Equine Bodywork Solutions

14/01/2026

Second opinions ✔️ or ✖️

When it comes to treating horses I genuinely believe that gaining another perspective can be valuable. Open discussion and shared insights within your horses care team should be encouraged.

I’ll often seek input from your saddle fitter or ask for feedback from your farrier.

Likewise, bodyworkers who practice different modalities can be great sources of referral.
Even though, from a business point of view, it can feel a bit risky, I never hesitate to refer on to a chiropractor or physiotherapist if I think that’s what your horse needs.

However, if you’re seeking a direct second opinion, it’s worth keeping a few things in mind:

🟢They aren’t seeing the same horse your original therapist treated

Time will have passed for the initial treatment to settle, and in response, your horse may have adjusted their movement.

Their environment may also have changed - perhaps the fields have become slippery from rain or they’ve spent more time than usual in the stable.

Training and management between treatments also play a role:
▫️How has your riding or groundwork influenced your horse?
▫️Have you followed the advice and prescribed exercises?
▫️Or, have changes been made based on well meaning advice from friends on the yard or social media?

🟢Every professional brings a different perspective

While we all meet required industry standards to become certified, our learning journeys are very individual. We’ve trained with different professionals, seen varying case studies and been influenced by our backgrounds, experiences and ongoing education.

As a result it’s natural for opinions to vary, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that one is right and another is wrong.

🟢Please consider the human element

Behind every assessment and treatment is a person who does this work out of a passion for horses and a genuine desire to help them.

Most of us are self-employed and this is very different from providing a product or service within a large organisation.

Many of us form real attachments to your horse and spend evenings and weekends reading, learning and thinking about how we can do better for them.

Second opinions can absolutely be helpful, when approached with understanding, context and kindness.

Communication and mutual respect help everyone work towards the same goal - a happy and comfortable horse 💚

11/01/2026

The results of a study carried out by the University of Sussex have been summarised by Justine Harrison on her page.

The results show that domestic horses - when given a choice - will approach a person with submissive body language over someone with dominant body language.

For more specific details and information on the study please go to Justine Harrison - Equine Behaviourist

The outdated methods used to train or handle horses with dominance are slowly being replaced.

There is, however, still a long way to go 💚

08/01/2026

“Head Down”

I put together this simple training exercise for Prada’s Mum a couple of weeks ago.

At 18.2hh, Shire horse Prada presents a few unique challenges. One of them cropped up recently when she needed to enter a barn with a low doorway for medical procedures.

Height, wasn’t the only factor, Prada has a complex history, and as a result, carries a low level phobia of entering unknown buildings.

Teaching a “head down” response using voice cue rather than physical pressure can be helpful in many everyday situations. More importantly it’s a kinder way to ⭐️encourage⭐️ activation of the parasympathetic nervous system - the body’s rest and digest state.

Lowering the head can support a return to balance and homeostasis, allowing breathing, temperature regulation and blood pressure to settle.

It’s not about ✖️forcing✖️relaxation, but about creating the conditions for it to happen.

The key word here is ⭐️encourage⭐️
After all, has someone telling you to calm down ever actually made you feel calmer?

💚

05/01/2026

I hope everyone is coping well and staying safe in these temperatures.

You either love them or hate them but either way our horses need a little extra attention at the moment 💚

I've collected together just a few tips for you, please share any that you have in the comments below ⬇️

As always we can refer back to:
⭐️Friends
⭐️Forage
⭐️Freedom

The key elements that your horses will need are friends, to huddle with and keep warm, constant access to forage to keep them warm from the inside out and freedom to gain access to shelter from cold winds.

If your horse is on reduced forage for a medical condition there are inventive ways to make it last longer!
🥕Line a bucket with a snuffle mat for dry forage or feed - hay, chaff, straw, ready grass
🥕Serve warm mash or wet feeds on licki mats
🥕Place a treat ball, jolly, ball, exercise ball, football - whatever you can get - into a haynet. Stuff the hay around it and hang from a tree or the center of the barn/stable
🥕Serve your hard feeds in multiple buckets and spread them out - this will take longer to eat
🥕Use large bottomed feed buckets, this also slows down eating

If you'd like more specific, personalised help with enrichment send me a message and I'll work with you to create a plan.

Take Care,
Cath 💚

04/01/2026

If anyone gets a message or friend request from the below it’s not me, even though her profile picture is me, I’ve no idea who she is but about to do some investigating.
Please let me know if you receive anything.
Thanks
Cath

30/12/2025

🚨 The impact of fireworks on horses is growing... and it's heart-breaking.

This year we’ve recorded:
💥 211 firework-related incidents
🐴 20 horses injured
💔 1 horse fatality
🧑 12 people injured

❗Most of these were caused by domestic fireworks set off in back gardens and private events.

