Hannah’s Equine Bodywork Services

07/17/2025

Conformation . . . Or posture? A ways to go yet but this girl is on fire! 🔥

07/16/2025

I have not been keeping this page updated, and it’s because I’ve been busy working on a bigger project. 💪🏻

✨What’s something you’ve always wanted from a boarding facility, but struggled to find?✨

As a horse owner, I how hard it can be to find a facility that truly caters to the horse. Personally, I want my horses to have access to high quality forage 24/7. With current science, we know that feeding hay two to three times a day is an outdated and stressful way to keep horses.

Another big thing for me is enrichment. Many horses are confined to stalls, and while I’m not here to start debate, I would like to share my take.

We have numerous studies that demonstrate stall kept horses have an increase in stress responses, metabolic concerns, and injury. I used to look at stall boarding as a luxury. I don’t know about you, but nowadays I prefer enrichment, and plenty of it.

Movement is such an overlooked thing too. Horses are designed to travel miles upon miles per day. Our pasture kept horses cannot keep up with that. Stalled horses even less so.

It doesn’t have to be that way though. Track systems offer enrichment, movement, and allow a more natural environment for an emotionally regulated herd.

I plan to post more on track systems. But the idea is to create lanes for horses to travel through, strategically placing shelter, enrichment areas, feed and water stations. Doing so encourages the horses to move through the track between locations, increasing movement significantly.

So! Long story short, our family had the opportunity to buy a beautiful home on land that will allow us to create not just a home for us, but for our equine family too. We will be creating a true haven for horses, from a manicured track pasture system, to a permanent obstacle course and outdoor arena. We are so grateful to be able to offer truly horse-first services, this dream has been in the works for a couple years now!

✨We will be accepting a small number of boarders that share our vision for a better way of horse keeping. I will post more updates the closer we get to opening. Lastly, thank you to all of my clients, you guys are helping make this happen! I cannot wait to share this with all of you!!✨

07/08/2025

Hi all! I’ve shared this on my personal page but will share here as well. A good friend, Amelia DiStefano, and her family lost their home on July 4 to a fire. They also lost many beloved pets. Amelia is a huge part of the local horse community, as a farrier and barn owner. She has the biggest heart, and is always finding ways to help someone out. They need to replace the well to continue taking care of all the horses and other animals on the property, as well as replace much of what was lost. Please consider contributing if you can, and please share!

Hi all! I am Hannah Huson, a friend of Amelia DiStefano. Early this morning, July 4, Ame… Hannah Huson needs your support for Aid for the DiStefano Family

07/03/2025

This is a really good example of posture vs conformation. I truly believe the majority of horses that are given names such as downhill, mutton-withered, camped under, over at the knee, too straight of a shoulder, etc, most likely have not been given the tools to develop in a way suited to a riding horse. In my opinion this can be done correctly on the ground, before a horse is ever ridden.

When we go to the gym for the first time and learn to squat, would we have known how to have proper form without being taught? Would we add weight/difficulty with poor posture or form? Probably not.

This horse began to engage his dorsal neck, thoracic sling and core. Then, when the hind end lifts the body, it is not fighting against poor, slouched forward posture.

I am of the mindset that if we ignore posture, we see the need for bandaids. Arthritis and injections are everywhere. Tendon and ligament injuries too. Why do we have these issues in humans? Typically from loading and using our bodies poorly, and lack of proper strength and development. Horses are no different.

The problems are there long before the arthritis is discovered or a ligament is torn. Yet so many of us, myself included in the past, say we don’t know how this happened — they were working fine last week. Were they truly?

05/01/2025

What are those lines? 🤔👀

Lines of Blaschko

Named after the German dermatologist Alfred Blaschko. These are patterns on the skin that reflect the migration of cells during embryonic development.

They can often show up during lymphatic drainage, which is why they can sometimes be seen during treatment sessions!

Pretty cool!

I took this yesterday whilst working on this beautiful mare, they came up after working on the fascia over her ribcage and had gone by the time we had finished her treatment 🥰

(I am happy for you to share your experience and knowledge of these lines for us all to learn from but please can i ask you be sensitive and respectful in the wording to not send my lovely client into a catastrophizing spiral!)

