FascialEdge® Equine Massage System
With time and use the muscles of the horse’s back can become fibrous and sore. Performance drops off and the horse “isn’t quite right”. Sometimes a horse will flinch from pain even with grooming.
There’s nothing to beat regular massage to keep your horse’s back at its best. But fingers alone simply can’t reach down to the deeper muscles and ligaments of the horse’s back.
With the FascialEdge®, you get you can give a thorough massage in less than 10 minutes, without straining your hands & fingers.
The FascialEdge is ergonomically shaped to fit naturally and comfortably in your hands. Its curves concentrate your hand pressure to give deep soothing strokes into the tissues of the horse’s back. Just a few minutes` work helps revive tired muscles and helps stop the build up of soreness, especially in the saddle area.
The Fascial Edge Kit
Fascial Edge Tool
Super comfortable for horse and handler. Stainless Steel construction for perfect weight and easy skin-glide. One quality tool that will last a lifetime
Free Video Guide
Live footage of every massage move
Graphic illustrations of the Scanlines
Instructions Booklet
Step-by-step photos & descriptions
Getting Started
To get the best from theFascialEdge®: Watch the video guides and read the instruction booklet.
Hold it right and its curves and contours of will fold into your hands naturally and comfortably. Any discomfort says you`re not holding it it right, or holding it too tightly.
Easy-to-follow diagrams show you the “Scanlines“ … patterns of strokes that follow the location of underlying muscles, fascial tissues and ligaments. Using them you can be sure you`ve done a through job, especially in the saddle area.
As you get used to working with the tool, you will quickly become more adept, and you`ll soon see changes taking place. Learning about your horses` individual needs is a win-win situation. A willing horse makes for a happier rider.
If you`re an experienced equine therapist, you`ll appreciate how the FascialEdge® adapts to your current skills and techniques, covering large area quickly but working deeper into the tissues when needed.
How does it work?
As it moves across the layers of the back, the FascialEdge® creates a pressure wave which penetrates deep into the tissues below. This helps restore normal circulation and helps break up myofascial adhesions and f ibrosis. It`s a soothing feeling that horses really enjoy.
When you are doing FascialEdge work, its more than just a stimulating massage, you`re doing myofascial release work. This affects many levels of the horses physiology.
- Physical: breaking up mysofacial adhesions / fibrosis, and promoting tissue repair
- Metabolic: enhancing circulation and promoting lymphatic drainage
- Neurological: helping restore proper function in fibrosed proprioceptive nerve endings
FAQ's
Do all horses enjoy this?
Just like people , horses enjoy a good massage and will actively lean into the pressure. But make sure to take it easy, especially to start off with. Make sure to let them see the tool in you hand before you make initial contact. Always start gently and sensitively.
How often should I treat my horse?
It`s a good idea to treat your horse a couple of times each week for the first three or four weeks. After that, once a week is plenty. If you are competing, running through the routine the day before can only enhance your performance. The FascialEdge® won’t turn you into a back expert, but it will give you valuable skills to help look after your horse`s back on a regular basis.
Do you recommend the use of oil or some other emolliant?
No. The horse` coat keeps friction to a minimum. We`re aiming to loosen up fibrosed myofascial layers beneath the coat to separate and move as they should. We don`t want too much slip at the surface.
What will my Vet or Back-Person say?
They should be pleased that you are maintaining your horse on a regular basis. The FascialEdge® is widely used by vets, therapists and trainers (see what people say page)
What if my horse`problems don`t get better?
Most horses will make a noticeable improvements with this simple routine but if pain and flinching persist for more than a few weeks, do consult a professional. Your first call should always be your veterinary surgeon, and only then other properly qualified professionals. At the end of the day your horse`s health always comes first.
Doesn’t using a metal tool detract from the human contact?
If used alone, yes. But we recommend that initial touch and palpation is made by hand. In practice, when using the FascialEdge , one or both hands will be on the horse` coat at all times.
How is it possible to palpate using an instrument?
We stress that initial and superficial palpation should be made by hand….there`s no substitute for manual touch. But soft touch sensation (from Merkels discs in the fingertips) is lost when deep pressure is applied. When carrying out deep palpation, the FascialEdge® can give feedback that fingers alone can`t.
Professional Readers
When used into the supraspinous andinterspinous ligaments the FascialEdge® gives far reaching release of spinal tensions. This appears to work through the system of spinal reflexes that coordinate the action of the power muscles of the trunk with the bracing muscles of the vertebrae.
About Us
A note from FascialEdge Designer & MD Andrew Glaister D.C
I made the first FascialEdge® over 20 years ago. I was working full-time visiting race yards and stables throughout South Wales. It was fascinating work and I loved it but after a few months but and my hands were suffering badly. I needed something to help me work deeper and more thoroughly on my clients’ horses. The first version was made from hardwood, turned on a lathe. Necessity really is the mother of invention! However, the horses definitely gave it their nod of approval. Since that t ime I have constantly refined the tool to make it more comfortable for the user and the horse alike. The working edges of the current Mk. 5 hollow stainless steel model are precision machined on a computer controlled lathe. They give the perfect pressure. From the comments page you can see that the horses and other professional users still approve. When you buy the tool you will need some time to get used to it. Like any skill it takes time to feel conf ident. Follow the videos, read the notes carefully, and practice when you are feeling fresh and alert. In no time you will have a wonderful skill, literally … at your fingertips. Your horse will thank you for it! Today we trade as a family business from our smallholding in West Wales. My wife Danielle and I keep our own four horses plus a variety of waifs and strays. Although now semi-retired it is still a real pleasure to treat horses in need.
