Free Flow Equine Therapies - Susan Rousak

31/03/2026

Your body position as a rider is so important and impacts the horse. Here is some more info and exercises in the shared link.

If you'd like a comprehensive rider assessment, Mandy from ErgoX2 of Sweden will be in Canberra soon. I highly recommend getting one done as it can highlight a lot about what your body does and how it affects the horse! Reach out if you'd like more info as I can't tag Mandy's page 🙃

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Aq8Ttg65W/

The horse and rider are a coupled system

A ridden horse is not moving under a rider like an independent machine carrying cargo. Horse and rider function as a linked, self-balancing system.

When the rider’s mass is not centered—whether due to pelvic rotation, uneven stirrup loading, trunk asymmetry, a collapsed hip, or a habitual weight bias—the horse must reorganize movement to keep the combined center of mass stable.

This is not a theoretical concept. Research has repeatedly demonstrated that rider asymmetry produces measurable changes in equine thoracolumbar motion, back loading patterns, and proxies for limb loading.

What the research shows

Induced rider asymmetry alters spinal motion

When asymmetry is deliberately introduced—most commonly by shortening one stirrup—horses show detectable changes in thoracolumbar and thoracolumbosacral kinematics. In simple terms, the horse’s back moves differently to accommodate altered rider posture and force distribution.

Rider asymmetry can change limb loading patterns

In these same induced-asymmetry studies, researchers report increased fetlock extension on the side opposite the shortened stirrup. Fetlock extension is widely used as a proxy for peak vertical force, suggesting that rider asymmetry can shift how load is distributed through the limbs.

Rider–horse asymmetries relate to asymmetric back loading

Large-scale studies using saddle pressure mats combined with motion capture show that functional asymmetries in the rider and/or horse are associated with uneven force distribution across the horse’s back.

Many riders are asymmetrical without realizing it

Even without intentional manipulation, studies measuring stirrup forces demonstrate that rider asymmetry is common and measurable. Subtle, habitual differences in how riders load each stirrup create consistent left–right differences in how force enters the horse–rider system.

How rider asymmetry commonly shows up in the horse

Trainers and riders often describe horses affected by rider asymmetry as:
• harder to bend in one direction
• heavier or stronger in one rein
• stepping shorter behind on one side
• drifting, falling in, or resisting straightness
• loading one forelimb or hind limb more
• showing uneven contact, rhythm, or consistency

Biomechanically, these signs are consistent with a horse reorganizing trunk control and limb forces to manage an off-center rider.

Why rider symmetry matters

Performance: straightness is not just a horse issue

When rider loading differs left to right, the horse may stiffen portions of the trunk, redistribute weight, or alter stride mechanics to maintain balance and rhythm. These compensations can appear as training limitations when, in reality, part of the constraint originates from the rider’s symmetry and timing.

Soundness: repeated asymmetry concentrates stress

Horses compensate remarkably well—until they cannot. Habitual asymmetric loading may increase tissue stress in predictable regions over time, including the feet, fetlocks, sacroiliac region, thoracolumbar junction, and saddle area. Research shows that the system does, in fact, change loading strategies when the rider is asymmetric.

Saddle fit and back soreness

Asymmetric rider posture can increase pressure on one side of the saddle, subtly shift its position, and create the appearance of unilateral back soreness. For this reason, saddle evaluation and bodywork assessment are most effective when rider symmetry is considered alongside horse and tack.

Monitoring rider symmetry: practical strategies for self-assessment

Because horse and rider function as a coupled biomechanical system, rider asymmetry does not need to be dramatic to matter. Subtle differences in weight distribution, pelvic orientation, trunk rotation, or limb loading are enough to influence equine movement.

Riders can begin by increasing awareness:
• noticing which seat bone feels heavier
• observing stirrup pressure differences
• using mirrors or video for feedback
• paying attention to consistency between reins and directions
• routinely practicing rider position exercises both on and off the horse

These simple checks can provide valuable insight into how the rider may be influencing the horse.

