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Great effects of animal massage
Helping her senior dog after a 2-day introductory class
“I wanted to follow up with a big thank you to you for the class this weekend.
I worked on Pepper before, during and after her SQ (subcutaneous, or under the skin) fluids last night. It was MAGIC! She was relaxed enough that we were actually able to locate a pocket of skin easily (she is really thin and gets so nervous her skin “sticks tight” to her bones). She was really relaxed during the fluid (she usually finds the whole process to be very traumatic). We were even able to get a little extra fluid in (she needed it). The massage afterwards helped the fluid absorb really fast. And she slept like a baby. Her sleep has been really disturbed lately due in part to some pretty significant anxiety.
I used a little bit of the rocking technique with Pepper when we did the initial insertion of the needle. It seemed to immediately soothe her. I think it is going to be really effective when she suffers some of the night terrors she seems to have been plagued by in the last year or so.
So, once again, thank you so very much. I am looking forward to working on my other dogs but I didn’t want to put off dropping you a note about our first foray into putting some of what I learned “to the test”. I couldn’t be more thrilled!
Regards,
Shannon
PS: Pepper is 17-year-old and came to me as a rescue dog when she was 3 or 4. About a year ago she was diagnosed with early stage renal failure. We have been having extraordinary success maintaining her kidney function with the SQ fluids. The biggest challenge has been how traumatic the process has been for her. Imagine my joy at having such success with my first attempt at integrating massage into the process!”
~Shannon Manion, Olympia, WA
Find Shannon on the Animal Wellness Network
Complementary to veterinary chiropractic and acupuncture
“As a vet, my primary goal is to keep horses performing without any pain, and by doing so prevent injuries from occurring. Megan’s massage and myofascial release work has been invaluable to my patients both alone and in combination with chiropractic therapy and/or acupuncture. Her results have enabled me to reduce the frequency of treatments because their muscles improve so significantly.”
~Dr. Kari De Leeuw DVM, VSMT, CVA
Equine Holisitc Sports Medicine, Moss Beach, CA
Improving teamwork, nurturing relationships
“Megan has worked on me and my horses for years. Her skill through compassionate feel has healed our bodies and nurtured our relationships. The benefits we have experienced through multiple massage modalities has improved our teamwork whether during injury or maintenance.”
~Robyn Smith, trainer and teacher of horsemanship, Bothell, WA
Competitive edge for star athlete
“Dr. De Leeuw referred me to Megan for a muscle strain on my Dutch Warmblood, Splendid. In one session, Splendid was better than before. He went on later that month to be both USDF and Northwest 2005 Dressage Champion at 3rd Level.”
~Jaclyn Humphrey and Splendid, 9th in nation for USDF “Horse of the Year” 2006 at 4th Level
Massage not a luxury
“I’m so happy our vet recommended Megan. There is no doubt her massage treatments were crucial in helping heal my mare’s bizarre leg injury. Her treatments even made Feather’s chiropractic adjustments more effective. If anyone believes massage therapy is a luxury for horses, they are sadly mistaken. I honestly don’t think there is any other type of treatment that would have facilitated the dramatic results we achieved. Megan is a true healer.”
~Vanessa Lee, LMP, Monroe, WA
Find Vanessa in the Animal Wellness Network
Helping physically and emotionally
“Since we had an accident with our three horses in our horse trailer, Megan has been a HUGE part of our horses’ overall health and recovery. It’s hard to define, because her work affects the horses physically , emotionally and systemically. For example, once for Magica, my mare with chronic/acute laminitis, Megan worked on a meridian related to fear before a wind storm, and it actually helped her not get amped, which would have exacerbated her condition. There have been times she has relaxed her so much that Magica will lay down, get off her feet and take a nap, which is exactly what she needs. Over the years, we have witnessed so many therapeutic signs with each of our horses. You can see in their eyes a relaxation and overall contentment, licking of lips, as they melt into Megan’s touch. Not only does it feel great for them, it is healing and therapeutic. The other mare, Classica, will now lift her back legs for the farrier without being anxious or in pain. And, after a session with my stallion once, he started running and playing with his jollyball, kicking up his heals, which he hadn’t done for an entire month. That’s proof to me he was feeling better!”
~Denise Sparrow and Jerry Burns, Birdsview, WA
Reducing resistance and stiffness
“Wanted to let you know that the MFR has had great results! Glenella is not showing the resistance to movement in the hind end any more. No more stiffness following exercise either. She is very ready to work now and is learning that movement and pain are not synonymous. The left front shoulder is coming along as well; there is less limping with each exercise session.
Thanks very much for all the good work.”
~Julie Rodgers-Phan, Washington
Visible change in posture and expression
“I’ve worked with animals since 1996 and have known about Megan Ayrault for years. In my professional circle, word travels fast about excellent practitioners. That’s why Megan was my first recommendation when a close friend of mine asked for a referral for a massage practitioner for her horse.
