Hands-On Healing for Horses and Humans

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

Fantastic products and absolutely amazing customer care.
Highly recommend
Pm me for more info or use Sabrina5

Bryan Meggitt

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “After struggling for years with tie-up on certain horses and trying multiple products with little success, I was left cutting out all hard feed before competitions and relying on hay alone - not ideal!

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.

www.foxrunequine.com

(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

13/02/2025

Expression of interest for Bodywork in the Lake Manchester area on the 5th of March.
Please pm me :) 🙏

06/02/2025

"Horse and Rider sessions"

* What are they:?

In these very personal and individual tailored sessions we focus on the team, because teamwork, makes the dream work.

How often have you compared yourself to other people you know and their horses?
How "they" go out on big trail rides and competitions?
Maybe your horse and you have some communication issues? Float loading problems, separation anxiety?
Maybe you've had a fall and have lost your nerves?
Maybe you simply just want a deeper connection with your horse?

In these combined sessions I will teach you about your Nervous system and how you can recognize if you are in fight/flight/freeze or fawn and not only recognize but help you shift into a more relaxed and regulated state.
You might think I already know when I'm stressed... Fabulous... But often do we feel helpless, frustrated, confused and annoyed, because we don't know how to shift, and we feel we should know. We might feel embarrassed and ashamed asking for help, but trust me, more people struggle with this then what we as a society actually acknowledge.
Our horses pick up on our body language, bracing and so much more.
Sometimes we just need someone else supporting us in achieving the shift.

I have witnessed magical moments by supporting the owner in shifting their Nervous system state and therefore shifting their horses too, and we don't stop there.
We also work on trapped emotions for the horse/ trauma release where needed or Bodywork where needed.

* 90 min sessions - $ 250 ( within 60 min drive from Beaudesert QLD) an additional travel fee might apply for further travel.

Change your and your horses well being now.
Challenge yourself, be brave and allow some magic into your life.

Contact me today for appointments.
I cannot wait to walk along side you and your best friend and lift some of the heaviness of your shoulders, put some spring into your step and most importantly a big smile onto your face.

About Sabrina 🌟

I have been in love with horses for over 35 years.
I have been a Bodyworker for over 15 years.
It all started with me wanting to help my Endurance horses a bit more... The rest is history 😜

With a certificate in Equine Sports Massage ( and also now a trainer for Equestricare).
Studies in Equine Reiki, Emmet, Red light therapy, Equine Craniosacral, Masterson Method, Tucker Biokinetics, Emotional Release, Animal Communication, kinesiology taping, and continued study with other professionals in the horse world, I'm a forever student of the horse.

On the human side, I hold a certificate in Neurolinguistic Kinesiology, a Diploma in Equine Assisted Therapy ( Counselling) and am a current student of Somatic Experiencing Australia.

I'm all about the Body/Mind/Spirit connection with enough science and woo woo combined.

Intrigued??

Feel free to pm me for further information.

30/01/2025

What a week it's been.
Get up super early, beat the heat and ride...
Go to work... ( So nice to be back)
Eat, sleep, repeat.

February is pretty much booked up, with only the od spot left.
I will post remaining availabilities asap.

If you have been thinking about getting your horse looked at, don't think any longer 🤣

Here's a bit of information about what I do...

How long have you been working as a bodyworker?
- I started in 2009, initially to just help my own horses, but a couple of years later I started my own business.

What qualifications do you have?
- I'm a certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist
I have also done training in Equine Craniosacral Therapy, Emmet, Red Light Therapy, Kinesiology taping, Reiki, Tucker Biokinetics, Energetic Acupuncture, Masterson Method, Emotion Code, Animal Communication.
I have attended a number of dissections with Sharon May-Davis and have been involved in other dissections.
I continue to strive to improve my methods and work.
I have attended clinics with Classical Dressage coaches, Natural Horsemanship, Barefoot trimming.
My approach is holistic and I specialise in trauma work for horse and Riders.

Not a one shoe fits all kinda mentality.

My sessions are horse centred, yes you pay the bill, but your horse is my client and between the 3 of us I love to listen to the horse, investigate where needed, refer on to other professionals with full transparency.

Yes, this is my job, but it's also my passion, and a huge part of my life.

I pride myself in being thorough. I'm not your quick fix girl.
I will ask questions, sometimes uncomfortable ones... But you will always get the truth.

I'm a trainer for Equestricare, and many of my students are doing a wonderful job in this high demand world.
I'm grateful to share the load.
I'm thankful for everyone entrusting me with their beautiful horses.
Every single one matters...
From Racing TB's, Showjumpers, Endurance, Barrel Racers, Pony Club, Trail Riding, Eventers, Cutters...
Best friend.... Partners..... Heart horses....
They all matter.

Are you ready to look a bit deeper?
Ready to sort through the weeds?

03/01/2025

While I'm enjoying my last little bit of Family time in Europe, I can't help but really looking forward to getting my little hands back on some real ponies :)

If you've been wondering when I kick back into gear, wonder no more. 🤩

Availabilities for January are :

20 th : 1 x spot for Bodywork or Equine Assisted Therapy at my house ( Beaudesert)
21st : fully booked
22nd : fully booked
23rd: fully booked
24th: 1 x spot for Bodywork or Equine Assisted Therapy at my house ( Beaudesert)
28th : 2x spots Beaudesert
30th : 1 x spot for Bodywork or Equine Assisted Therapy at my house

Please pm to book and info on times and prices :)

Pictured here are the amazing Kelpies in Scotland

24/12/2024

Merry Christmas to all my amazing clients.
I have been enjoying a long overdue visit to Europe to see friends and family.
Running your own business can be tough in times, but it also gives you the freedom to take time to do the things that are important to you.
But you and your horses are also very important to me, and I look forward to resuming business as usual at the end of January.
I hope you all have a wonderful time, stay safe and dry.
Cheers Sabrina