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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm

Ruapehu Equine Sports Therapy

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Ruapehu Equine Sports Therapy

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Hello and welcome 👋
My name is Katie, a qualified equine sports massage therapist with a wide range of skills & knowledge to benefit all equines.

I’m available for weekly bookings in the Hawkes Bay region, and Ruapehu, Palmerston North & Tararua monthly

13/10/2026

Hawke’s Bay - POLES CLINIC - Sunday 1st November.

Come and challenge yourself in a positive setting, working in partnership with your horse/pony, improving things such as bilateral coordination, proprioception, muscular symmetry, core stability while also improving things for yourself such as rider symmetry, postural awareness, core strength, neuromuscular coordination and adaptability!

So many benefits while enjoying yourself and having fun!

At this stage poles will still be on the ground, with walk and trot poles set up in a structured way to ride multiple different routes and pathways.

Please text 0277830463 to book in, or message directly through Facebook!

19/09/2026

School Holiday Travel Dates:

HAWKES BAY:
Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th September

WAIRARAPA:
Wednesday 30th September and Thursday 1st October

RUAPEHU:
Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October.

Why Sports Massage?

Sports massage isn’t just for competition horses — it can be a valuable part of keeping any equine athlete comfortable, mobile and performing at their best.

Regular massage can help relieve muscular tension, improve circulation and flexibility, support healthy range of motion, and assist with recovery after training and competition.

For horses recovering from injury, sports massage can also be a useful part of a rehabilitation programme, helping support healthy soft tissue function, address compensatory muscle tension and maintain mobility as the horse gradually returns to work.

Whether maintaining a performance horse or supporting one through rehabilitation, the goal is the same: helping the horse’s body move and function as well as possible. 🐴

Please get in touch to book!

08/09/2026

💲 FOR SALE 💲

Bates Innova Mono Dressage Saddle.

Designed for close contact and better connection. It has an interchangeable gullet system, a running Y girth, and benefits the rider by being customisable- with the ability to adjust the contour knee blocks and stirrup bars.

It has been really well looked after, it’s not been ridden in that frequently and has lived inside its saddle cover permanently when not in use.

17.5inch seat, currently has a medium wide gullet in it. Unmounted.
Will be sold with the bates leather balsam and bates leather cream, and its saddle cover.

I am more then happy for anyone on my client list to try before they buy, if I’m booked in to see you I can bring it with me and we can do a saddle fit for you!
Trials are welcome to all, but there is a strict policy that if the saddle is damaged or scratched in any way that you will be expected to pay the costs of the saddle in full.

Valued at $5200 AUD brand new
I offer it for $3500 - open to offers 😇

07/09/2026

Noticing your horses behaviour might help you learn when they are trying to communicate pain!

Does your horse or pony display or show any of these symptoms:
• Ears back when doing up the cover, putting on the saddle or doing up the girth?
• Feeling unbalanced going from one rein to the other, struggling to pick up canter on one rein, bouncing you out of your Trot rhythm to their preferred diagonal?
• Struggling to stand well for the farrier, shifting weight or dropping a leg, or even kicking out?
• Choppy stride, lameness, or not tracking/travelling through?
• Stiffness, reluctance to bend, falling behind the leg/unable to stay consistent in their gate?
•Hollowing the back and raising head, rushing transitions or bucking during transitions?

These are all common symptoms of a horse needing some assistance in removing and reducing pain in the body!

Sports massage therapy is not just a relaxation massage- it targets muscles in stress, contraction, spasm and pain, using specialised techniques proven to reduce pain, soften muscle fibres and lengthen muscle tissues.

Learning where your horse is stronger, weaker, and compensating will help you improve your performance when schooling and competing.

Book now pre season to give your horse and pony the best start to the season ahead!

Bookings available this week 10/11th September in Hawke’s Bay. 😇

28/08/2026

First travelling trip for the 2026-2027 season is to the mighty Manawatu!

I will be available on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th September at Kyrewood Equestrian Park for anyone who wishes to make a booking with me.

📍108 Oroua Rd, Kairanga 4475

I offer a full body sports massage service to your equine friend, focusing on releasing any pain or tension found in the musculoskeletal system- this includes muscles, tendons and ligaments.
The purpose of the treatment is to help improve your horse’s strength and balance so the body can move more efficiently, removing old compensatory patterns and identifying asymmetry in the body. Support muscle recovery after exercise, promoting relaxation, improving suppleness and comfort in the body so that your horse can compete and ride at their best. ⭐️

Included in the treatment is a saddle fit check, nutritional or supplemental support, passive stretching exercises, and a plan in place with weekly steps you can take to improve the over all health, well-being, strength and stamina of your horse.

