Alexa Linton

22/02/2026

On the importance of supporting the viscera…

After my acute pancreatitis episode almost four years ago, a part of my pancreas died. It was a very unfun time! Combine that with my initial abdominal surgery post infection and all the ensuing scar tissue and it is safe to say my insides were a bit of a mess. Fast forward five months and my scans came back normal.

Someone asked me the other day how I healed my pancreas and abdominal cavity. On the spot, I talked about supplementation, diet, red light therapy and time, but I actually forgot about my secret weapon! Osteopathy.

I had my first osteo session within days of coming home from the hospital and then every 1-2 weeks for the next several months. I was blessed to have my amazing colleague Irene Borecky come to our house, as I wasn’t able to drive or travel. In our five year program we spent almost two years specifically focused on working with the viscera/organs and boy, was I grateful for this body of work as I moved through my healing process.

What do we, as osteopathic practitioners, do with viscera exactly? Well, the most important thing is that we understand that the functional movement, vitality and vascularization of all the organs and related structures is critical to overall health and vitality. In my program (and not all osteopathy programs are created equal!), we were taught how to include all organs/viscera in our assessment and treatment plan. We work at the level of the tissues and fluids gently and effectively to support these structures and everything they might be affecting.

Daily in my own practice I see visceral issues affecting the structural and vascular systems and beyond - for example, a restriction in the lung, liver, uterus or colon affecting the mobility of the pelvis or sacrum. Or scar tissue from a C-section, hysterectomy, mastectomy affecting the movement of the pelvis, thorax or even cervical spine. Almost none of the clients I see with viscera-related scar tissue have had this addressed therapeutically post surgically, not because they don’t want to, but because they don’t know it is possible and necessary for healthy function of the rest of the fascial system and body. This is not common knowledge although I hope to see that shift!

This was why, after my laparoscopic surgery and my pancreatic necrosis (causing its own scar tissue), I prioritized regular osteopathic treatments. I still get an osteopathic treatment every 4-6 weeks almost four years later with my colleague Michelle at Ladysmith Osteopathy. I truly believe this has been a major contributor in my healing process, helping my organs, viscera and other systems to function at their best to allow the fullest expression of my health and vitality. In my practice, it is an area I focus on because I know first hand how supportive it can be to overall health.

If you live in the Cowichan Valley these are the osteopathic practitioners I recommend for visceral therapy (all went through the same 5 year program as me) - Michelle Sutcliffe (Ladysmith), Trisha Gilks (Cobble Hill), Peter Schreurs (Cobble Hill).

And of course, I would love to see you here at Raven Moon farm (booking link in comments).

04/02/2026

It's been a good long minute since I've introduced myself here, so here we go!

I am Alexa Linton, geeky, quirky, curious, always learning and a life-long horse devotee. Get me in a conversation and you will quickly learn, she is obsessed with all things horses and can wax on for hours about them and their care. The obsession was only heightened by landing on our dream property 10 months ago in the Cowichan Valley and bringing our herd of three mares Diva, Raven and Gwynna home, and then adding Reykur the Icelandic gelding to the mix. I should add hermit to this description, because I love it so much here I never want to leave, and since I work and practice from home I don't really have to!

These last few years have been full of growth and discovery as I uncovered some deeper truths about my nervous system and wiring and stepped into a bigger role of supporting others to navigate similar journeys. Turns out a big health crisis combined with perimenopause is quite the catalyst for self-discovery!

You may know me as the host and creator of the Whole Horse Podcast, guest on many other podcasts, author of a book on navigating pet loss, regular contributor to Horse Community Journals, facilitator of many workshops/courses, equine therapist, animal intuitive, osteopathic practitioner, student, horse/dog/cat mom, dancer, artist, or friend. I've been accused of wearing too many hats (and I am indeed a hat lover, like the sequined heart one in the photo), but I believe I wear the perfect amount to keep things interesting!

