their website at www.
mastersonmethod.com where you’ll find more information about the program.) Jim travels worldwide holding weekend seminar- workshops, a five-day advance course, and certification for the more serious therapist. If you can’t attend a clinic, you can still expect to achieve results on your own after watching the DVD and reviewing the book. One of the basic theories that Jim explains is the three
junctions of tension that the horse needs to release and unlock which most affect his performance. First is the poll- atlas junction, second is the neck-shoulders-withers and last is the hind-end/sacroiliac. His techniques don’t invade the joints directly, but instead affect all the muscle tissue around and next to the joints. Chinese medicine fans will recognize The Bladder
Meridian (see diagram above) which allows you to bypass the horse’s survival-defense response and connect directly with the part of the horse’s nervous system that holds and releases tension. This is where you begin your touching work to establish the basis of your communication with the particular horse you are working on before you address the major three junctions mentioned above. Even if this simple portion
of Jim’s techniques is all you can manage to do, it will make a difference. Jim is quick to point
out that his methods differ from traditional massage therapy which is designed to physically break down the tight and knotted fibers in your horse’s muscles to increase blood flow to the region. By contrast, Jim’s methods trigger the nervous system of the
horse and induce endorphins, a sort of natural drug that releases tension in contracted muscles.
Does It Work? Jim was designated the official Equine Massage Therapist for the 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012 USET Endurance Teams and has helped competitors at the FEI World Cup, Pan American Games and World Games competitions. Without hesitation, top trainers such as Australian Peter Atkins (eventing) and Brianne Goutal (show jumping) say that their horses have improved in performance after applying The Masterson Method of therapy. Well- known dressage trainer Jane Savoie remarks, “Without a doubt, Jim’s work is amazing! It is gentle, effective, and strengthens the bond and communication between you and your horse. His method directly complements what I do while training.”
Opposite: Jim Masterson. Above left: Jane Savoie and her Grand Prix Friesian Moshi (Menno) at the piaffe. Above right: Peter Atkins and Henry at the Fork CIC3* in 2009.
Warmbloods Today 37
Photo by Emily Daily
Photo courtesy Jim Masterson
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