Hands-On Healing for Horses and Humans

30/06/2025

A fantastic ride run by the Toowoomba Endurance Horse Riders Association Inc (Endurance Riders Club) at Southbrook.

I love supporting the club with a fun prize that may make the person receiving it a little less sad/ frustrated etc.
The price is a Hands On treatment for the fastest loading horse onto the rescue float.

It's different, but we've done it for years.

A big thanks from Lilly Stephens to Edwards Saddleword for the beautiful embroidered rug, to Dixon Smith Equestrian and Briese Lawyers for the 3rd place prizes.

Without generous sponsors, volunteers and attendees we wouldn't be able to have fun on Endurance weekends.

20/06/2025

Brace....
And what it means for your horse....

When teaching new upcoming body workers the art of our trade, the hardest thing is helping them understand that brace( tension) is there for a reason....
And that reason could be many....

* Conformation ( the horse was born this way)
*Physical trauma ( injury/ accidents)
* Emotional trauma ( training/ handling/ gear)
* Environment ( this could mean many things, to list some but not limited too : diet, general health, herd status)

These are some aspects to consider.

When we go and see a horse, it's important that we understand also that brace can be a protective response of the nervous system ( working hand in hand with the above mentioned aspects)

What does all of this actually mean?

When treating horses we need to understand that the brace present is serving a purpose to the horse.
Generally speaking one of protection.
We can't just go and tell the horse that by holding onto the brace, it can end up with more long term issues, but we all so gently need to slowly peel away the layers, listen to the horse, allow them a voice in this process, as it's after all their body, we are the ones with the agenda.

So we go slowly...
We show the horse they can trust us, and be brave to explore the new... The unknown.
Maybe through correct exercises ( in hand and under saddle) , maybe through frequent bodywork and ensuring we have covered all other aspects.

The body in a flight animal will do everything and anything to ensure survival.

We need to keep this in mind.

Less is more.... And if your bodywork is not " sticking" maybe one of the above aspects has slipped through the gaps 🙏

12/06/2025

"Expression of Interest at this stage only"

Her Self care Retreat #

How would you like to join like minded women on a 2 night retreat with your own horse at Cabarita Beach?

*Have you been wanting to go and do something new/ different with your horse?

*Have you been trying to find " your crowd" of like minded people?

*Have you been wanting to go camping/ beach riding and explore how to do this while maintaining a connection to yourself and your horse and other horse enthusiasts?

Then this 2.5 day retreat might be exactly what you are after....

I'm thinking Friday afternoon arrival, settle yourself and your horse at the Cabarita Pony Club ( Byo camp gear)

Enjoy a relaxed evening with the group, no pressure, no pretending, just showing up at your capacity. ( BYO meals for the stay)

The next day we may start with a Group Nervous system regulation exercise with and without our horses. ( In hand)

Followed by a walk/ ride ( this is at your own capacity) on the beach.

Lunch break where we can give ourselves time to do it like the Spanish do it.... Siesta time ( sleep/ break) and allow our systems to unwind further. You may choose to simply relax, read a book, groom your horse, sit with your horse... All the things we usually feel guilty about.

The afternoon can be self paced ( we might have a Lomi Lomi massage therapist available, or a bodywork session for your horse, maybe you are after a more in-depth 1 on 1 session with your own horse, where we discover and support personal roadblocks and issues that may be holding you and your horse back)
( Spots for these will be limited and charged separately by each provider/ must be booked and paid for in advance)

Finish off the day with Group connection ( reflection)
Bring a plate to share and beverage of your choice

Sunday morning can see us waking up before the heat of the day settles in, enjoying a Singing Bowl Sound bath ( please bring a towel), where your entire body can soak in the beautiful frequencies of the Bowls, horses munching on some hay, birds welcoming the day.

To bring it all together and to an end we enjoy one last fun oriented group exercise that will support us to make the journey home, and land back in our life's.

Currently in conversation with Cabarita PC in terms of dates/ cost etc.

