Optimal Posture LLC

09/24/2025

We talk about the original technique that has originated in Australia

09/24/2025

The American Society for the Alexander Technique (AmSAT) is the largest professional association of certified Alexander Technique teachers in the U.S. Our mission is to make the Technique a trusted resource for health, productivity, and well-being. Curious to learn more? Check out our website — link in the comments below!

09/21/2025

Morning Wisdom!! ❤️🐴

09/17/2025

09/05/2025

Stress: The Vicious Cycle

During the discussion with your vet about your horse's metabolic diagnosis, how much time did they spend talking to you about stress and its impact on your horse's health? Was stress even a consideration? --I'll go out on a limb and say no one has ever mentioned it.

Today's segment on EMS/IR and eventually PPID (Cushings), is focused on stress. Particularly chronic stress.

Just as with the BSR diagram from a few days ago, try not to focus on the complexities of stress, but rather that stress causes and elevation in cortisol (the stress horomone), and all of the negative impacts it has on the body's physiology.

Stressors can be any of the following, but definitely not limited to this list:

- Changes in herd dynamics or barn
- Acute or chronic pain
- Tick borne diseases
- Systemic pH imbalance
- Heavy metal burden
- Unhealthy microbiome
- Vaccination
- Owner’s emotional state or energy (Horse's have an amazing ability to mirror those around them)
- Traveling, showing, training
- Seeing vet or farrier
- Changes in feed
- Environmental factors
- Trauma/Abuse
- Lack of forage
- Lack of turnout
- Environmental factors/contaminants
- List is unlimited

When the horse is stressed, acutely or chronically, it causes an elevation in cortisol. Elevated cortisol causes a myriad of issues within the body as highlighted by the pink boxes in the diagram.

*If low-grade stress is ignored, it builds, becoming more significant and chronic. As a result, the adrenals become fatigued (insufficient) and their ability to produce adequate amounts of cortisol is diminished. Which leads us into tomorrow's discussion about Cushings (PPID).

Today's takeaway? Chronically elevated cortisol = INFLAMMATION and reduced physiological functions in the body.

Questions? Leave them in the comments below. Have a horse you suspect is metabolic? Tell us about them!