Balance Equine

01/01/2025

Some info on my favourite bone!

The 𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞 —one of the most beautifully designed structures in the cranium—plays a massive role in both humans and horses.

Often called bat-shaped due to its striking resemblance to a bat in flight, this bone is more than just a pretty shape.

💡𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?

The sphenoid bone connects with 𝟏𝟐 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬, making it a keystone of cranial stability. Its surface features a small saddle-shaped depression called the sella turcica (Latin for "Turkish seat" how suitable for horses!). Interestingly, this “saddle” cradles the 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 — a powerhouse organ that regulates growth, metabolism, and body composition by releasing hormones like 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐇 (adrenocorticotropic hormone).

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐇 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐚 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞 in stimulating the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which helps regulate:

▶ Metabolism
▶ Growth
▶ Stress response

𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲!

🔥 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫:

If the sphenoid bone is torsioned or compressed, it can disrupt pituitary function, mimicking metabolic syndromes in the body. 🧐 In humans, cranial dysfunctions have been misdiagnosed as metabolic disorders—which got me thinking...

👉 Could the same be happening in horses?

I believe the answer is YES, and I’m diving deeper into this fascinating topic—so stay tuned!

But here’s the exciting part...

🚨 We have ONE spot left in our 2025 Cranial Therapy Certification Cohort! 🚨
If you’ve been thinking about adding cranial work to your practice—this is your sign to apply today and start transforming the way you assess and treat your clients💥

For details visit link in bio (IG) or comments (FB) to grab your spot before it’s gone! ⏳

30/12/2024

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24/12/2024

✨ Wow, what a year it’s been! ✨

I’ve admittedly been a little quiet here, but I just wanted to take a moment to THANK YOU — my amazing clients — for making 2024 unforgettable. 💫

This year has been filled with growth, joy, and so many incredible moments, and I’m beyond grateful to be able to do what I love full-time. 🙏

I’m excited for what 2025 holds, and I can’t wait to continue working with all of you on your unique and amazing equine journeys. Here’s to more growth and all the good things ahead! 💖

Thank you for being a part of my journey. Let’s make next year even more incredible. ✨

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

06/12/2024

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28/11/2024

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I got a massive set of bones for my birthday this year, and I’ve been slowly working through them to get everything cleaned up and organized.

I’m hoping to create more educational content with the help of these horses, there are a lot of interesting bones - and I thought maybe I’d start here:

This is a set of coffin bones (the bone inside the hoof capsule) from the same pony. Her name is Izzy.

The coffin bone on the left is from her right hind. It shows a normal coffin bone shape and healthy bone density.

The coffin bone on the right is from her left front, a foot that suffered chronically from laminitis.

You can see how extreme the bone loss is, including the loss of density in the bone that remains (Swiss cheese look)

This is an extreme example, but bone loss like this can start to occur even with low grade chronic laminitis if it’s allowed to continue on unchecked.

If your hoofcare provider is hounding you to get your horse off grass - this is why they get so upset when you don’t do it.

If your horse gets “footy” in the spring and you put metal shoes on to “fix” it, you could be masking inflammation from laminitis.

Once that bone is gone, it’s gone.

With laminitis, prevention is key! Diet, exercise, frequent and balanced trimming - and don’t ignore the subtle signs!

05/11/2024

A little insight into the craniosacral work that I do with your horses!

The membrane system is one of the key pillars in your understanding of equine craniosacral therapy. In this webinar, we review the science behind the hallmar...

15/08/2024

These are always incredible changes to witness after one treatment!

11/08/2024

𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝?

EDIT: Please see additional information from Dr. Haussler in the comment section, in answer to your questions.

Every now and then, a Member of this community will ask Dr. Haussler a question - we like to share his answers with all of you.

"The funicular portion of the nuchal ligament passes over the C2 spinous process and is normally anchored by loose connective tissue to the bone below. As the horse’s head flexes and extends, that portion of the ligament must lengthen and shorten. It will normally stay in place along the midline (no “flipping” back and forth), also because there is a slight concavity on the top of the C2 spinous process.

However, with repetitive use, that soft tissue connection can break down. With atlantooccipital flexion, the nuchal ligament is stretched. With added lateral bending, that portion of the ligament is less anchored down and can displace off the spinous process and “pop” to one side or the other.

As with any displaced ligament or tendon, less tension and increased stabilization is required to help keep the structure in place. Otherwise, it displaces more often, and due to repeated local trauma, a bursa forms and fills with fluid, resulting in bursitis."

Image credit: Ivana Ruddock-Lange | Equine Anatomy in Layers

09/08/2024

04/08/2024

Some insight into the work that I do when I’m on your horse’s heads 🤓

03/08/2024

📣 Attention all current clients 📣

Please check your inboxes for an important email regarding rate changes effective September 1st. Your continued trust and support mean the world to us as we strive to provide the best care for your horses.

Thank you for being a part of our journey!

29/07/2024

Did you know?

𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐲: 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰?

