Racehorses
My hands-on bodywork supports the horse during training. Regular sessions bring about structural realignment and reduction of muscular tension across the whole body, reducing micro-tears, hypertonicity and lactic acid build-up. Less pain means better performance. Reduced lumbar tension enables optimal stride length, reducing risk of lameness caused by concussive forces. Limb rotation, mobilisation and stretching work fully opens up the major joints and associated muscle groups, while maximising the horse’s range of motion. Meanwhile, cardiovascular function is improved, due to release of tension in the deeper muscle layers, leading to faster muscle oxygenation.
Race Day
On race day, after arrival at the track, a 10-minute pre-race prep session in the stalls will settle the excited or nervous horse. This reduces the energy-consuming effects of rising adrenaline release, while still enabling the required energy release at the race start.
After hosing down, I provide a further cool down session. This supports post-event recovery, returning cardiovascular and respiratory rates back to normal faster. It also minimises acid build-up in the muscles, flushing post-work debris from the cells and enabling rehydration. Cooling off in hot, humid conditions is faster. All work is conducted within Racing NSW’s rules.
Recovery from Injury
I am skilled in addressing problems that may underlie a change in attitude or performance. This includes generalised trauma caused by collisions, falls or half-falls. This hands-on bodywork speeds up the healing of soft tissue damage. I also use an infrared unit to stimulate cellular regeneration after surgery and of the cartilage in injured joints, eg bone chips. I also use it directly over injury or surgical wounds to assist with healing of the superficial tissues.
