Free to Be Equine Services

09/02/2025

Real talk: I can't stand the word "results" as it pertains to equine therapy, even when it comes out of my own mouth!

There have been many words and terms over the years that I used to say frequently in the content of this work, but I am now moving away from or have already moved away from altogether. This is natural as we learn and grow in a profession that requires constant development of our knowledge and understanding.

I have found that in my work with horses, approaching an equine client - new or ongoing - with an agenda to "fix" or "gain results" is already defeating the purpose of the work before I step foot in the paddock.

Our intention is a cornerstone of any kind of work with horses - whether that be training, bodywork, energy work, or even just catching a horse in their field. Approaching this work with an agenda to fix rather than support - to gain results rather than facilitate homeostasis (the body's natural state of balance and self healing) - creates a subconscious protective barrier in the horse's nervous system. Often this barrier is obvious to someone who can read a horse's body language, but it can be extremely subtle too - something you feel in their energy and tissue response rather than an outward expression.

For that reason, I am continuing to prioritize holding space and a curious, open, and supportive intention in my sessions, rather a results-driven, "fixing" focus. That isn't me, and it isn't the kind of work that speaks to me. My goal is to allow the horses to expand, to self regulate, to trust, and to thrive - in their bodies, but also in their minds and spirits.

09/02/2025

Horse owners & professional colleagues alike - I want to know what you think!

I learn something new from every horse I see as a bodyworker. However, I have taken an intentional step back from formal training and continuing education over the last nine months or so to allow all of the intense learning that I've been doing over the last several years to really integrate into my work. I've also done so much refinement and soul searching - this has been a theme in my professional life for a couple of years now, but especially during this recent integration time.

I have so many thoughts and feelings about what has come up for me that I'd love to share, but I want to make this post about what YOU think. I am starting to get an itch to explore some new things, and while I do have an ongoing list of courses and topic ideas, I am also so curious about what other people are thinking about these days. Have you explored anything new that has really lit a fire for you? That has created a breakthrough in your thinking process? Or maybe there's an area where you really wish you had support? What are you looking for from your equine support team? How can I better serve the horses?

If you've read some of my posts before, or know me in person, you know that I'm not one for rigid ideas, black and white thinking, or results-driven concepts. I have felt creatively stifled in the past by some of my training, so an aspect of the abstract and philosophical is important to me when learning new things. Really, I just want to blend art with my equine skills and knowledge - or as close to it as I can. But maybe that's a topic for another day!

08/29/2025

It's important for horse owners to know that their bodyworker cannot - and should not be trying to - diagnose your horse. Our work is best utilized after your veterinarian has done the necessary diagnostics and treatment needed for a horse with an injury - acute or chronic. Diagnosis is never within our scope of practice. Unfortunately this is often misunderstood, or forgotten, resulting in a frustrated owner (who wants their bodyworker to give them answers) and a frustrated bodyworker (who realizes too late that their client is expecting diagnostics).

My job is to collect your horse's history, determine (alongside your vet) if bodywork is appropriate for your horse at this time, provide a supportive service to help your horse overcome their discomforts and compensation patterns, and help them to find a better balance in their nervous system to support healing and a healthy lifestyle. I will share my observations with you, and collaborate with you and the rest of your horse's care team, to ensure that your horse is receiving the most appropriate and supportive care and management.

Having a bodyworker work with your horse regularly is incredibly advantageous - their insights and their skills will greatly enhance your horse's ability to be comfortable and thriving. But it is important to remember that their role is never to diagnose or prescribe medical treatment. Having clear expectations will make for a much more effective relationship between you and your bodyworker.

08/28/2025

Very honoured to be part of this amazing team ❤️

Progress pics: January 2021 vs August 2025

Edit: 🎥 Ive added a short video clip in the comments of each screenshot for movement comparison for anyone interested

While at first glance the left picture might appear better, due to Keagan’s overall fitness level/muscling being stronger, here’s why I’m far happier with the photo on the right:
In the left photo, when you look more closely, you can see a great deal of tension overall. You can see that the whole front end looks “jammed up”, with a heavy forehand (despite his poll being higher in this pic), less range of motion in the forelimbs, an overdeveloped under-neck, and a heavy contact and behind the vertical outline. You can see some of that tension being echoed in my riding posture. Riding that horse felt like riding a freight train, and he was so tense I didn’t realize the extent of his hyper mobility.
In the second picture, while he is less muscled overall, I am thrilled with how relaxed we both are. You can see I have a whole lot more horse out in front of me, and how much more lifted he is in the thoracic region. His stride length in the front is more matched to the hind now, and he isn’t braced through his under neck. He is softly reaching forward into a soft contact. His croup angle is also less steep. We are slowly continuing to build strength and stability without compromising suppleness. He is also receiving ongoing bodywork to continue to help his body function at its best, so that we aren’t just strengthening old compensation patterns. (Shoutout to )
Considering we ride for maybe 20 minutes once a week, with a little groundwork in between, I couldn’t be more proud of how far he’s come! Here’s to progress that honours the whole horse, I can’t wait to see where we go from here! 💪💪

