Most horse people tack up and ride off with whimsical thoughts of scenic trail rides, winning flowing blue ribbons, or working cattle better than anyone else. Few think about biomechanics and muscular interference. But there are some who just can’t help themselves. One such person, Amber Steedley of Evans, Georgia, calls herself a “horse nerd” for that very reason. She sees the horse differently.

 

Amber has been around horses since she was five years old. After a very wild ride on a pony named Cricket, she was hooked. That ride, however, taught that caution should always be taken with horses, a lesson that still sticks today. Growing up, she was always the one sitting on the fence studying the movement of the horse by itself, then with the rider, before she would try anything on a horse. Amber spent much of her time studying horse breeds and sneaking trail rides with friends when she could. Over time she has ridden every discipline in order to have full understanding of how the horse and rider work together. She has even been a certified riding instructor with the Certified Horsemanship Association. Today, Amber rides her eight-year-old gelding “Zippy” either bareback or hunter/jumper (his favorite) using Centered Riding skills.

 

For Amber, just riding was never enough. She decided to pursue things further in college. At Purdue University she rode for the Purdue Equestrian Hunt Seat Team while studying for a degree in Animal Sciences. Amber focused her degree on Equine and Pre-Veterinary classes. While in school, she studied Horse Evaluation, Horse Management, and Monogastric Nutrition. Before finishing her education, she was requested to judge shows, teach riding and horse nutrition clinics, and judge reasons for youth horse show judging events. Amber also volunteered at a few equine hospitals to get a better perception for biomechanics in the horse. Due to her calm manner with horses, she was a favorite of some of the more protective mother mares while volunteering on Purdue’s Foal Watch Team.

 

While working as a groom at a large show barn one summer, Amber found several horses enjoyed massages before and after their workouts. The owners were also pleased with the results of these massages. Amber started reading about Equine Sports Massage Therapy and trying techniques on horses she worked with. She also started working with Ken Dierdorf, an Equine Chiropractor, to learn to read the horse’s body to find the source of problems. As her education progressed, she attended sessions with Equine Orthodontist Tom Howell to get a better understanding of how the mechanics of the mouth affect balance of motion in the body.

 

Returning to Georgia after completing her degree, Amber is working as an Equine Body Balancer. This skill offers a combination of massage techniques that are used together to relieve pain and stress caused by muscle spasms. Along with standard massage, Amber uses deep tissue acupressure and resonance massage. Amber learned deep tissue acupressure from Dr. Bill Hampton, DC. This technique works the deeper muscle tissues located near the spine and joints of the extremities. The goal of this technique is to relieve muscle spasms at their source in order to restore normal motion and function. Resonance massage was learned from Gail Richardson. This technique works specific points within the muscle tissues. The unique motion of the technique resonates the effect of the massage through the entire muscle. The resonance gives a longer lasting effect than a standard massage. The overall effects of Equine Body Balancing are restoration of normal function of the horse, improved muscle balance and tone, relaxation, improved circulation, and pain relief.

 

Amber’s Equine Body Balancing sessions work each horse individually. Some good times to get Body Balancing done on your horse include after bumpy or long trailer rides, before farrier work, before dental work, or before and after stressful situations such as shows. Sometimes things start with a problem under saddle. Maybe your horse has started bucking or is missing lead changes. Other problems are visible on the body such as swelling, abnormal skin twitching (the panniculus reflex), funny lines in a muscle, or even numbness. Maybe the horse gets stressed easily or the skin seems held tight over the back. Sometimes the horse just isn’t right and the owner doesn’t know why. Horses do crazy things, especially when we aren’t looking. It’s okay to ask for help even when you don’t know what the problem is or how it came to be. Amber checks each horse from nose to tail to locate the source of problems. She starts with deep tissue work and then follows with whichever other massage techniques will best benefit that horse.

 

When the Body Balancing session is over, the horse is allowed any level of activity that is normal for the horse (trail rides, lessons, work over fences, etc.). Resting the horse too much can allow muscles to tighten back up. Over exerting the horse can cause muscle fatigue or tissue damage.

 

The next step falls to the responsibility of the owner. Like people, horses need to stretch before and after exercise. Amber can show the owner how to properly stretch the legs, neck, and back of the horse. Remembering to do this is a key component to making the effects of Equine Body Balancing stick. Once a horse gets used to stretching, it will love it.

 

Amber is very happy to be back in such a diverse horse area. She is offering Equine Body Balancing primarily in the CSRA. Depending on the needs of the horse, sessions vary in time. Sessions are $50 per horse. Outside of the CSRA, mileage will be added on. Be sure to ask about discounts for multiple horses. Also, horses used in therapeutic riding programs or in military parades, ceremonies, or demonstrations are half price. To set up appointments, please call (706) 339-6289. Happy horsing!