My horse has been diagnosed by my vet with an injury that requires stall rest and hand-walking only. Should I reduce his massage frequency since he’s not working?
Not necessarily. Massage for the stall-bound or hand-walking horse will aid in the recovery and rehabilitation process by keeping the circulation going, the muscle fibers elastic, and the joints in full range of motion. Not to mention it will make him just plain feel better! There are also simple, no-impact exercises that can be added to his routine to help retain his muscle tone and mental stimulation so he can better weather his down time and come back to work more quickly.
