Massage provides the manual kneading that helps maintain an adequate blood flow. Once the acute stage, the first 72 hours typically, has passed, gentle massage above and below the injury site once again can increase and maintain healing circulation in your stalled horse. Work done on an injured horse that is on Bute or any other pain medication isn't recommended. MUST first be cleared by your Veterinarian. Finally, when a body part hurts, we tend not to move it, not moving it decreases the pain but also decreases the blood flow and makes the area stiff.
Stiffness can lead to more pain and the cycle of pain begins.
This is true of our horses to a degree. Massage can step into that cycle of pain and aid in breaking it and decreasing the pain and aid in speeding the healing time. If you are faced with an injured horse, remember that Equine Sports Massage Therapy can help make your horse more comfortable and aid in the healing time.