Arrow Equine Therapy

12/03/2024

If anyone in the Sheridan area is needing CBD, here you go! Check out Cates Tack, tons of great tack and product.

10/26/2024

🐴💫 Day one! It's been amazing! I'm so thankful to be here, with these people. 💫🐴

10/02/2023

10/02/2023

From the Desk of Kim Kizzier-Sherrodd, Director and Creator of the School of Applied Integrative Therapy.

I read once that if you want to write a book, you should write the book you want to read. Taking this advice, I have spent the past ten years creating the course(s) I would want to take while keeping within rigorous standards. All this information and training was not available in any one program when I first imagined such a gratifying career and there were few coaches to guide me.

When I am performing bodywork on horses, there is SO much more going on with them than I could possibly put into categories, theories, or techniques. Although I always feel an awesome surge of validation when a horse awards me with what we call a “release” (yawning, stretching, licking and chewing), I somehow know that isn’t the full story. When I am deeply tuned in to the energy, I almost sense the horse will offer the “release” just to help me through the energetic moment; as if to encourage me along. So, I went deeper, learning from every avenue I could – especially the horse. In developing this program, my goal is to help students learn how to “feel”, gain empathy, and mostly to believe in themselves. I want to bring out that deep childlike depth and conviction which, to me feels like the same space that horses hold (and they are just waiting for us to catch up). This space has no rules or validation because it is nothing more than the present moment being shared between two souls. This is where magic happens.

Learn more about becoming a Certified Equine Bodyworker by visiting us at www.schoolait.com

06/23/2023

Same goes for bodywork!

05/29/2023

Great read on compensation 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

“Ohhh this horse just has a little arthritis in his left hock, it doesn’t seem to bother him too much.”

Horses are prey animals and therefore great compensators; they will create alternative locomotive patterns to continue movement.

So, say this little bit of osteoarthritis causes a reduced range of motion of the tarsal joint. In an attempt to maintain stride length and hide this dysfunction to potential predators (because you never know when a lion could be waiting around the corner... or a flapping plastic bag!) the tarsal (hock) joint is rotated medially (inwards) during the swing phase of the stride. This results in asymmetrical & medial weight bearing through the digit (hoof). This places additional stress through medial hamstring muscles, resulting in muscle tension and trigger points. And this is all something that is potentially going on in the affected hindlimb.

A hip hike/drop can occur at corresponding phases of the stride, placing the sacroiliac joint under stress, resulting in paraspinal and asymmetrical gluteal tone/pain.

Decreased impulsion from the left hindlimb leads to increased weight bearing through the right forelimb diagonal. This can create tension and hypertrophy to the right pectoral muscles and related fascial planes.

The spiral of compensation could continue on further, affecting cervical muscles that become hypertonic as a result of weight shifting, digit shape and size, TMJ pain, head tiling, hyoid dysfunction, asymmetric tail holding...

Check ligaments may strain on the overloaded limb, saddles may slip, mouths may open, head shaking may happen. And that doesn’t mean we have to put on a flash noseband, non-slip saddle pads and wear spurs to get more impulsion from the left hind that is through and through p a t h o l o g i c a l.

Often it can be the case where I see a horse that is a chronic stage of compensation and it can be difficult to find the true cause especially when the horse may appear just overall “stiff”.

I liken the rehabilitation of chronic cases to peeling the layers off an onion; one layer at a time and piece by piece to unravel and rewind the compensation spiral. 🐴

If this sparks a thought in anyone’s mind that actually, their horse may be suffering with this kind of pain presentation — follow your gut, trust that you know what is best for your horse and have your vet, physio, farrier, nutritionist, saddler, trainer all work with you and your horse to improve their comfort 🥰

04/11/2023

🌱☀️Spring is finally here! That means it's time to get those horses legged back up and ready for summer.

Massage and bodywork is an important part in keeping your horse happy, healthy and performing at their best! Don't forget those broodmares and even the babies at their sides. Some gentle work can be so beneficial for them.

Call or text me at 307-620-0034 for an appointment. I travel!