Located in San Diego County, Elements Equine Bodyworks offers massage to the equine athlete. Our body It is not a replacement of veterinary care.
Disclaimer: Equine massage therapy compliments regular routine veterinary care. If you have any concerns or are not sure about a specific injury, condition or lameness occurrence, it is highly recommended you consult with a veterinarian.
Here’s a little before and after sternum magic. ✨ This is why I love nerve release! Even with a little high/low hoof asymmetry, we were able to achieve chest balance and a wider stance with bodywork alone after 1, one hour session. My hope is this will set in motion healthier biomechanic patterns for this mare, leading to more even hoof growth.
This has been a labor of love! I'm thrilled to announce I'm officially a Lazaris Nerve Release Practitioner and am beyond excited to be able to offer this amazing modality to as many ponies as possible!
I cannot thank Celeste-Leilani Lazaris and Katherine Lowry enough for all of their kindness, support, and knowledge over the last 6+ months. My practice as a horsewoman and bodyworker has grown in so many ways and I cannot wait to see where this beautiful community takes me in the future!
Also, a HUGE thank you to all of my wonderful clients that lent me their horses for case studies over the past few months, I couldn't have done it without you!
www.elementsequine.com
“My experience with Equinology has been nothing short of extraordinary. Having completed three onsite courses, I’ve consistently been astounded by the depth of knowledge and expertise demonstrated by Deb! Becoming a Level 2 Body Worker has always been a goal of mine, and I’m so thrilled it’s finally happened!
Equinology has truly elevated my understanding and practice within the equine bodywork field, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking top-tier education in equine care and wellness.”
~Natalie Darmody EEBWII, find her at www.elementsequine.com or 🩵
TALES OF LOUIE - THOROUGHBREDS, SORE FEET & LIFE UNSHOD
Up until recently I had sort of the ignorant notion in the back of my mind that all thoroughbreds have sore feet. Maybe because it was so very unusual to see one that had a heel and some mass to it. I was told once crushed, it was over for the digital cushion and a life of therapeutic shoeing was all there was .
When I was on the track they would scrape and pare those little feet out every 4 weeks taking large chunks of sole and bar and anything else that might possibly lend some integrity to the foot. You would not see much growth of this hard little piece of keratin and collagen and what not stuff that was responsible for not collapsing into despair sandwiched between the 1000lbs of gravitational and the equally daunting ground reaction forces - what's a foot to do ??
On the racetrack a horse might never walk on a surface harder than a dirt path that gives way under these forces.
Foot sore ?? No worries just slap a shoe on it, it will be fine.
I was told over and over that Louie could never ever be barefoot.
He would be too sore
It was INHUMANE
I wondered if he was sore barefoot does that mean he is sore with his shoes but he just doesn't feel it as bad?
Periodically I would try to answer these questions by blocking his feet, would he look different ?? Would that help me 'know' if he was in pain?
The blocks did not change him and I was able to take that data and say well then his feet must not bother him.
But then why was he so braced in his front end ? so tight in his shoulders ?? still in extension with his spine and angry when I would move towards his chest to ask him to shift his center of mass back ( AKA pillar 2)
How could I ever know if his feet were hurting all the time and he was just 'coping' as many of them do??? This bothered me greatly to not be able to answer this.
I have learned that there is no better feeling in the world than the ABSENCE of pain - damn, it feels good to not be in pain !!!
I know now that for the first time since I have owned Louie he is not in subclinical foot pain. His stride, his posture, his demeanor and muscle tension are all completely different.
You can see in the pictures how he was 'bracing' against the ground - we have all felt that way if you have ever been in shoes that didn't fit right and you sort of energetically scrunched your foot so that it could not expend any more in the shoe - tensing the muscles in the upper part of the leg to support this
Louie spent 5 years doing that
Till we took off the shoes and gave him a trim that was able to biomechanically absorb and recoil to those gravitational and ground reaction forces
SO he could stop bracing against those forces that were trying to implode his foot
I don't claim to know much about being a farrier or a horse but I do know a lot about pain, and it sucks
Pain is low priority in a horse's world. It comes after minimization of dural torque, staying upright and the ability to respond to stimuli - it can be very very hard to identify the contribution of subclinical pain to the whole picture when working with horses - add this to their ability to check out into freeze state, we often have to be dedicated detectives to solve these types of issues.
