which cause soreness and stiffness.
✅️Warms Up Muscles:
➡️It provides a manual warm-up before riding, making the muscles more supple and reducing the risk of injury.
✅️Relieves Muscle Tension:
➡️Regular, deep-pressure grooming, especially with a rubber curry comb or plastic magic brush can relax tight spots and ease cold-backed or restricted muscles, particularly in the lumbar and gluteal regions.
✅️Stimulates Muscle Tone:
➡️The action of grooming can stimulate muscle fibers and assist in maintaining muscle tone over time.

🐴Overall Benefits
✅️Improves Range of Motion:
➡️Healthy, flexible, hydrated fascia and muscles allow for improved joint flexibility, resulting in a better, more fluid range of motion.
✅️Promotes Proper Posture:
➡️By reducing tension and freeing up restricted fascia, grooming helps the horse maintain better overall body posture.
✅️Identifies Pain and Soreness:
➡️Grooming os a daily inspection, allowing the you to detect tenderness, heat, or unusual reactions in the muscles early on before the develop into a larger problem.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

19/03/2026

A very sleepy Belle after her treatment this morning. Belle's treatment included lots of myofascial release through the back and hindquarters. She had a huge number of stretches throughout her whole body from poll to hind limbs during the unwinding of the myofascial tissue.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

19/03/2026

The many faces of Farah during her treatment today. Such a lovely girl with a huge character 🥰 I think we can safely say she took quite a lot from her treatment in the spring sunshine.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk