Rusty Spur Ranch - Equine Bodywork

04/23/2025

Long read… but I’m seeing a trend get stronger of letting horses decide what they want and tell you how to care for them, ride them, when to feed them etc… these horses get more and more ill mannered to where they are dangerous for handlers. Dragging them around, pushing them around, demanding feed or treats, aka - treating the human lower in hierarchy. They know we aren’t horses. They are 1200 lbs of instant flight or fight and people are treating them like human babies or like puppies. They are not dogs. People want to be liked by them so bad they’re doing all they can to not offend their horse. I encourage all of you to watch a band of horses communicate. Watch their feeding rituals. Watch their hierarchy and their emotional and familial behaviors. We are not horses! We shouldn’t pretend to join them. We need to protect ourselves from behaviors that can get us hurt, most likely unintentional but without manners it’s inevitable. Create your space and demand respect. They appreciate knowing their boundaries.

This post talks about the emotional and bonding trends people are buying into. It’s confusing and not productive.
I guess there are circles for this, but it’s not my circle! I work on horses where I need to touch them everywhere, tie them, use machines or instruments and I really appreciate it when horses have good manners! Please do not bring fluffy out a treat while I’m working on him. Don’t have conversations with baby talk the entire session. It drives your horse and me crazy 😂

Fantasy Horsemanship: Where ‘Doing Nothing’ is Marketed as Mastery 💸

“A safe space for humans. A weird time for horses.”

Once upon a time in a paddock not-so-far away, a horse dragged its owner across the arena to a hay bag.
And lo, the guru said:
“Did you see that? He’s finally feeling safe enough… to express his autonomy.”

And the crowd nodded.
For they were moved.
And the horse, dear reader, was not. 🙄

Welcome to Fantasy Horsemanship — where dragging, balking, spooking, and shutting down are framed as spiritual breakthroughs.
Where confusion is revered, clarity is oppressive, and stillness is sold as “deep integration.”
Where your horse is not trained — but interpreted. 🎭

Let’s take a closer look…

1. The Guru Speaks (And You Stop Thinking)
In this world, the guru is your translator.
You don’t learn to read your horse — you learn to believe his reading of your horse.

A tail swish becomes trauma. A head toss? “Reclaiming boundaries.”
And a shut-down horse staring into space?
That’s “sacred integration through parasympathetic recalibration.” ✨

It’s not horsemanship.
It’s interpretive spirituality with a rope halter. 🧘‍♀️🐴

Sprinkle in some polyvagal jargon, somatic buzzwords, and vaguely-academic pseudoscience, and suddenly everything makes sense… except your horse.

2. Feeling > Function
“I feel more connected.”
“My horse gave me a soft eye.”
“We just stood together and cried.” 😭

Lovely.

But did your horse stop spooking at the mounting block?
Can he walk forward when asked?
Did you learn anything… practical?

Of course not.
Because in Fantasy Horsemanship, progress is an emotional experience, not a behavioural outcome.

If you cried, it counted.
Even if your horse is still stuck, shut down, or silently screaming for guidance. 🐎💤

3. No Tools, No Plan, No Problem
“I could use a tool… but that would betray the trust.”
Translation:
I don’t know what to do, and I’ve built a philosophy around that.

No leadership? Enlightened.
No aids? Ethical restraint.
No plan? A bold rejection of the patriarchy. ✊

Doing nothing is rebranded as depth.
The guru has no method, no map, and no measurable outcomes — and that’s exactly how he likes it.

Where there’s no criteria, there’s no failure.
Only more feelings. 😌

4. The Guru Believes His Own Bull$h!t
And here’s the real kicker:
The guru isn’t running a con — he’s running a one-man theatre production he believes in deeply. 🎤🎭

You’ll see a horse lurching, lame, shut down, clearly miserable —
and he’ll whisper, misty-eyed:

“Wow. That was amazing.” 😍
He’s not evaluating the horse.
He’s performing a show.