Looking at Mid January 2026

Cost to consider ( fuel to and from/ camping/ retreat cost tbc but I'm trying to keep it very reasonable/ additional services mentioned above at each provider's discretion.

It will be a small group setting so it's not too overwhelming.

All levels of experience welcome.

This is a chance to look after you and your needs, bonus your horse will be joining you and benefiting too.

Bookings will open in the next 4 weeks so watch..this..space....

09/06/2025

I've been a little quiet here lately....

Things have been busy, and my herd and I have spent hours trying to work through the past few months.

The cyclone really unsettled everyone's nervous system.
Hours spent standing in pouring rain, crazy winds
to rug or not rug?

Afterwards came skin issues, hoof issues.

Just as things dried up, guess what... More rain. And we live in a country where we never want to complain about the rain, because we know what it's like during a drought, but golly..... There have been moments where I wished I could send it to other parts of the country where it is desperately needed.

With the conditions also came a changed situation of our training schedule, areas where we would normally float too, to do bigger distances where shut, and it all felt really frustrating.

Cancelled work hours on top, I had to take a real good look at things.

What happens when " play" doesn't feel like that anymore and it's just a strain?
My horses were making it pretty clear....

So I took a deep breath, made some tough decisions that definitely didn't come easy, but were necessary, kept my head down and picked up work left right and centre.
Thank you to all my wonderful loyal clients, you guys just absolutely rock. And welcome to all the new clients that have joined our team.

I adore watching heaps of our Equestricare students come up through the ranks.
There are some very clever therapists amongst them, and I enjoy that I've been long enough in the game, to not feel threatened, it can be a tough gig, running your own business, but I believe that teamwork makes the dream work.

The more support our horses can get, the better.

I'm grateful to do what I do, and am able to make a living out of it.

Everyone goes through cycles off up and down, and by sharing some off it, I like to normalize this.

It's easy to isolate yourself in tough times, but please know that support is often there, we may need to reach out, and that definitely can be hard.
I know it can be.....

How have you spend the last 6 months?

What have been your tricks to get through?

Have you achieved something you didn't think you would??

I love to hear about it.

Connection is important 🦄🏇🥰

09/04/2025

Inappropriate touch....

I have had this conversation with many clients....

When your horse is receiving Bodywork, or at any time really, get curious about the " need" that is rising inside of you, wanting to touch your horse while he/she is receiving my work.

Is it because you may want to reassure your horse, or yourself?
Are you wanting to comfort your horse or yourself?

Are you able to read your horses stress and release signs, and work within their " bubble" ?

I absolutely love this stuff, and I love helping owners reconnect through understanding their own underlying needs with their horses.

Curious to find out more?
Shoot me a message.

I would love to help 😊

INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING

I'm reading an amazing book called Amphibious Soul by Craig Foster, the Academy award winning documentary film maker of "My Octopus Teacher".

If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it, it is simply profound.

In the book he says "As a rule, I never touch an animal unless they touch me first".

In my work building relationship with horses, I do this too. Most times a horse will touch you with their nose/muzzle first, and matching that greeting (versus labelling the horse as a biter) is a game changer.

But there's a phenomenon I have noticed going on with people trying to build relationship with their horses that I have labelled "inappropriate touching", and it looks a bit like the photo below.

This picture was taken at a horse expo in Pennsylvania recently, where I worked with a demo horse who has a "biting issue". He would reaching out in a way that his owner was termed as nipping, whereas I interpreted as him saying hello, similar to reaching out to shake hands with someone.

When he reached out I would greet him with a flat hand that he is able to to nuzzle, lick or even scrape his teeth on. After doing this a while his snappy acting motions got less so, and he was no longer needing to say "hey, pay attention" , but was more "hey, how's it going". I was explaining to the audience that I was meeting him in the way that he was meeting me (with his muzzle) and that it's not an invitation to touch other parts (yet).

I then said that it's many people's default to reach up and rub a horse between the eyes, whether that's what they are offering or not, and that if you do, it's inappropriate touching and it gets in the way of connection. It doesn't meet their needs, and is all about yours.

