05/29/2026
๐ณ Are you Stressed?
Today, most of us personally live with some sort of stress - whether we are aware of it or not.
Many donโt feel โnormalโ if they arenโt under some sort of stress and essentially โthriveโ on it.
The repercussions of stress can be quite damaging to the body both physically and emotionally.
Physical pain can also cause stress, especially when it is chronic or ongoing with no relief. This most certainly affects how you feel, act and treat others.
Pause.
Think of how your horse can experience the exact same thing.
___
Stress puts us in a โfight or flight stateโ. When we are in this state, our body shunts oxygen and nutrients to our muscles and limbs for us to be able to physically flee from the situation. The needed blood and oxygen that supplies our major organs and systems is depleted. Our heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises, respirations increase. Our body releases โstress hormonesโ. Our ability to think clearly diminishes. When our body is put in this state too often, we can become sick. A prolonged stress response can decrease our immune system and we can become more susceptible to illness and disease.
Examples: high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, autoimmune diseases, decreased memory and poor concentration. Stress compromises our body in numerous ways.
____
Some observable or behavioral signs of stress/pain in Equine:
-Cribbing
-Pawing
-Biting
-Rearing
-Teeth wringing/grinding
-Head shaking/tossing
-Lethargic
-Anxiety
-Weaving
-Pacing
-Muscle spasms
-Weight loss
-Weight gain
-Rushing under saddle
-Fidgeting
-Unable to relax
-Breath holding
๐๐ผโโ๏ธ Massage helps to bring balance between the sympathetic nervous system (the accelerator/fight flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (pumping the breaks/rest and digest)
๐พ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ง๐, ๐๐๐, ๐พ๐๐๐๐, ๐พ๐๐๐
I offer Bodywork for Horse & Human separately as well as side by side ๐ด๐ค
