Galadriel offers her professional services in the Gainesville, Florida and North Central Florida areas.
Galadriel has studied equine anatomy and has a degree in physics. These studies led naturally to saddle fitting and equine massage. Both are influenced by forces acting on the horse's body. Both services can be helpful in countering muscle damage in a horse's back and preventing occurrence/recurrence.
Pressure on a horse's back is related to the area covered by the saddle. If the saddle fits well, the weight of the saddle and rider will be evenly distributed over a larger area. If the saddle fits badly, the weight of the saddle and rider may be unevenly distributed or may be distributed over a much smaller area. More pressure in any one area can cause discomfort, leading to tension in the back, which can lead to improper use of muscles to compensate for a tight back. Too much pressure in any area for a prolonged period slows the circulation, which can cause damage to muscles. Ensuring proper saddle fit can avoid such problems; therapeutic equine massage can help recovery from such muscle damage.
A saddle is composed of some parts that flex and bend, and some parts that are fixed. The flexible parts may be adjusted, but the parts which are fixed must fit both horse and rider well. a saddle which does not fit a rider can cause problems with the rider's balance and stability. A saddle which does not fit a horse well usually causes pain. Bad saddle fit can contribute to "problem horse" behaviors such as resistence or acting out, bucking, rearing, "girthy"-ness, putting ears back or biting when saddled, not wanting to be caught or ridden, refusing to stand for mounting, and many more.
If you can not find a local professional, I am happy to offer consulting by mail or email. This may include video review, photograph analysis, and saddle adjustments, among others.
When we think of massage, we often think of a relaxing "spa" experience: a pleasant and luxurious massage. That's not sports massage; sports massage is a therapeutic method intended to support and enhance performance.
My primary goal is education of horse owners. I am available to speak at club meetings, organization events, and clinics. Please contact me for more information (click Contact Me on the left hand sidebar).