Equine Tension Release Therapy : carol kernaghan

20/11/2025

This is amazing written,
Sums up my belief of hands on energy body work being a whole body healing technique and a more nurturing excepting way of treating horses, dogs all animals and humans. We all love. The feeling of touch it’s extremely nurturing and uplifting and understanding. Touch goes deeper than the outer layers of a body. It goes deeply into the soul. Helping to release emotional stuck energy as well.
Love my job!!! 🙌🐴❤️

Touch Over Tools: Fascia Knows the Difference

In bodywork, tools can assist — but they cannot replace the intelligence, sensitivity, or neurological impact of human touch.
Hands-on work communicates with the body in ways no device or instrument can.

1. Hands Provide Real-Time Feedback Tools Cannot Match

Your hands sense:
• tissue temperature
• hydration and viscosity
• fascial glide
• subtle resistance
• breath changes
• micro-guarding
• nervous-system shifts

This information shapes your pressure, angle, and pace.
Tools apply pressure — hands interpret and respond.

2. The Nervous System Responds Uniquely to Human Touch

Skin and fascia contain mechanoreceptors that respond strongly to:
• sustained contact
• warmth
• contour
• slow, intentional pressure

Human touch activates pathways that:
• quiet the sympathetic system
• reduce pain signaling
• soften protective muscle tone
• improve movement organization

Tools stimulate tissue.
Hands regulate the nervous system.

3. The Effect of Physical Contact Itself

Physical contact changes physiology — even before technique begins.

Touch triggers:
• lowered cortisol
• increased oxytocin
• improved emotional regulation
• better proprioception
• reduced defensive tension

Horses and dogs — whose social systems rely on grooming, leaning, and affiliative touch — respond especially deeply.
Tools can compress tissue, but they cannot create that neurochemical shift.

4. Hands Follow Structure; Tools Push Through It

Fascia does not run in straight lines — it spirals, blends, suspends, and wraps.

Hands can:
• contour around curves
• follow the subtle direction of ease
• melt into tissue instead of forcing through it

Tools often pull or scrape in a linear path, bypassing the subtleties that create real, lasting change.

5. Tools Can Override the Body’s Natural Limits

Hands feel when:
• tissue meets its natural barrier
• the nervous system hesitates
• a micro-release initiates
• the body shifts direction or depth

Tools can overpower these boundaries, creating irritation, rebound tension, or compensation patterns.
Hands work with the body’s pacing — not against it.

6. Hands Support Whole-Body Integration

Bodywork isn’t about “fixing a spot.”
It’s about improving communication across the entire system.

Hands-on work:
• connects multiple lines at once
• enhances global proprioception
• improves coordination and balance
• supports the body’s natural movement strategies

Tools tend to treat locally.
Hands treat the whole conversation.

7. Physical Touch Builds Trust, Comfort, and Confidence

Comfort creates confidence.
Confidence nurtures optimism and willingness.

Hands-on work:
• reduces defensiveness
• supports emotional safety
• encourages softness
• creates a more receptive body
• builds trust and relationship

Tools cannot build rapport or communicate safety.
Hands do — instantly.

Additional Elements (Optional Enhancements)

A. Co-regulation: Nervous System to Nervous System

Humans, horses, and dogs all co-regulate through touch and proximity.
Your calm hands shift their physiology — and theirs shifts yours.
This shared state enables deeper, safer release.

B. Touch Enhances Sensory Clarity

Touch refines the brain’s map of the body (somatosensory resolution), improving:
• coordination
• balance
• movement efficiency
• reduced bracing

Tools cannot refine the sensory map with the same precision.

C. Hands Integrate Technique and Intuition

The brain blends tactile information with pattern recognition and subtle intuition.
Tools separate you from that information.
Hands plug you into it.

In Short

Hands-on wins because touch is biologically intelligent, neurologically profound, and relationship-building.
Tools press — but hands listen, interpret, regulate, and connect.

When the body feels safe and understood, it reorganizes more deeply, moves more freely, and heals more efficiently.

The Energy Connection Between Horse and Human: Science and Sensation - https://koperequine.com/the-energy-connection-between-horse-and-human-science-and-sensation/

11/11/2025

A wonderful inspiring training journal and confidence building kit, filled with amazing information accumulated over 30 years of training and working with horses, uplifting crystals, aromatherapy sprays, cleansing incense to help clear the mind, allowing you to move forward with calm clarity into your day…
What can this journal do for you?
We tend to rely on others to build us up to believe in ourselves, to help us believe in ourselves to show us we are good enough and have what it takes to succeed.
This journal helps develop your inner coach. The one that is with you 24/7 every moment you are with your Horse, when you are making life decisions, when you have lost your motivation and drive to be better.
to overcome the negative voice in your head…
By changing that loser voice in your head to the positive kick arse coach that you are capable of being, your learned to flip the switch to allow in the riding knowledge you have gained over the years.
This journal gives you the tools to be the best version of yourself.
To be your own and your horse’s super coach….
setting up for a lifetime of success. 