08/18/2025

The Myth of the Quick Fix 🐎⏳

We live in a world that loves instant results.
We want our coffee in two minutes, our deliveries overnight… and sometimes, without meaning to, we bring that same expectation to our horses.

When a horse gets injured, sore, or develops a movement problem, it’s tempting to hope there’s a single adjustment, treatment, or exercise that will “fix” it.

But here’s the truth: real healing doesn’t happen in a single session - and for some tissues, it doesn’t even happen in a single season.

🌸Rehab Is a marathon, not a sprint

A horse’s body is a finely tuned system of muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. The body, the teeth, the hooves - when something goes wrong, the change affects the whole system.

🌸Even when the original injury heals, we still have to:
✨Retrain proper movement patterns.
✨Rebuild strength, flexibility, and coordination.
✨Re-teach the nervous system to trust the body again.

That retraining process can take just as long - or longer - than the initial tissue healing.

🌸Different tissues heal at very different rates, even under ideal conditions:
✨Muscles: 4–6 weeks for minor strain, longer if there’s significant fiber damage.
✨Tendons & ligaments: Often 6–12 months for full remodeling due to limited blood supply.
✨Bone: 8–12 weeks for most fractures, but full strength and load tolerance take longer.
✨Fascia & connective tissue: Weeks to months, depending on severity and surrounding tension patterns.

And remember - “healed” on the inside doesn’t automatically mean “ready to work” on the outside, especially under the added load of a rider.

🌸Hoof Rehab: a special kind of patience

When we’re rehabbing hoof issues we’re not just reshaping hoof wall. We’re making adjustments to the solar surface while waiting for the hoof capsule to grow down correctly from the coronet band.

It takes 9–12 months for a complete growth cycle and multiple cycles are required to fully rehabilitate more severe cases.

During that time, the structures inside the hoof: frog, digital cushion, lateral cartilages, laminae - are also adapting and strengthening. You can’t rush this biology, no matter how skilled the trimming.

🌸Dental Balance: another slow change

Severe dental imbalances can’t be fully corrected in a single float without risking damage.

When too much tooth is reduced at once, we can expose sensitive pulp or destabilize the bite.

Instead, we balance gradually, allowing more tooth to erupt between sessions. This may mean multiple dental visits over many months before the mouth is fully aligned - giving the chewing system, jaw muscles, and TMJ time to adapt.

🌸Normal rehab has ups and downs

One of the hardest truths for owners is that rehab progress is rarely a straight line.
It’s normal to see days or weeks where your horse feels fantastic, followed by dips in performance or comfort.

These fluctuations can happen when:
✨The workload increases and the body is adapting
✨Hoof or dental balance changes and the body is adapting
✨The weather or turnout situation changes
✨Old compensation patterns are being replaced with new movement
✨Slight knocks or strains happen in turnout (because, horses)

A “bad day” doesn’t always mean a huge setback - sometimes it’s just the body adjusting. The key is watching the overall trend, not getting discouraged by small bumps along the way.

🌸When we respect these timelines and allow rehab to follow the horse’s needs, we:
✨Build stronger, more resilient tissues.
✨Correct movement patterns at the root.
✨Protect our investment in the horse’s future soundness.
✨Earn trust, because the horse learns we won’t push them into pain.

It’s not flashy, but slow, thoughtful rehab is what gives you a horse that can return to work and stay there.

🐴 Patience now is soundness later.

08/16/2025

08/16/2025

A lesson that my own animals have taught me is that sometimes what I assume is their "issue" is actually a shared experience with my own health and inner world.

No, I'm not saying that it's "my energy's fault" if they slip and injure a ligament, or contract a virus, or develop thrush. I'm not talking about symptoms, but of much deeper rooted experiences.

I tend to see this energetic relationship manifest in horses and their people. It often starts with these kinds of statements:

"Every time my horse's issues resolve and I think we are going to start training again, another obstacle pops up."