Bringing it all together

Rider asymmetry is not a flaw—it is a normal human reality. Every rider brings a history of movement patterns, past injuries, and structural preferences into the saddle.

What matters is not perfection, but awareness. Small, consistent asymmetries can shape how a horse moves, loads, and responds over time. Left unaddressed, they may contribute to training challenges, uneven development, and increased physical strain.

These patterns can also amplify physical discomfort, making minor issues feel more significant and more difficult for the horse to manage.

You don’t have to figure this out alone

Because these influences are often subtle and difficult to feel from the saddle, outside perspective is essential.

Working with a knowledgeable trainer or instructor can help identify asymmetries you may not be aware of and guide you toward more balanced, effective riding. In combination with bodywork, saddle fit evaluation, and veterinary input when needed, this creates a more complete understanding of the horse–rider system.

The goal

The goal is not to create a perfectly symmetrical rider—it is to create a more balanced system.

When rider and horse are better aligned:
• movement becomes more efficient
• communication becomes clearer
• the horse moves with less compensation and less strain

Supporting not only performance, but long-term soundness and well-being.

https://koperequine.com/improve-your-riding-training-with-serpentine-exercises/

25/03/2026

I do a bit of equine rehab work and I wanted to outline why it's a little different from normal bodywork sessions.

Equine rehabilitation isn’t just about healing an injury—it’s about rebuilding strength, confidence, and partnership. 🐎✨

Successful equine rehab comes down to a few key principles:

🔹 Accurate diagnosis first – Work closely with your vet and rehab professionals to fully understand the injury before starting any program.
🔹 Consistency over intensity – Small, controlled exercises done regularly are far more effective than pushing too hard too soon.
🔹 Individualised programs – Every horse heals differently. Tailor rehab exercises, turnout, and workload to the horse—not a generic timeline.
🔹 Track progress – Keep a rehab journal, note changes in movement, behaviour, and recovery milestones.
🔹 Support the whole horse – Proper nutrition, physiotherapy, bodywork, and mental stimulation all play a role in recovery.

Rehabilitation takes patience, but when done correctly it can bring horses back stronger than before. 💪

Remember: progress may be slow, but every correct step forward counts. Rehab sessions are required more frequently than normal bodywork sessions. This is so we can track progress, modify exercises as required and ensure we are doing the best for the horse.

22/03/2026

When your paddock friend waits patiently for their bodywork session (well stares intently at me until her turn 🤣)

18/03/2026

I'm very excited to announce my business, Free Flow Equine Therapies, is a finalist in the Australian Small Business Champion Awards () for Pet Services 🥳🥳

This is a huge achievement for my business. As a sole trader it's all down to me to make sure the business is running smoothly, and there has definitely been some ups and downs!

These awards celebrate the finest of Australia's small businesses across 106 categories and celebrate the vital role small businesses play in our nation's prosperity.

Where you can, support a small business!

Wish me luck, winners will be announced in May 😄

13/03/2026

🐎 Don’t wait for a problem: why horse bodywork should be proactive

Many people call a bodyworker only when their horse is sore, stiff, or something has already gone wrong. But the truth is, the best results happen when bodywork is part of a proactive care routine, not just a reaction to an issue.

Just like human athletes, horses place huge demands on their bodies. Training, competing, trail riding, and even everyday paddock movement can create small areas of tension or restriction long before obvious signs appear.

When bodywork is done regularly, it can:
✨ Identify minor restrictions before they become injuries
✨ Support better movement, balance, and performance
✨ Help horses stay comfortable in their work
✨ Reduce compensatory patterns that lead to bigger problems
✨ Improve recovery after training or competition

Often the subtle signs come first — shortened stride, resistance in one direction, difficulty bending, changes in behaviour, or saddle discomfort. By the time lameness or major soreness appears, the body has usually been compensating for quite a while.

Proactive bodywork keeps the whole system functioning the way it should. Instead of chasing problems, you’re supporting the horse’s body so it can perform, recover, and stay comfortable long-term.

