03/13/2026
Sharing a great post about the importance of non-negotiables and adding a few of my own to the mix!
As a professional Equine Bodyworker I hold these non-negotiables close to my heart. Your horses welfare will always come first! Some of my others include not doing any of these:
- punishing your horse, I will never punish your horse for moving or reacting. They are telling me something and I will never punish them for using the voice they have available to them. I will step away, re-evaluate and start again but never ever punish.
- adjusting my protocols to meet the owners timeline. I am always happy to discuss with owners the whys behind these protocols but will stick to them no matter what. They are there to both support and protect your horse.
- work around any contraindications. It may not fit the timeline the owner is looking for but again they are set for a reason. Protecting me, you and your horse!
- contradict other team members. You chose them to be a part of your equine team for a reason. I may ask questions to understand but we should be working as a team not fighting against each other.
🙌🎓 As an Equine Bodywork teacher I do have a few non negotiables.
1️⃣ Horse welfare always comes first.
Before techniques, before certificates, before anything else.
2️⃣ Evidence over trends.
What I teach is based on anatomy, biomechanics and experience, not whatever happens to be fashionable this year.
3️⃣ Knowing your scope matters.
Bodyworkers don’t diagnose and we don’t replace vets. We work alongside them.
4️⃣ You have to understand anatomy.
If you don’t know what structures you’re working over, you shouldn’t be putting your hands on a horse.
5️⃣ Quality over speed.
Good bodywork isn’t about rushing through a routine. It’s about feel, observation and doing things properly.
6️⃣ Every horse is an individual.
There isn’t a “one routine fixes everything” approach.
7️⃣ Professionalism matters.
With the horse, the owner, other professionals, all of it.
8️⃣ Learning never really stops.
A certificate is the start of your learning, not the end of it.
And probably one of the biggest one ⬇️
9️⃣ Certificates are earned, not handed out just for turning up.
It might sound strict, but horses deserve practitioners who know what they are doing and take this seriously 🙏
Consider what your list of Non Negotiables are as a Practitioner! I’d love to hear a few from you across the globe 🌎 in the comments