To say I'm a geek is an understatement - I've taken over 17 years of post-graduate study including, most recently, 5 and a half years to become an osteopathic practitioner. It currently feels very weird to not be in school but I do try to take regular post-graduate course work with my recent focus being endocranial brain work to support around post-concussive symptoms, migraines, whiplash, back injuries and nervous system challenges. I chose osteopathy precisely because there is always something to learn - I hope to be treating into my old age, as I love this work so much!

I love creating - as my marketing coach Tad says, I'm an artist and not truly an entrepreneur, but I do my best to mix the two! My most recent creations are the Whole Horse Collective, my first membership community, hosted along with all of my online courses on my new site Outside the Box Equine, which I built entirely myself (because I may also be just a wee bit of a control freak).

I credit my partner Patrick for helping make my big dreams a reality and co-creating something amazing here on Raven Moon Farm with me - together we envision retreats, workshops and more, surrounded by forest, horses and nature. Together we work hard to create the world we want to see, honouring the natural world, welcoming and supporting humans from every walk of life, holding up the values of inclusion, compassion, love, care and equality for all. We share our land with our two dogs Reilly and Solo, our cat Makwa, an elk herd every now and again, and the occasional cougar (but that's a story for another day!). This land fulfills a promise I made to my heart horse Diva to finally bring her home to her forever spot after journeying together for almost 23 years - my hope is that we still have many more years to spend learning from each other.

Thanks for being here on this page and supporting my work and dreams. Thanks for being a client, a listener, a reader, a friend. I appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to connecting in the future.

Alexa

31/01/2026

Can we talk about patterns and horse-keeping?
As a neurospicy human, I can't help but notice patterns, how one things reflects or mirrors another, how one thing shows up looking remarkably like another thing. And then I can't help but wonder what connects these things, and have they been connected before and how. And of course the bigger question of what it all means. Some patterns are resonant, like the estuary of a river and the capillaries in our body. They hint at a level of connection we may not have considered.
Let's look at this photo of Reykur and the forest. Do you see the pattern? The connection? Here there is an alignment and a coming together of two seemingly separate beings, a tree and a horse. When I look at this photo I see and experience resonance, the sense of two frequencies harmonizing. Like with great harmonies in music, there is an experience in my body of this resonance, and a sense of calm.
Why does this matter? In a time where we can be taught to separate things, what is the impact of acknowledging a mirroring or a resonant connection? Well, in the case of horse-keeping and land-keeping, I would suggest that this resonance might give us clarity on the presence of deep connection and common ground (pardon the pun) between horse and land, that they are inextricably inseparable. That, in good horse-keeping, we would also consider the health of the land, and consider the quality of this connection as a part of caring for our horses. And that we should always consider that the land, and it's care, is a key part of not just our horses well-being but also our own. Because how I care for and steward and think about land reflects how I care for horses, and also, how I care for my community and myself - am I extractive or collaborative, am I destructive or regenerative, am I entitled or humbled, do I love with strings or without, do I move towards more life and spirit or less? I truly believe that our horses and the land are supporting us to move towards more harmony, quite literally - a pattern of resonance, if we take the time to listen.
I heard from a teacher long ago that how we do one thing is how we do everything. Notice your patterns, the good and the bad. Notice the patterns that are all around you and be curious when you witness and feel resonance - the learning is all around you if you choose to see.

16/08/2024

I am excited to be able to offer two full scholarship and two half scholarship for this year's Whole Horse Apprenticeship (a $997 and $499 CDN value) to four committed horse lovers (no horse required), who would benefit from this program and may be experiencing barriers around accessibility (financial, racial, health, location or otherwise).

I have decided to offer double the scholarships this year in honour of the ninth and final year of this experience (in its current form) and my desire to support as many people as possible to take part before we complete.

Join myself (Alexa Linton) and over 25 guest instructors including Amy Dell, Susan Waite Tenney , Kim Hallin, Holly Barnett, Lucie Klaassen, Heather Nelson and Brittany Ashworth (plus pre-recorded webinars with Celeste-Leilani Lazaris, Dr. Tracy Rainwaters, Felicity Davies, Carmen Sp****la, Lockie Phillips, Shannon Beahen, Hannah Weston, Sarah Schlote, Hillary Schneider, Wendy Murdoch, Elsa Sinclair, Josh Nichol, Kerri Lake, Elisha Edwards, Sarah Griffiths, Elisse Miki and many more!).

