Equissage Europe

16/01/2026

You can now message and chat with Equissage via WhatsApp!📞

16/01/2026

We are so proud of our training that we offer repayment options that allow you to pay some of your course fees after you finish training!!!! For full dates, venues and course details message or email equissageeurope@hotmail.com

15/01/2026

We had an absolute blast in 2025!

So many new graduates joined our family, who are now off in the world helping horses.

Here’s a quick look back at all of the fun we had… we can’t wait to see who we will welcome to the Equissage Europe family in 2026.

If you’d like to learn a new skill and help horses feel incredible, DM the word “2026”.

15/01/2026

🐎✨ Invest in Yourself & Your Equine Career ✨🐎
This time of year can feel challenging 💸 — money is tight and the future uncertain. But one thing that always pays off is investing in you 🌟
Equissage Europe Certified Equine Sports & Rehabilitation Massage Therapy Courses can help you create a new income stream 💼 and build a more secure future 🔒 in the equine industry.
The equine professional world is tough 🐴 — but this could be the opportunity that sets you apart 💪
🌟 Why choose Equissage Europe?
✔ 19 years of teaching experience 📚
✔ Over 900 successful students working across the world🎓
✔ 14 venues across the UK & Internationally recognised📍
✔ Amazing post-graduate support 🤝
✔ Industry-recognised certification 🏅
💷 Total Course Cost: £1550
💳 Deposit: Only £200
📆 Flexible repayment options available
🌱 Ready to invest in yourself and your future?
This could be the perfect next step in your equine career 🐎
👉 Message us today to find out more or secure your place! 💬✨
Email equissageeurope@hotmail.com or see our website

15/01/2026

Bridle fit is AS important as saddle fit and general equine and rider physical fitness!!!!!

🐴 I get asked so many times does the bridle really make a difference?

✨️Well yes of course it does. Here is one (amongst a lot more) reasons why.

🐴 Here is a cob in a cob sized bridle... it makes sense right?

🤔Not in this chaps case!

👇You can see how small the headpiece is, the hole for the hangers is supposed to be level with the browband. This allows the contour of the headpiece to be in the correct place for the shape of the ear bulb.
🤦‍♂️Due to this sitting higher it made the padding dig into the top of the ear and the straight cut part of the bridle wit behind the ear digging in. The hangers also move with rein pressure so the headpiece was then moving around at the back of the ear.

🐴Still think that doesn't make any difference?
Well have you ever worn an Alice band or glasses which are too tight for your head and they dig it in at the back of the ear?

😎You're getting it now!

🥳There are so many nerves and muscles around this area which are so important to your horses comfort!
Please be kind to your horse and make sure their tack fits!

🤪This chap ended up with an extra full... yes 2 sizes bigger in the headpiece!

🥿Fancy wearing shoes which are 2 sizes too small and being cramped into them?

14/01/2026

I think this is something lots of equestrians forget when taking on ex racers!

Welfare Wednesday: The High-Performance Nervous System 🏇
Racing doesn't just train behaviour - it shapes the nervous system.
Your OTT's body learned to operate in a sympathetic state (fight/flight) for short, intense periods. Their system got really good at:
✓ Quick arousal (ready to run instantly)
✓ High alertness (scanning for threats/competition)
✓ Rapid recovery between efforts

But recreational riding needs a parasympathetic state (rest/digest):
✓ Sustained calm over long periods
✓ Relaxed attention without hyper-vigilance
✓ Ability to "switch off" mentally

The challenge? Their nervous system defaults to what it knows best.

Signs your OTT is stuck in sympathetic mode:
Can't take a deep breath
Tense muscles even when "standing still"
Overreacts to small stimuli
Struggles to mentally relax

Your job isn't to correct or punish this - it's to help their nervous system learn a new default setting. This takes weeks to months, not days.

Evidence-based retraining starts at Race-2-Ride, launching March 30th: https://www.race-2-ride.com/

13/01/2026

This is so true!!

❄️🐎 Top Tips for Equestrians to Survive the Rest of Winter (Barely)...

1. Accept that you are now part-horse, part-swamp creature
Mud is not dirt. It is a lifestyle. Stop fighting it. Embrace the bog witch aesthetic.

2. Layer like an onion… but an emotionally unstable onion
Too cold. Too hot. Sweaty. Freezing again. This is not failure — this is winter horsemanship.

3. Lower your standards (again)
Your horse does not need to be clean.
They need to be alive.
These are different goals.

4. Invest in good gloves. Lose them immediately.
This is tradition. The yard gods require sacrifice.

5. Redefine “exercise” -who needs the gym???

Dragging a frozen wheelbarrow

Wrestling a wet turnout rug

Sliding sideways across the yard
Counts as cross-training.

6. Drink hot drinks like it’s a medical intervention
Tea. Coffee. Soup. Anything warm in a mug = emotional regulation.

7. Talk to your horse like they understand your suffering
They don’t.
They are thinking about hay.
But it helps you.

8. Remember: this will end. Probably. Eventually.
One day there will be:

Dry socks

A light evening ride

No headtorch
Until then… survive.

9. If motivation is gone — that’s normal
You are not lazy.
You are wintered.

10. Celebrate small wins

You didn’t fall over ✔️

The tap wasn’t frozen ✔️

The horse is fed ✔️
This is success.

If you see a winter equestrian in the wild, please fuel them with tea, snacks, or kind words.
They are doing their best.

13/01/2026

New Research Proves Horses Have Super Intelligence:

Horses are far more intelligent than most people realize, with cognitive abilities that place them among the smartest animals.

They have demonstrated skills in problem-solving, emotional intelligence, memory, and learning that rival those of many other species. For example, horses are known for their cleverness in opening stable doors or untying knots, showcasing their capacity for strategic thinking.

Emotionally, they form deep, empathetic bonds with humans and can sense feelings like pride or shame, often mirroring their human companions' emotions.

Their impressive cognitive skills also allow them to recognize symbols, communicate preferences, and adapt to complex situations, such as responding to commands in therapeutic environments.

One study even revealed that horses can adjust their communication based on whether humans are aware of hidden food, increasing visual and tactile signals like looking or nudging when their caretakers were unaware.

This ability to understand and respond to the knowledge state of others—previously thought to be unique to primates—illustrates the sophistication of horse cognition. Horses actively attempt to communicate with humans in much the same way they would with their herd members, making horse-human communication a true two-way street.

While horses may not match the intellectual capabilities of elephants, they are often considered more intelligent than dogs or cats in some areas, excelling in equine-assisted therapies where their sensitivity to human emotions makes them invaluable in psychological treatments

13/01/2026

We support our students learn a new skill set, and begin their journey into helping horses feel stronger, reduce their pain and make their lives more comfortable, whatever their discipline may be.

Our students are empathic, dedicated, caring and most of all, are a voice for horses.

If this sounds like you and you want to start a new career in 2026, DM the word “2026” so we can have a chat about making this happen for you.

12/01/2026

𝔽𝕦𝕟 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕥 𝔽𝕣𝕚𝕕𝕒𝕪
Did you know that D to D measurements is a totally useless way of measuring saddle width? Cos the D rings can be placed anywhere on the saddle.
Pictured are two saddles - one is XW and the other is MW. They both have the same D to D measurement.

12/01/2026

Great reminder x

With the start to the new year being full of ice, snow and frozen ground lots of our horses exercise routines have slowed down!

It’s important when returning them back to work this is done slowly and carefully to prevent injury, especially those who are older or susceptible to injuries.

Massage therapy is a brilliant way to support this to help look out for any additional strains, tension and stiffness created by reduced workloads and the winter conditions.

Get in touch to book your horse in❄️