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Free to Be Equine Services

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Ladysmith, BC
Free to Be Equine Services

Kaiti Elliott is a Multi-Certified Equine Therapist based in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. More info at kaiti.com 🐎 Contact [email protected]

She specializes in myofascial & craniosacral therapies to facilitate whole being equine wellness.

11/03/2025

This has been a hot topic again recently, and I understand why, because I find it hard to make sense of too. I wrote a blog post on this earlier this year and I'd love for you to read it - I hope the steps I've outlined can help you as it has helped me to navigate the horse world and all of the conflicting opinions we are presented with.

https://www.kaiti.com/whats-new/how-to-make-sense-of-conflicting-information-about-horse-care-and-welfare

10/29/2025

As a follow up to my recent post about breathwork for horses, here is a little more information about the diaphragm and its vital role in the body.

Horse bodies - like our bodies - require oxygen for life. Every cell in the body requires it, and it is vital for our bodies to function. The respiratory system works to move fresh air into the body while removing waste gases. Once in the lungs, oxygen is moved into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body. The opposite occurs to remove waste gases from the blood and expell them through exhalation.

The diaphragm is a muscle that aids inhalation and exhalation. This thin, dome-shaped muscle sits below the lungs and heart and separates the chest from the abdominal cavity. It’s attachments include the sternum, ribcage, and spine.

In addition to aiding with breathing, the diaphragm increases pressure inside the abdomen, which supports other important functions such as organ function and digestion. The esophagus and several nerves and blood vessels run through openings in the diaphragm.

The ribcage, while acting as protection of vital organs and an attachment site for soft tissue, is also a highly mobile structure to allow for respiration. Horses have 18 pairs of ribs and each pair articulates with the spine. 8 pairs of these ribs join to the sternum.

The respiratory system function is profoundly affected by both the autonomic nervous system - the sympathic and parasympathetic responses - as well as cranial and cervical nerves which govern the function of the heart, lungs, diaphragm, pharynx, trachea, etc.

Are we beginning to see the connections?

10/28/2025

We recently had our first frost here in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island - the temperature changes so quickly in the fall! These swings come with metabolic changes, behaviour changes, and routine/lifestyle changes for our horses. It's important that they are supported through seasonal transitions with close attention paid to diet and digestion, water consumption, temperature regulation (this also means being too hot - make sure your horses aren't sweating under their blankets during daytime temperatures!), and movement. Handwalks and little tricks like spreading out the hay between multiple locations in their turnout areas are great ways to ensure your horse is getting enough movement in the cooler and wetter weather. Fall is also a great time for a bodywork session to check up on how your horse's body is feeling and prepare them for the seasonal changes ahead.

10/25/2025

Breathwork is likely not something most people think about when they imagine equine bodywork, but it has become an important part of my work and a vital step towards holistic well-being for my horse clients. Many horses - again, like us - develop restrictions that lead to reduced function of the ribcage and diaphragm.

Those restrictions may be due to dysfunctions within structure, posture, movement patterns, soft tissue, or within the nervous system - often a combination.

If horses can't draw in full, regular breaths utilizing the full range of their ribcage and diaphragm, they are not receiving the optimal amount of oxygenation to their tissues and cells (which affects health and performance), nor are they receiving the other benefits of deep diaphragmatic breathing such as relaxation and improved digestion.

Through multiple lenses such as myofascial, craniosacral, nerve release, and somatic work, I have developed my own combination of methods to practice breathwork with horses and I have been so pleased with how much they benefit. It is also an easy thing to teach to horse stewards, so you can continue to help your horse along the journey to improve their respiratory function after my visit. Because of the nature of these soft and slow methods, and thanks to mirror neurons, the humans' breathing also benefits greatly from working with their horses in this way.

10/21/2025

Thank you for the awesome track system tour + info night, Alexa Linton Nicole Jory - Hoof Care Practitioner Wild Coast Equine - lots of great takeaways and such a cool group of like-minded horse people in attendance.

10/17/2025

Click the photo to see my availability update for October 🎃

10/01/2025

Now that we are in the thick of fall weather, a few things to note for your horse's bodywork sessions:

🍂 On rainy days, if you don't have somewhere sheltered where we can comfortably work, we will need to reschedule. Please give me as much notice of this as possible. By "comfortable" I simply mean a place that is spacious enough for a horse and two humans to move around, safe and free of objects to get caught up in, and where the horse is accustomed to and comfortable being. Sometimes, this is just a shelter in the field - and that's okay with me!

🍂 Not all of my clients blanket their horses, and that is totally fine with me. I just ask that you brush them well prior to their session to get as much dirt off as possible. Caked on dirt and grit can cause a lot of trouble for both my palpation as well as the horse's comfort while my hands are moving over their coat. This includes their limbs and their head.

🍂 If the weather is looking particularly bad - heavy rain, high wind, etc. - I will typically ask you to reschedule to a nicer day.

🍂 If you would like me to work with your horse when you aren't present, please have the blankets removed (some folks will ask their barn manager to ready the horse for the session, for example). If I'm required to take off/put on blankets and brush the horse, please discuss this with me before the session, and note that there will be an additional charge for this service.

🍂 If you don't have a good place to work in inclement weather and this prevents you from booking appointments, don't be shy about reaching out if we are getting a stretch of dry weather - even if you think I am probably booked up. I may be able to fit in an extra few horses to take advantage of nice weather.

Thanks for reading, and Happy October! 🎃

09/30/2025

Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and it isn't just a bonus day off - be sure to take time today to listen, to educate yourself, and to do your own reconciliation work.

“Together, Canadians must do more than just talk about reconciliation; we must learn how to practice reconciliation in our everyday lives – within ourselves and our families, and in our communities, governments, places of worship, schools and workplaces. To do so constructively, Canadians must remain committed to the ongoing work of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships.” – National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation

I gratefully acknowledge that I live and work on the unceded territories of Coast Salish peoples, including the Stz’uminus, K’ómoks, Snuneymuxw, Songhees, Esquimalt, and W̱SÁNEĆ Nations.

Address

Ladysmith, BC

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 8pm
Tuesday	8am - 8pm
Wednesday	8am - 8pm
Thursday	8am - 8pm
Friday	8am - 8pm

Telephone

+17788350854

Website

http://www.kaiti.com/

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