This online-based 6-month Equine Wellness Immersion, designed as a venue for horse lovers and stewards of all ages, interests and locations to explore the many aspects (physical, emotional, energetic, spiritual and more) of wellness in their horse-human relationships (no horse required, just a love of horses), begins on September 15th, 2024 (registration closes September 10th).

Apply at http://bit.ly/whascholarship2024 by Sunday August 25th, 2024 (scholarship recipients will be announced on Wednesday August 28th).

Please share with any inspired and inspiring horse people in your world who would benefit from being a part of this 6-month program dedicated to horses and our relationship with them! More details on the Whole Horse Apprenticeship at http://alexalinton.ca/whole-horse-apprenticeship

Thank you for applying! If you would like more details on this program and what it includes please visit http://alexalinton.ca/whole-horse-apprenticeship. I will be in touch by Wednesday August 28th with news about the recipient of the two full scholarships and two half scholarships. If you have any...

26/07/2024

I wrote this article on desensitization a little while back so I reread it today. Wouldn’t you know it, it’s pretty good! If you’ve got five minutes have a read and let me know your thoughts on this important topic.

“Desensitization” is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: to make emotionally insensitive or callous; specifically: to extinguish an emotional response (as of fear, anxiety, or guilt) to stimuli that formerly induced it. READ: Is Desensitizating Your Horse Helpful? HERE: https://www.horsejournals.com/riding-training/general/schooling/desensitizating-your-horse-helpful

19/11/2023

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐬?

Because fluids are life!

One of the guiding principles of osteopathy, is the 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞. This rule explains how fluidic restrictions trump other tissue restrictions because blood, lymph, and CSF, are required for them to function in the first place. In this case we do not have a chicken-egg situation but rather a clear path of what needs to come first and what is primary in the treatment plan.

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

When taking an osteopathically informed approach, one must understand the order of hierarchy within the physiological systems of the body.

Any vessel; artery, vein, lymphatic, CSF (which sustains the entire nervous system) that is impeded will have an effect on all the tissues it feeds. In the case of the spinal cord, consequences may be even more widespread than peripheral compression due to the vast network of neural tissue housed within the cord itself.

This is why you will often see me working on primary spinal junctions over singular tight muscle groups. We already know the muscles that are tight are lacking fluids, that is part of the reason they are tight in the first place. But in order for them to retain full function they must first be provided the cellular building blocks which is held in the fluids. Therefore restoring flow in and out of major spinal junctions can be more primary than treating the secondary (tight muscles).

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡.

This is but one of the many osteopathic principles we cover in our Certification Programs and why we are passionate about sharing this knowledge. Before I had this understanding, I often felt as though I was swimming upstream, sifting through assessment results. But now I have a clear understanding how to prioritize regions and make informed decisions in treatment plans. And more importantly, I understand the “why” behind what I am seeking to accomplish and able to communicate the relevant anatomy to my clients.

If you often feel you are applying techniques and they do not resolve the issue, restore function, or you are not sure exactly what the physiology behind the technique is in the first place, we hope to illuminate a clear pathway forward for you as our schools once did for us.

Now intaking for 2024, we hope to see you on inside 💫

Alexa Linton Elisse Miki

30/08/2023

I am excited to be able to offer one full scholarship and one half scholarship for this year's Whole Horse Apprenticeship (a $945 and $470 value) to two committed horse lovers (no horse required), who would benefit from this program and may be experiencing barriers around accessibility (financial, racial, health or otherwise).

Join myself (Alexa Linton) and 25 guest instructors including Celeste Lazaris, Dr. Tracy Rainwaters, Felicity Davies, saddle fitter Claire Marshall, Carmen Sp****la, Christine Walker, Lockie Phillips, Wendy Murdoch, Sarah Griffiths, Elsa Sinclair, Josh Nichol, Kerri Lake, Elisha Edwards, Susan Tenney, and Elisse Miki (as well as her Manual Therapy for Animal Owners course)!