And he’s too high on his own narrative to notice the horse is tragically unsound and about to file for emotional leave. 📋

5. Your Horse Is Not Your Life Coach
“I’m forever changed.”
“He unlocked something in me.”
“We breathed together under the stars.” 🌌

Lovely.
But your horse still won’t load on the float.

He’s not your therapist.
He’s not your mirror.
He’s not your trauma doula.

He’s just a horse — trying to survive a training session that’s turned into a TED Talk narrated by someone who’s read one too many somatic healing blogs. 💻🐴

He doesn’t want to co-regulate.
He wants clarity.
And maybe a carrot that doesn’t come with a full emotional disclosure. 🥕

6. Bonus Truth: When Fantasy Replaces Vet Checks
Here’s what Fantasy Horsemanship won’t tell you:

The only time horses aren’t easy… is when they’re unsound. 🚫🏇

Pain changes behaviour.
Discomfort makes horses emotional, evasive, or disengaged.

But instead of checking for pain, lameness, or imbalance, the fantasy reframes it all as “emotional blocks.”

And for women — especially those not feeling strong in their own bodies — this becomes a trap.
When movement feels hard, stillness feels safe.
When strength feels distant, softness becomes the story. 🧘‍♀️🕯️

And suddenly, both human and horse are stuck.
One in pain.
One in fear.
Both being told they’re “healing” — when really, they’re just avoiding.

7. And Still, the Horse Pays the Price
Behind the hashtags and healing mantras is a horse who didn’t ask for this.

He doesn’t get trained.
He doesn’t get listened to.
He gets filmed mid-meltdown while someone whispers,

“This… is integration.” 🎥😬
He’s confused.
He’s burdened.
He’s trying.

But nobody notices.
Because everyone’s too busy being deep.

8. Epilogue: The W**d That’s Spreading
This isn’t just one guru.
Fantasy Horsemanship is everywhere. 🌱🔥

It spreads through spiritual marketing, emotional manipulation, and the promise of transformation without accountability.

It appeals to those who want connection but fear discomfort.
It flatters women conditioned to be agreeable, self-doubting, and endlessly apologetic —
those trying to people-please their horse into loving them,
dreaming of a ba****ck beach ride with wind-blown hair and 100% safety. 🐎🌊💨

But your horse isn’t looking for magic.
He’s looking for someone who knows what they’re doing.
Not someone side-tracked down a rabbit hole to nowhere.

Final Thought
Horses are beautifully simple.
They don’t need make-believe — they need meaning.
They don’t want therapy — they want to be understood as horses, not projected humans.
They don’t care about your journey — they care if you can help them feel safe. 🧠❤️🐴

They are easy to train.
Easy to make feel secure.
Unless they’re unsound — or the human is untethered.

So if the fantasy is fading… if your horse is still wary, still stuck, still waiting…

That’s not failure.
That’s reality knocking. 🚪

Answer it.

Find someone who teaches real horse training and treats you with respect.
Learn to understand horses — and build the skills to influence them.

Because when the fog lifts and the narrative dies…

It won’t be the guru standing with you.

It’ll be your horse.
Still confused.
Still waiting.
Still hoping you’ve finally shown up —
not with a story…
but with a plan. 🐴✔️

If you’ve climbed out of the fantasy rabbit hole — or realised your horse biting you wasn’t over zealous engagement but frustration — you’re not alone. Tell your story. Let’s talk about it.❤

If this said what you’ve been thinking — share it. If it said what you wish you wrote, still… share it. With credit. You’re welcome. 🐴😉

04/21/2025

Hey, my AK peeps, you have 7 weeks until your first show. You’re welcome!

01/13/2025

I’m excited to have this custom saddle pad for my personal HUS horse. I was impressed by the process and the fit. After riding, the sweat pattern was completely even. There is no slip, no shimmy after stepping into the stirrup or after riding around for awhile. The hair coat isn’t bothered. The pad is easy to clean.
As a bodyworker, I believe this pad can help hard to fit horses or horses that have tendencies to get sore as it relieves pressure points.
Be sure to contact North Fit Equine for more information!

12/24/2024

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! 🎄

12/09/2024

Fitness, strength, stamina, preparation, and recovery are top priority for these horses competing! Not just at NFR but at the futurities and your top level shows. Comparing yourselves and your horses to this caliber isn’t fair to either one of you. Make sure you put your horses welfare at the top of your list and if you want to get the best out of your horse, put the time in.

💁‍♀️ Let's Talk... Truth Bombs About Gold Buckle Dreams

It's December so most of us are playing couch jockey while the best in the business are doing their thing in Vegas. It's a crazy couple of weeks out there... 10 high powered rounds of competition, autograph signings, practice before the sun comes up, and of course stalls still need mucked....

Is the NFR on your vision board as a future goal?
Let's break down what it really takes to make it through 10 rounds in Vegas.... Therapy Edition.

✅ Fast Horses - We've watched most of these pairs work all year long. We know they're lightning fast. But more important than being fast.... These horses are displaying the ideal level of fitness and stamina. It doesn't matter how fast your horse is, if he breaks down after round 2. There's no room for shortcuts in fitness at this level. The foundation of stabilizing muscle allows the horse compete without depleting oxygen and energy supplies past the point of recovery, so when that fast twitch muscle engages you get a whole lot of horsepower without running the tank dry.

➡️ Truth Bomb #1 - The average competition horse isn't fit enough to make 3 runs at a weekend show on manicured ground. That's why you see more hit barrels as the days progress. Your horse isn't "Out To Get You." He didn't sit in his stall the night before plotting how he was going to smash your knee on the barrel or how he would run off to embarrass you. Their brains simply don't work that way! A horse reacts to a stimuli... Meaning if his muscles are depleted of oxygen before he makes it to the next barrel and he's already fighting soreness from the run before... His body's going to shift that compensation, stiffen up, and slice that barrel.
I've been guilty myself of blaming a horse for "just trying to hit out of spite." After nearly 2 decades of studying the body and fighting a personal health battle, I've learned to look for that underlying problem that is always there lurking....

➡️ Bonus Truth Bomb - You will Never see a professional level rider on fb bragging about how their horse worked when they drug them out of the pasture after not being ridden for weeks.... Your horse deserves more respect. Do Better.

✅ This horse race is 10 rounds of two athletes working in sync and helping each other navigate whatever changes need to be made with each round. Maybe a turn angle needs adjusted or they need one more step behind the barrel. Core strength, finely tuned Fast Twitch muscle and Proprioception allow for these adjustments to be made at the blink of an eye. No rider was born with these skills... They are conditioned with fitness, training, and repetition. Experience is what makes it looks so natural.

➡️ Truth Bomb #2 - Fitness... It ain't just for horses!! - It's been proven through numerous studies that a rider's fitness level has a direct impact on the performance of their horse. A rider that dumps forward over the point of balance at the wither will make their horse take more concussion to the joints in the front legs. A rider that leans in and has more weight in the inside stirrup unloads the horse's hind leg that gives them the strength to drive into the turn... So both shoulders drop (horse and human) and the barrel goes down or they squeeze by angling the turn towards the timer and making a "V" on the back side. .. It's all about that core, Y'all...

➡️ Here's a bonus Truth Bomb... Riders get the same body fatigue that horses do. So when you're exhausted from 3 days of mucking stalls and walking miles at a race.... Your body is automatically creating compensation patterns and trying to force adrenaline and fast twitch muscle to take over for a nonexistent foundation of stabilizing muscle. Your horse feels every compensation your body takes and reacts accordingly. Tension in your muscles creates tension in your horse... File that fact to your memory bank.

✅ Mental Fatigue will drain your body faster than a slot machine can drain your pocketbook... Every day is jam packed with autograph signings, pictures, crowds of people... Oh yeah, and then you have to do the thing you actually showed up to do. Sounds super easy right? These contestants are just living a dream...
Seriously, the average person (myself included) can't begin to imagine the mental demand they're going through. Mental strength is something that takes time to build and master. Staying grounded, hydrated, and keeping the body nourished is key to keeping the mind sharp.
Preparation also breeds confidence. How many times have you read an article where the winner said.... "I just trusted my horse. I knew my horse was feeling great. He really wanted to work tonight." Those feelings aren't just luck. They're the result of preparation, consistency, and positive results.

