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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(6); doi: 10.3390/ani15060789

Effect of Massage on Stress Indicators in Recreational Horses-A Pilot Study.

Abstract: This pilot study investigated the effects of massage therapy on stress indicators in recreational horses, focusing on salivary cortisol levels, heart rate and conflict behaviors. Five recreational horses were analyzed under two experimental conditions: without and with massage treatments before riding sessions. Saliva samples were collected at four specific intervals in each condition to measure cortisol concentrations using an ELISA test. Observations of behavioral indicators and heart-rate monitoring complemented the physiological data. The results revealed that massage significantly reduced cortisol levels in saliva, with decreases averaging 526.6 pg/mL and 321.8 pg/mL during key sampling intervals. Behavioral analysis showed a notable reduction in conflict behaviors such as tail swishing, which decreased from 121 occurrences to 85 after massage. Relaxation behaviors, including relaxed lower lip and half-closed eyes, were frequently observed during massage sessions, further confirming its calming effects. These findings demonstrate that massage effectively alleviated stress in horses, providing practical benefits for their well-being and usage in recreational activities. The study underscores the potential of incorporating massage therapy into routine equine care to promote relaxation and enhance animal welfare.
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Publication Date: 2025-03-11 PubMed ID: 40150318PubMed Central: PMC11939167DOI: 10.3390/ani15060789Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research studied the effects of massage therapy on horses, focusing on stress indicators such as cortisol levels, heart rate, and behavior, and observed significant reduction in these stress indicators after massage sessions, suggesting improved well-being and potential benefits for employing massage therapy in regular equine care.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers conducted their tests on five recreational horses, studying them under two different conditions: without and with massage treatments before riding them.
  • They collected saliva samples from the horses at four specific intervals for each experimental condition, using the samples to measure cortisol concentrations using an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test, a popular method for detecting and measuring antibodies or antigens in samples.
  • In addition to physiological data, the team also conducted observational studies of the horses’ behavior and monitored their heart rates to complement the saliva sample data.

Findings

  • Through their observations, the researchers found that massage therapy had a significant effect on reducing the levels of cortisol (a hormone often associated with stress) found in the saliva of the horses. The levels dropped notably, averaging a decrease of 526.6 pg/mL and 321.8 pg/mL during key sampling intervals.
  • In terms of behavior, the study noted that conflict behaviors such as tail swishing went down from 121 occurrences to 85 after massage. Conflict behaviors are seen as indicators of stress or discontent in horses.
  • Relaxation behaviors such as a relaxed lower lip and half-closed eyes were frequently observed during the massage sessions, further corroborating the soothing effects of massage therapy.

Conclusion: Implications of the Study

  • The findings of this pilot study proved that massage indeed had a generally calming effect on horses, helping to reduce their stress levels significantly. This has notable practical implications for improving the well-being of horses and enhancing their use in recreational activities.
  • This research underlines the potential benefits of integrating massage therapy into the standard care regimen for horses, essentially offering a non-invasive way to promote relaxation and boost animal welfare.

Cite This Article

APA
Jastrzębska E, Górecka-Bruzda A, Ogłuszka M, Lipka MS, Pawłowska A. (2025). Effect of Massage on Stress Indicators in Recreational Horses-A Pilot Study. Animals (Basel), 15(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15060789

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 6

Researcher Affiliations

Jastrzębska, Ewa
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Riding, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Górecka-Bruzda, Aleksandra
  • Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Postępu 36A, Jastrzębiec, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland.
Ogłuszka, Magdalena
  • Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Postępu 36A, Jastrzębiec, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland.
Lipka, Maryla Sylwia
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Riding, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.
Pawłowska, Aleksandra
  • Department of Horse Breeding and Riding, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.

Grant Funding

  • RID/SP/0025/2024/01 / the Minister of Science under "the Regional Initiative of Excellence Program"

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Klinck M, Lovett A, Sykes B. Incorporating a Behavioral Medicine Approach in the Multi-Modal Management of Chronic Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS): A Clinical Commentary. Animals (Basel) 2025 Oct 17;15(20).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15203019pubmed: 41153946google scholar: lookup
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