Equine Bodywork with Sheaffe
Sheaffe Monteith is a fully qualified and insured pr actitioner of Equine Touch™ and Masterson Method™.
The Equine Touch™ is a non-diagnostic, non-invasive soft tissue bodywork system. It is very gentle and primarily works on the connective fascia throughout the body. It is a holistic system applied by performing a series of pre-determined moves over the body. The Masterson Method™ recognizes and then follows the visual responses of the horse to touch, to find and release accumulated muscle and structural stress in key junctions of the horse's body that most affect performance.
Sheaffe uses both of the above methods to enable healing and relaxation within the horse. Neither of these methods are a replacement for allopathic medicine but are used to complement many treatments and can be used in the following ways depending on your requirements:
Performance Horses/Ponies: in today's high standard of competition, your horse needs to be able to perform to its optimum. Bodywork is excellent for relaxing a horse, improving circulation and lymphatic drainage and the effect on soft tissue can assist in realigning the skeleton. For competition horses, muscles need to be kept warm and supple before work to ensure ease of movement and avoid straining. Muscles need to be cooled down and released after work to avoid the build-up of lactic acid and stop spasms. Bodywork, along with specific stretching exercises, can aid these needs. Rebalancing the horse, releasing stress and improving their outline will help a horse perform better, whether in jumping (hunting, cross country, eventing, show-jumping) or dressage.
Happy Hackers: every horse or pony, no matter what is asked of them, needs to be physically and mentally able to do their job. Bodywork is a great maintenance program to help our equine friends work better with us. Not only do they receive the physical benefits, but mentally and emotionally, bodywork can greatly improve the bond between human and horse.
Injury, Rehabilitation, Behavioural: Bodywork is excellent as a complementary discipline alongside allopathic treatments and other alternative therapies. It induces healing and so aids in the release of hypertonic and traumatised muscles and can improve blood and lymphatic circulation while helping to drain away toxins in the body. This is particularly beneficial with horses on box-rest and rehabilitation where you are trying to avoid the build up of scar tissue and adhesions, which can easily lead to re-occurring injury. Adaptation throughout the body is also common during injury so, along with appropriate ground work exercises, the horses muscles can be re-educated through bodywork. Shorter sessions are also ideal in aiding relaxation before a vet, dentist or farrier visit and encouraging quick recovery after these visits.
While planning any program for your horse, be it training, rehabilitation or maintenance, many factors must be taken into consideration. Bodywork can have huge benefits on a horse physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually, but the benefits will only be long-standing if all influential factors are taken into account. This includes such areas as nutrition, feet, teeth, rider, tack, physical ability and environment.
Sheaffe is a member of the International Equine Touch Association UK and as such, adheres to a code of professional conduct and ethics, maintains a program of continuous professional development and carries appropriate insurance. A typical bodywork session will consist of meeting the owner and horse, and retrieving the history of the horse and any relevant information about its work, diet and behaviour. A hands-on overall check and evaluation is then done, followed usually by the gentle physical techniques, focusing in on key areas if required. The horse's behaviour and reaction to the system is constantly taken into consideration. If follow up sessions are required, these will follow a similar path but improvements/changes will be noted and perhaps a different series of moves and techniques performed, depending on the equine's needs and reactions.
To discuss your needs or find out more about equine bodywork, please contact Sheaffe on +353-(0)87-2034236 or email her at shantocentre@gmail.com. She is based in the Leinster area. An initial session costs 50 euro with any follow-up sessions costing 40 euro per visit.
The Equine Touch™ is a non-diagnostic, non-invasive soft tissue bodywork system. It is very gentle and primarily works on the connective fascia throughout the body. It is a holistic system applied by performing a series of pre-determined moves over the body. The Masterson Method™ recognizes and then follows the visual responses of the horse to touch, to find and release accumulated muscle and structural stress in key junctions of the horse's body that most affect performance.
Sheaffe uses both of the above methods to enable healing and relaxation within the horse. Neither of these methods are a replacement for allopathic medicine but are used to complement many treatments and can be used in the following ways depending on your requirements:
Performance Horses/Ponies: in today's high standard of competition, your horse needs to be able to perform to its optimum. Bodywork is excellent for relaxing a horse, improving circulation and lymphatic drainage and the effect on soft tissue can assist in realigning the skeleton. For competition horses, muscles need to be kept warm and supple before work to ensure ease of movement and avoid straining. Muscles need to be cooled down and released after work to avoid the build-up of lactic acid and stop spasms. Bodywork, along with specific stretching exercises, can aid these needs. Rebalancing the horse, releasing stress and improving their outline will help a horse perform better, whether in jumping (hunting, cross country, eventing, show-jumping) or dressage.
Happy Hackers: every horse or pony, no matter what is asked of them, needs to be physically and mentally able to do their job. Bodywork is a great maintenance program to help our equine friends work better with us. Not only do they receive the physical benefits, but mentally and emotionally, bodywork can greatly improve the bond between human and horse.
Injury, Rehabilitation, Behavioural: Bodywork is excellent as a complementary discipline alongside allopathic treatments and other alternative therapies. It induces healing and so aids in the release of hypertonic and traumatised muscles and can improve blood and lymphatic circulation while helping to drain away toxins in the body. This is particularly beneficial with horses on box-rest and rehabilitation where you are trying to avoid the build up of scar tissue and adhesions, which can easily lead to re-occurring injury. Adaptation throughout the body is also common during injury so, along with appropriate ground work exercises, the horses muscles can be re-educated through bodywork. Shorter sessions are also ideal in aiding relaxation before a vet, dentist or farrier visit and encouraging quick recovery after these visits.
While planning any program for your horse, be it training, rehabilitation or maintenance, many factors must be taken into consideration. Bodywork can have huge benefits on a horse physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually, but the benefits will only be long-standing if all influential factors are taken into account. This includes such areas as nutrition, feet, teeth, rider, tack, physical ability and environment.
Sheaffe is a member of the International Equine Touch Association UK and as such, adheres to a code of professional conduct and ethics, maintains a program of continuous professional development and carries appropriate insurance. A typical bodywork session will consist of meeting the owner and horse, and retrieving the history of the horse and any relevant information about its work, diet and behaviour. A hands-on overall check and evaluation is then done, followed usually by the gentle physical techniques, focusing in on key areas if required. The horse's behaviour and reaction to the system is constantly taken into consideration. If follow up sessions are required, these will follow a similar path but improvements/changes will be noted and perhaps a different series of moves and techniques performed, depending on the equine's needs and reactions.
To discuss your needs or find out more about equine bodywork, please contact Sheaffe on +353-(0)87-2034236 or email her at shantocentre@gmail.com. She is based in the Leinster area. An initial session costs 50 euro with any follow-up sessions costing 40 euro per visit.