Your booking is non refundable and you will be expected to pay for your allocated time or find someone to fill your spot.

Many thanks
Katie

19/08/2026

Our first poles clinic for the season available in the Hawke’s Bay Region.
Arena is at Heathcote equestrian, longlands Hastings.
When booking your place the address details will be sent to you.

We will start easing our horses, ponies, and ourselves, back into it with a lovely course/grid set up.

Nothing too strenuous or difficult, our focus will be on how we as riders can improve our own skills to ensure we are preparing and setting our horses up for success.

This will be a great opportunity as a first outing for the season for those younger greener horses, great for adults and children a like, great for nervous riders or anxious horses, great for those that might need some one on one coaching, great for people who want to try something new or come out with a group of friends to enjoy themselves!

Message or text Katie on 0277830463 to book your spot.
Cash only please.
Weather dependant aswell (parking is in a paddock so we can’t afford to have people get stuck or to ruin the grass!)

16/08/2026

Feeling lucky to have seen the herds of Bison at Yellowstone National Park while away on our holiday!!

Home now, and ready for another busy season ahead!

Hawke’s Bay clients, I’m available weekly, if you’d like to book your horse in for a pre season wellness treatment to ensure you’re starting your season with a comfortable and competent horse then flick me a message!

For my remaining clients around the central and lower North Island, I will be in touch with travel dates this coming week, I’m looking forward to catching up with you all, hearing what goals you have for the 2026-2027 season, and watching the magic unfold as we work together to improve your horses strength, stamina and suppleness, all to create a top athlete with the ability to perform at there peak all season in there chosen discipline! 👏👌

17/06/2026

Hawke’s Bay clients!

I am nearing the end of my season, with limited spacing for July!
If you’re wanting to help your horse get the best out of these quieter months, then body work should be top of that list!
A sports therapy treatment will help identify any tension through the body, help identify any weakness, encourage healthy development of soft tissues, so they can enjoy their turn out time!

Availability follows:
FRIDAY 19th JUNE:
9am: available
12pm: available
1.30pm: available
3pm: available

THURSDAY 2nd JULY:
3pm: available

THURSDAY 16th JULY:
12pm: available
1.30pm: available
3pm: available

FRIDAY 17th JULY:
8.30am: available
10am: available
11.30am: available
1pm: available

These are my last spaces before I enjoy a winter break and go on holiday for 3 weeks myself.
Bookings will resume from September 2026 onwards 😇

08/06/2026

I was fortunate to work with this very cool dude last Friday. 😎

Topaz is only 7 months old and has already had quite the adventure.

After experiencing staggers, he lost his balance and toppled over an equi-fence, becoming entangled. Thankfully, his owner was home at the time and was able to free him within minutes.

Following the incident, Topaz presented with several areas of muscular tension and compensation throughout his body. Being suspended with his head and neck at an unnatural angle placed additional strain on his cervical region, resulting in restrictions that required chiropractic adjustment by a trusted and qualified professional.
Combined with soft tissue bodywork that I could provide, these treatments aim to restore mobility, relieve muscular tension, and support healthy movement patterns during this important stage of growth and development

He was an excellent patient—curious, inquisitive, and incredibly aware of his body. There were several moments during the session where he visibly relaxed, releasing tension and simply enjoying the process.

He is the youngest horse I have worked on, and I found it so fascinating how in tune he was for a baby- proof that they’re never too young for short targeted work if required!
His mum deserves a shout out too, as she was such a calm and gentle presence for him when he sought her out, a testament to her nature as a mare!

Topaz is fortunate to have a dedicated team of equine professionals supporting him, and I look forward to following his progress over the coming months.

20/05/2026

Due to such high interest I will be hosting another Poles Clinic on Sunday 31st May at Heathcote Equestrian.

Pole work exercises can be performed in hand or ridden, and will improve your horses strength, balance, rhythm, co-ordination, while helping rider with balance, seeing strides, riding straight, and increasing confidence and trust in their partnership with their horse 😇

Thank you to everyone who’s been in touch since I advertised! I am blown away by the amount of eager horse enthusiasts and am hoping to make this a regular (monthly) thing.

Please get in touch if you are interested to ride on Sunday 31st May 😇 Katie Swansbury
0277830463

Many thanks
Katie

Address

Hastings

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+64277830463

Website

http://ruapehuequinemassage.co.nz/

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