Relieving Sore and Puffy Legs in your Endurance Horse
January 21st 2008 03:49
It’s the end of a long ride. You and your horse have passed your Vet check, and you are ready for home.
However, there is the thought your horse’s legs are puffy again. Now as I give these suggestions, I am assuming you have had your Vet examine your horse’s legs and eliminated any serious problems.
Swelling or puffiness can be relieved with a light style of massage referred to as lymphatic drainage. You only need the lightest touch. Try these two techniques, they work well on any fluid build up.
You can have your two thumbs meet in the centre of the swelling and slowly draw your thumbs away from each other until you are past the edge of the swelling. You repeat this action until you have drawn your thumbs at different angles all around the swelling. You should end up having worked across the swelling in a pattern that would look like the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
The key to this technique is lightness, you only need enough pressure to stimulate the lymphatic system. No more pressure than you could place on your own eyelids when your eyes are closed.
If the swelling is more general on the legs you can use the same pressure with a pumping action.
Take your hand and place it above where the leg is affected. Have it so the leg is secure and touching all of the skin running from the inside of your forefinger, around the webbing of your hand to the inside point of your thumb.
Without your hand leaving the leg slowly slide your hand downward to the fetlock, giving a light squeeze every three centimetres. You should see a lessening of the swelling in about 6 downwards runs of your hand.
Again it only requires the lightest of pressure.
Once you have noticed a change in the swelling with either technique you can then apply aromatherapy massage oil of cold pressed vegetable oil and essential oil.
You do not need a strong dilution of essential oils in your massage oil to help tired legs. A 2.5% dilution will help bring them back to life if you choose the correct oils - 1 drop of essential oil (or ½ a drop if the bottle dispenses large drops) per millilitre of vegetable oil. So if you have 25 mls of vegetable oil, you add 25 drops of essential oil.
For tired, aching legs, rosemary is the first oil to consider, though not if you feel heat in the leg as it’s a stimulating oil. For swelling and puffiness you may use juniper, grapefruit or patchouli; or a combination of all three.
To calm and cool down legs you may consider lavender, or lemongrass if your horse has had a tendon problem.
Select two or three essential oils that meet your needs and if you aren’t aware of odour intensities, just blend equal amounts of number of drops.
For example you may know your horse will get a bit puffy in the lower leg after his ride, so take a prepared blend for the end of the day. In 25 mls of cold pressed vegetable oil and add 8 drops of juniper, 7 drops of grapefruit and 10 drops of lavender.
If your horse has had tendon problems you may wish to have a blend such as 8 drops of rosemary, 9 drops of lavender and 8 drops of lemongrass.
This is only a guide and if you decide to explore the use of aromatherapy with your horse, take the time to ask an aromatherapist or do some study.
pic from www.freefoto.com
However, there is the thought your horse’s legs are puffy again. Now as I give these suggestions, I am assuming you have had your Vet examine your horse’s legs and eliminated any serious problems.
Swelling or puffiness can be relieved with a light style of massage referred to as lymphatic drainage. You only need the lightest touch. Try these two techniques, they work well on any fluid build up.
You can have your two thumbs meet in the centre of the swelling and slowly draw your thumbs away from each other until you are past the edge of the swelling. You repeat this action until you have drawn your thumbs at different angles all around the swelling. You should end up having worked across the swelling in a pattern that would look like the spokes of a bicycle wheel.
The key to this technique is lightness, you only need enough pressure to stimulate the lymphatic system. No more pressure than you could place on your own eyelids when your eyes are closed.
If the swelling is more general on the legs you can use the same pressure with a pumping action.
Take your hand and place it above where the leg is affected. Have it so the leg is secure and touching all of the skin running from the inside of your forefinger, around the webbing of your hand to the inside point of your thumb.
Without your hand leaving the leg slowly slide your hand downward to the fetlock, giving a light squeeze every three centimetres. You should see a lessening of the swelling in about 6 downwards runs of your hand.
Again it only requires the lightest of pressure.
Once you have noticed a change in the swelling with either technique you can then apply aromatherapy massage oil of cold pressed vegetable oil and essential oil.
You do not need a strong dilution of essential oils in your massage oil to help tired legs. A 2.5% dilution will help bring them back to life if you choose the correct oils - 1 drop of essential oil (or ½ a drop if the bottle dispenses large drops) per millilitre of vegetable oil. So if you have 25 mls of vegetable oil, you add 25 drops of essential oil.
For tired, aching legs, rosemary is the first oil to consider, though not if you feel heat in the leg as it’s a stimulating oil. For swelling and puffiness you may use juniper, grapefruit or patchouli; or a combination of all three.
To calm and cool down legs you may consider lavender, or lemongrass if your horse has had a tendon problem.
Select two or three essential oils that meet your needs and if you aren’t aware of odour intensities, just blend equal amounts of number of drops.
For example you may know your horse will get a bit puffy in the lower leg after his ride, so take a prepared blend for the end of the day. In 25 mls of cold pressed vegetable oil and add 8 drops of juniper, 7 drops of grapefruit and 10 drops of lavender.
If your horse has had tendon problems you may wish to have a blend such as 8 drops of rosemary, 9 drops of lavender and 8 drops of lemongrass.
This is only a guide and if you decide to explore the use of aromatherapy with your horse, take the time to ask an aromatherapist or do some study.
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