AMG Equine Massage

14/12/2025

17/11/2025

Your horse’s skeleton is built for impact — not confinement.

Three decades of equine bone research makes one thing painfully clear: Horses kept in box stalls lose bone density.

Not metaphorically. Literally.

Confinement triggers the same biological process humans call osteoporosis — and it starts fast.

Key findings from the research:

- Horses moved from pasture into stalls and worked only at slow speeds began losing bone mineral content within weeks.
- A single short sprint per week (50–80 m) dramatically strengthened bone.
- Corticosteroids mask pain and increase risk of further injury
- Good nutrition cannot override a lack of mechanical loading.
- A skeleton that doesn’t experience impact simply cannot stay strong.

All of this is drawn from:
Nielsen, B.D. (2023). A Review of Three Decades of Research Dedicated to Making Equine Bones Stronger. Animals, 13(5), 789.

So what does this mean for our modern domesticated horses?

It means bone weakness is not inevitable.

It’s a management problem.

It means many “mysterious” pathologies — stress fractures, suspensory injuries, joint degeneration, chronic compensation, recurrent lameness — are downstream consequences of bone that never had the chance to adapt to the forces nature designed it for.

Box stalls create osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis creates a whole lot of other pathology.

Your horse doesn’t need to be an athlete. But their bones require impact. Free movement. The ability to respond to their own nervous system’s cues to trot, canter, play, stretch, and even sprint.

Turnout is not enrichment.

Movement is biology.

Bone health is built — or lost — every single day.

A question I encourage every owner to sit with:

If you knew your horse’s bones were weakening in silence every day they stood still, would you keep managing them the same way?

Because in the end, it’s not confinement that keeps a horse safe.

It’s a resilient skeleton.

And only you can give them the environment their biology requires.

Change begins with us.

07/09/2025

23/08/2025

🐴The 72-Hour Effect: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

When your horse gets a massage, you’ll notice immediate changes: softer muscles, improved flexibility, and often a calmer demeanor. But the benefits don’t stop when the therapist leaves. In fact, a single session can keep working for up to 72 hours afterward.

Here’s how:

1. Circulation & Lymphatic Support

Massage boosts blood flow and lymphatic drainage. This helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your horse’s muscles while removing metabolic waste. These improved circulatory effects continue for days, supporting tissue repair and recovery.

2. Nervous System Balance

Horses often live in a state of heightened alertness. Massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and allowing muscles to let go of tension. The nervous system “reset” doesn’t vanish instantly — your horse continues to enjoy the calming effects for 2–3 days.

3. Fascia & Range of Motion

Myofascial release hydrates and loosens connective tissues. Once restrictions are eased, tissues remain more mobile for several days, allowing your horse to move with greater fluidity and less restriction.

4. Biochemical Benefits

Massage stimulates the release of endorphins and nitric oxide, chemicals that reduce pain sensitivity and enhance circulation. These chemical shifts linger in the tissues, extending the therapeutic effects beyond the session.

5. Neuromuscular Integration

Perhaps most importantly, your horse’s body “learns” new movement patterns once restrictions are gone. Over the following days, your horse will explore freer strides, better weight distribution, and improved posture — reinforcing the gains from the massage.

Bottom line: One massage session sets off a cascade of healing responses that can last for 72 hours. That’s why sessions spaced every 2–4 weeks are so effective. Your horse continues to improve long after the hands-on work ends, making massage not just a momentary fix, but a lasting investment in health and performance.

https://koperequine.com/massage-therapy-positively-affects-atp-production-and-ion-balance/

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween, let the spooky times roll!
🎃 👻 🍁 🍂 🖤

08/05/2024

In an effort to get your horses seen in a timely manner, I have decided to expand my schedule to weekends! If you would like a Saturday or Sunday appointment please reach out to me ASAP as I anticipate these to fill up fast!

30/04/2024

27/01/2024

Motivation to get you and your horse moving this winter ❄️ 🐎 🏋🏽🏃🏽‍♀️ and support an awesome cause at the same time!

🎉🎆❄️ It may be cold outside, but DHP is having fun and staying warm with the Winter Warm-Up Challenge!!!

Ride, drive, or do groundwork with your horse at least 25 times from January 1st through March 17th to complete the challenge and earn a beautiful Winter Warm-Up Finisher ribbon! This is a great way to stay motivated this Winter as you work towards your own equestrian goals and dreams! $5.00 from each entry will be donated to Detroit Horse Power. Click on the link below to find out more and SIGN-UP TODAY!

https://www.equisarteshows.com/winter-warm-up.html

23/01/2024

Happy New Year everyone!
Our sweet baby girl Athena made her appearance on November 29th and is doing amazing🥰
I am very slowly starting to get back into the swing of things and scheduling sessions on an extremely limited basis. If you are not already on my schedule and would like to be, please reach out by message or text!