Balanced Bodyworks - Equine & Canine Wellness

03/06/2026

Lets talk about POSTURE VS CONFORMATION

I see so many horses with rotated pelvis, dropped thoracic slings, U necked horses, protruding chests, base narrow limbs... the list goes on... If I had a dollar for every time someone said "That's just his conformation" I'd be rich!

More often than not, it's tight fascia tissue restricting the horse's posture and movement... The body works as a whole... when there's restriction in one area of the horse, the rest of the body compensates for it. Often times, the issue starts up in the body- or in unbalanced hooves- and then you get secondary limb lameness (unless there's a direct injury to the limb itself).

More often than not, lameness is only recognized once it reaches the limb... BUT what if we can start to recognize postural dysfunction in the horse and help prevent lameness by being proactive with bodywork, exercises, correct foundational groundwork and thoughtful, intentional riding.

No body... human or animal... is perfect, but we can certainly aim to be as correct as possible through maintenance and preventative care.

In the coming weeks, I'm going to be talking about a little pony we were asked to take in. He has never had bodywork before and came with very long unbalanced feet and a lot of postural issues. I'm going to do a series of posts and videos following his changes in the coming weeks to demonstrated what is possible with bodywork.

Stay tuned for the series!

Pic of the handsome little fella I will be working with.

03/05/2026

I will be visiting Aylesford on March 17 to conduct Equine Bodywork Sessions. Two sessions are still available along my route for interested individuals. Please contact me for further information.

03/05/2026

Equine Bodywork availability in Southern and Western Ontario.
Feel free to message us or visit our website for more information or to schedule an appointment.

03/05/2026

Nova Scotia Bodywork session Availability.
Feel free to visit our website of send us a message for more info or to book an appointment.

02/25/2026

This is well written! So many behind the scene expenses for small business owners.

To my self-employed friends — I see you. I am you.

And for those who are not self-employed, this is educational.

When you see a service fee, understand that roughly 30% becomes take-home income.

The other 70% sustains the infrastructure required to operate legally, ethically, and professionally.

* Secure booking systems
* Website hosting
* Licensing and mandatory continuing education
* Liability and commercial insurance
* Facility costs and maintenance
* Vehicle, travel, and farm expenses
* Technology platforms and software
* Sanitation standards
* Payment processing fees on every transaction

In my case, fixed annual overhead exceeds six figures before I pay myself. That does not include corporate and personal tax, CPP (both portions as self-employed), accounting, legal fees, marketing, or equipment replacement.

It also does not include the educational investment behind the work.

To date, that investment is approximately a quarter of a million dollars:

✅ BSc in Kinesiology (UBC)
✅ Human Kinetics diploma (Langara College)
✅ Regulated healthcare license (RMT from WCCMT)
✅ Human Osteopathy diploma in progress (CSO)
✅ Multiple equine certification(s)

**And over 25 years of clinical experience

Maintaining credentials is ongoing.

Initial education is a capital investment.
Continuing education is a recurring operational cost.

And then there is time......

👉 A one-hour human appointment requires nearly another hour behind the scenes for charting, sanitation, billing, and communication.

👉 An equine session includes travel, vehicle costs, assistant support, video review, report writing, and follow-up.

👉 One educational webinar can take 150 hours from research to delivery.

Fees reflect the entire structure — not just hands-on time or one-one time.

Self-employment means carrying the whole system: compliance, risk management, infrastructure, sustainability.

Revenue only exists when work is performed.
Expenses exist regardless.

Pricing is not about what an hour feels worth. It is about sustaining a system built on depth of training, experience, and responsibility.

That is the cost of doing business.

02/24/2026

Ever notice how your dog zooms around one minute, and then moves a little stiff the next?

Just like us, our pups can hold tensions, tightness, and little imbalances in their bodies. And when their body feels better…. Their whole energy shifts.

At Balanced Bodyworks, we love helping dogs move freely, feel comfortable and get back to their happy tail wagging selves.

Because a balanced body = a happier dog 🐶

Servicing Western and Southern Ontario and a three hour radius of Maitland, Nova Scotia.

02/16/2026

Sometimes our horses say “no” and the kindest thing we can do is listen. If we don't listen, their NO can escalate into sometimes dangerous situations.

They are often trying to tell us something is wrong, whether it be emotional or physical or maybe they just don't want to be bothered today. Either way, we need to take a step back, honour it and see if something is in fact wrong.

To read more about respecting their boundaries and what they might be trying to tell us, visit the blog on our website.

02/14/2026

.✨ Grand Opening Announcement! ✨

We are excited to officially introduce Balanced Bodyworks to Nova Scotia! 🐎

Our equine sessions are integrative, intuitive, and hands-on, using a gentle approach that works with your horse, never against them. Each appointment is guided by what your horse needs that day and may include a blend of Reiki, Cranial Sacral Therapy, EquiBow, and Equi-Taping.

This customized combination supports mobility, balance, nervous system regulation, and overall wellbeing through soft, intentional, and respectful touch.

No two horses are the same, and no two sessions are either. We listen, we observe, and we meet each horse exactly where they are.

📍 Servicing within a 3-hour radius of Maitland, Nova Scotia
🚗 Willing to travel further for larger groups or barn days
📩 visit our website balancedbodyworks.ca for more info or to book a session

We’re honoured to support the horses of Nova Scotia and beyond, helping them move better, feel better, and truly thrive.

02/14/2026

These two loved each other from day one🥰

01/28/2026

Don’t miss our monthly newsletter! Get over to our website and sign up to receive some great package discounts for the month of February.

01/24/2026

Due to winter weather, extreme cold, or unsafe driving conditions, sessions may need to be rescheduled throughout the winter season. Everyone’s safety is our top priority.

Conditions can differ by location so please let us know if conditions change or worse in your area throughout the day. We appreciate your understanding and will always communicate any changes as early as possible.

01/22/2026

Seeing snow resting on the horses back rather than melting right away is a good sign of being well insulated and comfortable. A healthy winter coat traps warm air close to the skin, keeping body heat in and preventing the snow from melting. This means the horse is regulating its temperature efficiently and staying warm, even in cold temperatures.