For the month of November postage is included with the cost of the kit… 👍
A beautiful gift for yourself or a special person in your life… ❤️

Cost $130 per kit including postage.
Comment, message for ordering or for more information..

Love yourself ❤️
Love your life ❤️
Live what you do… ❤️

10/10/2025

I am often asked about backing a horse for strength work or rehabilitation work,
This explains beautifully why it is best to back a horse with a lowered head, slowly and straight as possible..
Training clearly with clarity and understanding why and what each move helps,
Allows for longevity of your horses riding years.. 🐴❤️
Enjoy the journey with your horses…

Backing up and why I like to ask in a lower posture ..

When asking a horse to back up, the posture of the head and neck plays a vital role in how the movement affects the spine and overall biomechanics. While it may seem like a small detail, whether the horse backs with a higher or lower head position can make a significant difference to comfort, balance, and muscular engagement.

High-Head Posture: Tension and Hollowing

When a horse raises its head and neck while backing, the spine tends to hollow. This happens because the nuchal ligament and back muscles tighten, pulling the topline into extension. In this position, the back drops, the abdominal muscles disengage, and the hindquarters step shallowly under the body.
As a result, the horse puts more weight on the forehand, placing extra strain on the joints of the front legs and the lumbar region of the spine. The movement becomes stiff and resistant, with less engagement from the hind end.

Low-Head Posture: Engagement and Support

In contrast, when the horse lowers its head and neck slightly — ideally so the poll is level with or just below the withers — the spine naturally rounds. This position activates the muscles of the topline, encourages the abdominal muscles to lift, and allows the lumbosacral joint to flex.
This flexion lets the hind legs step more deeply underneath the body, providing propulsion and stability from behind. The lowered head also helps distribute weight more evenly along the spine, reducing pressure on the forehand and allowing the horse to move backward with greater ease, relaxation, and symmetry.

What Happens in the Spine..

When the head is lowered, the following sequence occurs:

♡ The nuchal ligament stretches, gently lifting the base of the neck and back.

♡ The thoracic and lumbar spine flex slightly upward.

♡ The abdominal muscles engage to support the lifted back.

♡ The pelvis tilts under, allowing the hind legs to step more freely.

A lower posture promotes a rounded, supported spinal alignment — the same principle that underlies correct collection and healthy movement in all gaits.

So a quick recap - asking a horse to back up in a lower posture encourages proper use of the back and hindquarters, protecting the spine and promoting relaxation. A higher head position tends to hollow the back and shift weight onto the forehand, making the movement less biomechanically sound and more physically stressful.

** Note that the horse i have taken photos of to demonstrate is croupe high to start with and I have to be careful of how much weight I ask him to take behind due to multiple health issues, its a constant case of happy balance for him.

23/09/2025

The Power of Words Is Real…
Use Them Wisely:

Your mind believes what you tell it, every word you speak is a seed…
Speak defeat- I am tired, I am broke, I am hopeless, I am no good, I will never be able to get it…. You’ll feel drained and the energy around you will be heavy and negative….
Your horse can feel this and others around you…

Speak power - I am learning,
I am building, I can do this, I am becoming unstoppable, life is amazing, my horse and I are such a fantastic partnership….You will rise, your energy will be up lifted, you will feel lighter and more positive in your daily activities..
Your horse will respond in a more trusting manner, and others will feel happy and comfortable around you…
Shine your light and watch the world open doors for you!!!

This will then result in a harmonious flow of energy between our physical and mental selves….
Ongoing negative talk, stress, sadness, anxiety and fear will start to overwhelm the cerebral self causing traumatic energy to be channeled into the body…
Which can create possible physical symptoms like fatigue, illnesses, skin issues, swollen g***s, muscle aches and pains, headaches and more…
In Chinese medicine,
intense emotions are held in the body’s organs,
Grief is held in the lungs,
Anger is held in the liver,
Fretfulness is held in the heart,
Worry is held in the stomach,
Fear is held in the liver…

All of these emotional issues can also effect our horse, we can pass on our emotional stress to them, through our thoughts or the words we say or think to and of them,
they may develop emotional stress through their training, work load, and or their environment,

When your feeling ill or imbalanced, take a moment, take a few breaths and alleviate your energy, uplift your emotions, praise yourself and your horse,
Do an energy cleanse,
Hold a healing crystal,
Burn a cleasing up lifting essential oil, or incense,
Sit by a lovely big tree,
What ever makes you feel up lifted and inspired…

