The Equine Functional Posture Podcast

The Nuchal Ligament - Could you describe it's function? Today we’re unpacking the nuchal ligament: what it does, how it works, and why it is often misunderstood for it's role in body mechanics. We also share insights from dissections about where issues can occur and how ribcage position is paramount! The nuchal ligament is a passive recoil support system that helps reduce the effort required to mo...

Un-Bridled Conversations- Horse Wellbeing and Biomechanics  In this episode, we explore bridleless and bitless riding as more than just an impressive training goal. We discuss what changes when the horse is no longer connected through the mouth, and how this can reveal important information about posture, balance, expression and comfort. We reflect on recent bridleless competition footage, th...

Master the essential, proven, science-based tools to understand posture, movement and behaviour from the inside out - so you can c reate real, lasting change without overwhelm, pressure or confusion.  Enrol now and transform how you support your horse’s body, balance and wellbeing:   Equine Functional Posture Course    WHO's responsibility is your horse's posture? Your hor...

Master the essential, proven, science-based tools to understand posture, movement and behaviour from the inside out - so you can c reate real, lasting change without overwhelm, pressure or confusion.  Enrol now and transform how you support your horse’s body, balance and wellbeing: Equine Functional Posture Course    Activations: Waking Up Better Movement Activations are one of...

Discover The Hidden Physical Issues Behind 5 Common “Behavioural” Problems And How To Solve Them -  Without  More Pressure, Treatments Or Training Techniques   Register for my FREE Online Masterclass - Sunday June 14th   https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com/registrationpbmc   Collaborative Rehab; Conversations with Your Veterinarian! Today we are empowe...

 Healthy Head and Neck Posture Head and neck position alone does not create self-carriage, collection, or correct biomechanics. Today we are discussing how the poll, jaw, neck muscles, cranial nerves, hyoid, nuchal ligament, back, and pelvis can all be affected when the head and neck are held in position rather than responding freely to whole-body posture. In this episode, we unpack: Why...

What if the most valuable part of your training session is not the exercise itself, but the pause that follows it? In this episode, we explore why brain breaks are such an important part of training, learning, emotional regulation, and postural change. A pause is never wasted time; it is the moment where the horse processes, integrates, softens, reorganises. You also have the opportunity to slow d...

Do you know how to recognise an abdominal muscle injury?? The horse’s abdominals are one of the most important support systems in the body. In this episode, we explore the anatomy and function of the abdominal muscles, how abdominal injuries can occur, and why these injuries are so commonly missed. We also discuss how abdominal dysfunction can influence posture, spinal stability, thoracic sling fu...

Do you know how to observe your horse's back to know whether the work you do is improving or detracting from your horse's back health?  Your horse’s back can give valuable clues about how they are coping with work, carrying a rider, and managing tension or fatigue through the body. This episode is about creating simple, purposeful checks you can use before and after riding. We also discuss ca...

What does your horses paddock posture reveal? What if you could learn more about your horse’s posture, comfort, and biomechanics just by watching them in the paddock? Your horse spends the majority of their time in their paddock or living arrangement, and observing how they are loading through their body in these spaces is important information. In this episode, we unpack: What grazing postur...

Rope Walking and What It Reveals About Your Horse’s Body Rope Walking in horses (walking as if on a tightrope) is more than just an unusual gait, it’s a clue that something deeper is going on within the body. We break down why alignment should be balanced rather than narrow, and why this change in movement and loading can indicate instability, compensation, or pain.  We draw on real...

Sleep Deprivation and Posture Sleep deprivation in horses is a serious welfare issue, and one that can easily be missed or mistaken for something else. In this episode, we unpack what normal sleep looks like in the horse, why REM sleep matters so much, and some of the reasons a horse may not be getting the rest they need. We talk through the difference between standing rest, laying sleep, and REM...

Rebuilding Well: Bringing a Horse Back Into Work Strap yourself in - this is an episode where you are going to want to take notes! Today we are talking through how to bring a horse back into work without rushing the process and risking injury. Within 3 months of no work a horse's body looses their fitness. Fitness and strength is represented by physiological changes in the muscles and ce...