Your horse doesn’t have to be “broken” to benefit from bodywork. Regular maintenance is simply part of responsible, welfare-focused horsemanship. 💛

Because when horses feel better in their bodies… everything works better.

11/03/2026

As many of you know, I believe nutrition is extremely important for our horses. This podcast covers many elements that we often talk about, so worth a listen 😃

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CCBV2wRVY/

Animal Biomechanics Osteopathy Equine Anatomy Equine Biomechanics Equine Functional Posture Equine Mobility Horse Posture Horse Stretching Exercises Horse Strength

10/03/2026

This is a really important conversation to have, I know I'm guilty of not looking after myself, and through my learning, I've realised how asymmetrical I am, how unfit I'd gotten and how much harder that was for my horse. I now go to the gym, get my own bodywork and try to look after myself as well, and I can see that improvement in my horse as well!

What do you do for yourself?

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fi69Kq4c8/

09/03/2026

I've spent the last 5 days at a craniosacral course. It's such a powerful modality, and the changes seen in the horses were amazing.

Thank you to Emma Loftus Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy for Horses and Humans for sharing your knowledge and passion for this modality. You created a supportive and engaging environment in which to learn. 😃

Thank you to Boyne Equine Health - Sinead McCann for organising, supporting and bringing the Irish humour!

Thank you to Dave and Sue Leigh from The Barefoot Bloke for your hospitality, and providing such a lovely, inviting venue and horses.

I'll do a post at some point on what craniosacral therapy is and benefits. Right now though I need to go rest up and process all the learning 😄

04/03/2026

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"He's had everything checked"

When people post about issues they’re having with their horse, any mention of it being a physical problem is often met with “he’s definitely not in pain, he’s had everything checked”. More often than not they mean they’ve had his teeth looked at, his saddle looked at and some kind of bodyworker have a look at his back. Unfortunately there are more parts to a horse than the back and the teeth.

Sometimes people have gone further than this and have dutifully taken their horse to the vet for a work-up and nothing of note can be found. The absence of significant lameness does not mean a horse is pain-free. Sometimes you need to look deeper and find the right vet to help you do that.

If you pursue something as a purely behavioural issue when there is underlying pain, at best you end up with a miserable, shut down horse performing the task regardless and at worst you end up with an even bigger problem in the long run. You’ll also end up with a horse that has learned humans will ignore his attempts to communicate so he either needs to shout louder, or put up and shut up.

A factor that is even more difficult to navigate is that all professionals aren’t one and the same, so you can end up thinking you have had things checked properly by a relevant professional, and they’ve actually missed something. For example, it is not unusual for me to go out to a client who has tried their best by getting a made to measure saddle fitted and yet it is clearly causing the horse discomfort and doesn’t actually fit at all. I will always listen to the horse’s opinion above anyone else’s.

Having said all that, there are many postural/training issues which can cause soreness throughout the body which can be rectified with appropriate, gentle work teaching the horse a new way to move and carry themselves. So we don’t necessarily need to immediately rack up a 10k vet bill when we find nothing obvious.

A quick note about ulcers, it is extremely common for horses to have ulcers, however they are rarely stand alone. It can be easy to find ulcers and think you’ve found the whole problem, only to be disappointed later when the behaviour doesn’t change or the ulcers return once treatment stops. Ulcers are often secondary to pain/soreness/stress/management and we need to address all of it to successfully heal the horse, not just decide because we’ve treated the ulcers that any further issues are definitely behavioural.

Another one to note is the rise in awareness and research into various muscle myopathies. I think there are a lot more horses affected than we realise and when I look back at some horses I’ve known over the years I realise now that is probably what was going on with them, we just didn’t know about it and couldn’t diagnose it at the time.

Using "he's had all the checks" as a justification to put a horse through high-stress training until they comply is unethical and any "result" is simply a shut down horse, perhaps a success story for the humans involved, but the horse continues to suffer silently.

