While we all love to see horses experience miraculous results after a single bodywork session, it is much more common to see results develop over time. This particular equine case study is a great example of how a more holistic approach combined with time can contribute to a huge improvement in a horse’s well being.

Background

Horse “Q” is an 11-year-old OTTB gelding. He raced until he was 8 or 9 and then ended up at a rescue before being rehomed to his current owner. When I first met Q, I remember thinking how shut-down he was. He was eating hay in his stall and did not acknowledge my presence at the door. He suffered from severe separation anxiety and did not want to be groomed or tacked up, often kicking or biting at his handler.

The Sessions

I worked with Q and his owner several times during the course of over a year. Because of his sensitivity to touch, I did his first bodywork session with no contact. He was unhaltered in his pasture with his friends to help him with emotional support. He stayed with me for about 45 minutes, and it was a really beautiful session.

Since then, I’ve worked with Q using a variety of modalities, including Lazaris Nerve Release Technique™, Equine Hanna Somatics®, kinesiology taping, gentle massage, cranial sacral therapy, tuning forks, and other energy-type work. I chose the modality based on how he presented at each session. His owner also moved him to an environment and worked with her vet and her farrier to ensure that Q’s needs were addressed.

Below are some before and after pictures from one of our Lazaris Nerve Release sessions. You can see that his body expanded a little, his spine moved into a more neutral position, and his hind legs were able to stand a bit farther apart.

The Results

During the past year, Q has come so far! His owner discovered that ground driving was a very effective way to work with him and she has also done some light riding with him in the arena and around his pasture. Q also experiences much less separation anxiety. His owner knows how to best support him now, which means he spends less time being stressed. He continues to struggle with some physical and emotional issues, likely resulting from his time racing, and it is impossible to say whether those issues will ever be completely resolved.

However, the most amazing result is really how much more at ease he is being groomed. His owner can now groom him loose in his stall, with no halter on. I’ve also watched his owner develop her confidence in working with him and let go of some of the conventional horse-keeping ideas that can be limiting. I love seeing the two of them able to do things together with more ease.

Seeing physical changes can be an important part of a horse’s development, but the more I work with horses, the more I’ve come to realize that their mental and emotional state is critical to their overall health. This particular client and her horse really highlight how managing a horse holistically can yield beautiful results. I look forward to watching them continue to grow!

Learn More

You can learn more about the two main modalities I used to help Q at the links below:

Lazaris Nerve Release Technique

Equine Hanna Somatics

Book a Session with Me

Contact me if you would like to book a session or if you’d like to learn more about how I can help you and your horse.