Balanced Bodyworks - Equine & Canine Wellness

Balanced Bodyworks - Equine & Canine Wellness Integrative Canine & Equine Bodywork, and Reiki. Supplier for G's Organics, Adored Beast, North Hound Life and Doterra Wellness Products.

As summer fades into fall, our animals feel these changes just as much as we do. Horses start shifting coats, dogs may a...
09/10/2025

As summer fades into fall, our animals feel these changes just as much as we do. Horses start shifting coats, dogs may adjust energy levels, and both can show subtle changes in how their bodies carry tension.

Bodywork during these seasonal transitions helps the body adapt with less stress, easing stiffness, supporting circulation, and making them more comfortable as days cool and routines shift. Even small sessions now can set them up for a smoother fall and winter.

If you’d like to learn how seasonal support could benefit your animal, I’d be happy to share more.

As summer winds down and the crisp air of fall begins to move in, our animals feel the shift just as we do. This season ...
09/01/2025

As summer winds down and the crisp air of fall begins to move in, our animals feel the shift just as we do. This season can bring changes in energy, coat, and routine — making it the perfect time to support their bodies with integrative care.

Balanced Bodyworks will be in:
• London: Sept 4 (wait list), 5, 17–18, 25
• Guelph / Fergus / Hamilton: Sept 16
• Brantford area: Sept 26
• Niagara region: Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays
(Out of office Sept 6–14)

Sessions are filling quickly, reach out if you’d like to book bodywork for your horse or dog this month!

As summer winds down and the crisp air of fall begins to move in, our animals feel the shift just as we do. This season ...
09/01/2025

As summer winds down and the crisp air of fall begins to move in, our animals feel the shift just as we do. This season can bring changes in energy, coat, and routine making it the perfect time to support their bodies with integrative care.

Balanced Bodyworks will be in:
• London: Sept 4 (wait list), 5, 17–18, 25
• Guelph / Fergus / Hamilton: Sept 16
• Brantford area: Sept 26
• Niagara region: Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays
(Out of office Sept 6–14)

Sessions are filling quickly, reach out if you’d like to book bodywork for your horse or dog this month.

We’re in the thick of summer, and our August schedule is already close to full.The only travel availability we have left...
08/12/2025

We’re in the thick of summer, and our August schedule is already close to full.
The only travel availability we have left this month is Fergus / Guelph / Hamilton on August 28 (morning) and London on August 29.

Here in Niagara, we’re still seeing human and animal clients Monday–Wednesday each week.

If your horse has been working harder in the heat, whether that’s training, showing, or just keeping up with summer activity you might notice subtle signs like shorter strides, stiffness after work, or a shift in their energy. Dogs may also slow down or change their movement patterns without obvious signs of pain.
These small changes can be the earliest signals of strain. Addressing them now through targeted bodywork supports comfort, recovery, and long-term soundness.

It’s not always about obedience or stillness.A regulated dog may show:- Soft eyes and relaxed jaw- Gentle tail wagging, ...
07/27/2025

It’s not always about obedience or stillness.
A regulated dog may show:

- Soft eyes and relaxed jaw
- Gentle tail wagging, not frantic
- Deep sighs and stretches
- Sniffing, blinking, or shaking it off

These are somatic signs that the vagus nerve is doing its job helping the body recover from stress and return to a state of rest.

If your dog rarely shows these signs, or seems stuck in a fight/flight pattern, it may be time to support their nervous system directly. We specialize in helping dogs return to safety in their bodies through bodywork and regulation-based therapies.

Hot weather. Long daylight hours. More visitors. More noise.For many dogs; especially those with trauma, anxiety, or hig...
07/23/2025

Hot weather. Long daylight hours. More visitors. More noise.
For many dogs; especially those with trauma, anxiety, or high drive summer can be overwhelming.

When dogs live in a constant state of alert, their vagus nerve has trouble staying engaged. That means poor rest, heightened sensitivity, and trouble bouncing back from stimulation.

During an integrative canine session we don’t just look at the behaviour, we look underneath it. Our nervous-system-based work helps:

Calm hypersensitive dogs
Support trauma recovery
Rebuild emotional safety in the body

Summer can still be soft, grounded, and healing—for both you and your animals.

Some dogs can’t seem to “cool down,” even after the sun sets. Panting, pacing, or clinginess are often seen as heat-rela...
07/15/2025

Some dogs can’t seem to “cool down,” even after the sun sets. Panting, pacing, or clinginess are often seen as heat-related—but they can also point to nervous system overload.

