Starline Equine Bodywork

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...

Why is back pain a common reoccurring issue in horses? This question should be front and center in your mind as a horse owner or bodywork practitioner.  So here‘s the reality. If your horse suffers from a period of back pain, it’s common for it to re-occur.  Seriously. Frustrating…. Right?! There are a variety of reasons why. Join us for this episode where we discuss 4 reasons for recurring back p...

What does learning to do handstands have to do with training horses?  Simple! Learning to do either requires preparation of the joints and soft tissues. Training isn’t just about sport skill acquisition. It’s about training and preparing the horse’s body for the demands of sport. In this episode we explore the concept that changed the way I think of training forever, and the formula that has shape...

This week’s episode is a little bit different.  Words mean more than we think. They carry meaning and as a result, expectations.  Let’s look at these two words that seem to get used interchangeably, and discover why they shouldn’t be! Flexibility vs. Mobility  Join me for this week’s episode where we will look at how flexible horses are made, and when it’s appropriate to do flexibility work.  We w...

Did you know that if you look at a picture of yourself from 3 years ago, that you do not have ANY of those same cells in your body today? In this week’s episode we will be chatting about what this means for your horse. Cellular turnover is constant, with some tissue types turning over faster than others. Foals, like human babies, are born with an abundant amount of movement potential. As we train...

There seems to be a lot more catastrophic injuries to low limbs in horses than when I was a kid. Yes, we are doing sport a higher level. Yes, diagnostic imaging has come a long way. But can that really account for that rise in injuries?  This week we will look at consistency in footing, and the importance of careful introduction of varied terrain.  We will explore the concept of proprioceptive ner...

This week’s podcast episode might ruffle a few feathers. Sorry, not sorry. It’s important to be aware of what we are really doing with our horses, and to beware of false claims! Join me for this week’s episode from our content archives where we will take a deep dive into the science behind fascia, Myofascial Release and why grooming your horse cannot be considered fascial work, or Myofascial Relea...

Today’s episode is a bit of a hot topic. And, I expect many of you will have questions. That’s great! We need to talk about this more. Let’s look at the science of our warm up routines with our horses. This information certainly made me rethink stretching-based warm ups for my own horses and I’m certain it will give you lots to think about too! Here goes! Fact: Recent science has shown that pre-wo...

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...

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