These are not just statistics. They are moments of panic, trauma, and loss. Every incident recorded strengthens our call for change. As part of our role in the Fireworks Impact Coalition, we can evidence to MPs the scale of damage fireworks can cause to our horses

📲 If your horse is affected by fireworks, please log the incident using our Horse i app.
It only takes a few minutes 👉 https://bit.ly/3KR1TiG

22/12/2025

My pickle with a Li’l pickle

Today is Robbie’s 3rd (passport) birthday, and at times I didn’t think I’d make it 😪

I’m never quite sure if he was sent to me because I needed him, or because he needed me ❤️‍🩹

Whichever, an impulsive decision made one evening was life changing, and those lines from Wicked are on a loop in my head…

🎼Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?
But….because I knew you
I have been changed for good 🎼

He’s a small boy with a massive personality and I tell people that if you say Hello once you’ve unknowingly signed a Best Friend Agreement. He will remember where you live, which car you drive and when you need some gentle hugs 🥰

Would I change anything about him….yes….seeing him so anxious, on edge and insecure all the time breaks my heart, and I genuinely feel I’m running out of ways to help him, but I’ll keep trying.

Thank you to all my clients and friends who have listened, wiped tears and been so patient since his arrival.

To those of you who choose not to visit, include us in your plans or adapt your behaviour to meet his needs because he doesn’t fit the “normal” expectations, it says more about your character than it does his.

I hope he never changes his over enthusiastic greetings, his ability to make you laugh when your sad or telling him off, and his total unawareness of personal space 🤦🏻‍♀️

❤️❤️❤️

15/12/2025

Remember we have Riders Minds in the UK, a free 24 helpline run by trained counsellors to support equestrians with mental health issues 💜

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗛𝗜𝗗𝗗𝗘𝗡 𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 “𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗” 𝗣𝗘𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧.

No one warns you how heavy trying to do everything right can feel.

The endless researching.
The second-guessing.
The guilt when you miss something, choose wrong, or just feel tired.

You read the labels.
You book the follow-ups.
You worry about food, behaviour, enrichment, supplements, vaccines, ageing, anxiety, quality of life.

And somehow, it still feels like it’s never enough.

Good pet parents don’t just care, they carry responsibility constantly.
Every decision feels loaded.
Every symptom feels urgent.
Every choice comes with a voice in your head asking, “Should I be doing more?”

Burnout doesn’t always look like neglect.
Sometimes it looks like obsession, exhaustion, and quiet shame for feeling overwhelmed by someone you love so deeply.

Here’s the truth we don’t say often enough:
Loving your animal doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly.
It means doing the best you can with the information, energy, and resources you have, at that moment.

If you’re tired, stretched thin, or silently wondering if you’re failing… you’re not alone.
And you’re not a bad pet parent for feeling this way.

Ever felt this pressure?
Trying so hard to be “good” that it starts to hurt?
Let’s talk about it.

📍 1016 Stanley Street East, East Brisbane QLD
🕗 Mon–Fri 8am–6pm, Sat 9am–1pm (Closed Sundays & most public holidays)
📞 (07) 3393 1359
🌐 animalwellness.com.au

Want to explore what’s right for your pet? Book a consult – we’re here to help.

03/12/2025

2025 has asked a lot, so I’m finishing it here and winding down ❤️‍🩹

2025 has been…challenging, and the added pressure to produce original, interesting and engaging social media to maintain algorithm has started to feel like a heavy weight on my shoulders, instead of something I feel excited about sharing.

There is a dark side to social media and the downward spirals you can end up in, but I have met some of the kindest, most generous people and made genuine and long lasting friendships.

It’s provided me with access to hundreds of great learning opportunities and I wouldn’t be where I am without it.

I’m still out seeing clients and I’m always excited to get your updates, so please keep them coming.

Drop me a message ⬇️ if you would like to make an appointment for next year, have a chat about massage, trauma informed care or looking for enrichment ideas for your Christmas veg 🥕

Whether you’re spending it with family, friends or fur babies have a very Happy Christmas ✨

Cath 💚

30/11/2025

Who would you choose to have on your horses care team?

24/11/2025

Many thanks to everyone for being so patient with me over the last couple of months.

I’m pleased to share that I’ve successfully passed the UK Rural skills accredited course to become a Trauma Informed Horse Trainer.

The training, led by Emma Lethbridge Horsemanship and supported by Justine Harrison - Equine Behaviourist of Understand Horses, was incredibly in-depth and engaging. Both ladies brought a wealth of knowledge and experience, offering guidance, additional research resources and plenty of support throughout.

The word trauma can sound overwhelming, but in a horse training context it also includes fear, anxiety and post traumatic stress. From head shyness and loading issues to highly stressed rescues, Trauma Informed Care looks at the whole horse, their experiences, living environment, triggers, breed influences and individual history.

It’s not a journey to be taken lightly. It requires commitment, patience and an open mind. However, this steady and thoughtful approach helps create lasting and meaningful change, rather than quick fixes that can re-surface later.

Please be mindful that this approach should only be explored once physical pain has been investigated and ruled out by a vet.
I encourage all owners to consider this step first, whether you are addressing behaviours yourself or asking for help.

Cath 💚

04/11/2025

Just a normal admin day with a team meeting at the park 🤷🏻‍♀️