04/23/2025

💛

Turnout is one of the most polarizing topics in modern horse keeping. So, let’s skip the debate. We’ve gathered some results from veterinary science, peer-reviewed journals, and international welfare assessments. These are real numbers, from real studies, so you can make strategic decisions rooted in evidence, not tradition.

-A 25% reduction in soft tissue injuries was found in adult horses turned out for at least 12 hours daily, compared to those kept in stalls greater than 12 hours daily. (Reilly & Bryk-Lucy, 2021)

-Comparing turnout duration, a study found that horses with only 2 hours of turnout exhibited significantly higher energy levels, anxiety, and behaviors such as rearing, bucking, and fence running, whereas horses receiving over 12 hours of turnout were more likely to walk, graze, and remain calm. (Hockenhull & Creighton, 2010)

-Foals receiving inconsistent turnout (9 to 23 hours per day) had 4.6 times more musculoskeletal injuries than those with 24/7 access to turnout. Furthermore, for every extra acre of turnout, there was a 24% reduction in injury risk. (Brown-Douglas et al., 2022)

-A study on 2-year-old horses found that those kept in individual stalls required more time to get used to training activities and showed more unwanted behaviors, like resistance or agitation, than horses kept on pasture. The stalled horses needed an average of 26 minutes of training time, while the pastured horses needed only 19 minutes, to complete the same task. Additionally, the stalled horses were more likely to show unwanted behaviors during training (8 instances on average compared to just 2 for pastured horses). (Rivera et al., 2002)

-Stall-kept livestock experience a higher incidence of hoof-related issues, including uneven hoof growth and lameness, while those with access to turnout demonstrated healthier, more balanced hoof development. (Black, R.A. et al., 2017)

-A European welfare study using the AWIN protocol assessed 315 horses in group-housing turnout systems. Only 2.3% of these horses exhibited signs of lameness, compared to lameness rates as high as 33% in stalled horses across various studies. (AWIN Welfare Assessment, 2023)

-Within just one day of moving from group turnout to individual stalling, equine cortisol levels spike, and their white blood cell count shows significant changes, including a 25% increase in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and a decrease in infection-fighting cells like monocytes and T cells. Additionally, behaviors indicative of stress, such as oral manipulation, neighing, pawing, and apathy, became evident in most horses within a week. (Schmucker et al., 2022)

-Horses with regular turnout showed higher heart rate variability, indicating improved balance in their autonomic nervous system and greater stress resilience. (Rietmann et al., 2004)

-Welsh ponies who received daily pasture turnout in a herd exhibited fewer stress-related behaviors, were significantly calmer, less fearful, less reactive, more interactive with humans, and more adaptable in learning tasks compared to ponies housed in impoverished environments (stalls with limited turnout). Even three months after the study, ponies in the enriched group retained these positive behaviors and demonstrated higher curiosity and superior learning performance. (Lansade et al., 2014)

Can you find a single peer-reviewed study that shows horses kept stabled 24/7 are sounder, healthier, or happier than those with regular turnout? Even the most finely tuned, performance-focused horses are still horses. Just like any other, they require room to roam, stretch their legs, and engage in natural behaviors such as grazing and socializing.

It’s important to recognize that no horse truly dislikes turnout. If a horse resists going outside, it’s due to improper conditioning, previous negative experiences, or being overwhelmed by a sudden change in environment: what’s known as "flooding." Horses who’ve been confined for extended periods or who’ve never had proper exposure to outdoor spaces may react with anxiety or reluctance. These reactions stem from fear, not from an inherent dislike of turnout. With patience and gradual exposure, every horse can be reconditioned to embrace the outdoors. After all, instincts tell them to roam, graze, and move, it's in their nature.

Of course, there are times when limiting a horse's movement is necessary, such as during health issues or transportation. In these instances, it’s crucial to understand the physiological and psychological changes that occur so we can minimize stress and discomfort.

Turnout is a biological necessity. To support our horses’ overall health and well-being, we must prioritize their freedom to move. After all, a healthy, happy horse is one that has the opportunity to be just that: a horse.

