Equine Massage
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The Glymphatic System in Horses and Its Relevance to Massage Therapy
The glymphatic system is the brain’s waste-clearance system. Although it has been studied most extensively in humans and laboratory animals, current evidence suggests that horses possess a similar system that likely functions in much the same way. Equine-specific research is still…
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Modern Approaches to Improving Equine Performance: Equine Somatics, FeldenHorse, and Movement Education
Over the past few decades, the way many equine professionals think about movement has evolved considerably. While muscles, joints, and strength remain important, increasing attention is being given to the role of the nervous system in organizing, refining, and adapting movement.…
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Feeling the Flow: A Modern Perspective on “Chi”
For centuries, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has described a vital force known as Qi (Chi) that flows throughout the body, supporting health, movement, and well-being. Although modern science uses different terminology, many of the experiences traditionally associated with the free flow…
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Why Walking After Massage and Fascia Therapy Matters
Massage and fascial therapy do more than influence muscles and connective tissue—they also change the sensory information being sent to the nervous system. Once tissue tension changes, the horse’s brain immediately begins interpreting this new information and deciding how it will…
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🐎 The Most Overlooked Fluid System in The Horse: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
When equine neurological health is discussed, attention usually focuses on nerves, coordination, proprioception, and neurological disorders. Yet an equally important system quietly supports how the nervous system functions: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF is often described simply as cushioning for the brain…
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Why Walking Is One of the Most Powerful Nervous System and Fascial Regulators in the Horse
Walking is often underestimated. It is commonly treated as a warm-up, a cool-down, or something reserved for horses that are sore, aging, or “not working hard.” In reality, slow, rhythmic walking is one of the most effective ways to regulate the…
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Somatic Work – How Sensory-Based Touch and Movement Shape Regulation, Mobility, and Soundness
Somatic work for horses is not a single technique or branded modality. It is an approach to bodywork and movement support that prioritizes how the horse experiences sensation and how the nervous system organizes movement in response to that sensation. Rather…
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Equine Acupressure
When I first set out to learn acupressure, it wasn’t because I felt especially drawn to it. It was simply part of my coursework, and I approached it with a healthy dose of skepticism. At the time, my understanding of effective…
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What Is the Purpose of Feeling Stiff?
Why Feeling Stiff Is Not the Same as Being Stiff Stiffness is one of the most common physical sensations reported after activity, injury, or periods of stress. It is often interpreted as tight muscles, restricted fascia, or joints that have lost…
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Reciprocity in Horses: How the Nervous System Shares Load, Movement, and Force
Every movement a horse makes relies on a sophisticated system of coordination that distributes load, tension, and movement across the body. A central principle behind this coordination is reciprocity—the organized exchange of load, activation, and release between different parts of the…