➡️ Truth Bomb #3 - When you enter a race, how mentally prepared are you? In counseling they talk a lot about emotional flooding. Any resting heart rate over 100 means your body is in flight, which limits your ability to make rational decisions, causes muscle tension, and depletes your muscles of oxygen as fast as exercise does. Have you ever been up next to run and can literally hear your heart beating in your ears? Then as soon as you take off, your brain just shuts off and you remember nothing? It's because you're emotionally flooded. Your brain is the central command for your whole body and right now it's all alarm bells and chaos. Being a prey animal, your horse is going to react to the stimuli you're putting out. Tension builds more tension, and muscles cannot perform correctly stiff and uncomfortable. The result is an unfavorable performance.... And a horse that will end up with ulcers.
➡️ Fun Therapy Fact: A nervous rider will have more downward force in their stirrups which also puts more pressure on the horse's spine.

Now, we have all had a case of the nerves. It's human nature. But you can't blame your horse for poor performance if you weren't in the right frame of mind either. Ever notice that fractious horses often have fractious humans? It's not a coincidence.... If your nerves are affecting your performance, I suggest working with a sports coach or counselor.
There is no reason to destroy your body doing an event that is supposed to be fun. It's ok to need some help on your mental game. It'll probably help more than the 12 calming pastes you just bought for your "crazy" horse....

👉 Can we take a minute to just stop and appreciate the level of dedication these top athletes have? Most of us will only ever see those lights in Vegas from the stands.... But I know there's a young kid out there with NFR written on a vision board that will make it. I hope this post finds you and gives you some insight to things most don't think about. As you're standing in line for autographs, try to appreciate the fact that your idol came physically and mentally prepared enough to give you their time and energy... And just what stress that causes the body. They may be the best in the business, but they're also human just like you and me. A kind word and a compliment help relieve stress and boost energy.

💜 Let's be good humans...

11/22/2024

There are so many modalities we can use to help our equine athletes. How do we know which one is the best one to use? As a bodyworker, it is my responsibility to help decide which one can benefit your horse with what’s being presented for that particular horse on that particular day. Do we need something that warms and soothes? Do we need soft touch or firmer touch? Superficial or deep? Range of motion work? Stretching? Fascia work and release? Recovery or prep work? PEMF? Cryo? There are so many things to consider when coming up with a plan for your horse. It also involves teamwork with your vet, farrier and other bodyworkers. It’s not a competition! Us bodyworkers have different tools, equipment and knowledge bases. I refer out and have also been referred to from other bodyworkers, all in the hopes to help the horse!

I’m happy to be able to provide sports massage, photonic therapy, fascia work and cryotherapy. Not just for the animals either!

11/08/2024

Let’s talk negative! Negative Palmar angles that is. All the bodywork therapies, chiropractic, injections, etc…may help for a short moment but without addressing the feet the horse will continue to decline. The hind feet affect the whole body in a circular pattern going all the way through the top line, to the front end and back to the hind feet. There are conditions that are influenced by negative palmar angles, think kissing spine where the spinous processes are touching or rubbing. Remember the saying “no foot, no horse” that rings true still today! I can’t stress radiographs hard enough. We need to see what is going on inside to allow our farriers the best possible chance at helping our horses.

Thank you Denali Farriery for the photos!

10/21/2024

What you feed matters, how much you feed matters! Thankful I’m able to get this product in my barn. The Pro-Tect LS is perfect for metabolic horses and rehab horses. Get the junk out their diets. Low sugar, low starch and forage based diets for the win (and longevity). Many processed grains from well known companies have ingredients that contribute to inflammation. We want to reduce inflammation. Check your ingredients and do your homework!