Changing your life and reaching your goals, all starts with you, by begin to up lift your emotional state, and believe in yourself, your horse and your abilities…

Once we believe we can we become unstoppable!!!!
Fly like and Eagle,
run like the wind…
Believe
Achieve
Succeed 🐴❤️👍

21/08/2025

This is the goal for our horses and our partnership…
Thank you Vet Physio.. ❤️🐴

The Body Doesn’t Lie

I’m a little (a lot) increasingly worried and frustrated about the postures I am seeing horses worked in. I saw a post yesterday of a horse being worked in side reins comparing day one of using them to day two; day one — bracing; day two — horse sucking behind the side reins, opening mouth, compressing the wither (and everything else) to avoid pressure.

The day before that, one professional rider riding a 4 year old hyperflexed with draw reins in one clip and a tight martingale in another.

The day before that, a client told me that another therapist had told them to just shut their horses mouth with a flash to stop contact evasions… when in fact this horse is experiencing significant discomfort.

Today, a video saying if your horse leans on the contact to just give them a sharp upward motion of the rein to get them to sit back… because there surely isn’t a physical or rider issue why they do that!?

IF you DON’T think what you are doing is wrong, LOOK and FEEL your horse.

If you’re ignoring their signals in every other way, their body won’t lie. If you’re doing everything right, they’ll look right.

If you’re constantly battling with the same issues, if your physio keeps noticing a tight poll/lacking muscle/stiffness, if you can see your horses ligament clicking and flicking over the top of their neck every time you change bend, please please widen the gaze and realise — this is not right, this is not normal for their body, what is going wrong?

There is no shame in breaking away from a trainer you’ve used for years; or changing from a saddle you once loved to a new one; or giving your horse a little while off whilst you sort your body out and make sure you’re not hindering them. This is the part of the “sport” (I hate that word in this context) that has been so massively overlooked of late.

Even if you’re a professional rider only riding a horse for 30 mins a week, we are our horses GUARDIANS on this planet. Every interaction means we should care for every part of them whole heartedly. If something isn’t right, they will try and tell us however they can — big or small.

Speech and panic over… resume your day 🙃

23/06/2025

Check out my new therapeutic Equilibrium Heatsense massage mitt…
Used it for the first time on Joey today, he loved it…
He gave some amazing releases,
Joey has kissing spine, damage to his wither and base of his neck, plus deteriorating in his left hock, which can cause compensation in other areas of his body..
It can take him awhile to let go of tension, this amazing mitt had him releasing in minutes!!!
The heat and massage vibration together stretch-out the fascia beautifully….🙏
Helping to release tension, aid in good blood flow, increasing relaxation, healing and aiding flexibility… 👍👍👍
Definitely a big thumbs up from me and my horses!!! 🤩

A great aid to add to the bodywork session in the colder months….
Awesome way to end the session and seal in the healing…
If you would like to know more about this amazing new aid to your horses Equine Tension Release Therapy session, get in touch or leave a message…

Happy riding
Love your horse
Love yourself
Love what you do…
🐴❤️🐴❤️🐴❤️

14/05/2025

Fabulous article…
Yep tissue, muscle and fascia don’t lie, they tell a story of past injuries and  compensation patterns…
Believe in your horse and what they are doing their best to tell you… 🐴❤️❤️❤️🐴

Galloping, Bucking, Not Broken: The Greatest Lie Horses Ever Told 🐎💥

You step into the paddock, coffee in hand, expecting a peaceful morning and a whiff of horse breath that says “all is well.” ☕✨

Instead, your horse is on the wrong side of the fence, looking smug and oddly unscathed—or worse, still tangled in wire. You cut them free, patch up a scratch or two (or marvel at the miraculous absence of any), and thank the gods of lucky escapes.

Crisis averted.

Or is it? 😬

Here’s the problem: the real damage doesn’t always bleed.

Over the years, I’ve met a string of horses who’ve all survived this advanced-level self-sabotage. They’ve jumped a gate (well… tried), crashed through a fence, slipped on a slope, flipped, twisted, crushed or compressed themselves in ways that would make a chiropractor cry and a vet sigh while reaching for the X-ray machine (which, by the way, won’t show the damage either). 🏅💀

The horse recovers. No visible limp. They run. They buck. They play.

You think:
“They’re fine! Look at them go!”
But they’re not fine. Not even a little bit.

Enter: The Invisible Injury 🕵️‍♀️

What you can’t see—and what many professionals miss—is the slow-burn catastrophe hidden deep in the horse's body.

