Balanced Animal Therapy

I tend to get focused on the hind end of the horse, this is the engine, the beginning of kinetic energy transfer.
But what if the shoulders are blocking that forward flow?
That starts to look like rotation in the hind limbs, a weaker top line, less impulsion. Yet it may have begun in front.
The shoulders can become stiff and tense for many reasons, it can be as simple as changing your arena surface or hoof angles, jumping on a hard surface at a show, riding fast downhills, or your saddle creating a slow burn where it digs into the shoulder blade.
From that tension in the muscles and connective tissue the forelimb stride shortens, the base of the wither begins to dip, the head tends higher, the core struggles to engage as the thoracolumbar fascia tightens, the pelvis tilts forward, the hip angles change, the horse engages the hamstring muscles more, the stifle may begin to lock. We must not forget the hooves changing shape!
The bodyworker appears and wow, where to start?! By this stage the rider has forgotten the beginning.
The shoulders are attached to the horse via Connective Tissue! Not bone! Major kinetic meridians, or Fascial lines run through the shoulders. This is a complex and connected area.
Releasing the shoulders requires removing the cause, fascial release to address the tension between the inside of the shoulder blade and the rib cage. Joint Mobilisation and Sure Foot Pads are also useful.
During this process of change the rider can employ long slow stretches, poles and mini joint mobilisations.
If you notice your horse has stiff shoulders, book them in, at the very least take note of when and why and be on the alert for any slow deterioration their comfort and performance.
I cover Milton to Wollongong, Kangaroo Valley, and Nowra to Canberra on a regular basis.
Pm or ph 0431387787

A terrific post to help your dog navigate your home. These are things I consider when I do a home visit.
Not just for old dogs but dogs with IVDD, shoulder, elbow,knee or hip problems too. https://www.sitstaysquat.ca/blog/home-environmental-adaptations-for-dogs/?fbclid=IwdGRjcATEN-BjbGNrBMQ3vGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHnu_ydYkwZ3q-P_ys0lP4KsSUbU-z2vQM3D53LpkCTLqtna41FR0vq8iVpHp_aem_nlWFCv2Nsh9ITMdy27v-mw

Who changes their animal clothes to go shopping or the GP etc?
In the 60s I was taught you always got changed for 'the shops' or going to 'town'?
I was already pushing for time yesterday, and looked down at my jumper and thought, 'nope just can't do it '. Rushed upstairs and grabbed a handy clean wincheater (am I the only one still using that word?) but as I walked into the GP I realized it was from the Washing pile 😋

Dr Louise Cosgrove recommends bodywork and/or craniosacral therapy within 2 weeks of her session.
This is to release compensatory areas and reset the nervous system.
Not only did Stormy have some compensatory tension but he was quite stiff from the procedure and the rehabilitation exercises.
Stormy had his bodywork this week and will have Craniosacral next week.
If you are booking in for a session with Dr Cosgrove, remember to book your bodywork too.
Don't you love those dapples???

So well said!

If I could put one piece of gear in your hands for groundwork, it would be a longe cavesson. Good horsemanship never needed a tack room full of specialty equipment, but this is the one tool I recommend without hesitation, especially if you’re doing fitness-based work from the ground.

Here is why it earns that spot. The center ring sits over the nose, so you guide the horse from the front instead of pulling from under the chin. That small design difference changes everything. The head and poll stay aligned to the ground without twisting or tipping, and the horse never gets invited to brace through the bottom of the neck and jaw. Instead the neck lengthens and the poll softens on its own, without force or stress. You are helping the body find balance rather than demanding it.

People ask me about design and materials all the time, and the honest answer is that the tool is only as strong as the hands using it. Fit matters more than anything else. Look for a jaw strap that fastens under the mandible, not up in the throatlatch, so the cheek straps stay clear of the eye. If a traditional cavesson is out of reach right now, you can snug up a well-fitting halter into what many call a cowboy cavesson and still get real value from it.

And if you are wondering whether your horse will like it, nearly every one I have worked with settles in the moment they start. A cavesson helps them find good balance, and I have yet to meet a horse that did not love balance.

I love giving mini's the chance to feel more comfortable and function more easily. This was Ellie's second session, in the beginning my focus was on improving alignment and function in her hind end, allowing her stifles to move more easily. At the end I focused on creating space in her head which felt quite congested, this took Ellie to a very deep place of relaxation when she actually fell asleep for a few moments.

I can highly recommend Susan Garret's Shaped by Dog Podcast and her online training courses.
11 week old Orion and I have been working on 'hot zone' staying on your mat/bed, 'Its yer choice' only taking food when told you can and a 'relaxation protocol.'
Vaccination day today, I put his mat on the scales and he sat there calmly. He sat on his mat in the waiting room, and even lay down for his vet exam.
Being able to be approached and handled by strangers is also a skill we have been practicing.

Keeping the Star Athlete Stanley in his best form!
Red light, fascia release, massage, t touch and joint mobilisations. Stanley hates it 🩵
If you have a Flyball Dog and want to improve their times and soundness, book them an appointment ph 0431387787