04/16/2025

I normally like to post about an upcoming event beforehand, and update on it after. This time the experience was going to be a lot different, and I honestly wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Over this past weekend, I went down to Amelia’s place in Dowagiac, Motivity Equine Track Rehab Distefano Whole Horse Hoof Care where Lorre Meuller of Trinity Equine Services was hosting an equine dissection.

I went into it with the intention of having an open mind, and letting the horse be the teacher as always.

On the last day the significance of that really hit me on my drive in. The day before there had been a moment where I looked at the body of our teacher, and felt overwhelming gratitude. I could feel in that moment, that while she was no longer there, she was still with us, guiding us through her body.

Every horse has things to teach us. The magnitude of that increases immensely when surrounded by a group of horsewomen who are truly passionate about their own growth, and taking every drop of knowledge the horse can give. I again, have found a like-minded community, each with their own talents to offer, and the gift that that is, is not lost on me.

Thank you to Lorre and Amelia for making this happen, to Satin for giving us such an intimate learning experience, and of course all the ladies that attended that fueled such wonderful discussions. I truly appreciate all the connections that were made, and will be sharing bits and pieces as I process through them.

03/30/2025

Psst.

8+ weeks is too long.

I said what I said. 🤷‍♀️

Hooves grow an average of a 1/4" per month.

What's traditional is not always harmless.

Just because it "didn't kill them" doesn't mean it is optimal.

It isn't about "looking long" or not.

It's about the entire animal above the hoof. It's time to get curious about it.

It's the difference between damage control, good enough, and the best we can give them.

03/18/2025

Love this so much!

I often work with owners who are frustrated by the disconnect between their horse’s diagnosis and real-world movement. X-rays and scans provide valuable insights into structural changes, but they don’t tell the whole story. They capture what is visible—but not what is felt.

A horse can have severe degenerative changes but no pain or lameness.

Another may show mild abnormalities but suffer significant discomfort and restriction.

X-Rays Don’t Measure Pain—Only Structure

Key Considerations:

X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs only show what is imaged—they do not tell us how a horse feels or moves.

Pathological changes are often incidental findings—not always the cause of poor performance.

Horses, like people, have individual pain thresholds. Two horses with the same X-ray findings may have completely different experiences of pain and mobility.

Real-World Example:
I have worked with horses whose X-rays were “awful”, yet they moved beautifully because their bodies were mobile and balanced. Conversely, I have seen horses with minimal findings on scans but who were deeply uncomfortable due to tissue restrictions and compensatory patterns.

The Power of Whole-Body Mobility

We tend to hyper-focus on specific joints or injuries, but the truth is, a horse moves as a single unit from nose to tail.

When one part stiffens or compensates, the whole system is affected.

I’ve seen it time and time again… A horse with “terrible” X-rays moving beautifully because their body is mobile and balanced, while another with only minor findings struggles with stiffness and discomfort.

Pathology doesn’t always equal pain. Some horses adapt incredibly well to structural changes, while others suffer from compensatory patterns and restrictions that aren’t even visible on scans.

I’ve lost count of how many horses had their hocks injected with minimal improvement—yet when their entire body was mobilized, their movement returned to normal.

If your horse has a diagnosis, remember:
💡 Care for them as a horse first, pathology second
💡 Focus on whole-body mobility—not just the problem area ⚠️
💡 Take each day as it comes—because movement is more than what an X-ray can see!

03/17/2025

Even Loading

When we look at the horse’s body, we’ve got to remember just how intricately everything is connected. Small amounts of pressure on the tongue and hyoid can completely change range of motion in the hind end. Changes in tooth balance can affect hoof angulation and alter gait. The fascial system is around every muscle and organ. It allows muscles to slide over one another. It wraps around and even through bone, literally connecting the entire body, front to back and top to bottom.

If we’re looking at tension in one area, and trying to address it, we need to also look at where else in the body may be affected. When fascia is restricted, there is without a doubt tension at the opposite end of the chain, and along it as well.

When addressing horses who are closed at the A/O, or dropped through their spine, it’s a key indicator for me to also look at the hind feet. There is a finite amount of tissue — the body can only stretch so far.

