Explore the benefits of equine sports massage therapy. My services are designed to enhance your horse's overall well-being and performance.
Liza Duvall,
Certified Equine Massage Therapist
About Equine Massage
Equine Massage is so beneficial!
Do you ever get tight in your shoulders or your back? Do you have muscle soreness after working out ? Do you ever feel like if you could just get that knot in your trapezius muscle, or your lower back to release, you’d be able to function fully? Well, your horse can have all of the same issues! However, horses are stoic, and inherently know that to show any weakness in the wild, can indicate to prey that they are comprised. So instead, they compensate, and use other nearby muscles to carry the burden, often masking the real problem.
If we could identify these sometimes subtle problems, and address them before they become obvious and serious, we can help our horses tremendously. We could maximize their fitness and performance, and most of all, prevent the likelihood of injuries.
This is exactly what the theory of the" 25 trigger points of common muscular problems in horses" method addresses.
Jack Meagher founded this method, for horses, when he was working as a physical therapist to NFL players in the mid 70’s. He approached Jack LeGoff, the coach of the US Three Day Event Team, and convinced him to let him try to help his horses as well. There was a horse in his barn who displayed some lameness, an old shoulder injury, and LeGoff allowed Jack to work on him, with positive results. He found that by palpating the horse, and noticing subtle cues from the horse, that he was able to isolate the problem in the shoulder, manipulate the soft tissue, and provide relief for the horse.
This method utilizes a 3 step process, which includes the manipulation of the soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments and the myofascial system that runs throughout our horse’s bodies. The horse’s body language during this process is indicative of which areas require more or less attention.
This process has multiple benefits:
-improves circulation
-supports muscle relaxation
-helps reduce pain and stiffness
-improved lymphatic drainage
-enhances range of motion, which can aid in injury prevention, and recovery.
All of these factors help to alleviate physical and mental tension, which allows the horse to perform at their highest level.
Please get in touch to book a session!
My sessions are $75 for a 1 hour massage.
This includes a 25 pressure point massage that utilizes effleurage, petrissage, and tapotement, as well as core exercises and stretching.
I service Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties. Will travel further for more than one horse.
I’d love to help your horse THRIVE!
WELCOME
Hello, and welcome to THRIVE EQUINE MASSAGE THERAPY LLC.
My name is Liza Duvall, and I grew up in Prince George’s County, MD and have always had a passion for horses. My mother taught lessons on our farm, was an exercise rider at the racetrack, fox chased and steeplechased raced, so I was exposed to the world of horses, and hooked, early on.
I have been riding since I can remember. A very naughty white pony named Casper, was the first. He taught me how to tuck and roll, as his specialty was running under the lowest tree limb he could find. My mother took us to our first horse show at the hunt club, where Casper, during our lovely canter, propped and ducked. I went over his head, taking the entire bridle with me, and landed on my feet, with the bridle in my hand. I was excused from the class.
I bought my first (more kind!) horse, Cricket, at the age of 12, for $300, ( I saved $100 ,and my parents each matched it), which included the tack! Those were the days of riding as fast as I could, bareback, and barefooted, across the fields and through the woods of Croom. Cricket was the best teacher. She taught me so much about responsibility, accountability, and I learned how horses communicate with us in their subtle, and not so subtle ways.
Fast forward a few years, and after graduating from nursing school, and securing my first “real” job, I started taking lessons again. I eventually bought another horse, Indy, who was as good as he was mischievous. He helped me perfect my tuck and roll talent, took me fox chasing, to the dressage arena, and even allowed me to do some low level eventing.
Since those days, I have owned 3 more amazing horses in my life, and fox chased a 4th, who I did not own, but loved dearly. All of them have contributed to my ever growing passion for horses.
The fantastic friendships that I have formed over the years, as well as the relationship that I had with my Mom, because of our common horse interests, have enhanced and enriched my life, and I am so grateful to have them. They've granted me encouragement and camaraderie, in regard to riding in general, and have allowed me to fox chase with The Marlborough Hunt Club for the past several years, and also to ride, and even fox chase abroad, on several occasions.
The reason I chose this path is to help my current horse, a 4 year old thoroughbred named Berney, feel better. He had a rough start. He was bred to race, like so many others, but early on, after being pushed, he made it clear that racing was not going to be in his future. He landed with me, and has had his share of knocks and injuries. His kind disposition never allowed his problems to define him, but he definitely needed some TLC and physical support. So, I went to The Animal Rehab Institute, in Loxahathcee FL, to try make him better. He is now living his best life, and we are moving forward together. I’m looking forward to getting him out in the hunt field, and also doing some dressage work.
This love, for him, and for these animals, motivated me to become an equine massage therapist, as I realize the importance of the non-verbal communication that we have with our horses, and how beneficial sports massage is for maintaining their optimum performance. I wanted to give back to horses, for all that they give to us. My medical background of 28 years as a nurse has laid the foundation for a better understanding of the anatomy and physiology, and how it translates to the horse.
** Let me help your horse THRIVE! **