Episode 80: Guest Animal Communicator Trisha McCagh - What Horses Really Think Trisha McCagh is a world renowned Animal Communicator  - she has communicated with almost all animals you can think of and has so many amazing stories as well as being recommended by Veterinarians! Today we discuss the profound communication between humans and horses. Discover how animals reflect our purpose, teach...

Rehabilitating Tendon Injuries  Tendon injuries can be one of the more frustrating and drawn-out issues to navigate. Many horse owners are given a basic plan of confinement and gradual turnout, but true rehabilitation needs far more. Today we unpack tendon rehabilitation from a whole-body perspective, including why these injuries happen, how posture and loading patterns influence healing, and...

Ready to create lasting change for your horse? Join the Equine Functional Posture course:  https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com/efp Reading Sacro-pelvic Alignment (Before you blame conformation…) The lumbosacropelvic area is one of the key regions involved in propulsion, swing, and hind end function, but it is also an area that is often mis-interpreted In this episode, we unpack how to b...

A quick note about a breakthrough educational session: FREE Posture & Behaviour Masterclass - Is Your Horse Misbehaving OR Communicating? Discover the hidden physcial issues behind 5 common "behavioural" problems - and how to solve them.  Register now   - Choose your time below; Wednesday 18th March 8am Aus Daylight Time (Syd/Melb)  -   Tuesday 17th 5pm EST, 2pm P...

A quick note about a breakthrough educational session: FREE Posture & Behaviour Masterclass - Is Your Horse Misbehaving OR Communicating? Discover the hidden physcial issues behind 5 common "behavioural" problems - and how to solve them.  Register now - Choose your time below; Wednesday 18th March 8am Aus Daylight Time (Syd/Melb)  -   Tuesday 17th 5pm EST, 2pm PST, 9pm...

 This week we are joined by  Dr Jane Clothier  (creator of  The Horse’s Back  blog and founder of  Equine Healthworks ) to unpack BEMER; (Bio-Electro-Energy-Regulation) -  a low-frequency PEMF (Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field) device designed to support microcirculation and tissue function. Dr Jane has a deep appreciation for functional posture. Her work aims to im...

Erika Gough, equine Nutritionist from  Inside Out Equine Health  joins us for one of our most powerful conversations! We talk about how gut discomfort can show up in  posture, movement, topline changes,  and what you can actually do about it through practical feeding systems.  This information is digestible (pun very intended!); we cover what amino acids are (and...

Forelimb Stay Apparatus: the system that lets a horse “lock out” the front leg for weight-bearing, sleep standing up, and absorb concussion on landing. If you’ve ever seen a knee buckle, a stumble, or a messy landing, this episode will help you connect the dots and gain practical solutions. In this episode we discuss: Key structures including the soft tissue and bony structures...

Did you know your saddle-fit is shaping your horse’s posture long before you see the classic “pain signs”? In this chat with master saddler, author, rider and educator Jochen Schleese (Saddlefit4Life), we unpack how saddle design and fit can either allow your horse to move freely… or quietly push a horse into compensations that later show up as behaviour changes, resistance, and movement...

The tail tells a story. One that reflects biomechanics, comfort and health, much than most people realise. The tail is a communicatative area of the horse, and has basic functions like fly swatting and showing irritation, to neuromotor control and a relationship to the pelvic diaphragm. In this episode we discuss: Anatomy & function: muscles, nerves, fascia and connections to the spine, pelvic...

  Before we chat this week.. are you ready to take this knowledge into practice yet? The next  EQ100 Equine Bodyworker Certification  starts  March 24th, Guyra NSW . Register at  Equinology Australia  or Email: equinologyoffice@gmail.com   Episode 70: The Mare Matters: Posture, Health, and the Developing Foal As this time of year in the southern hemisph...

Learning information is valuable… but real change happens when you’re supported in applying it. If you want to confidently read your horse’s posture, connect the dots, and then actually influence how they move for the better - enrollment is now open for the   Equine Functional Posture Course . It’s the first program globally to combine comprehensive posture education  with practical exer...