06/15/2024

Alaska trip is a wrap! I am thankful for all my clients this trip and hope they all enjoyed their sessions! Looking forward to updates on how they’re doing

06/05/2024

Before and after photos of restricted fascia on this high performance cutter. That shadow is actually a depression in the muscle, also know as a prophet’s thumb. The after photo shows how the fascia began to release and the whole neck is smoother. It’s not totally gone but much improved with just one session!
I am doing some research and long term study on prophet thumbs. I’ve never seen a foal born with these so for some reason they develope as horses mature. Trauma, restrictions or genetics? It’s encouraging to see a positive response to muscle scraping!

05/29/2024

As the season begins, here are a few lists that can help you out!

Thanks

Download the Traveling Checklist Here! Download the Living Quarter Checklist Here! Download the Trailer Maintenance Checklist Here!

05/21/2024

As a lifetime horse enthusiast, I wanted to learn how I could help my horses perform better. I became certified as a Performance Horse Sports Massage Therapist in 2013. The benefits of massage crosses all disciplines and breeds. Recently I have become certified in Muscle Scraping and Cryotherapy. These therapies compliment each other by breaking down restricted fascia, flushing toxins, increasing blood flow and enhancing cryotherapy effectiveness. Cryotherapy is cold therapy that produces a thermal shock to a targeted area, bringing nutrient rich blood back to speed up recovery, reduce inflammation, reduce pain and maintain healthy soft tissue. No down time, you can ride 30 mins after your session!

Multiple sessions to choose from - Pre-performance Energize
Post-performance Recovery
Performance Horse Maintenance

Contact me for your a custom bodywork session for your horse!

PM me here or
Call/text: 907-947-0142

05/21/2024

Is your horse out of shape or is there something else going on? Here are some tips to help you differentiate between a horse that needs conditioning and one that needs medical attention. >>>https://bit.ly/EQUnfitorUnwell

05/08/2024

My Alaska peeps, the first show is in less than a month! Are you feeling prepared, anxious, or stressed? It’s time to knock the dust off your boots.
Here’s some areas to tackle to help things go smooth. You can never start too early!
- get your trailer out, run through it, make sure straps, floors and lights are good to go
- buckets, hay nets and things you’ll need for the show grounds can be loaded early!
- show clothes - make sure they are clean and fit, hat has shape, boots are clean - try it all on
- hair/makeup - get everything together that you’ll need to be tidy and put together
- tack - do some practice runs in your show tack, show pads, bridle etc.. make sure it all is in good condition. Polish that silver and clean your leather!
- horse - practice practice practice! Start looking at patterns, put some pieces together, ask for more out of your horse. I know it’s tough after a long winter but the shows are long days and we ask A LOT from them then. Make sure they’re prepared mentallly and physically.
- grooming - start taking the long hairs off legs, face etc… use your shedding blades and curries! Bathes will help. Sometimes this requires phases depending on how much hair they’re holding onto
- field trip - take your horse away from home, go practice in other arenas! Get a sense for how your horse will feel at the show! Don’t let the first day of the show be the first day you’ve taken them away from home!

04/21/2024

Vaccine reactions, heat and swelling at the injection site. Muscle soreness from trauma. Cryotherapy helps to instantly reduce pain and inflammation. We did one session for 60 seconds. It’s was reduced by 3/4 size in the morning and gone in the evening. Horse was able to eat and move without restrictions after the session. I love being able to help them out!

03/18/2024

I believe our best approach for the whole horse is working closely with our vets and farriers. It takes a team to keep them feeling their best. Thank you to Dr. Neu and Denali Farriery for your support!

02/26/2024

Three different horses with three seperate issues to work on! Myofascial work first then onto cryotherapy. It was the first time any of them had the cryo machine. It’s loud and has a pressure to the spray, add cold and it’s a strange sensation for them. They figured out real quick it felt pretty dang good, especially on a hot day!

02/10/2024

Sometimes it’s the horse people that need to be worked on! Cryotherapy achieves in seconds what takes ice to do in 20 mins!

Getting kicked in the shin doesn’t feel so great, speeding up the healing so she can get back to 100%