Balancing Point- Osteopathic Equine Body Work & Training

11/06/2024

Had a wonderful couple of days working in Central Oregon. It’s always such a pleasure to be here.
Also to see Miles, a long time client of mine. I have been working with him for 8 years 💗

11/06/2024

Hello lovely folks!
Green Animal Osteopathy / Martine Groeneveld will be in Oregon in October.
I am reaching out to everyone who has been working with us. As well as everyone who expressed interest.

If you don’t hear from me in the next 2-3 days please reach out me. 541-525-5689.

18/05/2024

I will be in the Hillsboro and Beaverton Area June 23rd and 24th!
I currently have availability!
Please text me at 541-525-5689 if you would like your horse to receive bodywork.

15/05/2024

Show Season is in full swing! Hooray!!!

Please remember that bodywork is preventative work!
Book a session earlier in the season to keep your equine athlete happy and comfortable!
Good Luck this year and have fun!

02/04/2024

Hello,

Thank you for your continued trust in me over the years. It has been nothing but an honor to work with you and horses.
I am joyed to have expanded my work to humans over the past few years. It has all been nothing but a journey of continuous learning.

I have held off as long as I could with raising prices. With the inflation over the past few years I am finally at a point where it is necessary to do so.

New Prices Effective May 2024:

Eugene/Springfield Area:$135

Outside of Eugene/Springfield(within Oregon):$165

Outside of Oregon: please inquire with Rachel about pricing (minimum of 8 horses to travel)

06/02/2024

Edit:spot filled-thank you!
Hillsboro Area folks!
I just had 1 spot open up for equine body work Sunday February 11th.
Please text me to claim the spot!

01/02/2024

I just sent out emails and texts for Green Animal Osteopathy / Martine Groeneveld being in Oregon March 18th-22nd.

If we have talked about you working with Martine and if you have not heard from me please text me 541-525-5689 or email me [email protected]

06/11/2023

Lane County Area horse folks!
Come check out this free seminar hosted by South Willamette Vet Clinic.
Emergency happen with our beloved horses. Being prepared and educated can help make these scary situations more manageable.
All the information is available via the flyer.

15/10/2023

Salem spots filled. Thank you.

15/10/2023

I sent out dates for Salem and Lane County today: please check emails and texts. If I missed you please text me at 541-525-5689.

15/10/2023

Salem Area:
I will be working on horses Monday, November 13th.
I have 1 spot is open currently. Please text me at 541-525-5689 to snag a spot for your horse.

13/10/2023

Some fantastic information!
One of the big reason my clients hear me recommending seasonal detox for their horses.

03/10/2023

Hi everyone!
I have been very busy the last month with some changes in my life, moving and working.
Thank you everyone for your patience with scheduling. I am working on getting back to everyone.
Please keep a look out in the next week for dates for Lane County, Salem and Central Oregon.
Happy October 🍁

11/09/2023

Made a new friend while working up north today

20/08/2023

Portland & Surrounding areas:
I will be working on horses September 11th-12th.
Please contact me via text 541-525-5689 or DM to grab a spot.

19/08/2023

This sweet girl is still looking for the perfect person!
She is a kind and sweet mare that loves to work and loves her person.
A 5* home is a must.

Chestnut Thoroughbred Mare, Atlethic OTTB Mare Ready For Any Direction in Oregon. DreamHorse.com is the premier horse classifieds site with horses for sale, lease, adoption, and auction, breeding stallions, and more.

09/08/2023

Central Oregon!
I just added a half day to my trip--August 20th.
I have 2 spots currently open; Sunday, August 20th only!
Please message me ASAP to snag one of the spots!

26/07/2023

Rachel with Balancing Point- Osteopathic Equine Body Work & Training is coming August 20th & 21st! Please let me know asap if you’d like to schedule your pony for a spa day. Spots fill fast ❤️🐴

20/07/2023

Portland Oregon and surrounding areas!
I am working on getting the talented Green Animal Osteopathy / Martine Groeneveld to Portland OR(surrounding areas) end of September.
Please text me 541-525-5689 to be sure you are on the list/get on the list. We will only be spending 1-3 days North

12/07/2023

04/06/2023

Martine’s schedule! She will be in Oregon Eugene and possibly Portland area! Message me or Martine.

15/05/2023

Northern Oregon(Hillsboro, St.Helens, and surrounding areas)
I am needing to RESCHEDULE the trip to JUNE 1st and 2nd.
If you haven't heard from me via text please reach out.
Please text or call 541-525-5689 to get on the list.

09/05/2023

Tight hip flexors can change the position of your seat, pulling you forward. Imagine what tight hip flexors do to your horse!

09/05/2023

Hi Everyone,
I have been having a lot of fun comparing muscles between humans and horses lately.
I thought I would start sharing some of the comparisons.
Recently, I have been focusing a lot on the hip flexor group! Hip flexors are very important for us horseback riders. They are also very important for horses and their ability to "sit" under saddle.