I cannot tell you the amount of times I have gone out to see horses who have been seen by multiple professionals and "cleared" for pain who later get diagnosed with significant pathology. If it quacks like a duck its probably a duck.

If a horse is telling you they are struggling and in pain, believe them.

We need to let go of this narrative around some horses needing to be dramatically trained or ridden through explosive behaviour in order to "fix" them, if a horse truly is having "just behavioural" issues, the training should look calm and quiet and not push the horse into loud behaviour. Any training that looks dramatic and high-stress is not for the horse.

You are ultimately the only one who truly has the power to advocate for your horse. If you feel something is wrong, even if you’ve had “all the checks”, seek out professionals who don’t dismiss your concerns and are willing to help you look a little deeper rather than telling you your horse just has to get on with it. 🐴

02/03/2026

The more I learnt the more I saw horses that, while tracking up, were not balanced or actually working well. But I was also taught tracking up was the goal so it's taken me a bit to unlearn that!

Food for thought 😃

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For years, many of us were taught that a horse was sound and working well if they were tracking up.

“Push him forward - he’s not tracking up.”

Sound familiar ?

But knowing what we know now, perhaps it’s time we stopped obsessing over that one measure.
For many horses - especially young horses, pony / cob types or those still building strength - early on, tracking up can only happen if they rush and lose their balance.

The moment we chase it, we often see the next instruction:

“Keep him between leg and hand.”

And suddenly it becomes a push-and-pull battle.

I can't tell you how awful i feel thinking back to the lessons where I was told to ride forward and make him rounder to achieve the tracking up in trot...

Now i know better, I prefer something different.
Leg without hand.
Hand without leg.

First, we build balance.
We develop functionality within the pace.

Only then do we refine the quality - in balance.

tracking up alone is not the goal.

Balance, harmony and functionality is.

If you have to have a quick " zoom zoom " round to awaken/influence him then so be it, nothing is productive if the horse is behind the aids so we must have that desire to go forward first but we must always come back to the goal of working in balance.

Whilst always remembering we can't run horses into balance.

📸 Fine Photography By Georgia-Emily

26/02/2026

Everything is connected!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Auo3CEXWw/

Did you know? The hoof and the horse are always connected!?

Sounds silly right but…

I still regularly see compartmentalised thinking in this industry. The hoof is treated as something created by the farrier, while the body is treated as something shaped by training, posture, management, or pathology somewhere else. As if these are separate problems that occasionally influence one another rather than parts of the same system.

Hoof balance is not a shape, a measurement, or a visual ideal. It is a moment condition. The distal limb must satisfy an equilibrium between external ground reaction forces and internal tissue moments. When that equilibrium is met, phalangeal alignment, hoof–pastern axis, palmar angle, and capsule morphology emerge as consequences rather than targets. When it is not met, the system does not immediately fail. It compensates.

That compensation is bi-directional. Forces do not only travel upward from the hoof. Posture, neuromuscular tone, limb orientation, and movement strategy all influence how the hoof is loaded in the first place. The hoof receives force from the ground, but it also feeds information back into the system through mechanical strain and sensory input. Hoof form and whole-horse organisation continuously shape one another.

However, the hoof is a persistent boundary condition. Posture and movement can vary from stride to stride, but hoof geometry influences every step the horse takes. If the hoof alters the timing or direction of force, the limb must change strategy, the trunk must stabilise differently, and the nervous system will preserve that solution. This is why compensation can appear functional for long periods of time, even as tissue cost accumulates elsewhere.

The point is not that the hoof is everything, or that the body is irrelevant. The point is that separating them is the mistake. Farriery alters boundary conditions at the ground. Those conditions either allow the horse to resolve forces within its elastic and biological reserve, or they force the system to organise around constraint. Hoof balance is therefore neither purely local nor purely global. It is the interface where mechanics, biology, and behaviour meet.

That is why the last webinar with Dr Haussler was so important, understanding the difference between compensation and maladaption!

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/compensations