Ribcage. Pelvis. Sternum. Neck. Stifle.
The kind of stuff that doesn’t light up on X-rays or respond to your carrot-stick-wiggly-wand of trust. 🥕🌀

It’s the kind of discomfort that turns “walk, trot, canter” into “grimace, flinch, explode.”

And here’s the kicker: the horse doesn’t limp. It compensates.

Because horses, unlike people, don’t throw dramatic tantrums and demand cortisone shots. They quietly adjust. They twist, tighten, avoid, or overuse other parts of their body to keep going.

They are the masters of stoicism.....until you put a halter on.
You ask for a transition, a bend, a float trip, or—God forbid—a trot circle. And suddenly—

You get emotion.
You get resistance.
You get confusion, agitation, blow-ups, shut-downs—
Every spicy ingredient in a full-blown training meltdown stew. 🍲🔥
The Spiral Begins 🌀

The owner thinks: “I’m doing something wrong.”
The trainer thinks: “We need more groundwork.”
The horse thinks: “Kill me.” ☠️
Eventually, the owner moves on—new trainer, new method, new online course promising the horse will “choose joy and connection.”

But the problems persist.
Cue spiralling shame, rejection of all prior knowledge, and a desperate descent into rabbit holes of essential oils, a connection-based enlightenment facilitator, and equine shadow work. 🧘‍♀️🌿🔮

When in fact, what they really needed was a bloody good vet and bodyworker, and someone to say:

“Hey, maybe your horse’s inability to pick up the left lead can’t be fixed with trust exercises and lavender oil.”

The Warning Signs We Miss 🚩

Here are the red flags waving harder than a liberty trainer at sunset:

The horse becomes emotional, reactive, or weirdly robotic.
What should be simple feels charged, unpredictable, and unnervingly fragile.
Training progress flatlines, no matter how much effort you throw at it.
The horse starts avoiding halters, floats, mounting blocks—or life in general.
The problem isn’t always psychological.

Sometimes, it’s a bloody rib.
Or a pelvis rotated like a cheap IKEA table leg. 🪑

But we don’t look there—because the horse looks fine.
It bucks in the paddock! It gallops!
It must be okay!

Nope. That’s not health.
That’s compensation.
It’s adaptation with the odd short step.

Or worse—when they can’t limp because everything’s uncomfortable.
That’s when it gets really insidious.

What Happens Next is Predictable… and Sad 😢

These horses often get labelled as:

Difficult
Shut down
Disrespectful
“Needing more wet saddle blankets”
Or… “Needing a softer approach”
Or… “Not aligned with your energy” 🙃
No one considers the simple truth:

It hurts to do what we’re asking.
Not in a “don’t feel like it” way.
In a “my sternum’s fused to my shoulder blade and I can’t rotate left without seeing stars” way. 🌟

They suffer in silence while we rotate through training ideologies like a midlife crisis through motorcycles—all because we never asked the most obvious question:

“Has this horse ever had an accident?”

Because if they have—if they’ve failed to clear a gate, slipped, fallen, crushed, or tangled in wire—it may have changed everything. Not just the body, but the brain.

Pain messes with movement.
It makes easy things hard.
It turns willing horses into wary ones.
And it ruins good humans who start to believe they’re not good enough.

What You Can Do Instead of Losing Your Mind 🧠➡️🧘‍♂️

Take my good friend Tami Elkayam’s advice:
If something happens, write it down in a diary. ✍️

Even if they seem fine.

Then, if things start getting weird months or years later, don’t reach for your third liberty course or $800 worth of chamomile pellets. 💸🌼

Consider that maybe—just maybe—your horse isn’t emotionally broken, disrespectful, or traumatised by a training method.

Maybe those fractured ribs are hurting when you do up the girth.

Before You Burn It All Down… 🔥🚫

Before you give up, throw out your halters, block your last five coaches on Instagram, or trade your saddle for an oracle deck… pause.

Reflect.

Is it possible your horse is trying—but simply can’t?
Could it be that what they’re resisting isn’t you—but a physical reality no amount of groundwork or paddock bonding can fix?
Is it time to stop blaming yourself, your horse, and everyone you’ve ever learned from—and instead… dig deeper?
Because sometimes, the source of your training failures, your emotional spirals, and your eroded confidence…
..was a bloody gate.
That your horse didn’t clear.
That day. 🐴💔

If this switched on a lightbulb 💡, hit share. Pass it on.

Disclaimer: This is satire. Humour helps people read long posts they’d usually scroll past—so they don’t miss something that might actually help them or their horse.

Feel like tone-policing? Fabulous. Write your own post. That’s where your opinion belongs.

📸 IMAGE: My Aureo—the horse who taught me this lesson...even the bit about lavender oil 😆