Essential Equine Therapies, LLC

03/18/2026

Potential worm overload signs:

Horses with worms may:

*flinchy/cinchy
*hair on coat curls at ends ( this time of year it will curl naturally before it falls out)
*hair doesn't shed out as quickly on the sides of belly or underbelly
*experience sudden weight loss
*colic
*rough and or dull coat
*diarrhea
*consitpation or impaction
*lethargic or lack of energy
*hair loss of tail
*respiratory problems or coughing
*”hay” belly/pot belly
and more…

Horses (and us) will always have a worm count.

It will never be 0. Worms are there to do their job, which is absorb heavy metals and toxins in the body.

Essentially, they are attracted to the toxin laden and horse with weakened or low immune system.
(Lyme’s, EPM, cushings, allergies, sarcoids or any other diagnosed immune issues are more susceptible)

You can paste or herbal deworm often but, until the body is boosted and the gut is healed, only then will the body be able to better flush, naturally regulate and be unattractive to parasites.

Are you regularly pasting but never seem to get rid of the worm issue?

My Mom had great success using herbs in deworming her horse and so have I with mine.

In 2017, her horse Cocoa had a f***l count of 700 eggs per gram roundworm, which is pretty high. After a month of herbs targeted for worms and then the follow up of herbs for the immune system, her f***l count was reduced to 70 eggs per gram. Within the normal limits. We tested multiple poo balls and at different times.

The vet was quite surprised/angry that we didn’t use chemical paste and that the herbs worked. Cocoa was happy - so were we! We were focusing on gut health to eliminate EMS and metabolic symptoms with her and didn’t want to add stress and toxins that come with traditional deworming protocols.

I make and offer an herbal mix called Essential Cleanse.

This all in one mix can be used as a concentrated deworming regimen for short period of time or longer time frame as a cleanse.

A picture of my beautiful Mom & Cocoa 💚

03/17/2026

“Kitty really likes it. She happily eats it. She doesn’t try to eat what moonshine is eating for herbs so I take that as a good sign for her needing it. I have noticed less puffiness overall. Her eyes are not puffy underneath anymore or watery. Seems like she is taking more time eating her hay. And she is less grouchy overall.”

Feedback I got this week regarding my Hormone/Metabolic Support Blend 🐴

Here’s Kitty 💛 She’s been on my herbal blends and a natural diet for years but recently started this one in particular.

03/16/2026

🐴🥰

A large part of what I do helps horses heal from the inside out. While bodywork aids in digestion by helping the body enter the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), no amount of it will fix an unhealthy gut.
What goes into their mouths is super important as well as allowing them to choose and show us.

03/14/2026

Here’s a question I have seen asked more than once in groups, as well as what I commented in return.

As always, there are many factors, however, just because the horse has an anxiety spike doesn’t mean the supplement doesn’t work. It just means isn’t meant for them in that moment, possibly not ever if it doesn’t sync with what their own body needs and especially if the root is an emotional block.

Teaching horses to be in their own body comfortably first is key, supplementation second.

My answer:
For a horse that is mentally and emotionally in fright or flight most of the time, the feeling of being relaxed and switching to the parasympathetic can cause them to experience even more anxiety emotionally because they aren’t used to being in this state.

The same thing happens in humans.

I’m a horse and human massage therapist and this is something I talk with my clients about in regards to Massage for their own body on the table.

I warn them that it can cause a spike and anxiety, especially if they’re already dealing with anxiety to start with.

Since you’re giving a calming supplement, I assume there is a reason for doing so and getting to the root reason for your horse will be key so they can learn to be “in their body.”

I welcome further messages from you if you’d like to discuss or troubleshoot! 🤎🐴

____

𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙖 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙, 𝙇𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙍𝙏

Tell me, has your horse had an anxiety spike to a calming supplement? What were the ingredients or surrounding circumstances? Private messages are welcome if you don’t feel comfortable sharing in the comments 🐴

03/13/2026

While I may not have the chance to type it up and share it often, the special things that owners and I get to experience with horses is still happening in sessions.

Somehow, it seems even more sacred, because we are the ones that know it happened whether it was shared publicly or not.

One moment was when I went to reach for this mares’ left ear. She flinched. It was no small wince. It was a very large and exaggerated movement away from me, clearly indicating discomfort.

