The Standard Massage Pad allows an effective massage session for your horse.
• Battery operated 30-minute sessions – give your horse a massage while you complete other yard tasks.
• Four massage motors.
• Elasticated belly straps for a comfortable snug fit.
• Choose the intensity of the massage from three different programs.
• Lightweight and portable – take it with you wherever you go.
• Massage more and charge less with the high-performance battery & universal charger.
• 2-year guarantee.
Includes 1 x Equilibrium Standard Massage Pad, 1 x Equilibrium Bag, 1 x Equilibrium Battery and 1 x International Charger.
The innovative design provides effective, affordable equine massage for horses and ponies sized 14.1hh – 16.1hh or in 5ft9 – 6ft3 sized rugs. If you have a pony or large horse, you may want to look at the Pony Massage Pad or XL Massage Pad. The Pony Pad is designed for ponies in rug sizes 5ft6” and under or 14.0h, alternatively, if you have a horse in 6ft6”+ rug sizes, you may want to look at the XL Massage Pad.
Massage Pad Testing:
Equilibrium take pride in researching and testing their products. The Equilibrium Massage Pad was independently tested by Myerscough College in Lancashire, UK.
There were two parts to the study:
1) The horses were measured for signs of stress / relaxation immediately before, during and after the application of the massage pads over a six-week period
2) The horses were assessed in terms of flexibility and suppleness. There were two groups of horses – a treated group and a control group.
Test Methods
Back flexibility was assessed using the ‘Arch Dip Test’. The Arch & Dip test is a reliable and proven indicator of back flexibility (Pelham & Schobesberger 2006). It involves the use of pressure stimulus to generate a reflex in the horses’ back. Pressure applied to a specific region in the spinal area results in the horse ‘dipping’ away from the pressure, with a more flexible back allowing the horse to exhibit a greater ability to dip away from the source of the pressure. The arch test involves the application of pressure to the horses’ midline, in order to stimulate an upwards arch reflex in the horses’ back away from the source of pressure. Similarly, a more flexible back allows the horse to exhibit a greater ability to arch the back upwards away from the source of the pressure.
The results, following six weeks of testing, showed that the massage pad offers significant benefits to horses. A significant increase in back flexibility and relaxation was noted, but it also showed an increase in stride length.
Increased Flexibility
Massage helps to promote flexibility in healthy muscle tissue, fascia, and other soft tissue fibres. The effects of massage on flexibility can be measured using the 'Arch Dip' test to determine the amount of upwards or downwards bend of the horses' back. Test results from the trials demonstrated an overall improvement in back flexibility of approximately 46%.
Stride Length
The trial showed that the stride length of the treated horses increased over the period of the test by 12cms, whereas the control group showed little improvement. Horse owners know that a small change in stride length can make a major difference to the way of going in a horse!
Promoting Relaxation
Using a heart rate monitor, horses wearing the Equilibrium Massage Pad showed an increase in relaxation compared to the horses in the control group.
The results after 6 weeks of testing indicate that 1) the horses appeared more relaxed and 2) the performance of the horse would be expected to improve due to the increased flexibility of the horses’ back muscles. Relaxed muscles will assist with flexibility and movement in particular for competition horses performing dressage movements and jumping technical fences.
How does the Standard Massage Pad work?
The control panel allows you to select low, medium, or high settings and as a result, you can choose the intensity of the program to suit your pony. Each program runs through a cycle of three different types of massage – pulsing, vibration, and stroking –to ensure all muscles are worked in different ways.
Choosing your setting:
• LOW for cool down after exercise, for a sensitive horse or to introduce the pad to your pony for the first time.
• MEDIUM to warm up the muscles prior to exercise or for general maintenance.
• HIGH if your pony prefers a more intense massage.
The massage pad will run for 30 minutes before turning itself off automatically however, you can manually turn it off sooner if needed.
It can be used on its own or in conjunction with the hand-held Massage Mitt for an all over massage, or the Massage Mitt Hotspot to combine heat and massage.
When to use the Standard Massage Pad?
In short, you can use the Standard Massage Pad before riding, after riding or on a day off! Here’s a few scenarios:
• Horses on box rest to maintain good circulation.
• After exercise to help support recovery.
• Before exercise as part of warm up.
• At a show after travelling to relax.
• On your horses day off as general maintenance.
• Anytime as a reward.

Equilibrium Massage Pad Heatsense
Achieve ultimate relaxation with comforting heat and massage.

Combining reliable, tested, and intelligent heat with proven massage*, the NEW Heatsense is a great addition to your horses’ daily routine to maintain good back health.

