Entrepreneur to Admire: Sarah Mahoney
Last year Street to Stable profiled, Sarah Mahoney, an amateur hunter rider in Florida, to better familiarize the equestrian community with her popular blog Adult Ammy Strong, As described by Mrs. Mahoney, “The objective of AdultAmmyStrong is to connect and support adult amateur equestrians balancing life in and out of the saddle. We face many unique challenges balancing our daily lives (jobs, families, grad school, etc.) with our passion for horses and riding. Adult amateurs drive a lot of the equestrian and competition industry and it's my goal to showcase the strength and determination of the A/A and A/O community to increase awareness of just how exceptional the adult amateur really is.”
Additionally, Mrs. Mahoney has turned her passion for equine health into a full time business by earning her certification in equine sports massage therapy. According to the Equine Sports Massage Association, “Equine sports massage is the therapeutic application of professional sports massage techniques applied to the horse. A thorough understanding of anatomy and the interaction of bones, joints and muscles are the basis of the proven physical and mental therapy that is the art of massage. (1)”
As a horse woman that continues to earn the respect of many as she documents her personal journey with her own horse “Wow”, as well as many of her other equestrian endeavors using social media, I am very excited to have Mrs. Mahoney describe the health benefits of massage therapy for horses. This type of therapy has personally helped me relieve muscle pain and tension that I incur from competitive running and day-to-day mental stress. Additionally, my show hunter has outwardly demonstrated positive behavior and improved movement after regular bodywork, both post-colic surgery and during regular training. My experience has shown a definitive correlation between massage and the physical relief of soreness with mental well-being. Below Mrs. Mahoney shares a glimpse as to how she approaches and treats horses using massage therapy and the gratification she has received since forming Mahoney Equine.
Salut!
Kristin
(1) EQUINE SPORTS MASSAGE ASSOCIATION;
What is equine sports massage. http://www.equinemassageassociation.co.uk/what-is-equine-sports-massage/
Learn From Sarah
What inspired you to start your own business?
I have always had an interest in equine biomechanics, alternative therapies and equine health and wellbeing. I thought equine sports massage would be a great way to turn my interests and passion into a career as well as give me some flexibility to pursue life in the show ring. I am a military spouse so the traditional office job doesn’t always fit nicely into that lifestyle.
What is the most gratifying aspect of running your own company?
The people and animals. I love working with people who are equally as passionate about horses and their health as I am. Clients are appreciative of my services helping their horses feel and perform their best and the horse’s response during a session is instant gratification. I take pride in knowing that I’m helping them release tension, reduce pain and overall feel much better allowing them to do their job more effectively and efficiently.
What is the best business advice you ever received that you would like to share?
Honesty and transparency are your best friends. With working on horses, who are an athlete and partner to my clients, they like to know and feel comfortable around me. They need to be able to trust in me and my services – that’s what will keep them having me work on their horses as well as telling their friends, barn mates, trainers, etc. about me and how I’ve helped their horses.
Additional information you would like to share about equine sports massage therapy:
Massage therapy benefits the overall well-being of your equine partner through combined mechanical, physiological, and psychological therapeutic effects. Whether you use your horse for pleasure or performance, massage helps keep your horse's muscles healthy, maintains strength and suppleness, and even helps prevent atrophy during a period of stall rest or restricted work. During a session, I use a combination of massage strokes and acupressure to locate and treat reactive areas of the muscle.
Sports massage benefits the horse by:
• Increasing range of motion - A horse that moves better has a more efficient stride. Less wear and tear on the joints, ligaments and tendons equates to a longer performance life.
• Improving stamina - By increasing the range of motion, your horse will work in a more efficient manner improving stamina as well as performance.
• Improving disposition - A horse in pain will often times act out by nipping, kicking, or overall having a meaner disposition. This is their way of attempting to communicate. Removing and/or reducing the source of pain can help change behavior and attitude.
• Aiding in recovery of muscle injury - Massage is beneficial alongside the rehabilitation following an injury and aids in reducing swelling. After the injury has healed, massage, stretching and proper exercise can help the recovery process by encouraging the dissipation of scar tissue. Reducing any amount of scar tissue helps restore the muscle and allows better performance.
• Increasing flexibility - A healthy, relaxed muscle allows for a greater elasticity of the muscles, tendons and ligaments, which allows for greater levels of flexibility and agility.
• Preventing injury - The increased flexibility gained will allow greater ease of movements helping prevent serious injury.
NOTE: Always consult your veterinarian if your horse is injured – massage therapy is not a substitute for any veterinary care.
Connect/Contact/Meet
WEB: MahoneyEquine.com
SOCIAL:
Facebook.com/MahoneyEquine
Instagram.com/MahoneyEquine
CONTACT:
MahoneyEquine@yahoo.com
SCHEDULING:/TRAVEL AREAS
Sarah is based out of Virginia Beach, Virginia and will travel to other areas of Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina for shows or for multiple appointments. Other fees may apply. EMAIL for more information.
ABOUT:
I'm Sarah Mahoney, an avid adult amateur equestrian with a life-long passion for horses. I ride hunters and am currently based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I am the founder of #AdultAmmyStrong -- a community helping empower and showcase the adult amateur equestrian balancing 'real life' with riding and showing. I started out like many horse-crazy little girls - going to pony camps, taking lessons and getting into the show ring. After college and a while in the marketing industry, I wanted to turn my passion into a career. So in 2016 I became certified in equine sports massage therapy and got to work helping horses perform at their best