Starline Equine Bodywork

I used to think that I knew my horses well. I would spend hours each week carefully grooming them, running my hands over them, checking their legs and their feet. I would watch all of their subtle facial expressions carefully. I was convinced that I KNEW them. Geez… WAS I EVER WRONG! With all of that attention, I never actually stood back and looked at them. I hadn’t ever noticed their posture, no...

When I was about to take my first equine kinesiology taping course, it was not a thing people were really doing with horses. It was however quite popular with human athletes. I took my first course with a friend, who shared my doubts. Before we attended our course, the conversation began kind of like this: “Do you think it’s just a mental thing? Part of the pre-game ritual? Not actually functional...

What do you feel when you palpate muscle? Healthy muscle and “bad muscling” have a different feel and a different cause. It’s important to know the difference, the reasons muscles are developing the way they are, and to be able to break the cycle of laying down “bad muscle”. Join me for this episode where I explain what I am looking for in the horses I work with in my visual and palpation assessme...

The horse’s diaphragm is not discussed often enough in bodywork and training. The diaphragm can be directly linked to good movement in horses, plus a healthy emotional and physical state. In this episode I discuss the diaphragm, and its implications on performance. A horse’s breath and movement are linked through respiratory locomotor coupling, or the syncing of breath and movement. We will look a...

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 today’s episode where I look at some of my favourite strengthening exercises (from the neck all the way to the pelvic limb) that can be adapted to where your hor...

Canter and gallop can be more therapeutic than bodywork and stretches combined. Yet, so many of us don’t really get a chance to get out and open our horses step up. Solve rhythm irregularities in the gait, hollowing off the back, stiffness in the back and one sidedness with galloping. Join me to explore the benefits of galloping in this episode of the podcast. PLEASE CONSIDER RATING, REVIEWING AND...

Safety, communication, session length, scope of practice, transparency, teamwork and the timeline for recovery/ rehab. These are big… nope…. HUGE topics. Communication around these topics is what will really make or break the practitioner/ client relationship. Join me for this episode, where I dive into all the things practitioners and clients needs to communicate to one another. PLEASE CONSIDER R...

Years ago (c. 2013-2014), I fell in love with kinesiology tape for horses. I spent years learning and growing as a practitioner.  I spent countless hours writing this digital manual. As I grew and learned, the manual grew and became even better! And now, it’s available to you PRE-RELEASE. “The Essential Equine Kinesiology Taping Manual” is for anyone who wants to be a hands-on helper for horses. T...

Proprioception is the horse’s understanding of where it is in time and space. Joints, muscles, tendon and ligaments are full of these nerve receptors. They are extremely important for making movement quality. Join me for this episode where I look at risk factors for poor proprioception, symptoms of poor proprioception and (of course) my favourite exercises to improve proprioception. PLEASE CONSIDE...

Whether you are a bodywork practitioner or a horse owner, using the tips I chat about in this episode will help the horses in your life perform better, and stay sounder longer. I chat about the following: Limiting sport specific training to limit repetitive motion strain/ overstretch injuries, and fascial adhesions that limit range of motion and interrupt muscle efficiency. Varying training intens...

What if I told you that it is possible to improve your horse’s core strength and balance, all while creating controlled range of motion in as little as 5 minutes a day?   Well it is possible! In this episode we will discuss the role dynamic mobilization exercises play in strengthening your horse, the research behind the exercises, and the benefits of this type of work. PLEASE CONSIDER RATING, REVI...

As any bodyworker will tell you, there are certain areas of the horse that always seem to be tense and reactive to palpation. This seems to be the case regardless of sport, and regardless of the level of sport that horses participate in.   Now while it is important to address this tension with bodywork, it is also important to know how the body works, so that we can train better and more responsib...

Before & After photos are posted on so many bodywork accounts. But are they really useful? Join me for this episode where I discuss the ethical/privacy issues photos raise, the illusions created by photography, the misrepresentation of a bodyworker’s skills, and the ever confusing photo caption “Can you see the difference?”. Now, there is a time and place for photo journalism of sessions, but...

