Horse Taping Technique Demonstration Video: Do Horses Enjoy Massage?

Suddenly, do you like massages? It’s very soothing to have muscles loosened up, especially in areas you don’t usually pay attention to or those tense from daily strain! In this video, we showcase footage of a horse receiving fascia release and horse taping treatments using a massage gun.

Here is the video we’re featuring!

Yuri and Yasu from the Shamrock Riding Club deliver content on their ‘Shamrock Riding TV’. Among many informative and entertaining videos, we introduce this one: ‘Dan’s Yawning Spree! Horse Taping Treatment Experience!’.

Do horses enjoy massages too?

After long desk work or awkward postures, you might feel muscular tension or stiffness—it’s the same for horses. Particularly around the shoulder blades supporting the long neck, or along the back. Improving flexibility in the ribs and abdominal area can also be very beneficial.

In this video, the horse Dan receives kinesio taping treatment, starting with a massage gun. When the gun moves near his nose, he tries to check what’s going on! It’s understandable that he’s a bit scared, since it’s hard to explain beforehand.

Despite initial tension, Dan gradually relaxes, thinking something isn’t so bad and maybe even feeling good. His expressions and movements suggest he’s not uncomfortable at all — adorable!

While massage guns are now common in electronics stores, this video suggests that they don’t “break up tension with shock waves,” but instead induce tiny vibrations around stiff muscles and subcutaneous tissue to softly loosen the area.

The technique involves lightly contacting the skin, causing it to vibrate gently, rather than applying deep pressure… useful info for anyone interested in trying a massage gun.

Do horses yawn too?

By the way, when Dan gets used to the massage gun, he keeps yawning repeatedly. Is he sleepy?

Actually, yawning can be a sign of horse’s emotional state. Like humans, horses tend to yawn when they’re relaxed. During massages or grooming, yawning is often seen.

However, some horses yawn when tense, which might be a way to relax themselves intentionally during stress. When unsure, look for signs like pinned ears, biting, or trying to move away, in addition to yawning, to gauge the horse’s feelings.

What is Horse Taping?

The colorful tape used in this treatment is kinesio taping, a technique developed to promote circulation and recovery in horses. The tape used is called the ‘Kinesio Equine Tape’, which matches the elasticity and softness of horse skin. Applying this tape around tense muscles can help improve blood flow and promote healing.

In the video, you can see the application process carefully. Instead of wrapping tightly like compression stockings or supporting muscles, the tape is applied with some slack, creating slight wrinkles — a method that provides a relaxed stretch for the horse’s muscles!

The finished look is quite stylish, isn’t it? If you want to learn more about kinesio taping or horse taping, check the video description or the links at the end of this article.

How effective is it?

It is revealed at the end of the video that Dan actually suffered from cellulitis two weeks prior, an infection called erysipelas which causes inflammation and swelling from minor cuts or bacterial invasion. He was treated after the pain subsided, but even during filming, swelling remained. Improving blood circulation and lymphatic flow can not only reduce muscle tension but also help diminish swelling. Comments mention that the swelling disappeared by the day after treatment. Good job, Dan!

The horse’s legs support its heavy weight and perform various movements daily, making them common sites for inflammations or injuries.

While medication and rest are necessary for severe pain and inflammation, treatments like horse taping can support recovery and help reduce the duration of discomfort, helping horses get back to their normal activities faster.

This video was a personal revelation for me — I didn’t know there was such a thing as horse taping! Horse care is often less advanced in Japan compared to Western countries, but I hope we can provide better and accessible care for horses here.

Summary

Did you enjoy watching Dan’s various expressions while learning about massage and horse taping? There are many different kinds of massage treatments for horses, so if you’re interested, look it up! Feel free to explore more to see what fits your needs.