Myofascial Release for Horse & Rider

 I was working at a classical dressage facility when I was 23 years old and we had a group of photographers there taking pictures of the stallions and one of them was a bodyworker. I remember her coming in and offering to work on one of the horses who was experiencing some issues in his neck. She gently placed her hands on him and started working. His usual demeanor was guarded and intimidating but as soon as she started working his eyes softened and he dropped his head almost immediately. I could see the relief on his face and the deep understanding within the silent conversation between the two. The head trainer looked at me and said “I could see you doing some 'woo woo' shit like this” and I know I was supposed to be offended by her tone but I thought to myself, yeah..metoo. 

About a year later my horse Stella was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. Full body soreness, inflammation, and for a horse who already didn't love being touched, it made everything harder. I was working through every avenue I could find to help her- and synchronistically, I was already mid-way through an Equine Myofascial Release course I had signed up for on instinct.  The first time I gently put my hands on her in our first MFR session was the first time I had ever seen her relax into bodywork. There was no side eye, no shifting away. Just surrender and relaxation and her body started changing, softening and chronic snags in her tissue started resolving. She was my clarity and testament to the work. She was also a mirror and I quickly learned how deeply horses are influenced by their riders... so I went back to school to learn human myofascial release, too.

Myofascial release is a therapeutic technique that addresses restrictions in the connective tissue surrounding muscles, restoring mobility, reducing pain, and allowing horses to move with greater freedom and comfort. I'm particularly drawn to this work for horses because they are wonderfully sensitive animals who respond well to its gentle, subtle pressure. Fascia is a whole-body system and interconnected so it is possible that a restriction or scar tissue in the leg will influence the back, the shoulder and the way a horse can comfortably carry themselves and a rider. Treating one area means treating the whole, which is why the results tend to be lasting rather than temporary, and why the work also has a profound calming effect on the nervous system, creating the conditions the body needs to truly heal. 

My beginning exploration of bodywork became a catalyst for years of dedicated study — including Neurokinetic Therapy, advanced Pilates certification (to combat my own weaknesses and dysfunctional patterns in my riding), and an immersion in biomechanics that would shape my life's work. Combined with my background as a lifelong rider and my understanding of horse-and-rider movement, this foundation allows me to create effective, tailored sessions that meet each horse exactly where they are.

 Apparently as a forever student of this world, I am also currently working toward my Equine and Small Animal Osteopathy certification, continuing to deepen my ability to support horses at the most fundamental levels of their physical structure.

 To read more about Stella, the intersex horse who is changing the world one book at a time, please visit www.StellasBooks.com Her story will open your perspective and your heart.