With the horse in the picture, he'd been engaging me with his muzzle, and I said to the audience "watch what happens when I try to rub him between the eyes". As you can see in the photo, he has raised his head up and is clearly indicating "No, not there, on my muzzle".

We had a Connection And Attunement retreat here at the Journey On Ranch a week ago, and I used my wife Robyn to illustrate this point to the participants. I said "imagine I'm at a gathering and meeting Robyn for the first time". We walked up to each other in that way people do when they see someone new and they can tell an introduction is shaping up, Robyn reached out with her hand to say hello and instead of me reaching out to shake her hand, I gently reached up and lightly brushed a wisp of hair from her cheekbone and tucked it behind her ear.

The participants all gasped and the ick factor was high.

Even though it was caring, and gentle, it was inappropriate at that moment.

Now Im not saying you can't rub your horse on the forehead. I'm saying if your horse has a disregulated nervous system around humans because they don't feel seen (and safe), try to meet their needs first, before trying get get yours met.

I recently saw an instagram post from a University in the UK, and the professor was explaining that they were doing studies on horses to determine levels of stress. In the background a horse was standing with his head out over a Dutch door. While he was explaining their investigations on stress, a female student (or maybe another professor, I don't know which) walked up to the horse. The horse reached out with his muzzle to greet her.

She ignored this and reached up to rub the horse between the eyes.

He turned his head 90 degrees to the left to communicate that wasn't what he was offering.

Her hand followed him and kept rubbing.

he then turned his head 180 degrees to the right, saying "No, not like that".

Smiled, gave him another pet between the eyes, and walked of camera.

While the professor was saying that they are doing experiments determining the amounts of stress horses are under, someone in the background was actually creating stress, without either of them even knowing it.

Once you understand how sentient horses are, and how subtle their communication, you can't unsee it.

01/04/2025

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Highly recommend
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Bryan Meggitt

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Since switching to CEN Grain Free and the CEN supplements two years ago, I can now feed my horse right up to and through competition without any issues. He maintains his weight, has plenty of energy, and recovers well, even the day after competition!

In 2024, Shardell Indian Storm not only performed exceptionally taking home:
🥉3rd in Middleweight - 160km Tom Quilty Gold Cup 2024 and
🏆Pat Slater Cup for Best Presented Horse - a testament to his health and conditioning on the CEN feed and supplements.
I couldn’t be happier with the results!” ~ Steve Gray

13/03/2025

Now the sun's back out....
Prosi is wondering if you all are being Sun smart??
🤣😍

After a big rain event like the one we just had ( some more than others...)
our horses can really appreciate some bodywork.
Standing still for hours, shivering, possibly even a bit scared, can have a huge impact on their entire system.
Muscles had to work extra hard while bracing, the visceral system could have been exposed to some stress, the lymphatic system can be overloaded and in need of some TLC and of course my favourite... The Nervous system....
Horses are flight animals and usually when a thread has passed they love to have a shake, a roll, a hoon around... But with water logged paddocks, some even fetlock deep in mud, that spoils all the fun.

What can we do??
* Take them for an in hand walk....
Go see something different
* A lovely brush, watch out for sore parts along their back
* If you have a dry/ sandy area let'em loose - play- engage - have fun....
* Check their legs for swelling/ heat/ scabs

And of course book them in for professional treatment:)

I have various availability left, please get in touch if you are after some Loving for your best friend 🥰🦄

08/03/2025

The Equine Pulse
Brian S. Burks DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board-Certified Equine Specialist

Horse owners should know how to evaluate the basic health parameters of their animals, including temperature, pulse (heart rate), and respiration, better known by the acronym TPR. They also should know how to evaluate capillary refill time to judge the horse’s circulatory health. Checking your horse’s heart rate is an important skill that is often done with a stethoscope. Sometimes a stethoscope may not be readily available when needing to check the pulse rate, or there may be another reason for wanting to check your horse’s pulse. When checking the TPR and pulses, the horse should be at rest and relaxed.

If you have a stethoscope, place it just above the elbow and push under the triceps muscle. One heart-beat has two parts “lub-dub”- so do not double count.

