The horses of the United States equestrian team were the first in the late 1970s to enjoy the benefits of equine massage. Now your horse can enjoy those benefits, too.

Betsy Ritchie, a newcomer to Newtown, has opened Equine Alchemy, an unusual business providing therapeutic massage to all types of horses (as well as clinics to teach young and adult horse lovers the basics and benefits of horse massage).

Ms Ritchie is a certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist who has been providing her unique services for show, school, and pleasure horses for a number of stables in Connecticut and New York, including some of the top show stables in the area.

Since the 1970s, programs were developed to train and certify people in equine massage therapy, including Equissage, Inc., in Virginia, where Ms. Ritchie received her training. Equine massage therapy is a direct pressure technique that is geared to the prevention and relief of muscle spasms, tensions, and strains that can cause shortening of stride, stiffness, and even lameness in horses.

The technique uses the same principles as human massage, working the muscles and pressure points to release tensions and knots. Horses respond very quickly and positively to massage, and are quick to clearly communicate their sore spots as well as the sweet spots.

Two recent scientific studies evaluated the effects of massage on horses and found measurable reductions in stress levels as well as increases in range of motion. Both are very important findings for improving performance and well being of horse athletes using therapeutic massage. Used as a complement to traditional veterinary care and other therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic, equine massage is an important component of complete horse care, as it is the only modality that specifically addresses the muscular system (which comprises 60% of a horse’s body weight).

Ms Ritchie grew up in Connecticut riding horses at a stable where the riders were responsible for all aspects of the care of the horses and barn, learning very early on the value of hands-on horse care. Although leaving the horse world and Connecticut to become a marine biologist and environmental engineer for a number of years, she subsequently became interested in holistic health and left the corporate world to study massage and energy therapies.

Upon returning to Connecticut, she came full circle when she started applying these therapies to horses, combining her passions for healing and horses. Observing the numerous benefits that massage can bring to her equine clients, and that all horses can feel significantly better after a massage, Ms. Ritchie finds her work to be very rewarding.

And with Connecticut as the state with the second-highest number of horses per square mile, there are plenty of potential clients just waiting for her help.

Betsy Ritchie of Newtown runs Equine Alchemy, which provides therapeutic massage to horses.