Soon after that I was fortunate enough to be able to watch Megan in action when I attended one of Megan’s massage sessions with my friend’s horse. In addition to her calming presence, a must when working with animals, Megan’s massage technique was clearly welcomed by the horse. The horse stood patiently while Megan worked with him. By the end of the session I could see a visible change in the horse’s posture, a releasing of his muscles and a softened expression in his eyes. What a pleasure to be able to observe a true professional in action!
I will happily keep sharing Megan as a valuable resource for any of my clients whose animal companions could benefit from her work.”
~Polly Klein of Tonglen Healing Arts for Animals, Issaquah, WA
Find Polly in the Animal Wellness Network
Scar tissue improvements (from a student)
“I just wanted to give you an update on my case study of the horse with the scar on her back. You were absolutely correct, it has changed a lot. I did 4 sessions on her once a week. Her owner came to see her today for the first time since I started this and could not believe the change. The scar definitely appears smaller, it is softer and she now has feeling through it. She does appear to be able to round her back better when she is being ridden and asked to stop. Her owner was so impressed that she signed her up for 6 more sessions once a week and then wants to reassess her progress and go from there.
This has been really exciting and fun work to do. I stuck to my maintenance strokes and they seem to do the trick. The back stretches along her spine are improving every week so that is encouraging.
I had my first vet referral. Three-year-old with a LARGE knot in her glute that made her lame. The vet prescribed 6 massage sessions. By the 3rd session the knot was out and she was moving soundly on the lunge line. I did session 4-6 while they started riding her again and she is sound and her hip muscles feel normal. Working on her was very interesting. As her knot was on the left side she was straining the right side protecting her left. By the 2nd session I could feel the right getting tighter. That was really beneficial for my awareness.
Thanks again for all your help and encouragement,”
~Sherry Gorham, cLAMP, Central Point, OR
Find Sherry on the Animal Wellness Network
Injury recovery with teamwork
“Two years ago, my 18 year old Arab gelding, Poco, suffered an unknown accident overnight. After… several weeks…his leg/hip seemed to get better, but other problems began to emerge. My regular vet suggested, rather than continued meds, I should have him seen by a chiropractor….
Dr. DeLeeuw was gentle and very professional. She said he had several vertebrae out of alignment in his back, but that his biggest problem came from torn hip muscles that had not been addressed and had subsequently healed improperly. He was, by then, moving around like an arthritic old horse, from weeks of compensating for the knotty scar tissue that had built up, and whatever had occurred in his back that had not been addressed from the beginning. She made some joint and spinal adjustments and suggested equine massage therapy with Megan Ayrault. Another road we’d never been down before.
Since that time, Megan has become one of Poco’s favorite people and a friend of the family. She spent two hours with Poco the first time she met him. He was as skeptical as I was, his eyes were as big as saucers and he was hesitant to stand still while this stranger pushed and prodded and kneaded his sore little body, but soon found that her manipulations made him feel better. Slowly, over a period of months, his knotted muscles began to relax. After learning what to look for, it was obvious that Poco knew exactly how to communicate his appreciation, or lack thereof, with a pressure or a stroke on a sore muscle or ligament. The scar tissue was being absorbed and remodeled with the work, and he was regaining his long, easy stride. It took the better part of a year of twice monthly visits by Megan to return Poco to the energetic horse he’d always been, but time and loving work on muscles that had been tied up in knots, has returned Poco to a sound, ridable horse who once again loves to run and play and kick up his heels in his pasture and on the trails. And all of this with no medications whatsoever.
Thanks to Megan and Dr. DeLeeuw, Poco and I have become big believers. And although we don’t have her out as often, if Poco gets a little sore from an over vigorous trail ride or from playing too hard in his pasture, a visit from his “masseuse” seems to be just what he needs to undo the soreness.
I was also lucky enough to have been able to take a two day course in “massage for horse owners” during which I learned some of the basics. I’m not a replacement for Megan, but Poco does let me know that he appreciates my attempts to soften a sore muscle until his “regular masseuse” can make it out to see him.”
~Alice Prince, Kirkland, WA
Board Member of Bridle Trails Park Foundation
Megan’s Books
It’s a fact — Massage makes your animals healthier and happier!
These books will help you understand the many benefits of massage and bodywork. Learn basic techniques to support the physical as well as emotional health of the animals you love.
- Six ways that massage works and why
- Beautiful color photographs show techniques step-by-step
- Simple, easy-to-follow diagrams
- How to identify your animal’s stress and dysfunction
- Learn to improve your touch skills
- Tips on finding and working with a professional
A Veterinarian’s View
“As a Veterinary Spinal Manipulative Therapist (chiropractor), I feel it is important for animal owners to do follow-up massages at home after my treatments. The Dog Lover’s Guide to Massage and The Horse Lover’s Guide to Massage are perfect guides. Both books show owners how to proceed safely while providing very beneficial therapy. This knowledge would enable owners to detect problem areas more easily and give them valuable tools to provide pain relief and aid healing for their own animals. If more owners practiced the techniques discussed in these books, their animals would very likely need fewer treatments from their veterinary chiropractors.
