From Head To Tail Equine Therapies & Rehabilitation

From Head To Tail Equine Therapies & Rehabilitation Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle hands on therapy that may have a positive impact on nearly every system in the body. Upledger)

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM CST?

Used alone or with traditional healthcare it has proven clinically effective on facilitating the body's ability to heal its self. Craniosacral Therapy often produces extraordinary results. CST helps normalize the environment of the craniosacral system, a core physiological body system only recently scientifically defined. The craniosacral system extends from the skull, face, mouth down to the sacrum and coccyx. It consists of a compartment formed by the dura mater membrane, the cerebrospinal fluid contained within, the systems that regulate the fluid flow, the bones that attach the membranes and the joints and sutures that interconnect these bones. A practitioner evaluates the system by testing for ease of motion and the rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid pulsing within the membranes. Specific techniques are then used to release restrictions in sutures, fascia, membranes and any other tissues that may influence the craniosacral system. The result is an improved internal environment within the body that frees the central nervous system to return to optimal levels of health and performance. (ref: "craniosacral therapy - what is it, how it works John E. EVERY HORSE AND HUMAN ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH THE "UNSOLVED" WEIRD SYMPTOMS. When your horse has a funny little niggle, unexplained lameness, not able to pick up a lead, head shy, cranky, dwindling performance that you just cannot explain. The horse that has had trauma in its life, the horse that has just had dental work, the performance horse that you want to keep at its best for longer period of time. Any horse of any age, young or old can benefit from CST.

Found this post today and it describes and shows lateral flexion so clearly. Can your horse flex through the poll?If no...
26/01/2026

Found this post today and it describes and shows lateral flexion so clearly.
Can your horse flex through the poll?
If not then your horse would benefit from a craniosacral session to release this area and all of the other connecting joints/tissue that are required for this vital movement to be smooth and free in its action.
Without this you will not get flexion in the body just stiffness/brace from pain and being forced /dragged to a position that somewhat resembles the correct anatomical position.
Give me a message it cannot hurt to have me check if your horse is moving biomechanically correct.

A must read from Shelly Appleton.
26/01/2026

A must read from Shelly Appleton.

Superman, Kryptonite, and Why We Keep Freaking Horses OutπŸ¦Έβ€β™‚οΈ

Let’s start with Superman.

Superman is absurdly strong. Faster than a speeding bullet, etc. But the thing that brings him undone is not a bigger punch or a clever argument. It is kryptonite. A very specific weakness that targets the very thing that makes him powerful.

If you want to destabilise any organism, you do not attack what it is bad at. You attack what it relies on most.

Humans understand this instinctively. Our superpower is our mind. We plan, imagine, remember, anticipate, narrate, catastrophise. So if you want to break a human, you target their thinking. Trap them in situations they cannot reason their way out of. Haunt them with stories. Keep them awake with anxiety about the future or replay the past until it corrodes the present.

We get this. Entire industries exist around it.

What we consistently fail to grasp is that horses are not humans with hooves.

A horse’s superpower is not cognition. It is athleticism. Movement. Balance. The ability to organise their body at speed, under load, against gravity, with extraordinary precision.

And that is exactly where their kryptonite lives.

For a horse to move with power and agility, their body must function across three frames of movement. Side-to-side bending. Flexion and extension of the spine. And the one almost nobody talks about, rotation of the barrel left and right.

Those three frames are constantly adjusting, even when the horse is standing still. Micro-adjustments to stay upright. To distribute force. To manage load as each hoof meets the ground. This is not optional. This is survival physics.

So what freaks a horse out?

Anything that restricts those frames.😱

Joint restriction. Pain. Tissue breakdown. Loss of load-bearing capacity. Subtle asymmetries that reduce how force can be absorbed and redirected. You might not see it. They might still gallop in the paddock. Just like a person can laugh while struggling with anxiety.

Horses are exceptional compensators. Four legs buy them options. They reorganise constantly. They cope.
Until we show up.

Then we sit on their backs. Add load from above. Ask them to move on a line, in a posture, at a tempo they did not choose. And we are often oblivious to the fact that we are demanding precision from a body that is already negotiating kryptonite.

We would never deliberately terrorise a human with words or psychological pressure and call it kindness. Yet we routinely destabilise a horse’s balance, restrict their movement, and then moralise their behaviour when they struggle.πŸ˜‘

Here is the uncomfortable bit.

Much of what gets labelled as trauma in horses is not narrative. It is physical. It lives in the frames.

Yes, horses form associations. But they do not ruminate on identity, meaning, or consent. Their nervous system is organised around movement and balance. When those are compromised, everything else deteriorates.

So no, honouring a horse’s β€œno” is not the solution. Waiting for consent is not insight. Granting agency without restoring physical capacity is not ethical. It is projection.

If you want to help a horse, give them back their movement. Restore their frames. Train gymnastic function.

Examine how your management, riding, and expectations create the very kryptonite you claim to be protecting them from.

Stop confusing human psychological reality with equine biological reality.

