MV Equine Bodywork

12/02/2024

Such a great day down in Yachats today working with this senior herd. 🩵

A frosty and cold start to the day. The sun had just come over the treeline when I got there, and I worked till the light was leaving us.

My heart is so full. Lovely souls.

10/31/2024

I love working with horses. I love helping them feel better in their body. When I’m headed out to a session, I really never know what it entails. There’s not a script I follow. And I try to tune into what the horse needs for the day.

A couple of weeks ago I met Calvin. He was definitely one of the most interesting sessions I’ve had as about 35 to 45 minutes in, he decided it was nap time. After he laid down, and went flat out, I had a few seconds of wondering if I should get him up. We need to continue his session after all…. But that little guiding voice reminded me if this is what he needs this is what he gets. So we left him. For an hour and 15 minutes. 😂

Yesterday I went back to the barn to work on a few horses, and I wanted to check in on Calvin. I wanted to see how he felt energetically and under my hands. I just went into his stall and took a photo because I like to see where I left them, and where they are now.

As always, I am continuously, amazed by the ability horses have to let go of things. Some days I’m envious of the ease in which they reach for what feels good. How does this make me feel in my body and how do I find the best thing? I feel as humans, we often are taught how to manipulate this ability in a horse. How do we make something painful so they reach for something different, something that we want.

But in all reality, we would all be a lot healthier if we listen to our bodies more. Each cell in our body continuously strives for balance. For health. It is literally our alignment system. The foundation of our health and one humans are often taught to ignore. We ignore it until there’s pain. Pain that we ignore because we are too busy, too disconnected, too emotionally unable. And then we’re taught to numb it when it’s too much. Or we bypass it with medication. This doesn’t stop the body crying out for change, we just can’t hear it anymore. Much like horses living in our world.

So when I see a horse a couple of weeks or a month after a session and they’ve held the changes beautifully and actually improved more, I’m always ecstatic. It’s what makes my heart sing. It’s why I do what I do when it’s long days and cold and rainy. Or on long days it’s so hot I’m leaving sweat marks and the flies are incessant. It’s my clients who are ready to dive into the whole with me that keeps me going. And yes, I mean ‘whole’. Whole horse, mind and body.

Grab your cup, the koolaid is nourishing! 🥹

10/18/2024

How do you feel when asked if you feel safe? In general, I think most of use feel ‘safe’ to a degree. How does ‘safe’ feel in your body? Is it longer, deeper breaths? Is it the giddy feeling of doing anything you want? What makes that safe? The space? The container? The lack of expectation?

How does it feel when there is no danger around you? No fear of it? How do you get to that safe place? Controlling that around you? Or seeking that control within? Is feeling safe in your body and surrounding actually finding peace?

“Peace.
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~unknown

Calvin showed us what it meant to feel safe and find peace this week in his first session with me. The power was out so there was a generator running on and off during the day. Admist the chaos, he went within. He found some peace.
I introduced myself to Calvin and slowly brought his kidney energy online. He seems to me to be the stoic type. The one who hides it all in order for others to gain.

Once kidney was online I asked him if he wanted to soften into his body a little. He responded in a way I hadn’t experienced quite like before. It turns out he was struggling with some health issues the week before and showing him he was home, he was seen, he was safe, and he was guarded was all he needed. He laid down about 30-40 minutes into our session and took a much needed sleep. He even had REM sleep while we watched over him. Drool and all. 😆

The cutest part was he would periodically make eye contact with me or his owner to make sure we were aware and on guard for him. I think he took about and hour and fifteen minute nap. Shifting between lying flat out or on his sternum. Through it all we reassured him he was guarded. He was safe. It was ok to let go.

What a wonderful session it was with Calvin and his owner. I never know what to expect when I meet new clients. What a great week it was helping horses feel better in their bodies.

💛🤍💛

10/06/2024

Always a great day working on Fynn.

09/27/2024

It was a great day helping ponies feel better in their bodies and minds. 🩵

09/08/2024

08/31/2024

Looking for compression points -

For me, looking at your horse's topline isn't just about whether they have muscle or not; it's looking at the overall shape of their topline and being able to hypothesise the orientation of the anatomy under the skin.

Once you can do this, you'll be better informed to make a plan to support their development - whether that is seeking professional guidance (veterinary/bodywork etc.), altering your management or choosing exercises to develop their posture and musculature.

📸 generous permission from
🎨 by me

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Want to learn how to do this?

Join me in my next live webinar where you will learn exactly how to do this and:

- How to feel for muscle wastage even in horses that are overweight
- How to see compression points throughout the horse's topline
- How to determine if your horse should be ridden or not.

02.09.2024 19:00 BST

Recording available after the event if you can't attend live! ❤️

08/13/2024

It’s always a good day donating my time working with the therapy horses at Horses of Hope Oregon. They are always so appreciative.

Love horses? Wanna give back? Come volunteer with this great organization.

❤️🐴❤️

07/31/2024

I guess today was a golden Tuesday….

3 different clients…. All palominos!

💛🧡💛🧡💛🧡

07/17/2024

Decompression without expectation. Without a goal. The gift of unconditional time. The greatest gift we can give our horses so they can emotional regulate for themselves.

I love this ‘work’ so much.

06/11/2024

It’s always a wonderful day giving my time to my favorite therapy equines at Horses of Hope Oregon. They work so hard and deserve some spa time and re-balancing.

Meet Big Mac the draft and Oakley, a new member to the team!