Things like under run heels and NPA tend do go hand in hand with postural issues.

When the body is frequently in a defensive, upright posture, that brace pulls everything else forward.

I often see pelvic tilts and a number of axial rotations below when a horse is used to bracing over their cervical spine, which is a natural place to guard as a prey animal.

When we follow this down to the foot, we often see the horse camped under themselves, and weighting their toe due to the pull from above heel engagement becomes difficult. Remember, there’s a finite amount of tissues to stretch. When this happens, the caudal foot cannot engage properly, the joints no longer load straight up the limb, and then suspensories are not able to do their job and offer the spring/suspension the joints and body need.

I see a lot of farriers/trimmers thrown under the bus for being at fault with under run heels. Many times, we really need to address what is going on in the body, or the feet cannot be used correctly, and will not grow a good caudal foot as they should. If the farrier is not blamed, it is often thought that the horse has weak feet, or that their feet are just s*** due to their breed or discipline. Rarely is this ever true when on a good diet and getting adequate movement.

If there’s any sort of hoof pathology, look at your cycle. If it’s longer than 2-3 weeks, you will most likely have a hard time getting ahead of the dysfunction.

Then address the use of the foot. If we’re trying to make changes to the foot, we also need to change how it is being used. If we don’t make any change to the movement, how will the growth change?

Encouraging a horse to use its digital cushion, and load itself evenly over the foot, allows them to find better movement. We often look at the upper body when working, and fail to realize just how important loading is from the ground up. If we’re off down below, the joint spaces will not line up, and nothing above will have full function either.

Therefore, if we’re looking at impulsion, lift, softness and engagement through the topline, we must also be looking at foot placement. Is the horse stepping in a way that loads evenly, and distributes the forces well from both above and below? Is there rotation anywhere in the limb standing or in motion?

If the horse is not loading correctly, can we truly expect their thoracic sling to engage? Can we expect the hind end to provide power and support?

Probably not.

When addressing the body, we should also be looking to the feet, and how best to support them. Do they need more frequent trimming? Help with proprioception and loading? Relief from the stress of rotation? More shock absorption if their body is failing to provide it?

If there’s an opportunity to inspire better movement, better posture, better biomechanics, we truly need to support from every angle possible. All of the pieces of the body work together. We cannot address the distal limb and body alone and expect to achieve the same results as improving both.

03/14/2025

Another day, another learning opportunity! 🐴

03/13/2025

The body of wants to heal.

Navicular Rehab and Hoof Adaptability

Looking at these photos, which are of the SAME FOOT by the way, you think I’d be ecstatic with the change in the back half of the foot (and corresponding progress to soundness for this horse).

But to be honest, I almost get a little angry.

I get angry that so many navicular cases like this case are given up on or told to be euthanized just because they have such a weak foot, without attempting to strengthen it or take the time to grow in a healthier hoof.

I get angry that the navicular bone damage or DDFT/collateral ligament/other soft tissue damage is blamed for lameness, without the health of the frog or hoof capsule taken into account.

I get angry that people constantly blame genetics or conformation for things like low heels, long toes, thin soles.

I get angry that people say that the digital cushion and back half of the foot “can’t improve” once it has atrophied.

I look at these photos and see this beautiful gelding trotting by soundly, rehabbed back to ridden work last year walk/trot/canter after so many gave up on him, and want to scream it from the rooftops: diet and movement can mean the difference between crummy feet and rockcrunching feet, proper hoof rehab can mean the difference between, quite literally, life and death.

That’s my drama post for the day.

Photos both show the same untrimmed foot mid-cycle (first was after shoe pull, before hoof rehab), which was the previously lame foot on a navicular case with bone damage and corresponding soft tissue damage, as well as other body-wide compensations. Apologies for the dirty mud season foot 🙃

(If you want to learn more about how we rehab navicular cases, I have an entire ebook on it here - print copy is sold out and on backorder currently) - https://thehumblehoof.com/product/navigating-navicular-disease-an-optimistic-guide-for-a-pessimistic-diagnosis-ebook/