Upon further palpation of jaw, mandible and right side of neck it was clear it was all connected to the left side reaction.

As I continued assessment she tried to bite me, taking it to the next level of “ouch!”

I calmly listened, helped her release her hyoid, neck fascia and associated acupressure points.

After this she no longer was flinching or biting. She clearly had found some relief, ending the season with a lowered head and calm eye.

03/10/2026

Wintergreen! A Raindrop Technique power house! One of 9 oils I use in this Therapy for Horses & Humans 💙

Wintergreen is one of those oils people think of as just “minty”… but the chemistry behind it is actually pretty impressive. 🌿

In laboratory research, wintergreen essential oil showed anti-inflammatory activity comparable to the NSAID diclofenac sodium, a commonly used prescription anti-inflammatory drug.

The reason comes down to its main compound: methyl salicylate. 💙

Methyl salicylate is a natural salicylate that interacts with the same inflammatory pathways many pain medications target (the COX pathway). It also acts as a counterirritant, which is why wintergreen creates that warm, soothing feeling when applied to sore muscles or joints.

Researchers also observed a protein-stabilizing effect, suggesting potential support for inflammatory conditions like:

• arthritis
• muscle pain (myalgia)
• nerve pain (neuralgia)

In other words… that little bottle of wintergreen isn’t just a smell. Plants produce compounds like this to protect themselves, and humans have been using them for musculoskeletal support for a very long time!

This is also why oils like PanAway, Ortho Sport, and Deep Relief tend to be favorites after workouts or on sore shoulders and knees. Wintergreen is a key ingredient in those blends, working alongside oils like clove, peppermint, and helichrysum to support circulation and calm irritated tissue. 💪🌿

It’s also one of the oils used in the Raindrop Technique, where it’s applied along the spine as part of a sequence designed to support the back, muscles, and nervous system.

Most people use wintergreen topically for muscles and joints (diluted), and once you start using it that way, you’ll see why it’s been a staple in traditional bodywork for decades.

🔎 If you like digging into the research, here’s the study:
https://abstracts.aijr.org/index.php/abs/article/view/186/117

Want to schedule a session for you or your horse or learn about more benefits?

Visit Essential Equine Therapies dot com

 𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙖 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙, 𝙇𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙍𝙏

03/08/2026

Did you know that cabbage can aid in gut health and ulcer healing?

Actually, it’s a long standing traditional remedy for humans to drink cabbage juice to help heal ulcers.

It’s one of the ingredients I fed Sis, along with others, to help her severe bleeding ulcers heal seven years ago.

Because many of the ingredients and remedies that help heal us and our horses are used improperly, the majority of horse owners have been scared into NOT using this really useful veggie.

However, it can be fed safely alongside my gut and ulcer healing herbal blend. Additionally, with other helpful fruits and veggies. The tips, outline and quantities for fruits and veggies, I have listed in my Equine Gut Guide.

Tonight’s dinner is stir fry. I took a moment to pause and take some cabbage to my girls and I’ll eat mine here in a little bit. 🤎🐴

03/06/2026

Compensation! Ask me how I can help your horse with thermal imaging 🔥

03/02/2026

SEPARATION ANXIETY and how it truly works in the horse’s body.

What is happening in a horse’s brain when they experience separation anxiety? Knowing the science can help us formulate a plan to help them through this coming issue.

When a horse experiences the stress of separation, the brain shifts from a state of social connection to one of high-alert survival. This process is deeply rooted in the equine amygdala, which acts as the brain's alarm system. For a horse that has undergone past trauma, this part of the brain becomes hyper-reactive. Instead of processing a friend walking away as a temporary event, the amygdala floods the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

This neurobiological reaction is often linked to the panic and grief system located in the subcortical regions of the brain. When horses are separated from their herd or a specific bonded partner, they don't just feel lonely; they experience a form of emotional pain that is physically taxing. The frantic pacing, whinnying, and sweating often seen in these cases are outward manifestations of a brain that is literally screaming for social safety. Because horses are prey animals, being alone is historically synonymous with being vulnerable to predators, making the drive to reunite an biological imperative.

Trauma further complicates this by impacting the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and context. In a healthy horse, the hippocampus helps the animal remember that they were alone for ten minutes yesterday and remained safe. However, chronic stress and high levels of cortisol can impair hippocampal function. This means a traumatized horse may lose the ability to put the current separation into a safe context, causing them to react to every departure with the same intensity as the original traumatic event.