Using the massage techniques in this book will give owners a better awareness of what is going on with their dog’s or horse’s body. By following the change in the soft tissues and muscles, they will likely notice areas of heat, pain, or swelling very early. A perceptive owner can bring an animal’s problem to my attention much sooner. This way I can treat the animal much more easily than if the problem had been brewing for months before being noticed.
Megan Ayrault is a gifted massage therapist; I have seen the benefits of her work
firsthand. One of many examples involved an older mare who was so sore after having her neck propped up to get her teeth floated that she did not even want to move her body at all. Megan was able to get out to see the mare before I could, and obtained near- miraculous results with her massage work. Megan went just deep enough to give the mare relief and speed healing without causing any additional soreness. I would not trust just anyone working on a patient this fragile, but Megan has a special touch. She also conveys this same calm, patient, healing intention to the readers of her books.
As an equine and canine veterinarian, chiropractor, and acupuncturist, I would love for all of my clients to have the education that Megan’s animal massage books provide!”
~Dr. Kari De Leeuw DVM, VSMT, CVA
Equine Holisitc Sports Medicine, Moss Beach, CA
Much more than just a “how to” book
“I am a horse artist and I have six rescued horses, however horse massage is something I’ve never thought I could learn myself. I always felt I’d have to learn detailed anatomy and techniques in an expensive course. Megan Ayrault’s book, The Horse Lover’s Guide to Massage, is enlightening and easy to read. She offers practical tools and techniques that can be incorporated into daily life. The photos and illustrations are well done, and her demonstrations and suggestions for how to understand a horse’s needs from a wholistic perspective, and her suggestions of how to incorporate massage into your lifestyle, make it much more than just a “how to” book. Megan has inspired me to find new ways to spend some special time with my horses.”
~Kim McElroy, Spirit of Horse Gallery, Kingston, WA
Find Kim on the Animal Wellness Network
For all dog lovers
“If you have a dog, if you know someone with a dog, or if you are thinking of getting a dog…you need The Dog Lover’s Guide to Massage: What Your Dog Wants You to Know. Concise, compassionate and comprehensive insight into how massage can help you help your pet.”
~Lola Michelin, Northwest School of Animal Massage, Fall City, WA
A perfect gift
“Reading The Horse Lover’s Guide to Massage should be on every horse-owner’s, rider’s or trainer’s To-Do list. Few could summarize the vast world of massage and bodywork with such clarity and enthusiasm as Megan has in this book. Having known her and watched her professionally for many years, I was overjoyed to see how much of her compassion for the animals shines through in her words. I now have an answer for that plaguing question; ‘What can I get my horse-loving friends that they don’t already have!’”
~Lola Michelin, Northwest School of Animal Massage, Fall City, WA
A fresh view that will help you connect
“I was very pleased when Megan asked me to review her books: The Horse Lover’s Guide to Massage and The Dog Lover’s Guide to Massage. Megan has presented both a very fresh view of the essentials of massage, and more importantly a way for us all to better connect with and care for our animals.”
~Jim Pascucci, Animal Structural Integration, Longmont, CO
Invaluable and easy to follow resource
“Megan’s books are a wonderful resource for every animal lover! The massage
information is easy to follow and the Basic Techniques with Anatomy Connections are invaluable and will help enhance your understanding of your animal’s overall health and well-being.”
~Kim Bauer, Animal Ease Therapies, LLC, Parkdale, OR
For every reader at every level
“Wow! I love these books! They are the obvious product of much intelligent thought, knowledge, intuition, and command of the phenomena of the physical body; well organized, complete and challenging, but accessible to a wide variety of readers. Every reader at every level will be informed, enlightened, perhaps reminded of important elements of this humane art.”
~Cindy Reynolds, PhD, LMP, Second Wind Farm, Snohomish, WA
Find Cindy on the Animal Wellness Network
The magic of bodywork
“In The Horse Lover’s Guide to Massage and The Dog Lover’s Guide to Massage, author Megan Ayrault has created concise, yet thorough how-to guides for the conscientious horse and pet owner. The books are filled with her unique wisdom, intuition and compassion. The explanations are clear and thoughtful and every word is carefully chosen to provide the reader with a truly memorable education. Having witnessed Megan’s professional work with animals and people for nearly a decade, I was pleased to see that her warmth and her deep-seated belief in the magic of bodywork are as evident in her writing as in her massage.”
~Joan Sorita, LMP, Sorita Equine Massage, Bothell, WA
Find Joan on the Animal Wellness Network
On the Guided Journals
Massaging My Horse and Massaging My Dog,
(companion workbooks to The Horse Lover’s Guide and The Dog Lover’s Guide)
“As a veterinarian, I am impressed by the format of the guided journals. They enable the reader to proceed with enough caution to not do damage, yet the step-by-step guidance should instill confidence that what they are doing will help their animal companion.”
~Dr. Kari De Leeuw DVM, VSMT, CVA
Equine Holisitc Sports Medicine, Moss Beach, CA