Steel shoes on hooves can cause nerve and soft tissue damage through increased vibration on impact. These vibrations can destroy living tissue, and increased speed raises the vibration even higher, potentially causing more damage.

This statement is grounded in biomechanical studies that suggest the detrimental effects of vibrations caused by steel shoes. However, the exact impact can vary based on factors like the type of shoe, the surface the horse is moving on, and the individual horse's hoof structure.

For more detailed, scientific information, refer to the following sources:

* Bowker, R. M. (2003). Contrasting structural morphologies of “good” and “bad” footed horses. In Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (Vol. 49, pp. 186-209).
* Van Heel, M. C., Barneveld, A., van Weeren, P. R., & Back, W. (2004). Dynamic pressure distribution measurements on the distal forelimb in horses when walking on a hard surface. The Veterinary Journal, 167(1), 54-62.
* Benoit, P., Barrey, E., Regnault, J. C., & Brochet, J. L. (1993). Comparison of the damping effect of different shoeing by the measurement of hoof acceleration. Acta Anatomica, 146(2-3), 109-113.
* Moore LV, Zsoldos RR, Licka TF. Trot Accelerations of Equine Front and Hind Hooves Shod with Polyurethane Composite Shoes and Steel Shoes on Asphalt. Animals. 2019; 9(12):1119. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9121119

29/07/2024

⬇️ SUCH an important topic for horse owners and trainers ⬇️

09/07/2024

It's essential to understand that continuing to ride a horse experiencing back pain can significantly hinder the rehabilitation and recovery process. Addressing the pain first is vital.

1. **Increased Risk of Further Injury**:
Riding a horse in pain can exacerbate the existing injury and potentially lead to new issues. According to Haussler (1999), musculoskeletal pain in horses often results in compensatory movements that can strain other parts of the body, increasing the risk of further injury or accidents.

2. **Impaired Healing**:
Pain and inflammation can slow down the healing process. Persistent mechanical stress on an injured area due to riding can prevent tissues from recovering properly. Research by Dyson and Murray (2003) shows that inflammation associated with continued activity can delay the healing of soft tissues, prolonging recovery.

Riding through back pain is not the answer.

Often we see horses, from subtle to severe signs of back pain, being trained through the dysfunction. There's a strange notion that "more work" will somehow make it better. I'm here to tell you this is irrational and not supported in human therapeutic science. If something in your own body is injured, painful, and dysfunctional, adding load or mechanical force is never indicated—so why is this consistently done to horses?

Consider a bruise, for example, a very small-scale injury of the superficial soft tissues. While tiny in nature, nobody enjoys when someone else pushes on their bruise. Why not? Simply put, it hurts. Now, apply this small example to larger, more robust structures such as the spine, spinal cord, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and even organs. Soft tissue injuries share similar physiological characteristics to a bruise but on a much larger scale. In a bruise, there are broken blood vessels, leakage of interstitial fluids, and pain. In a larger scale soft tissue injury, all these occur and more.

So, why are people riding horses through back pain? Receiving a clear X-ray for Kissing Spine does not equate to “clear” for all pathology. It means the horse does not have one pathology. There are in fact close to one hundred possible spinal pathologies that exist for humans ranging from structural to neurological to congenital, which can be further subdivided into a hefty list of soft tissue disorders.

Yet all too often we see a horse obtaining clearance from one singular examination and it's put back into work without addressing the actual reason for the back pain.

No human is ever advised to load and compress an acute injury. Let that one sink in.

This is the backward thinking in the horse industry that I cannot wrap my head around.

If there is pain, there is a reason, likely damage to one of the many structures beneath the saddle.

Please never ride a horse that has back pain. Stop, consider the welfare of this animal and do better. Your horse is depending on you.

01/07/2024

Very excited to listen in on this topic with Veterinary Compendium, Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf-Training, Clinics, Educational Material, and EQ Therapeutics 🤩

23/05/2024

Dissections have quickly become my favourite form of learning!

Day 1 Completed and we already have much educational content to share. Primary takeaways, stress in the body is real. Just because you cannot see it from the outside or decide to ignore the behavioral signs, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Over the coming weeks we will share some of the ways excess cortisol can negatively affect the body of the horse, but for today, we are in need of some decompression as we prepare for Day 2

10/05/2024

⬇️ My #1 recommendation with all of my clients ⬇️

09/05/2024

I’m thrilled to unveil a brand new logo for Balance Equine, lovingly crafted by my dear friend, 🎨✨

I believe in the power of balance in all aspects of life – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. My balanced holistic and science-based approach reflects my commitment to supporting the well-being, happiness, and harmony of both horses and their humans.

This new logo, beautifully crafted to embody the essence of Balance Equine, serves as a reminder of the importance of harmony and balance in our relationships with horses and in our own lives.

Thank you, Sarah, for bringing my vision to life with such grace and beauty. I am beyond grateful for your talent and dedication!

Thank you to everyone for your continued support on this journey! I am excited to continue serving the equestrian community with passion, integrity, and a deep reverence for the balance that connects us all.