Another significant factor is the concept of allostatic load, which refers to the cumulative wear and tear on the body and brain due to chronic stress. A horse with unresolved separation trauma lives in a state of constant vigilance. Their nervous system is often stuck in a sympathetic state, also known as fight-or-flight. Over time, this makes it harder for the horse to return to a calm, parasympathetic state. This internal physiological exhaustion can lead to more extreme behavioral outbursts because the horse has very little emotional or physical resilience left to handle minor changes.

This is why the "scream it out" method with the intention of helping horses to learn coping skills about separation anxiety almost always backfires. And this proves to be another reason why we always want to look at the science behind why our horses do the things they do.

The horse may also experience a sense of hyper-attachment as a survival strategy. Once they find a companion that makes them feel safe, they may cling to that individual with an intensity that seems irrational to us. This is because that companion has become the horse's external regulator for their nervous system. Without that presence, the horse's internal systems dysregulate, leading to the high-energy, reactive behaviors that characterize severe separation anxiety.

Addressing this issue requires a focus on rewiring these neural pathways rather than simply managing the behavior. READ THAT AGAIN. By using methods that prioritize the horse's emotional comfort and choice, it is possible to teach the brain that separation does not equal danger. This involves very slowly building the horse's confidence in short increments, allowing the prefrontal cortex to remain engaged so the horse can actually learn and process new, safe experiences. Over time, this structured approach helps your horse move out of a survival mindset and into a state of relaxed engagement.

When thoughtfully done, we as humans also become a source of comfort due to the classical conditioning we have established through positive reinforcement training alongside them.

02/28/2026

🔑 Some key signs of stored trauma for human and horse include

▪️ old emotions rise to the surface for no apparent reason ( 👧🏻unexpected tears or laughter, 🐴 a spook or change in behavior towards something that is passed by daily)

▪️👧🏻 you cry more easily
🐴 anxiety or tantrums spikes at random intervals

▪️👧🏻 you feel exhausted after years of running on adrenaline
🐴 emotional shut down

▪️ 👧🏻memories begin to resurface that you “forgot” about
🐴 the “he never used to do this…” things

▪️👧🏻 you notice physical sensations (tightness, tingling, shaking) during rest or reflection
🐴 fidgeting and not being able to stand calmly in body and mind

▪️you might begin to crave quiet, solitude and safety over stimulation
🐴 pasture loner, pleaser or not getting along with mates

Sometimes the body isn’t breaking down, but breaking open.

A recent horse session resulted in a large emotional rest for this horse as well as relief from physical pain she was experiencing. She went from flinching and trying to bite me in certain areas of tension to not. This mare got to enjoy soaking spa music as well which I believe helps the both of us.
Here was part the beautiful end to her session as I was on the ground in front of her 🤍

Healing often looks messy before it feels free….
for you and your horse 🪻

_____

𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙖 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙, 𝙇𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙍𝙏
Horse & Human Massage Therapist
More info 🌐 Essential Equine Therapies dot com

02/12/2026

This is why my diet outline shares healthy nuts and seeds that you can feed your horse, for the betterment of their health. Chia seeds were one of the ingredients that healed my horse of severe bleeding ulcers. Chia seeds are an ingredient to my SisUgut blend that I mix and ship out weekly to horse owners 🥰

When I was a child, it was a known idea that canola oil was safe to add on top of grain, especially in winter to keep them warm. How duped we were! When I learned better, I began to do better!

Quick anatomy lesson that could change how you feed your horse:

Horses don't have a gallbladder.

In species that do — humans, dogs, cats — the gallbladder stores bile and releases it in concentrated bursts to emulsify dietary fat. Big meal with a lot of fat? Big release of bile.

Horses secrete bile continuously from the liver in small, steady amounts. There's no storage. No burst capacity. Just a slow, constant trickle.

So when we dump a cup of oil on a horse's feed, we're asking a system designed for slow, steady fat processing to handle a concentrated amount it was never built for.

The horse's evolutionary fat source? Seeds and the lipids naturally present in forages. Small amounts, consumed gradually over hours of grazing.

This is why I recommend whole food fat sources — h**p hearts, chia seeds, stabilized ground flax — over isolated oils. You're working with the biology instead of against it.

The horse already told us how it wants to eat. We just have to listen.