And sometimes it isn't until after you finally solve the problem that you begin to realize just how bad things were.
Seeing Louie pain free and no longer bound and braced in his feet is likely one of the most interesting and exciting events of my career.
It excites me to begin to better understand LIFE UNSHOD, the transition, the management and the benefits !!!
Settled and sound for the win !!
This is such a great visual on correct muscle development! We are always striving for SMOOTH musculature.
Great new paper on how hind foot hoof balance affect limb posture!
Feb 2022 —> July 2022
Posture matters! 5 months of changes from Balance by Movement Method, intentional bodywork, and returning back to groundwork/horsemanship fundamentals.
Not only has her neck and shoulder tension greatly improved, her new found thoracic sling strength has allowed for her withers to life and her body posture to be less downhill.
The mare has had years of gait asymmetries, lack of forward movement, and resistance to work. All of this has transformed into willingness, effective communication, and partnership between horse and rider. 🙌🏻
Feb —> April changes
For the last 3 months I’ve been diving into thoracic sling dysfunction thanks to masterclass. .
It’s been a humbling experience learning how critical this structure is to our horses overall well-being and how often it is in dysfunction.
By the use of bodywork and groundwork exercises this mare’s pectorals have finally begun to activate and her chest is starting to be less pinched. Even the smallest changes are good changes!
My biggest takeaway? Your horse’s lower neck muscle MUST be relaxed in order for their pectorals to turn on. Period.
If this peaks your interest please reach out! I’m happy to chat about it at our next session together. ❤️
Equine safety and wellness is my top priority. Due to the recent outbreaks of EHM, Elements Equine will be performing the following safety precautions:
- Hand washing and sanitation between horses
- Limiting the amount of barns serviced per day
- When multiple barns are visited, a full change of clothes will be performed
This could potentially affect all equestrians. Please be aware.
Happy !
To everyone that has already supported me this year, THANK YOU! Shopping small and supporting local businesses has always been a priority for me, but even moreso now that I am a business owner myself.
How can you show support?
Book a session, purchase a gift certificate, or refer a friend! New clients receive 10% off their first session for signing up for my newsletter!
Can’t financially support this year?
That’s okay! Share, like, or write a review. Anything and everything helps! 😀
& this year!
Discover what scientists are learning about footing and its connection to lameness and other horse health issues.
Feeling grateful ❤️
The hours I spend working on your horses are special times for me. I’ve always been on the quiet side and the unspoken communication that happens between humans and horses is one that I will forever cherish.
More before & after magic ✨
It’s been a while so here you go!
Drastic changes like these are the easiest to see and are sometimes seen as the most impressive. However don’t be concerned if your horse doesn’t exhibit this type of before & after. Every session can also have invisible changes that are only felt underneath my hands. Tissue, temperature, and tension can all subtly change with no visible “wow”.
It’s Friday!!
What are you up to this weekend? Any exciting plans?
I’ll be spending the next few days with horses, pups, and working on my summer newsletter!
Post bodywork sweets with a side of pole dust. 🍭 🍬
Hope your Saturday’s lip smacking good!
Happiest 23rd Birthday to my Jordon!
She’s been my best friend, show partner, and banana loving girl for the past 19 years. Definitely one of those once in a lifetime horses.❤️
Cross training!
I love utilizing ground poles and cavallettis in my horses conditioning programs. Every horse, no matter what discipline can benefit from pole work.
Why do I like it so much?
- it’s keeps things interesting and new!
- Strengthens proprioception of limbs
- Establish rhythm and cadence
- They are forced to pick their legs up higher = building strength in all areas
What are some of your favorite cross training exercises? Share with me below!
Although this study came out a little while ago, I always think it's a good one to share.
Same horse, same day, left & right sides.
Ever feel like your horse has a “easy” and “not so easy” way of going? Instead of chopping it up to them not wanting to do the work, take a moment to investigate whether it is a physical imbalance.