This online-based 6-month Equine Wellness Immersion, designed as a venue for horse lovers and stewards of all ages, interests and locations to explore the many aspects (physical, emotional, energetic, spiritual and more) of wellness in their horse-human relationships, begins on September 15th, 2023.

Apply at https://bit.ly/whascholarship2023 by Tuesday September 5th, 2023 (scholarship recipients will be announced on Thursday September
7th).

Please share with any inspired and inspiring horse people in your world who would benefit from being a part of this 6-month program dedicated to horses and our relationship with them! More on the Whole Horse Apprenticeship at http://alexalinton.ca/whole-horse-apprenticeship

Hello and welcome! This is the spot for the Whole Horse Podcast and Apprenticeship updates, news abo

24/08/2023

I was chatting with Elsie Reford today about what she felt was most helpful for her about the Whole Horse Apprenticeship and why she’s coming back for her fourth year this year.

Her answer echoed something that I have heard from quite a few horse people - she knew what she had been taught about caring for and training horses was not working for her or for them, and she didn’t really know where to go to find another way forward. Somehow a post about the apprenticeship found her, and she took a leap of faith. Four years later, she’s now assisting with the program, she’s become a published author sharing her story about her journey with her mare, and her horses and her relationship with them have transformed in a beautiful way. She’s also formed several great and lasting friendships, created connections with trainers and professionals that were a part of the program and stepped into a space of wisdom when it comes to her horses and life. It’s not all the apprenticeship, not by a long shot, but opening that door for herself and making that choice connected her to a community and a world that propelled her forward in her horse journey and supported her horses in the process. Which makes my heart so happy.

So if you’re at the edge of what you’ve known, and you find yourself wondering where the path is for you, perhaps this six month journey dedicated to horses is just what you’re needing. We start on September 15th! Learn more about it at https://alexalinton.ca/whole-horse-apprenticeship

This video is a sharing from Elsie about her experience

20/08/2023

A good read…

It is clear many of us are increasingly aware things may not be as we dreamed in the horse world. That liberty work has little to do with freedom; that a horse trained with food may be just as ‘pressured’ as a horse trained with pressure (possibly even more so without sufficient education and skill); and that riding without a bridle does not prove your horse was not trained with overflexion the day before. These are human fantasises not horse realities.

We are awake to the fact that our horses bodies may be suffering and sitting on them could be too great a challenge. That their digestive system is wonky and that asking them to get in a trailer could be a cruelty. That ideally they would run in a herd of friends over hundreds of acres, sleeping under the stars with the rain on their backs and the wind in their faces.

This can lead one to think that asking a horse to do anything at all is unacceptable. I feel myself at this edge.

This is where I have come to rest with it right now. The world is as it is. The whole system needs changing otherwise we are all going to go down the swanny anyway. So, what can I change in my immediate interaction with the animals (and people) in my sphere of influence? Can I think global and act local when it comes to my horses?

Certainly in the U.K. there are not great stretches of land to turn our horses out on to. We are a small island with no wilderness. Access to land is limited. What is feasible?

I can make sure my horse has friends. And as best I possibly can I make sure these are stable long term friendships. This doesn’t mean just turning two horses out together regardless of how they feel, but observing who actually gets on with who and honoring that. I can consider how my life would be without friendships, and whether I would wish that life on my worst enemy - let alone my best horse.

I can explore ways in which I can let my horses make decisions and have choices. Does my horse EVER get to have a say over what happens in his life? Ever? This is something I’m constantly considering, and it’s actually not easy. But I have a large pre frontal cortex so I might as well attempt to use it.

I can think about ways to make my horse’s life interesting. Can we go out on adventures together? A horse living a horse life would cover many miles over different terrain, they would rarely go in circles in a sand school. In what ways, however small, can we explore this amazing world together. If I don’t enjoy riding out - can I lead out?

And, can I commit to really trying to consider things from the perspective of a horse? How do THEY experience the world (sometimes called their unwelt) and if I tried even for a minute to put myself in their hooves, what might I change about how I present myself to them?

For now I’m going to keep riding, but I’m going to try to do a better job of being a human. My horses have done their fair share of adapting to me.