"I can't even tell you what has worked or what has not worked, because I have tried so many different things."

"I have asked three different farriers, four different vets, five different bodyworkers, and about twenty Facebook groups, but no one seems to know what the problem is with my horse."

"Every time I fix something, another problem comes up like a game of whack-a-mole".

I wish it was as easy as saying that there is probably some mysterious problem that just needs to be uncovered and once that is fixed, everything will be amazing.

The truth is that a horse - or a person, or a dog, or a turtle - is not just the sum of its parts. It's an energetic being that is interfacing with everything and everyone in its environment at all times. As our horse's partner or caregiver, we are especially interwoven into their energetic fabric. If things are constantly feeling like a struggle, it can be incredibly helpful to seek out our own inner work and care for our own bodies. You would be shocked at how many horses I have seen inprove exponentially when their person took some time to look inward. Unfortunately, this can be a very difficult thing for many people to realize.

Just some food for thought! As always, there are many considerations to equine health, such as their daily management, their nervous system state, plain old bad luck - you name it. But maybe this message will resonate with you.

08/08/2025

Colleagues who become friends 🥰 I met these two incredible women during our equine craniosacral training a few years ago, and they have become such important people in my community. We all bring such unique perspectives to our work with animals, and it's always a pleasure to hear what they've been learning and feeling in their own work and personal journeys. Thank you for the great day, Julia Willemsen & Lucy Wilde!

07/23/2025

I am taking holidays from equine bodywork until August 6th, and my earliest availability to book is August 12th. If you're waiting for a report or a reply from me, I'm still doing administrative work, but I'm fitting it between other activities - so I may be slower than usual! I appreciate your patience.

I do have a couple of photoshoots booked and subsequent editing work over the next couple of weeks, which is a refreshing departure from my "day job" as a bodyworker (see more over at Free to Be Photo), and something I love about this time of year. I do wish very much to transition to a better balance of these two careers, so I appreciate your support of my photography business very much! Every like, share, and recommendation means the world.

I hope everyone is enjoying a fantastic summer so far 🌞 I'm very thankful for every horse I've seen this summer, you guys are keeping me busy!

06/07/2025

I'm coming up on 11 years as an equine manual therapist, and something that has become increasingly clear to me is that there is one quality - or skill, since it can be learned - that stands out as the thing that allows me to be good at what I do.

You can have all the titles you can earn, take all the courses and learn all the modalities, hop on all of the latest bodywork and therapeutic gizmo trends - it won't get you anywhere near as far as this.

This skill is listening. If you're thinking "that's obvious", I ask you - is it really? In my experience, humans have a very hard time becoming good listeners. Not just listening to each other, but listening to animals. Listening to nature. Listening to tissue. Listening to the nervous system.

It is a quality some people are born with, and this work may come more naturally to them, but it is also something that can be learned with guidance and practice. So, so much practice.

Learning and education doesn't exist separately from listening, however. I'm sorry to say (because for some, it is not as exciting as learning techniques) that anatomical learning greatly enhances my ability to listen - in one sense of the word, anyway. Listening to tissue becomes second nature when you understand what the body is doing beneath your hands. The best education programs focus mostly on anatomy and theory. If you don't have a clear grasp of it, the techniques become empty, simply going through the motions with no depth. But you also can't develop the feel to listen without the hands-on practice, even if you struggle at first.

Listening in other ways can also be learned, but it is perhaps not as straightforward. This is where I've learned the most by looking inward, not outward to a course or book or modality. For me, I've had to learn to truly embody what it means to be a listener - not just in my career with horses, but in life. Listening to the rhythm of nature. The seasons, the weather, the insects, the birds, the sea, the plants, the mammals (including humans). It does not mean simply listening with your ears. It is a practice, something I strive to be better at every day.

Listening can also make you vulnerable. The better I get at what I do with horses, the harder it is for me to continue down this career path. I have so, so much coming in, and struggle with where to put it all. It’s something I think about every day, and work constantly to balance. I expect that most people won't understand what I'm talking about here unless you are a highly sensitive person, or also work in a way that requires deep listening to other beings.

I have no intention with this post beyond to give people something to chew on. There is so much negative discourse in the equine industry right now, to the point that my mental health sharply declines any time I come back to Facebook or Instagram to post or read something. So much feuding and black and white thinking and strong opinions, and very little listening. If these people can't listen to each other on the internet, are they really listening to anything else?

If you want to become better at listening, there is no better teacher than the horse in front of you.