Stretching, Massaging & Mobilisation – A Guide To Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy & Healthy
Stretching, Massaging & Mobilisation – A Guide To Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy & Healthy
with The Horse Physio Sue Palmer and Gillian Higgins of Horses Inside Out
A focused, welfare-led collection exploring massage, stretching and joint mobilisation, with thoughtful guidance for supporting your horse’s comfort, movement and body awareness.
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Small, thoughtful movements can make a meaningful difference to how a horse feels in their body. They work best, however, alongside careful observation, an understanding of their limits and appropriate professional advice when it is needed.
This collection brings together three original Intelligent Horsemanship Magazine articles by Gillian Higgins and Sue Palmer. It explores how gentle joint mobilisation, massage and stretching can support healthy movement, relaxation, flexibility and everyday comfort, while keeping the horse’s response at the centre of every interaction.
Gillian Higgins explains why joint mobilisations can be useful assessment and maintenance tools, and why anatomical knowledge matters. Sue Palmer explores the potential benefits of massage, demonstrates a gentle neck technique and sets out important precautions for owners. Her stretching guide then offers practical ways to observe your horse and introduce slow, relaxed stretches without force.
This is not a diagnostic guide or a substitute for veterinary or qualified therapeutic advice. Instead, it encourages a more observant, considerate approach to your horse’s body, and helps you recognise when further assessment may be needed.
Included articles
- Joint Mobilisations: Small Movements, Big Benefits — Gillian Higgins
IH Magazine, Autumn & Winter 2026, pages 24–25 - The Countless Benefits of Massaging Your Horse — Sue Palmer
IH Magazine, Autumn & Winter 2024, pages 29–32 - Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy & Healthy — Sue Palmer
IH Magazine, Winter 2023, pages 17–19
