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Sports Massage

Targeted support for equine athletes and performance horses

At IP Vet Physio, we offer professional sports massage for horses as part of our wider veterinary physiotherapy service. Whether you're preparing for a competition, maintaining performance, or helping your horse recover after intense activity, sports massage is an effective, hands-on treatment that supports muscle health, flexibility, and overall wellbeing.

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We work across Cheshire, Manchester, and surrounding areas, delivering tailored equine physiotherapy and massage treatments in your horse’s own environment.

What is equine sports massage?

 

Sports massage is a manual therapy technique that focuses on the soft tissues of the body, especially muscles, tendons, and fascia. Applied skilfully, it promotes relaxation, reduces muscle tension, enhances circulation, and encourages recovery following physical activity.

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In the same way that human athletes benefit from regular massage, performance horses respond extremely well to structured, professional massage therapy. This includes:

  • Eventers

  • Dressage horses

  • Racehorses

  • Show jumpers

  • Riding club and leisure horses

 

Sports massage is suitable for horses at all levels of work and can be especially valuable during periods of intense training or competition.

Benefits of sports massage for horses

Our equine sports massage service helps to:

  • Reduce muscular soreness and stiffness

  • Improve flexibility and range of motion

  • Support injury prevention

  • Enhance circulation and lymphatic drainage

  • Encourage relaxation and mental focus

  • Maintain condition between physiotherapy treatments
     

Massage also gives us the opportunity to spot early signs of tightness, discomfort, or imbalance, allowing us to intervene before issues develop into injuries.

When is animal sports massage recommended?

We regularly incorporate massage into ongoing horse physio programmes for both performance and maintenance. It can be especially beneficial:

  • Before and after competitions

  • During intense training blocks

  • As part of post-injury rehabilitation

  • For horses returning to work after time off

  • For general comfort and mobility in older horses
     

If your horse is presenting subtle signs of discomfort, such as reluctance to bend, reduced performance, uneven gait, or behavioural changes, massage can help to identify and ease muscular issues before they impact wider movement patterns.

Experienced equine physio, delivered to you

 

Led by a fully qualified veterinary physiotherapist, IP Vet Physio offers professional, compassionate care tailored to your horse’s individual needs. We cover Cheshire, Manchester and surrounding areas, providing a mobile equine physiotherapy service for horses of all types and disciplines.

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To book an assessment or find out how regular sports massage can benefit your horse, please get in touch today.

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