The vagus nerve helps the body process and recover from stress. When it’s underactive or overstimulated, your dog may stay stuck in a loop of arousal—even in safe environments.

Our work helps regulate the vagus nerve and calm the body from the inside out. Using soft tissue release and craniosacral techniques, we gently guide the system back to balance—bringing relief to dogs who can’t seem to settle.

If your dog seems “on edge,” we’d love to support their summer wellness.

Summer can bring more than just physical heat—it can trigger internal stress for our dogs. Changes in routine, increased...
07/09/2025

Summer can bring more than just physical heat—it can trigger internal stress for our dogs. Changes in routine, increased heat exposure, fireworks, and overstimulation can all challenge their nervous systems.

One of the most overlooked ways to support your dog through summer stress is by supporting their vagus nerve. This critical nerve helps regulate the parasympathetic nervous system—rest, digestion, and emotional regulation.

At Balanced Bodyworks, we offer techniques that help down-regulate a dog’s system, including craniosacral therapy, fascial release, and acupressure. When dogs feel safer and more regulated in their bodies, you’ll often notice:

Calmer behaviour
Better digestion
Less reactivity
Deeper rest

If your dog has been “off,” it may not be the heat alone—it might be their system asking for support.

Even when a horse appears physically well, they may still carry tension that doesn’t show up on a vet exam or in their m...
06/29/2025

Even when a horse appears physically well, they may still carry tension that doesn’t show up on a vet exam or in their movement.

You might notice changes in behaviour—withdrawal, hypersensitivity, or a loss of softness and engagement. These are often signs the nervous system or energetic body is still holding on to unprocessed strain, particularly after birth or stress.

Energetic and emotional tension can sit in the fascia and tissues long after the physical recovery is “done.” If we don’t address those layers, the horse may not fully come back into comfort or balance.

The work I do includes reading these subtler layers and helping release what the body hasn’t let go of yet. That’s where we often see the biggest shifts—not just in posture, but in behaviour, confidence, and softness.

Postpartum rehabilitation for mares is often rushed or skipped entirely. But just like people, horses need time to reint...
06/25/2025

Postpartum rehabilitation for mares is often rushed or skipped entirely. But just like people, horses need time to reintegrate physically, emotionally, and neurologically after birth.

Ligaments, fascia, and muscles all shift during pregnancy and foaling. Without proper recovery, mares may develop subtle compensation patterns that lead to tension, shortened stride, reluctance to move forward, or behaviour that seems resistant under saddle.

It’s not about pushing them to “get back to work.” It’s about supporting a system that’s still adjusting.

Integrative bodywork helps ease postural strain, improve movement quality, and give the nervous system the support it needs to recalibrate. Recovery isn’t linear, but when it’s respected, it creates a much stronger, more stable foundation for long-term health.

Postpartum care isn’t just physical—it’s neurological.A dysregulated nervous system can easily be mistaken for behaviour...
06/15/2025

Postpartum care isn’t just physical—it’s neurological.

A dysregulated nervous system can easily be mistaken for behavioural issues—especially after a mare has foaled or an animal has experienced physical or emotional stress.

When the body stays in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state, it doesn't fully return to rest and recovery. You may see signs like irritability, tightness through the jaw or neck, refusal to bend, or general hypersensitivity. These aren’t training problems. They’re nervous system problems.

When the nervous system can’t shift into parasympathetic mode, healing slows, muscles guard, and tension builds over time.

This is a core part of what I assess and support through integrative bodywork. By helping the body feel safe and grounded, we give it the conditions needed to start releasing that tension—not just physically, but systemically. This is especially important in postpartum mares and animals recovering from trauma or chronic stress.

Pelvic and sacral health plays a critical role in how horses move, rest, and recover—especially after foaling or physica...
06/09/2025

Pelvic and sacral health plays a critical role in how horses move, rest, and recover—especially after foaling or physical strain.

When the pelvis is out of alignment or the sacrum is restricted, you may notice your horse having difficulty bending, engaging the hind end, or showing discomfort when moving or being groomed. These signs can show up weeks or months after a birth or injury.

Many owners focus only on muscular conditioning during recovery, but the foundation of balance often starts deeper—in the structure and posture of the pelvis.

Integrative bodywork can gently support this area and help the body find natural balance again. Supporting this region allows for smoother movement, better posture, and improved overall comfort.

Address

655 Wright Street
Niagara Falls, ON
L3B2K8

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 6pm
Tuesday 11am - 6pm
Wednesday 11am - 6pm
Thursday 1pm - 8pm
Friday 1pm - 8pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 3pm

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