Because until you understand what actually destabilises a horse, your compassion is just well-intentioned interference dressed up as virtue.

Collectable Advice 137/365.
Share it. Save it. Quote it with attribution. ❀
Steal it, repackage it, or AI-wash it and call it yours, and that will be your kryptonite.πŸ€₯

fans

Acknowledgements: Tami Elkayam Equine Bodywork for helping me see krytonite πŸ™

26/01/2026

Most β€œmystery lameness” isn’t actually coming from the leg.

It’s coming from how the body is compensating.

When a horse loses movement in the shoulder, ribcage, or pelvis, they don’t just move less…
they move differently.

And that difference gets paid for somewhere else in the body.

Example:
Restricted right shoulder β†’ shorter stride β†’ more weight is put unto the left front and right hind β†’ increased strain on suspensory and hock (among others).

By the time you notice:
β€’ tripping
β€’ unevenness
β€’ resistance in transitions
β€’ sudden β€œattitude”

That pattern has already been living in the body for a while.

This is why bodywork isn’t about pampering.
It’s about mechanics and prevention.

Good bodywork looks at:
βœ”οΈ muscle symmetry
βœ”οΈ ribcage motion
βœ”οΈ pelvic position
βœ”οΈ scapula movement
βœ”οΈ movement patterns, not just sore spots

When we restore motion where it’s missing, the joints stop absorbing what the muscles should be handling.

That’s injury prevention.

So if your horse β€œpasses the flexions” but still feels off under saddle…
It’s probably not a diagnosis issue.

It’s a movement pattern issue.

And that’s exactly what bodywork addresses.

Great trick for pole placement
23/01/2026

Great trick for pole placement

18/01/2026
This is a very cute way to learn some anatomy
02/01/2026

This is a very cute way to learn some anatomy

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to everyone

04/11/2025

βœ¨π”Όπ•‹π”Έπ”Έ π•‹π•™π•–π•£π•’π•‘π•šπ•€π•₯ π•Šπ•‘π• π•₯π•π•šπ•˜π•™π•₯ ✨
Introducing our Therapist Spotlight for October - Tanya Hind, From Head To Tail Equine Therapies & Rehabilitation

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’’π’–π’‚π’π’Šπ’‡π’Šπ’„π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’π’”?
CranioSacral Therapy and Spinal Flow

π‘Ύπ’‰π’š π’…π’Šπ’… π’šπ’π’– π’…π’†π’„π’Šπ’…π’† 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒖𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 π’†π’’π’–π’Šπ’π’† π’•π’‰π’†π’“π’‚π’‘π’Šπ’”π’•?
My career happened quite by accident, when my daughters' horse was intermittently lame and the only answer from the vet was to use injections into his joints which was very expensive 20 years ago.
This led me to search for something better that i would be able to do myself, this is when i came across Craniosacral Therapy. I travelled to Queensland with this horse to start my training and the difference in this horse after one treatment was just mind blowing. He moved like he had never moved in his life and the relief in his eyes had me hooked from that day on.
Rescuing animals has always been a thing for me throughout my life and now i had the tools to deliver profound healing that was not only non- invasive but help with the emotional side of healing as well.
It took me quite a few years to take the leap from being employed by someone else to practicing full time as an equine therapist and it is the best thing that i ever did.

𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒔 𝒂 π’ƒπ’Šπ’• 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’ƒπ’–π’”π’Šπ’π’†π’”π’” 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓..
I have been practicing Craniosacral Therapy for approximately 17 years. Craniosacral is my primary modality but not the only one that i can use within a session. Over the years i have also introduced acupressure, spinal flow, iridology and massage so that i have the "tools" required when one modality isn't what the horse requires or is up to at that point in time.
At the beginning of my career i was able to feel what was going on in the body with my hands but as the years have gone on my intuition has developed and i would say that my technique has changed and now work more intuitively with the horses' energy as well as the feel under my hands.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 π’šπ’π’– π’†π’π’‹π’π’š π’Žπ’π’”π’• 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒋𝒐𝒃?
I love it when a skeptical owner can see the difference in their horse after a session, but most of all i love to see the peace that can be seen in the horses eyes after a session. this is when i know i have released more than just tissue and the horse is healing from within on its own.

π‘¨π’π’š π’Šπ’π’•π’†π’“π’†π’”π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’šπ’π’– π’˜π’π’–π’π’… π’π’Šπ’Œπ’† 𝒕𝒐 π’‰π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’• 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’šπ’π’– 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 π’‘π’‚π’“π’•π’Šπ’„π’–π’π’‚π’“π’π’š π’Šπ’π’‡π’π’–π’†π’π’•π’Šπ’‚π’?
I have so many cases that have influenced me to keep going that it would not be fair to single any one out. Horses going from aggressive and dangerous to be ridden again and those that have been so shut down to alive and having a personality again.

