We will be holding a clinic for Equine Structural Integration in and around the Woodside area of California, in the Bay Area.  Sessions will be done on site at your facility, or if you need to haul your horse in, we can coordinate the facility with you.  It’s recommended that your horse be given a few hours rest post-session before re-entering a trailer, so please allow for that in your schedule.

Who is this clinic for? Riders and trainers who have horses that are chronically short striding, have difficulty picking up a lead, don’t bend as easily from side to side, consistently drop a shoulder, have trouble collecting under saddle, and particularly for horses who exhibit a poor attitude (biting, kicking, ear pinning, etc.) due to suspected painful conditions.

Do you have to ride dressage? Heck no! I’ve worked on high level equine athletes who compete on national level circuits and pasture pets who do nothing more active than provide love and support to their human companions and all kinds of horses in between.  This work will change your horse’s movement and improve his quality of life, no matter WHAT kind of sports he plays.

What your horse will receive: Pre-evaluation standing and moving, 60 minutes of hands on bodywork, and a post-session evaluation.  Video evaluations optional (video will be posted within a week using a web-based service).

**We are about 60% full for this clinic** so please register early to reserve your spot.  You can register using the button below.  If you have additional questions before your register, please email info at healingthehorse dot com.

Use this button to register now:

This is what my mentor and fellow Rolfer, Michael Reams, told me when he was sharing his knowledge of working on horses with me. It makes sense. Horses are living creatures. As one healer put it, horses are just people with fur.

While that might be taking it a bit far, our equine companions do have their full ranges of emotion and feeling just as a human baby does. Babies may not be fully able to vocalize their deep inner emotions, but that doesn’t prevent them from feeling fear, anger, panic, and stress. And let’s face it, if a baby needs to cry it out, there’s little you can do to change his mind.

Often times, we project our goals and wishes on our animals – horses, dogs, cats, birds – just like we project onto other people. A talented dressage horse who becomes injured and is given every cutting edge therapy available may stubbornly refuse to go sound, while a backyard mustang may walk through barbed wire, get inexpertly stitched up, and be completely healed in weeks. I see high- level riders frantically throwing money at their horse through first standard veterinary care, then complimentary therapies, and finally through every drug, device, and supplement known to man trying to get their horse healthy faster so they can get back to the “program.” This is understandable; horses are expensive and people buy them to ride. Just because it’s understandable doesn’t make it right, though.

Just as humans take varying amounts of time to heal, so do our animals. Sometimes a broken leg in a person is just that, a broken leg. There’s a cast, some crutches, time on the couch, and then it’s back to work as usual. For another person, a broken leg may be the start of a long healing process that leads them through some of their darkest fears. For some individuals, true healing involves the end of a life, such as coming to terms with old age or terminal illness. In any case, the healing process belongs to the client. You cannot become attached to the results that someone else has in their life.

What are you attached to that you might need to let go of in your life? If you’re holding out to be happy until someone else changes and heals – whether it’s losing a bunch of weight, overcoming cancer, resolving panic attacks, or healing depression – you’re putting a stopper in the flow of your own life. Be present to those around you – people and pets. Be available and supportive. But let go of your attachment to results.

“He won’t let anyone work on him,” the woman said, haltering her sorrel Canadian Thoroughbred and bringing him out of the stall. “He’s very fussy and passive aggressive.” This gelding, while not dangerous, had a reputation for being a bit of a problem child. He had a habit of standing on people’s feet or trapping them against a wall. An animal communicator had suggested his owner do any bodywork he needed herself, since she seemed to be the only one he’d allow to work on him.

Focused on my job of watching the horse move, making my usual assessments in my head, I just nodded distractedly. When she brought the horse back to me, I discussed what I had seen and let her know where I wanted to start. Then, I did. Started, that is. The horse was very accepting of the work, yawning, licking and chewing, and not exhibiting any poor behavior at all, besides a few perplexed looks my way.

The owner was astonished. “Acupuncturists, chiropractors, no one has been able to work on him!” It didn’t surprise me. About three out of every ten horses I see has a similar story, and I’ve only met one or two horses ever that didn’t settle down when the work began. So, what was I doing differently than these other holistic practitioners to get a calm, relaxed horse? Was it just different techniques, a different approach? I strongly doubt that. I have seen many holistic practitioners get phenomenal results with horses (and people) no matter the modality while others can’t seem to make any change whatsoever. Instead, I believe it’s something much more simple than “technique” – it’s being-ness.

You see, it really doesn’t matter what you do for your client if you’re not coming from a centered place. This is why the path of the healer always holds periods of self discovery, growth, and expansion. You cannot lead anyone further than you have gone yourself.

I’m sure you’ve seen this phenomenon in action at your own home, workplace, or stable. There is always someone who, whenever he or she is around, creates a feeling of anxiety, stress, and tension. With horses (or dogs and cats), you’ll notice that they physically tense and are more jumpy and alert. Next time you’re around someone with this kind of energy, notice what happens in your own body. Scan your jaw, abdomen, low back, and thighs, paying attention to how much tension you’re holding. This is exactly what happens when you approach a client – horse, human, wild cat, wolf, species does not matter – to do bodywork or perform any other healing modality.

If you’re thinking about your stressful finances, worrying about a leak in your roof, or frustrated with your significant other, the client knows it right away and can’t relax fully into the session or let down their guard. The good news is that while having a repertoire of techniques and modalities as well as an understanding of physical and energetic anatomy is extremely beneficial, you can actually have a profound effect on your horse just by being present and holding space, no studying necessary!

Here’s how you can begin to learn how to hold space:

1. Take your horse to a quiet area with no one to disturb you. It’s best if you don’t even have a close friend around, at least when you’re first learning. Everyone’s energy plays into the “container” you’re creating, and if you’re not used to holding space, you don’t want to have to balance the energy of three beings all at once. Having other horses around is generally fine as they tend to have less interference energetically. If there is a disturbing or disturbed horse that makes you feel uncomfortable, it’s best not to be near him or her, though. Note: If you do not have access to a horse, you can do this exercise with any living creature, even people. The benefit of working with another person is that you’ll get verbal feedback; the downside is that you’ll have to sort through your filters and world views, whereas equine, canine, and feline feedback is pretty pure.

2. Take several deep breaths and let your mind clear. Let go of anything that’s bothering you, no matter what it is. Just put it into an imaginary box and set it aside for now. You won’t lose it, and you can pick it right back up when you’re done. If thoughts come into your head, don’t worry about it. Just let them float away like clouds, watching them drift by but not attaching to them.

3. If you can let your horse loose safely, such as in a paddock or enclosed arena, do so. Tying the horse won’t work because the horse can’t “leave” if he wants to, but you can hold the end of a long rope if that’s your only option.

4. Standing next to the horse, place your hands on his or her barrel or shoulder. Send 100% of your energy through your hands and keep that flow going for a full minute. You don’t have to be an expert at energy work to do this; you don’t even need to ever have worked with energy before. Just imagine a garden hose flowing through your hands at full blast. Note what happens, how your horse responds, and what you feel.

5. Repeat the above step, this time sending 0% of your energy into your horse. Just stand there, hands on the horse, but keep your garden hose turned off. Again, note the results and what you feel.

6. Now, try sending 50% of your energy into your horse, and hold that for a full minute. Note your sensations and the horse’s response.

If you do this exercise with another human, you can discuss what you felt after each interval. If you work with an animal, it’s helpful to have a journal to write your experience.

Which flow felt best? Did one feel like you were working too hard, too little, and how did the horse respond? There is no “right” answer to this. Continue to play with this energy flow with your own pets, family, and even plants. Discover what feels most comfortable for you, where you feel easy, relaxed, and the other party is also calm and centered. Once you find this groove, you can go there any time you need to hold space.

**Hint** This is a powerful place, this centered, balanced space of being. Whenever anything troubling comes up, you can literally go to this place and it will calm everyone down around you. It’s my most powerful tool, and I find this space when I’m feeling insecure in a crowd of people, in the midst of arguments and disagreements, and also when I’m working with clients. When you are centered, you automatically center others who come in contact with you – what a gift for you and the world!

Note: Flash is a 24 year old paint gelding. He is of illustrious beginnings, having belonged to a famous country music star, but he fell on hard times and was passed from owner to owner. At a low point in his life, his right front hoof got tangled in barbed wire and his owners at the time failed to treat the injury, so he has scar tissue and hoof deformities that still plague him. Flash is a wise, gentle soul who has bravely dealt with his pain with very little complaint over the years.

11/7/2008

You worked on my horse Flash today at [the] workshop. I wanted to thank you SO much for the time and energy you put into him – he came home and cantered around his pen and pranced with his head held high for the first time in months.

I have had three vets in total tell me that all I can do for him is feed him Bute and keep him comfortable – you have convinced me that there is more I can do. I am excited and hopeful for the first time in a long time.

Many thanks again for making my precious pony feel so good!

Rebecca

Shadow Hills, CA

11/12/2008

Hope you’re having a great week! Flash is doing…….GREAT! He has been much more mobile in the last few days – he is cruising all over again as he used too. This morning he had the herd at the top of the paddock surveying everything around him. The day after your session – I was preparing the supplements and rice bran – and he started cantering and bucking around – he hasn’t done that in over a year! I was thrilled!

Yesterday my wonderful farrier came out and gave him a nice manicure – trimmed off all the old abscess – and was amazed at how well he was doing.

Needless to say I’m SO happy!

Rebecca

Shadow Hills, CA

11/21/2008

Just thought I’d give you a Flashie update!

Today I came home from work and went out to feed lunch – I put my hand on Flash and felt that he was hot and sweaty! I then walked over to Coalie – same thing! Then the guys that are working on my house told me that Flash and Coal were running around and playing together! Susanna! Flash hasn’t played with Coalie in months!!!! Not since the first abscess back in March – which I thought may have been caused by Coal coming down on Flash’s hoof. Since then Flash has kept his distance from Coal – Now they are running and playing together again!!!! I am thrilled!

I rode with [my trainer] today and he told me that he came to my house yesterday and saw the same thing – I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. I think you are right – Flashie has his joie de vivre back and I am soooooooooooo happy for both him and Coal – Coalie has missed his playmate!

Rebecca

Shadow Hills, CA