FRONT COVER
BOOK EXCERPT
KEEPING HORSES AT THEIR BEST
KEEPING HORSES AT THEIR BEST
A Hands-On Guide to Equine Sportsmassage
A Hands-On Guide to Equine Sportsmassage 30 PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS PREVENTION AND CORRECTION
30 Performance Problems Prevention and Correction JO-ANN WILSON
BY JO-ANN WILSON
Wilson Meagher Sports Therapy®
Reprinted with permission from the author
KEEPING HORSES AT THEIR BEST is a comprehensive, easy-to-use “how-to” guide for correcting over 30 common performance problems to restore a horse’s freedom and range of motion.
MY STORY AND THE ORIGINS OF THE WILSON ME AGHER METHOD I stand on the shoulders of a legendary and brilliant clinician, a profound healer, a great man and soul. Thirty years ago, Jack Meagher, the pioneer of Sportsmassage, treated my own horse and so began a mentorship that changed my life forever. As soon as we met, I was very impressed with Jack’s work. He creatively combined the biomechanics of motion with three specific soft tissue techniques to form what he coined “Sportsmassage.” Jack said, “an athlete should not have to wait to be injured to be treated.” Therefore, he set out to prevent injuries in both human and equine athletes while increasing their performance. Inspired by Jack’s work, I quit my professional career in education and medicine, graduated from a human massage therapy school, studied extensively with Jack, and became his associate for 12 years. I incorporated my own knowledge of riding, biomechanics, horsemanship, and conditioning with Jack Meagher’s original methods, and together we created the Wilson Meagher Method of Equine Sportsmassage. Before Jack passed away in 2005,
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THE PLAID HORSE
we partnered in 2001 to form Wilson Meagher Sports Therapy®, currently a worldwide educational program offering participants the opportunity to learn the technical skills in the application of the Wilson Meagher Method. My own career has brought me many rewarding experiences such as treating horses and riders for the United States Equestrian 3-Day Eventing Team who were winners of the Individual Gold and Team Bronze Medals at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. From that experience I continue to treat horses as the United States Equestrian Federation Team Physio for the 3-Day Eventing Team. I have treated horses at multiple Olympic, World, and Pan American Games as well as numerous other international competitions. I also worked as Team Sports Therapist for five years for Equine Canada serving the Canadian Olympic 3-Day Eventing Team, including the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England, the 2010 Kentucky, USA and 2014 Normandy, France World Equestrian Games. My work spans a wide continuum treating local, national, and international horses of all levels, disciplines, and breeds. I teach an intensive educational program focusing on the Technical Skills of the Wilson Meagher Method of Equine Sportsmassage to both healthcare professionals and people who have a strong background working within the equine industry. I contribute educational
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articles in widely read equine publications. I have conducted and published scientific research titled “The Effects of Sportsmassage on Athletic Performance and General Function.” All horses, from the pleasure horse to the international competition horse, are important and deserve treatment. I am very grateful to have the chance to pass this knowledge on to you. I hope the educational information in this book will be useful and enjoyable so that you will be “Keeping Horses at Their Best.” For more from Jo-Ann Wilson, LMT, M.Ed., visit sportsmassageinc.com.
SPECIAL WORDS ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TRIBUTE TO JO-ANN WILSON It is my privilege and pleasure to have Jo-Ann Wilson as my friend and my associate in sportsmassage. I have seen her develop over the years from my pupil to the foremost practitioner of the art of sportsmassage, to serving the United States 3-day team at the 2000 Olympics. Her talent, integrity, and commitment to the profession are widely known and respected. Jo-Ann Wilson was instrumental in securing the first ever scientific testing of sportsmassage. I am proud that Jo-Ann Wilson made the Meagher Method of sportsmassage her professional choice. She, and her pupils, will insure the future of sportsmassage.” —JACK MEAGHER, co- founder of Wilson Meagher Sports Therapy®