• The choice is yours – pick from heat and three intensities of massage.
• Reliable, tested therapeutic heat output with sensors to turn heat off/on depending on your horse’s temperature.
• Heat targeted to the most common areas of weakness.
• Six Massage motors evenly distributed across the pad.
• Fits into your daily routine with a 30-minute programme.
• Shaped to follow the contours of the horses back with 90cm coverage from withers to quarters.
• Battery operated to take it with you wherever you go.
• Covered by a 2-year guarantee.
• Contains 1 x Massage Pad Heatsense, 1 x Storage Bag, 1 x Equilibrium Heatsense Battery, 1 x Equilibrium Heatsense Charger.

Heatsense is available in one size designed to fit horses 14.1hh and upwards.

*Based on the popular Equilibrium Massage Pad clinically proven to improve back flexibility and promote relaxation tested at Myerscough College, 2007.

Additional Information

What inspired the Massage Pad Heatsense for horses?
With the Massage range already helping horses worldwide, it seemed only natural to add the next best thing – heat! Heat that is reliable, tested and targeted to reach safe recommended therapeutic temperatures (42 degrees Celsius).
How can Massage and Heat benefit horses?
Our horses work hard for us with a lot of pressure being put onto their muscles through exercise. Massage and heat are two simple ways in which we can help support healthy muscle function in our horse.

Massage

Performance depends on freedom of movement, full flexibility, and an absence of musculoskeletal pain, all of which can be improved using massage (Gellman, 1998).

Benefits of Massage include:

• Helps maintain healthy blood and lymph circulation.
• Preparing muscles for work/exercise?
• Soothes tired muscles.
• Supports recovery after exercise.
• Promotes relaxation.

Heat

. Heat is non-invasive, gentle, and well accepted with many associated benefits, including:
• Maintaining good oxygen supply to muscles.
• Encouraging muscle relaxation.
• Increasing flexibility and elasticity of tissue.

Using heat is a great way to help sensitive horses who may find massage too much. Research suggests that tissue temperature needs to increase by at least 3 to 5°C from the resting temperature (Bockstahler et al, 2004). Amongst many other sources, AAEVT’s Equine Manual for Veterinary Technicians by Martha Mallicote from University of Florida, et al states: ‘Applying heat at temperatures of 40-45°C for 15-30 minutes results in vasodilation, increasing blood flow.’

Who is the Massage Pad Heatsense for?

All horses and ponies could benefit from the Massage Pad Heatsense, including:
• Horses on box rest to maintain good blood flow.
• After exercise to help support recovery.
• Before exercise as part of warm up.
• At a show to relax after travelling.
• On your horse’s day off as part of a maintenance programme.
• Anytime as a reward.

Heatsense is available in one size designed to fit horses 14.1hh and upwards.

What is it made of?

The Massage Pad Heatsense is made up of polyurethane, or PU, with foam padding. The PU outer makes the product extremely hardwearing, but also hygienic – which is ideal if it is shared between many horses and ponies. It is resistant to water and grease, but also to fungus. This material paired with the padding also makes it comfortable for the horse.

Six massage motors are positioned in the target areas for horses and ponies. There are two either side of the wither, two mid-ways down the pad and another two behind the saddle area. The careful design of the massage pad then facilitates the spread of the massage along the back muscles.

The heating element is housed within the back third of the Massage Pad and heats a gel pad, which in turn will heat the horse. This ensures that the heat is evenly dispersed and consistent. It also acts as a safety barrier. This part of the Massage Pad also has a sensor to ensure the horse doesn’t overheat, for example when using the pad in warmer weather or after exercise when the horse is naturally warm.

How do I care for the Massage Pad Heatsense?
The Massage Pad Heatsense just needs a gentle wipe down with a damp, clean cloth if the material gets scurfy. For Battery and Charger care, please see their safety instructions included in the packaging.

Caution! Do not use on the following:

• Open wounds, new injuries, or new swelling (for the first 48 hours).
• Where there is suspected infection or malignant tumours.
• Burn injuries or deep vein thrombosis.
• Over the abdomen if pregnant, or at all during the first trimester
• Circulatory problems, causing hypo or hypersensitivity to heat.
• Active bleeding, bruising or haematoma.
• Bony areas such as the wither, point of shoulder or hip.
• Do not apply more than 1 heat session at a time on the same horse.

Battery Life:

The high performance Heatsense Battery can deliver up to ten sessions of effective Heat & Massage therapy. This is equivalent to five hours of use. In extreme cold conditions this may reduce to eight sessions.

To preserve the life of the battery we strongly recommend unplugging the battery from the cable after every use.

After ten heat and massage sessions we recommend charging the battery, this ensures that the Heatsense can deliver the heat therapy at the required temperatures. After ten uses the heat may still be delivered but it is unlikely to be at the optimum temperature.

What inspired the Equilibrium Massage Pad Repair Service?

There are two sides to sustainable products. Recyclable products, and those that can last for a very long time. We know the Massage Pads can stand the test of time, regularly hearing about our first ones ever made which are still going strong and looking good as new! It doesn’t always go this way though for everyone, so we’ve introduced an affordable repair service to keep your precious pad working, while going against ‘throw away’ culture.