Whole Horse

14/11/2025

I'm always baffled when people don't think visceral pain can cause lameness. When my Crohn's disease flares or I eat something that causes gut inflammation, one of the first signs is crippling back pain which makes me afraid to even sneeze. People see me hobbling and ask the frustrating question that healthy individuals love to ask, 'what have you done to yourself'? It's difficult to explain that poor sleep, a change in weather, a spoonful too much at dinner could have caused this.

This is why when you ask me if your horse is moving a certain way due to x, y or z, my answer will always be...'maybe'?

The “Stifle Lameness” That Wasn’t: A Story About Referred Pain

I once had a client who told me about a horse that developed an odd, on-again off-again hind-end lameness that no one could quite pin down. Some days the horse looked off behind, as if his stifle was sore; other days he moved completely normally. Nothing about it followed the usual patterns. Things that should have made a stifle issue worse didn’t seem to, and things that “should have” helped it, didn’t.

We were all very confused.

One day, the vet happened to be on the property with a brand-new scope and offered to scope several horses for gastric ulcers — partly to familiarize themselves with the equipment. When they scoped this particular horse, they found significant stomach ulcers.

The horse was placed on a veterinarian-directed ulcer-care plan, and within a few weeks, something unexpected happened:
the ulcers healed, and the mysterious “stifle lameness” vanished along with them.

It turned out the stifle itself had never been the problem. The horse had been expressing ulcer-related visceral pain as stifle discomfort — a classic example of referred pain.

Why Ulcers Can Look Like Hind-End or Stifle Issues

This situation is a great illustration of how the equine body handles pain. Signals from the internal organs and the limbs travel through overlapping pathways in the spinal cord.

Here’s what science tells us:

1. Visceral nerves and musculoskeletal nerves converge.

The stomach and the hindquarters share overlapping spinal segments, especially through the thoracolumbar region. When the stomach is irritated, the brain can misinterpret those signals as coming from the back, pelvis, or stifle.

2. Fascia connects everything.

The deep fascial membranes link the viscera to the musculoskeletal system. When the gut is irritated, the horse may brace through the abdomen and back, altering pelvic motion and limb loading.

3. Protective guarding changes movement patterns.

A horse in visceral discomfort often holds tension through the core, diaphragm, and back. This can create subtle gait irregularities that look orthopedic but aren’t.

When the gastric discomfort resolved under the veterinarian’s care, the nervous system stopped sending those distress signals — and the hind-end “lameness” disappeared.

✳️ Why This Matters

Not every hind-end irregularity originates in a limb. Sometimes the body is expressing visceral discomfort through movement changes.

This story is a reminder of how important it is to work closely with a wonderful veterinarian, and to consider the whole horse — inside and out.

https://koperequine.com/fascia-the-skeleton-of-the-nerves/

11/11/2025

How bodyworkers become bodyworkers! 🙌🐴

THE ROAD TO SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT 🐎

Most of us have a vision before buying a new horse of what we would like to achieve. However sometimes the well laid out plans with that horse you have daydreamed about couldn't be futher from the reality that very same horse presents you with.

I often have people attend clinics as a "last resort".
It can be dissapointing when your dreams get derailed by the curve balls your horse throws at you.
But maybe, just maybe you are exactly where you are meant to be.

No one ever changes in a state of familiarity and comfort. We do most of our learning and growing when "s**t hits the fan".

That unsound horse with a shopping list full of problems, vet bills and behavioural issues may seem like the biggest pain in your backside.
But what that horse is offering is an opportunity!
An invitation to take the roads less travelled, to expand your knowledge and build a connection charged with two way communication, mutual respect and trust between horse and human.

We often have no idea where the journey will lead, but you will never no unless you take the first step!

10/11/2025

👏👏👏

“The nervous system doesn’t understand time.
That’s why an old wound can feel brand new.
Healing isn’t forgetting — it’s teaching your body that this moment is different.”

