Equine Partnered Bodywork - Introduction

What is Equine Partnered Bodywork and what does the "Partnered" connection look like?

This is a self test!

Let's look at and discuss energetic and physical pathways and points when it comes to horses.
Homework: Test - use your fingertip with a light touch on your horses (or dog) coat/skin...

• Light touch means touch but not press. If the horse moves into you or away from you use less pressure.

• Move your fingertip in a line on your horse 2-3 inches from the spine.

• When you see your horse blink, stop and stay there.

• Watch the eye, chin twitch, nose flair.

• When the horse 'releases' - lick and chew etc. Stop and stand back.
  How did this feel to you? What was your experience?

The first step towards health is helping the horse (and ourselves) reset as much of their system back into homeostasis's possible. Then the imbalances and issues will be able to be reset.

This response and the release video's show short clips of horses I worked on over the years. Doing this work - horses respond to areas I touch in ways that tells me in depth what they are feeling, whether acute, chronic, and many times they can release and self correct. These shorts will not tell you how to do the work. The horse is showing us the benefit they feel. So, instead, the point is to focus on the communication from the horse. Can you hear and read their messages?

This module shows short clips of horses continued from Horse Response Part 1. Doing this work - horses respond to areas I touch, they process, release and self correct. These shorts will allow you to watch and learn to read the horse. Try to feel what they are feeling. The point is to focus on the communication from and with in the horse. Can you see, hear and read their messages?

Homework: Objective: To approach the horse, wait for a clear signal the horse is accepting your 'ask for permission to approach'.

1. Ask your horse for permission to approach.

• Approach the horse - at the 30 foot distance watch the eye and head. Stop when you notice the horse shift his eye, or begin to turn his head away.

• Slowly walk closer, stop when the horse shifts his eye, or begins to turn his head away

• Slowly walk closer - 10 feet, 5 feet, if your horse continues watching you and even begins to step towards you, continue to approach but stop when 2 feet away and do not touch.

• Energetically - get present, reach out the back of your hand to the nose of the horse and let them connect to your hand.

• If the horse turns away, take a small step back. This lets the horse know you respect their opinion of their boundary. (This is opposite of horsemanship! But it is key to success, respect and trust!)

• Again, and until you achieve success - Energetically - get present, reach out the back of your hand to the nose of the horse and allow them to connect to your hand.

• When you are successful - congratulations!!!!

Homework: Objective: Use your fingertip with a light touch on your horse and follow the bladder meridian from head to at least the tail.

1. Ask your horse for permission to approach. When you get permission to proceed, do so in a calm quiet manner.

• Experiment on yourself and/or another person first if needed.

• If you are an experienced horse person with a calm gentle horse who is standing completely still, and you are highly experienced and feel comfortable to go farther, follow the line on the diagram.

• Follow the bladder meridian from head to tail, or back of stifle or all the way to the hoof...

• Be responsible: If the horse moves their feet or shows signs of feeling nervous or lack of trust, stop touching and stand back. You will need to get your energy present, calm and confident first.

EPB was created May 2019. I promised more courses but my life was interrupted. Here is an explanation, hopefully motivation to complete this  course, go through it again as Equine Partnered Trust is coming out soon!

We must practice and master mindfulness before we can truly partner with horses. Most horses easily partner with us, a few horses take years to allow us to get close to them, yet their hooves need trimmed, their teeth need to be floated- they need care.

Light touch bodywork is a demonstration of using our fingertip or palm of our hand in a manner where we barely touch the horses skin. We don't press - this would create a connection. We barely touch - which uses energy instead of pressure - which allows the horse to tell us - via a quick blink, where a sore spot is. A deep blink could be an area that has been sore for awhile.

To do this work, the horse needs to be touchable and communicative. Casper is easy to read - his eye, ears, mouth, braced body tell us where his emotions are at. Can you see it too?

This video shows how we can prepare the horse for this work and how we must be prepared also.

This horse is a sweet soul who was rescued from a tough life - he just wants to get away. He has nerve damage, neck and lower spine, but the way he moves, it is tough to tell. My work with him has been to not go beyond his boundaries. When his eye tells me he is about to turn his head away, I stop. Our success is heartwarming.

My next course is all about our journey, but I want to demonstrate how we must prepare ourselves to be a rock solid support person to work with hypersensitive horses. Master the work in this class and you will be ready for the next two classes coming up.

Ask questions - I'm here to help.

For a Custom Certificate - Turn in 3 case studies on 3 horses - See the Questionnaire