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I've been running barrels for years now and trying to improve my performance with each attempt. The more I talked to people, the more I realized that performance is not just the rider and not just the horse. It is a combination of the two; a team. I could work on me all I wanted, but we would not be our best until I worked on my horse too. While her training was coming along well, we would have good days and bad. She would move differently and seem less supple on some days than others. As I talked to respected professionals in the field, it made sense that horses get sore and their muscles get tight just like human athletes do. I began learning about massage and doing massage in the hopes that I could alleviate these "stiff" performances and make our team more competitive. |
| I received 150 hours of training and my equine massage certification from Equitouch in Loveland, CO. I have been massaging my horse regularly and find that she is much more willing to run and we have fewer "off" days. She is much more focused on her job. We are still learning and sometimes the massage isn't the whole answer, but it has helped tremendously. My young horses benefit too because they can relax and focus for our training sessions instead of spending most of their time just trying to understand. At the performance level, long trailer rides and the stress of being in a new place and under pressure to perform take a toll on our partners. In order to help other horse and rider teams, I opened by business "Athletic Edge Equine Massage". I am available to go to horse events, especially barrel races, as requested, to perform massage on these wonderful equine athletes. I also do massages on your time schedule, where your horse lives, or whatever is convenient. |
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Please email me at Huffordfamilyfarm@yahoo.com or call me at 1-307-575-0133 to get more information or to set up an appointment. Also, look for me at upcoming races! Help your horse shave off those valuable tenths! | |