~ Dr Gabriel Barsawme

Image ©Daliyah Benhaim, licensed via Shutterstock. No re-use/downloading/saving of this image is permitted.

09/11/2025

Highly recommend the Carriage of Occasion Christmas Lights Tours, we go every year! These sell out quickly so grab your spot today ❤️

07/11/2025

❤️

The Student says: “My horse is tense.”
The Master says: “His body remembers storms I have not yet learned to calm.”

The Student says: “He’s behind the leg.”
The Master says: “The forward lives in him, I’m just remembering where the key fits.”

The Student says: “Half halt.”
The Master says: “A whisper that asks time to wait for us.”

The Student says: “He isn’t understanding.”
The Master says: “I’ve asked a question in a language I haven’t learned to pronounce.”

The Student says: “I need more softness.”
The Master says: “I’m trying to melt the armor I didn’t know I was wearing.”

The Student says : “He’s resisting.”
The Master says: “He’s handing me a map of where he hurts.”

The Student says: “We’re working through some issues.”
The Master says: “We’re untangling the knots we tied on days I wasn't listening.”

The Student says: “I need to be more patient.”
The Master says: “Time only opens its hands when I unclench mine.”

06/11/2025

Kiwi and Boy were in the zone yesterday ❤️ Many people don't realise that integrating bodywork is a skill horses develop over time (although some are naturals...), and these two are professionals! These days I mostly see the same horses and I really enjoy experiencing the way we all grow together ❤️

04/11/2025

In the interest of laying some rumours to rest...

Aston had a touch and go week last week, with euthanasia tentatively planned for this week.

He has experienced a miraculous improvement for the moment thanks to Lisa the Wonder Vet. His condition has been progressing over the past several months so there have been no huge surprises, and I am monitoring him daily to see if he can maintain his current level of comfort with minimal medication.

Every day we have together is a blessing. When the time does come it will be as private and dignified as possible and I would appreciate it if nobody makes eye contact with me for the next fifty years, or brings anything up until I have made an official announcement on this platform.

I did burst into tears whenever someone approached me about it last week because the interactions were unexpected and it was such a loaded topic for me, as well as a challenge to juggle emotionally while running a 4-day clinic. I didn't realise most people believed he had already been euthanased and wouldn't have been in a state to correct them even if I had. I truly appreciate everyone's care and sympathy with the varying stories they have heard, as poorly as I have received it. And the beautiful gift one of your left in my car at the clinic!

Aston has been my everything for nearly 17 years, the oomph (and ooft 🤣) behind Whole Horse, my not so silent partner in business, study and life.

I thank everyone for respecting our privacy while we consider all aspects of his quality of life over the next period of time, whether it be days, weeks, or hopefully months ❤️

Pictured here: a very alive Aston and somewhat alive Clare, taken yesterday.

03/11/2025

2025 FULLY BOOKED 👏

Please get in touch to get into next year's schedule. If you're waiting to hear back from me please give me a gentle poke, I'm old.

Thank you as always for your incredible support of whatever it is that I do 🤣

I have some exciting new projects brewing for 2026 so stay tuned! ✨️✨️✨️

02/11/2025

Last week we were treated to an amazing 4-day Masterclass by Functional Horse Training by Thirza Hendriks at the stunning Mt George Equestrian Centre!

As always we were overstuffed little olives by about the ten minute mark on the first day. Thirza guided us through the theory of the equine hip, diaphragm, training theory, Functional Training, and so much more.

Participants' horses were assessed and then assigned techniques to help support them wherever they were at in their journeys, with lunging, long reining, in-hand work, riding, breathwork, brainwork, bodywork, kinesiology taping and heart rate monitoring.

A huge thank you to everyone for banding together through several challenges, I found myself on multiple occasions being so grateful for our beautiful attending community.