Topline isn’t just an aesthetically desirable trait, it’s an indicator of health and wellbeing in horses. Join me for this episode where we look at how to support your horse’s topline. We will explore: -The definition of topline including which muscle make up the dorsal chain and why the ventral chain cannot be ignored. -The factors that effect topline quality and how to troubleshoot some of these...

With show season comes a social media feed full of show photos, announcements of wins, and barn families celebrating. But what if you aren’t showing? What if your horse isn’t ready, is injured, or what if you just don’t want to compete? Join me as I discuss 4 ways to measure true success outside the show ring. PLEASE CONSIDER RATING, REVIEWING AND FOLLOWING THIS SHOW. This will help us reach more...

While most people tend to focus on strength and cardiovascular fitness, balance training is a critical component to well rounded athleticism, and can be done with horses at any level of training. As riders we have all had that feeling that our horse fell into a halt transition, taking an awkward step to rebalance and catch himself. The inability of the horse to shift his weight back is cause of ma...

With the excitement of show season being just around the corner, now is often a time when we increase workouts to get ready for the spring circuit. Halt! Before you get going, it’s important to have a close look at your horse’s tissue preparation. You should be making a plan for long-term success, and map out the best way to reach long term goals. In this episode I will outline and explain the 5 m...

Over the course of several cycles of “Stuck Up: Equine Kinesiology Taping Course” I have had the incredible honour of working with some amazing horse owners and bodywork professionals. Join me for today’s episode where I chat with some former students. I will be chatting to a horse owner who took her new found skills and launched a highly successful and exciting equine kinesiology taping business....

I have been really thrilled to hear that so many of you have tried taping a little bit already. And it seems many of you have the exact same questions about making your applications successful. I hear you. Yes, learning to tape does require some know-how. But once you’ve mastered the techniques, I’m know you can do it too. Today I’d love for you to pour your favourite cup of tea or coffee and have...

You have kinesiology taping questions. I have answers! Join me for today’s episode where I answer all of the equine taping questions I get asked in my email, by clients, in my coaching groups, and in my DM’s. These include answers to: What does it achieve? What does tape colour mean? What are contraindications to taping? How do you handle winter hair and clipped hair when taping? Can you re-use ta...

Join me for this episode where I spill some of the professional secrets to getting the most from your equine kinesiology taping applications. From surface preparation, to tape storage (and everything in between), these 6 strategies will help you become wildly successful when taping your own horses! I’ve even put together a FREE download to ensure you have all of my secrets on hand when you need th...

Several years back I was sitting in the stands at a horse show and heard the people behind me talking about kinesiology tape. “How the heck can a tiny piece of tape effect a horse?!?!” It is a very valid question, and it was all I could do not to turn around and explain! Join me in this episode where I unpack the science of taping. I look at using the hair of the horse and all of its nerve endings...

In today’s episode I will be looking at things that, while they may be common thought and practice, actually go against the science of training the horse’s body.  This is not an episode about stifles, but they do have a lot to do with the inspiration behind this episode. If you have ever had a horse with weak stifles and have wanted to try hills or weighted boots, this episode will make you think!...

I have heard more than one professional bodywork practitioner say they don’t feel the “carrot stretch” (Dynamic Mobilization Exercise) that puts the horse’s chin to their chest is necessary. In fact, they implied it is rehearsing Rolkur (or deep hyper flexion under tack). I have a very different opinion. Join me for this episode where we define the difference between passive and dynamic movement,...

Guys…. Seriously, turnout is not training. Turnout has MANY benefits.  *Fresh air *Mental stimulation *Socialization *Light exercise and movement *Ability to forage and graze Yes! These are amazing things. But turnout alone is not going to make an athlete out of your horse. In this episode we will take a look at the natural, evolutionary model of what horses were made to do. What we do in sport te...