𝑫𝒐 π’šπ’π’– 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 π’‚π’π’š π’‚π’…π’—π’Šπ’„π’† 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’”π’π’Žπ’†π’π’π’† π’˜π’‚π’π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒐 π’ƒπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’† 𝒂 π’ƒπ’π’…π’šπ’˜π’π’“π’Œπ’†π’“?
The advice i would give to someone is that even though you are called to work on a horse not all owners are ready for the transformation that will happen.
You have to work with the owner as well as the horse in the journey to overall health and wellbeing.

Look who made the ETAA business spotlight
04/11/2025

Look who made the ETAA business spotlight

βœ¨π”Όπ•‹π”Έπ”Έ π•‹π•™π•–π•£π•’π•‘π•šπ•€π•₯ π•Šπ•‘π• π•₯π•π•šπ•˜π•™π•₯ ✨
Introducing our Therapist Spotlight for October - Tanya Hind, From Head To Tail Equine Therapies & Rehabilitation

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’’π’–π’‚π’π’Šπ’‡π’Šπ’„π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’π’”?
CranioSacral Therapy and Spinal Flow

π‘Ύπ’‰π’š π’…π’Šπ’… π’šπ’π’– π’…π’†π’„π’Šπ’…π’† 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒖𝒆 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏 π’†π’’π’–π’Šπ’π’† π’•π’‰π’†π’“π’‚π’‘π’Šπ’”π’•?
My career happened quite by accident, when my daughters' horse was intermittently lame and the only answer from the vet was to use injections into his joints which was very expensive 20 years ago.
This led me to search for something better that i would be able to do myself, this is when i came across Craniosacral Therapy. I travelled to Queensland with this horse to start my training and the difference in this horse after one treatment was just mind blowing. He moved like he had never moved in his life and the relief in his eyes had me hooked from that day on.
Rescuing animals has always been a thing for me throughout my life and now i had the tools to deliver profound healing that was not only non- invasive but help with the emotional side of healing as well.
It took me quite a few years to take the leap from being employed by someone else to practicing full time as an equine therapist and it is the best thing that i ever did.

𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒔 𝒂 π’ƒπ’Šπ’• 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–π’“ π’ƒπ’–π’”π’Šπ’π’†π’”π’” 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒓..
I have been practicing Craniosacral Therapy for approximately 17 years. Craniosacral is my primary modality but not the only one that i can use within a session. Over the years i have also introduced acupressure, spinal flow, iridology and massage so that i have the "tools" required when one modality isn't what the horse requires or is up to at that point in time.
At the beginning of my career i was able to feel what was going on in the body with my hands but as the years have gone on my intuition has developed and i would say that my technique has changed and now work more intuitively with the horses' energy as well as the feel under my hands.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 π’šπ’π’– π’†π’π’‹π’π’š π’Žπ’π’”π’• 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 π’šπ’π’–π’“ 𝒋𝒐𝒃?
I love it when a skeptical owner can see the difference in their horse after a session, but most of all i love to see the peace that can be seen in the horses eyes after a session. this is when i know i have released more than just tissue and the horse is healing from within on its own.

π‘¨π’π’š π’Šπ’π’•π’†π’“π’†π’”π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’šπ’π’– π’˜π’π’–π’π’… π’π’Šπ’Œπ’† 𝒕𝒐 π’‰π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’• 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 π’šπ’π’– 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 π’‘π’‚π’“π’•π’Šπ’„π’–π’π’‚π’“π’π’š π’Šπ’π’‡π’π’–π’†π’π’•π’Šπ’‚π’?
I have so many cases that have influenced me to keep going that it would not be fair to single any one out. Horses going from aggressive and dangerous to be ridden again and those that have been so shut down to alive and having a personality again.

𝑫𝒐 π’šπ’π’– 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 π’‚π’π’š π’‚π’…π’—π’Šπ’„π’† 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’”π’π’Žπ’†π’π’π’† π’˜π’‚π’π’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒐 π’ƒπ’†π’„π’π’Žπ’† 𝒂 π’ƒπ’π’…π’šπ’˜π’π’“π’Œπ’†π’“?
The advice i would give to someone is that even though you are called to work on a horse not all owners are ready for the transformation that will happen.
You have to work with the owner as well as the horse in the journey to overall health and wellbeing.

09/10/2025
05/10/2025

Sometimes the simplest exercises work the best. They're stress-free, low-impact, and effective. One of these jewels is an exercise from early dressage manuals called the "fading halt." It goes like this: begin in a very brisk walk, then deliberately slow the horse down for several steps, and then smoothly stop moving.

What does this accomplish? As the horse shifts from a forward-pushing gait (brisk walk) to a very slow one, it releases tension from locomotor muscles and allows the horse to flex its hind legs a bit more as it arrives at a halt. It's good neuromuscular training, and it creates good awareness fir the horse of its hind legs. Simple, good stuff. Try it out.

If your interested in attending the Raquel Butler clinic to be held in Dubbo this September pm for more details spots st...
25/08/2025

If your interested in attending the Raquel Butler clinic to be held in Dubbo this September pm for more details spots still available.

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