Thank you to Laire from Mt George Equestrian Centre, our lovely horses Baloo, Per, Ellie, Tigger, Gilly, Gifty, Binky, Kiera, Trickle, Cali, and a likely other wonderful horse that I've forgotten 🙈 And a massive thanks to all of our participants and spectators, these clinics don't run without your support!

And of course to Thirza for being an absolute superstar 🤩 Looking forward to doing it all again next year, start saving up now, I will release dates soon! 👏👏👏

01/11/2025

If this is on your horsey bucket list, act now! Highly recommended 👏👏👏

Equine Functional Posture Course - 24Hrs Before Doors Close!!

Don't miss this transformational opportunity.

💥Weekly Deep Dive Webinars - In-depth explorations into the weekly topic that you can revisit anytime, so you build your knowledge, skills and confidence week by week.

💥Detailed Video & Written Exercises - Practical tools to apply with your horse so you can start seeing real changes in posture, movement, and behaviour.

💥Weekly Live Q&A Calls - Get direct support from me to help troubleshoot, clarify, and deepen your learning. Persaonlised feedback!!

💥Supportive Facebook Community - Connect with like-minded horse owners and professionals on the same journey - share wins, ask questions, and stay motivated.

💥Downloadable Workbooks - Stay organised and track your progress with guided weekly workbooks.

https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com/efp

31/10/2025

Did Shaye and Henry from Carriage of Occasion just win Halloween? 😱

30/10/2025

Meeting the body as a whole is an endless journey! 🙌

🐎𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝘀?

🐎 Anatomy & the Viscerosomatic System An Osteopathic Perspective
“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩; 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮, 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩.”
— 𝘼.𝙏. 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡, 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙊𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙮 (1892)

When we talk about the viscerosomatic system, we are really talking about one of the most beautiful demonstrations of osteopathic thinking

— the way structure and function are interrelated, and how no part of the body acts alone.

From the very first stages of your horse’s development in the womb, the nervous system is the first to form. From this early foundation arise three germ layers —

🫀𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮: forming the internal organs (the viscera)

🦴𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮: forming muscles, bones, and connective tissue

🧚‍♂️𝘌𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘮: forming the skin and nervous system
These layers develop together and remain deeply connected throughout life. Every part of the body, from a horse’s stomach to its spinal muscles, shares this embryological origin and maintains communication through the autonomic nervous system — the network that governs involuntary functions like digestion, heart rate, and circulation.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗮 (𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝘀) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮 (𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀, 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗮) 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱.

A viscerosomatic reflex is a response where a problem in an internal organ (viscera) causes a reaction in the body's somatic structures, such as muscles and nerves. This happens because visceral stimuli create a reflex that affects segmentally related somatic tissues, leading to symptoms like muscle tenderness, pain, or changes in the skin's appearance in that area.
For example, a heart attack can cause referred pain in the left arm and jaw, and liver issues can lead to pain in the right shoulder.

❣️A disturbance in an organ can lead to changes in muscular tone, posture, and even performance. Conversely, chronic muscular tension or spinal restriction can alter blood flow or nerve supply to an organ.

That wet patch that always happens when your horse gets warm?!

“𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁, 𝗳𝗶𝘅 𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.”
— 𝗔.𝗧. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹
This osteopathic principle reminds us that the body possesses its own healing capacity — if we restore motion and remove restriction, the body can self-correct.

𝘍𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘢; that continuous web of connective tissue, is a vital part of this story. It links muscles and organs along myofascial lines, many of which align beautifully with acupuncture meridians described in Traditional Chinese Medicine. These overlapping maps remind us that the horse’s body is not a collection of separate systems, but a single, living whole.

So, when we see a change in posture or movement; a hollow back, a tight neck, a reluctance to bend, we must ask why and find the whole story in that MIND & BODY.

🐎 Could that sore back be responding to a stomach imbalance? Could a tight psoas be linked to kidney tension?

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔.𝗧. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 “𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲” — 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗶𝗱𝘀, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆.