Starline Equine Bodywork

In this episode, we explore a gentle but important shift in how we prepare horses for work. Many of us incorporate passive stretching with the best intentions- to loosen up, show care, and support our equine partners. But, emerging insights suggest that timing matters deeply.  We break down the key differences between passive (static) stretching and dynamic, movement-based preparation, drawing fro...

When creating an exercise program for horses, it’s really important to remember that every body is an individual. It’s important to look at where we are, where we need to be, and what timeframe we have made to get to our goal. Join me for this fan favourite episode where I look at some of my go-to strengthening exercises (from the neck all the way to the pelvic limb) that can be adapted to where y...

In this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast, I sit down with Lindsay Regan of Firefly Energy Healing to explore the world of energy healing for horses. We dive into how subtle energetic practices can support equine well-being, addressing everything from emotional balance and physical comfort to overall relaxation and performance. Lindsay shares her insights on working with horses throu...

When we take a horse for a trial ride, we’re really just seeing a snapshot of what its body can do in that exact moment. It’s not always a reliable indicator of its long-term sustainability, suitability, or soundness. Join me for this fan favourite episode as I chat about why we need a better way to measure and assess a horse’s preparedness for sport. LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE: Grab your FREE...

In this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast, I sit down with Averill Pessin, a social media, communications, and business development expert specializing in the equine industry. We explore how bodywork business owners can thoughtfully define their social media ethics and create a responsible online presence that builds trust while protecting everyone involved. Averill shares practical...

What we practice is what we get. Walking horses prepares them for…. (insert drumroll here)…Walking. The true fitness of a horse dictates what happens in a bodywork session and what homework will be left for the horse between sessions. There are many aspects to fitness: general fitness, sport specific skill acquisition, and tissue training. This last type of fitness is what is most commonly overloo...

Join me for this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast where we look at the thoracic sling. This is the horse’s built-in shock absorber and suspension bridge.  It is a powerful muscular-fascial hammock made of the serratus ventralis, pectorals, subclavius, trapezius, rhomboids, and longissimus that lifts the thorax between the front legs and carries 60–65 percent of the rider’s weight. W...

This fan favourite episode is based on a listener question about prepping her dressage horse for the demand of show season without overloading the horse’s tissues. I chat about assessing weaknesses, planning exercises to overcome them and how to gauge where the point of fatigue/ failure is. I also reveal my 2 secret tips for a body “re-set” to help horses maintain correct form in workouts while we...

In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Isabelle D’Costa of Honos Nutrition Co., a leading horse nutrition expert. She has helped many horses, from young ones in training to older retired friends, build strong and healthy toplines. Join us as we explore how the right food can create and keep that great topline from the inside out. We chat about the basic foods horses need for strong muscles an...

In this episode, we dive into the subtle world of equine behaviour, exploring whether your horse is genuinely at ease or subtly working to calm itself amid lingering stress. As prey animals, horses are naturally primed for survival, often exhibiting self-soothing actions when they’re still in a heightened state of arousal. We break down the key differences between these de-stressing signals (roote...

Have you ever seen a horse stretch its neck waaaay up during a bodywork session? Well, then you’ve witnessed a pandiculation! Pandiculation is very different from passive stretching. Join me for this fan favourite episode of the podcast where I examine the scientific differences between these two types of stretches. I examine what is happening in the body in each situation, and why it is extremely...

Join us on the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast for an enlightening conversation with sports medicine veterinarian and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Bri Henderson, where we delve into the realities of equine recovery. Discover why rehabilitation is not always a straight path, exploring the biological factors (like inflammation, proliferation, and the lengthy remodeling phase) that sometimes lead t...

Cantering and galloping can offer more therapeutic value than bodywork and stretches put together. Still, too many of us miss out on the opportunity to head out and let our horses really stretch their strides. Address gait rhythm issues, back hollowing, back stiffness, and one-sidedness through galloping. Come along as we dive into the advantages of galloping in this fan favourite podcast episode....

Join me as we dive into the world of equine dentistry with our guest, Dr. Christy Barnes, a veterinarian with a special interest in dental care. As an equine bodywork practitioner, I’ve often uncovered hidden mouth issues during assessments that explain puzzling performance hurdles, and Dr. Barnes sheds light on how dentistry is a cornerstone of overall equine well-being. We’ll explore the fundame...

Struggling with lead changes? Notice your saddle shifting to one side? The culprit could be your horse’s ribcage! It may seem unexpected, but the ribcage and its surrounding muscles play a massive role in your horse’s overall performance and well-being. Tune in to this fan favourite episode as I dive into the ribcage and share my top bodywork method for getting it mobilized! LINKS RELATED TO THIS...

In this episode, we explore spinal segmentation issues in horses, where the spine’s motion segments (comprising vertebrae, discs, facet joints, and ligaments) lose normal micro-mobility or neurological coordination, often before visible structural damage like arthritis appears.  Common types include hypomobility, hypermobility (unstable excessive movement), facet inflammation, and multifidus muscl...

In this fan favourite episode, I talk about an article I read warning people to avoid practitioners who claim that taping can strengthen a muscle of a horse. The article had undertones of attempting to discredit other practitioners. That’s just unfair, especially because it used a very narrow definition of what is actually meant by “assisting a muscle” to strengthen it. In today’s episode I talk a...

In this hands-on episode, we dive into the horse’s hindquarters—the true “engine” that powers propulsion and performance. Restrictions in the hip flexors (iliopsoas), lumbosacral junction, or sacro-iliac joints often lead to compensatory issues elsewhere, affecting everything from the stifle and hock to the back and neck.  Designed specifically for equine bodyworkers, massage therapists, and dedic...

A massive THANK YOU for tuning in to the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast all year. Your support means everything!  We're closing out 2025 with a bang! The final episode is here, packed with the BEST and most unforgettable moments from the year.  Fresh, all-new episodes are coming your way in 2026, so stay tuned!  Shoutout to this week's incredible featured guests! Go give them a follow...

Full disclosure: I think this method of horsemanship is GENIUS. And looking back at this fan favourite episode, I believe everyone can benefit from this technique and philosophy- regardless of their profession or discipline within the equine industry. Communicating with horses in way they understand is key to our safety as bodywork practitioners, and to the safety of our client’s horses while in o...

Ever had show season sneak up on you, only to realize midway through that your horse isn't firing on all cylinders? On this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork podcast, I sit down with Dr. Amy Bennett from Bennett Equine Veterinary Services. She shares her essential pre-season, mid-season, and post-season checklists for managing performance horses. We're talking soundness checks, tar...

In this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast, we dive into the fascinating science and practical application of 128 Hz weighted tuning forks – a gentle yet powerful tool for accelerating tissue repair in horses and humans alike. Often called the “Otto 128,” this low-frequency fork creates coherent mechanical vibrations that travel beautifully through bone and dense connective tissue. Ba...

Who themselves hasn’t worked out to the point of being a little bit stiff and sore? Horses aren’t different. In this fan favourite episode we talk about how there is a fine line between working muscles to an appropriate place to allow tissue adaptation and fitness to increase, and a place where you have pushed too far.  Join me for this episode of the podcast where I discuss delayed onset muscles...

Horses aren’t just animals—they’re individuals with their own thoughts, feelings, and voices (if only we learn how to listen). In this deeply personal episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast, I open up about a horse who came into my life under less-than-ideal circumstances…and how everything transformed in just four short days. It all shifted because of one sentence. Dr. Marisa Markey of F...

This is the muscle group, that in my opinion, is too often overlooked. I believe that it is largely responsible for long term soundness in the pelvic limb and its joints, low back health and correct way of going. Join me for this fan favourite episode where I look at the equine iliopsoas group. I look at anatomy, function and dysfunction that appears in horses. Of course I will also look at ways t...