Farmassist

Horses love to share love.
You’ll see them grooming each other all the time…
passing that good feeling back and forth.
And it’s the same when they get bodywork.
When the massage feels good…
they often want to share that calm, that comfort, right back with their person.
A soft eye, a lean-in, a quiet nuzzle.
That’s their way of saying,
‘This feels good… and I want you to feel it too. Thank you Vera Gatszegi Kiss for your help holding the horses while working on Albritton Reining Horses’ amazing horses.

Thank you, Katie Moon at Magnolia Performance Horses, for trusting me with your horses after every show.
These athletes give their all all weekend long…
and they deserve every bit of love and pampering once the trailer rolls home.
Grateful to help them feel good again. ❤️

Had the absolute pleasure of meeting and working on some incredibly talented horses from Albritton Reining Horses this weekend!
Equine bodywork helps these athletes stay loose, balanced, and ready to perform at their very best.
Grateful for the opportunity to support such hardworking horses and their dedicated team.
Here’s to strong, happy, high-performing partners!

Thank you, Jimbo Albritton and Albritton Reining Horses for trusting me with your magnificent horses.
Watching those releases and seeing the positive changes in their bodies is always a pleasure. Hearing from you how good they felt afterward at the show makes every bit of the hard work completely worth it.
Equine bodywork helps them feel and perform their very best — in every discipline.

A horse responds to proper care, patience, and clear communication. When basic needs—like food, safety, and kindness—are met, the animal offers genuine devotion. Good horsemanship is built on listening to the animal rather than force.

Horses express and share positive feelings—relaxation, contentment, and pleasure—through clear mouth and lip signals that other horses (and attentive humans) can read.
During pleasurable equine bodywork, many horses show upper-lip extension or quivering: the upper lip moves forward, sometimes staying still, sometimes twitching. Research links this expression to positive emotional states (and occasionally elevated oxytocin). It typically appears with half-closed eyes and a moderately raised, relaxed neck—forming one of the most reliable “happy” or contented faces in horses.
Horses often like to share that good feeling right back by gently muzzling or nuzzling the bodyworker, turning the session into a quiet, mutual exchange of comfort and connection. It was a pleasure to work on Diane Dutt’s beautiful Trote y Galope horse, Damisela at United Paso Fino Show Horses.

Why horses often show clear release signs (yawning, licking/chewing, sighing, shaking, stretching, soft eyes, etc.) only after bodywork rather than during the session 🐴💫
Prey-animal instincts and guarded responses play a big role.
Horses are hardwired as prey animals to mask pain, weakness, or vulnerability. During a session they may stay relatively “held” or only partially release while a practitioner is present and working — even with the gentlest techniques.
Once the session ends and they return to a familiar, low-pressure environment (stall, paddock, or pasture with trusted people or herd mates), they finally feel safe enough to let go more fully. That’s when the deeper shift into the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” state happens… and those beautiful, visible release behaviors appear.
Lucce definitely felt safe with her trusted “mom”, Fran Alexay after her session ❤️

I use essential oils in my equine bodywork routine because they complement hands-on work by supporting both the physical and emotional aspects of the horse’s well-being in a natural, targeted way.
Essential oils offer concentrated plant compounds that can help address muscle tension, spasms, inflammation, soreness, and minor swelling when diluted properly in a carrier oil and applied topically during or after bodywork. Many oils have traditional and observed anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and mild analgesic effects that make it easier to release tight or guarded muscles and improve the quality of the session.
They also work through inhalation. Horses have a highly sensitive sense of smell, and the volatile molecules can influence the limbic system, promoting relaxation, lowering stress responses, and helping anxious or reactive horses settle so bodywork can be more effective and better tolerated.
In practice, this dual action is useful: a well-chosen oil can ease physical discomfort while the aroma helps the horse shift into a more parasympathetic (rest-and-recover) state.
I always dilute oils appropriately (typically very low percentages for topical equine use), choose high-quality, pure oils, observe the individual horse’s response carefully, and stay mindful of competition rules that may restrict certain substances. Essential oils are a supportive tool alongside skilled bodywork and veterinary care, not a replacement for either. When used thoughtfully, they help the horse feel more comfortable during sessions, recover better afterward, and engage more willingly with the process.

Connecting with my patient is the most important part of starting every bodywork session
When I see that big sigh…
the lick and chew…
I know the horse is starting to relax and trust the process
Those little signs mean everything

Equine bodywork is like massage + physical therapy for horses! It releases tight muscles, improves flexibility, fixes imbalances, and boosts performance. Perfect for sport horses, trail buddies, or seniors.