The normal resting heart rate for an adult horse is 28 to 44 beats per minute (bpm). Neonatal foals will be 80-120 bpm. To calculate find the pulse or heartbeat and count for 15 seconds, then multiply by four to get the number of heartbeats each minute. Listening for at least one minute helps determine if the heart rhythm is regular or irregular, or if a murmur is present.

Heart rate and pulse are generally the same (there are a couple of exceptions) so either can be used. The facial artery can be palpated under the jaw, just on the inside of the bone. Either right or left may be used. A rope-like rubbery structure is the facial artery and the pulse can be felt with a light touch. Use your fingers, not your thumb, so that you do not measure your own pulse by mistake.

A pulse is the rhythmic expansion of an artery that can be felt with the fingertips during physical examination. A horse’s pulse can be felt or seen in several places: the facial artery, the radial artery on the inside of the carpus, the jugular pulse, and the digital pulse.

A jugular pulse in the lower neck can be noted in healthy animals, but excessive pulsing or distension of the jugular vein can be seen in horses with heart failure. A pulse may be absent, increased (strong), or decreased (weak)—each of which may indicate a specific type of heart disease or defect.

All horses have a digital pulse, though some people cannot feel it in some horses when it is cold or the horse is relaxed. A “bounding” digital pulse is a sign of increased blood flow to the foot, indicating pain or inflammation in the foot. Generally, an increased pulse in one hoof can indicate a localized problem, like an abscess or a bruise in response to an injury. It may accompany lameness or tenderness. The horse may stand with little weight on the affected limb. The hoof wall may feel warm.

If you find stronger or bounding pulses in two or four hooves, laminitis is a possibility. In fact, bounding digital pulses and hoof pain are often the first signs of laminitis. The horse may shift his weight from foot to foot, or lie down more than normal.

If you are familiar with the feel of the pulse in a normal horse, then you will recognize a bounding pulse–you will feel the blood pump harder and firmer against your thumb and fingers.

Digital pulses can be felt on the lower leg of your horse in the fetlock and pastern area. The pulse comes from the blood flowing through the artery to the hoof. The artery will pulse with each beat of your horse’s heart.
The vein, artery and nerve (VAN) run together in the space between the suspensory ligament and the flexor tendons above the fetlock. The VAN continue distally over the back of the fetlock and into the pastern. As the digital artery crosses over the back and towards the side of the fetlock, you may also be able to feel the pulse at the bulge of the fetlock joint. At this point, the branches of the digital artery are close to the surface and may be easy to feel.

Over the pastern, the extensor branches of the suspensory ligament reach from either side the fetlock down towards the front of the hoof, on a diagonal; they can be seen and felt. The vein, artery and nerve travel in the groove behind these firm ligament structures.

Practice feeling your horse’s pulses when he is happy and healthy, rather than waiting until he is sick. You will be more familiar with what is normal and more easily detect the pulses when it counts. When feeling for the pulse, try different pressures. If you press too lightly you may not be able to detect a pulse. With too much pressure, you may restrict the blood flow and therefore the pulse.

It is important to consider digital pulses in context of the whole horse. A complete physical examination that includes TPR, signs of injury, illness, lameness, or distress.

Check the digital pulse on each leg. This will allow you to notice any differences between limbs, which could indicate a potential issue. This is why it is important to check your horse’s digital pulses when he is well, so you will know what the normal pulse in your horse feels like. Keep in mind that some variation is normal. If your horse exhibits lameness, call your equine veterinarian.

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(724) 727-3481

03/03/2025

Thanks Bruno....
Please all stay safe

17/02/2025

I have been feeding CEN Nutrition products to my Endurance horses ever since it first came out.
I love the no grain, no sugar, no added preservatives concept and my horses love it too.

Because I love it so much, I am excited to share with you a 5% discount on your online purchases.

I have recommended especially CEN Gold over the years to many horses that need that little bit of help with their joint health.

For further questions please feel free to get in touch 🙏



https://cennutrition.com.au/?ref=sabrina5