I will break down the A(action), O (origin), I (insertion), and N (nerve)

A quick anatomy lesson: The Action is what action/motion the muscle helps the corresponding joints to do.
Origin is where the muscle originally attaches muscle to the tendon and is the least movable part. While the Insertion is the point where the muscle attaches the tendon to bone as well but has the most motion possibility.
Nerve is the nerve that innervates the muscle(fibers). I talked to a lot of people about the health of the spine in terms of healthy blood, lymph and nerve flow. Think about that idea when reading through the N section of the muscle.

⭐The first muscle I am sharing is the Iliacus: This muscle isn't the most famous compared to its friend the Psoas but it still has an important part to play as a hip flexor. Together with the psoas major muscle, it is also called the iliopsoas muscle.⭐

Iliacus(Human Anatomy):
A:
With the origin fixed:
Flexes the hip
May laterally rotate the hip

With the insertion fixed:
Flex the trunk toward the thigh
Tilt the pelvis *anteriorly(*forward)

O:
Iliac fossa

I:
Lesser Trochanter

N:
Femoral Nerve
L 1,2,3,4

Iliacus(Horse Anatomy):
A:
Flexes hip joint, advances limb and rotates hip joint laterally.

O:
Sacropelvic surface of ilium, pelvic surface of sacrum, and tendon of smaller psoas muscle.

I:
Lesser Trochanter

N:
Ventral branches of the lumbar nerves

Conclusion:
Anatomists change the wording a little of the placement of the muscle and innervation but as a whole, there isn’t much variation in this muscle from horse to human!
Lumbar health affects the health of the iliacus. Keeping this muscle strong helps with both low back pain and the health of the hip for both horse and rider.

Let me know if you found this fun and informative and I will keep posting weekly muscles. Just comment down below to let me know 😀

03/05/2023

These are important things to be aware of during this spring! Especially for metabolic and non metabolic horses

Can you tell if your horse is affected by the sugars in the grass this spring?

Do you know the signs of mild laminitic issues?

They might not be what you think! Not every case will have heat and pulses, they may not react to hoof testers, and may not be leaning back in the “founder stance.” So what do we look for?

A GREAT summary can be found on safergrass.org, but I will paraphrase it here.

Early signs of hoof inflammation or laminitic pain can be VERY subtle.

🚩Your horse may be totally fine at the walk, but in turn out, may choose to trot when they would normally canter, or one who usually trots like a dressage horse may start jogging like a western pleasure horse.
🚩They may start “lagging behind” their herd mates in turn out or if ridden on a group ride.
🚩 Your horse is more comfortable on soft ground than hard ground, especially where a difference wasn’t noticeable before.
🚩Your horse may seemingly “not want to work” or seem more “lazy” than normal
🚩Your horse may only be slightly off at the trot in hand and only in one direction, usually with the more sore foot to the inside. And yes, they may only seem lame on one foot!
🚩Your horse may not bend inside as well under saddle to the side with the more sore front foot.
🚩 They are more careful about where they put their feet and may “notice the ground more.”
🚩They may turn a little slower, and instead of crossing one leg over another on a sharp turn (like in a barn aisle) may instead shuffle their feet sideways to make the turn.
🚩 They “just don’t move out like they normally do.”

Because of these subtle signs, mild laminitis is often mistaken for laziness, or blamed on arthritis. Many of these problems will disappear on good, soft footing.

Just because your horse is moving better on soft footing does not mean things are okay! Even with using a shoeing package or hoof protection for comfort, these alone do not stop the laminitic damage within the foot. With the pain masked without addressing the trigger, internal damage can be done without the owner realizing the extent.

If there is any chance that your horse is exhibiting even “just” mild laminitis, do not force exercise until the cause is addressed. Even in hand work can lead to further laminae damage.

90% of laminitis is endocrinopathic - meaning due to a metabolic concern- and this time of year the grass can lead to many problems for these horses. Removing the trigger should resolve the pain fairly quickly. If they are still painful, keep looking for the cause! Bloodwork, diet changes, and removal from grass is necessary in these active metabolic cases. When caught and managed well, these horses can recover to soundness and go on to lead healthy, sound, productive lives, with management to mitigate further issues in the future.

And as always, Ecirhorse.org is an amazing resource if you are in a laminitic crisis.

03/05/2023

Had the great pleasure of working on this incredible horse this last weekend. He is truly a special horse.

18/04/2023

Northern Oregon(Hillsboro, St.Helens and surrounding areas)
I will be heading your way for equine bodywork May 17th, 18th and 19th.
Please text or call 541-525-5689 to get on the list.

18/04/2023

I’m so excited to see osteopathy getting more attention here in the US!
It’s exciting how information is being spread so more horses can receive the care they need!

https://thehorse.com/198248/complementary-therapies-for-horses-2/?fbclid=IwAR16xv0Gfl8G3ozI9nLutCf3yWQuSISsZies8CjaazzgrMBnM3MquULALd4

Learn about reasons to use complementary therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic for your horse and the research behind them.