Just like their riders, horses are very much asymmetrical through there bodies. Bodywork can help discover these imbalances and allow creation of a stretching and conditioning program to make the “not so easy” way of going to become their “easy” way.
Good posture doesn’t happen overnight!
These two photos were taken 4 months apart - please note this horse is standing square in both pictures. Prior to massages my 23 year old mare had been experiencing left hind distal limb lameness and high reactivity of her left glutes during massage and PEMF. With consistent bodywork and a new conditioning program we were able to get her spine in a much more symmetrical place which has resulted in her feeling the best she’s felt in years.
Will a massage every once in a while help your horse? Of course! But consistency is key! As with anything, it takes time to make changes, especially if we are working at uncovering years of muscle tension and disfunction.
Is your horse on a consistent bodywork schedule? If not, let’s get them on one!
✨ Before & After Magic ✨
This is why I love massage so much. This horse started out with clear repeatable reactivity and ended with soft relaxed muscles.
On days like today 🌧 I’m fully embracing my introversion by curling up on the couch with a warm blanket, tea, and my journal. Following I’m writing my “good things” success list to start the week off in the right mindset!
Here are my “good things”:
✨ launching my business last year
✨ finalizing an awesome new logo!
✨ my wonderful clients
✨ my horses & doggos
✨ loving relationships with family and friends
✨ my kickass fiancé
✨ continuing my bodywork education
What’s on your success list today?
The biceps brachii muscle assists in extending and stabilizing the shoulder joint in addition to flexing the elbow joint. It’s also a part of the stay apparatus.
What is the stay apparatus? It’s the magic behind how horses can sleep while standing with minimal muscular activity!
Sometimes disfunction within the biceps brachii muscle can show itself in the walk or trot when the range of motion decreases in the forelimb. It can also be seen with a loss of power when there is an issue. This is one of the many reasons why I always like to see horses move before a session and get feedback from you on how they’ve been feeling under saddle.
What other muscle groups do you want to learn more about? Comment below and tell me! ✨
Happy Hump Day from this rump to the next! 🐎
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Post bodywork sweets with a side of pole dust. 🍭 🍬 Hope your Saturday’s lip smacking good!
✨ Before & After Magic ✨ This is why I love massage so much. This horse started out with clear repeatable reactivity and ended with soft relaxed muscles.
The biceps brachii muscle assists in extending and stabilizing the shoulder joint in addition to flexing the elbow joint. It’s also a part of the stay apparatus. What is the stay apparatus? It’s the magic behind how horses can sleep while standing with minimal muscular activity! Sometimes disfunction within the biceps brachii muscle can show itself in the walk or trot when the range of motion decreases in the forelimb. It can also be seen with a loss of power when there is an issue. This is one of the many reasons why I always like to see horses move before a session and get feedback from you on how they’ve been feeling under saddle. What other muscle groups do you want to learn more about? Comment below and tell me! ✨
#anatomytime Checking the multifidus cervicis muscle is always an adventure! The multifidus cervicis is an extremely important stabilizer of the spine. Along with stabilizing, it also assists with twisting and elevating the vertebral column of the neck. Due to the fact it’s origins and insertions are found on the cervical vertebrae, Bodyworks need to go under the subclavius muscle to check the multifidi. I find that the depth of my “finger sink” varies from horse to horse. With horses that are heavily muscled sometimes my fingernails barely disappear, whereas as you can see in the video above, half my fingers disappear. By the look in Kuzi’s eye I think she’s amazed too! 😝
#anatomytime Checking the multifidus cervicis muscle is always an adventure! The multifidus cervicis is an extremely important stabilizer of the spine. Along with stabilizing, it also assists with twisting and elevating the vertebral column of the neck. Due to the fact it’s origins and insertions are found on the cervical vertebrae, Bodyworks need to go under the subclavius muscle to check the multifidi. I find that the depth of my “finger sink” varies from horse to horse. With horses that are heavily muscled sometimes my fingernails barely disappear, whereas as you can see in the video above, almost half my fingers disappear here. By the look in Kuzi’s eye I think she’s amazed too! 😝
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