Product Review: Posture Prep Cross Fiber Groomer

I was super excited to get my hands on the Posture Prep Cross Fiber groomer developed by equine chiropractor Dr Pat Bona. I liken it to a curry comb on steroids because it massages as it grooms and when combined with the Cross Fiber Grooming technique it can assist in myofascial release to help improve posture and athletic performance while also helping to decrease the incidence of injury.

What is myofascial release? Myofascial release is a manual therapy technique often used in massage. The technique focuses on pain believed to arise from myofascial tissues — the tough membranes that wrap, connect and support your muscles. Theoretically, myofascial pain differs from other types of pain because it originates in "trigger points," which are related to stiff, anchored areas within the myofascial tissue. During myofascial release therapy, the therapist locates myofascial areas that feel stiff and fixed instead of elastic and movable under light manual pressure. These areas, though not always near what feels like the source of pain, are thought to restrict muscle and joint movements, which contributes to widespread muscle pain. The focused manual pressure used in myofascial release therapy loosen up restricted movement, leading indirectly to reduced pain.

When a horse’s muscles and skin are tight the horse is going to feel that tightness and compression down into their joints. Dr Bona likens it to wearing tight jeans versus sweat pants. When you squat down wearing tight jeans you feel the compression of the tight jeans restricting your movement versus when you wear stretchy sweat pants and bending down is easy. You want your horse’s skin, fascia and muscles to be loose and elastic like sweat pants.

The best way to get your horse like this, is to use the Posture Prep Tool during a Cross Fiber Grooming. Cross Fiber Grooming is when you use grooming strokes that will be perpendicular to the muscles fibers (which generally run in the same direction that the hair grows). This “cross fiber” action will help loosen the adhesions and scar tissues under the skin and stimulate circulation and lymphatic drainage as well as improving range of motion. Dr Bona also recommends grooming from the hind end to the front end. This will help your horse relax both mentally and physically.

You can see in the image of the gray horse the cross fiber grooming strokes to use with the Posture Prep Grooming Tool.

So then the question remains, does it work?

Since my horses unfortunately can not talk I will never know if it actually helps loosen their skin and achieves myofascial release but I can say how they felt and behaved while I was using the Posture Prep Grooming Tool. I tried it on Dreamer first and he loved it. He thoroughly enjoyed the good grooming and the way it hit his itchy spots just right. You could tell there were tense spots that instantly loosened up after using the cross fiber technique. I definitely concentrated on areas where he has stiffness (hips, stifles, hocks). He essentially became a relaxed puddle of a horse, back foot cocked, sleepy and super relaxed.

Then I tried it on Scout, who in typically mare fashion, doesn’t really like to be groomed. She gets antsy and stomps her feet when you curry her or scrape her after a bath. But she, like Dreamer, loved the Posture Prep Cross Fiber Grooming. She leaned into it at certain spots and totally relaxed and enjoyed her grooming. She only started stomping her feet when I switched to a regular brush to brush away the loose hair.

So based on their reactions and how easy the groomer is to use I definitely recommend it and hope over time it helps improve their posture, movement, relaxation and suppleness.

You can see some of the cross fiber marks it leaves in the hair, showing the movement of the curry. The soft, yet stiff rubber teeth help to loosen the skin and fascia but also have the added bonus of loosening shedding hair and dirt.

You can learn more about the Posture Prep Cross Fiber Groomer at drpatbona.com and you can access great how-to videos from Posture Prep on YouTube by clicking here.