EQ Therapeutics

03/10/2026

The body carries its own medicine cabinet.

Not metaphorically. Physiologically.

Every day the body produces regulatory chemistry that maintains balance.

Hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors, and immune signaling molecules are constantly being made.

👉 Cortisol mobilizes energy under stress
👉 Insulin regulates blood glucose
👉 Endorphins modulate pain
👉 Melatonin regulates circadian rhythm
👉 Thyroid hormones influence metabolic rate
👉 Growth hormone drives tissue repair.

Even tissues produce chemical signals. Cytokines coordinate immune response. Prostaglandins regulate inflammation. Bone remodels continuously. Muscle adapts to mechanical load. Connective tissue reorganizes along lines of stress.

This is endogenous pharmacy.

But the body can only produce these substances when it has the proper raw materials. Vitamins and minerals act as cofactors in thousands of biochemical reactions. Magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, amino acids, and essential fatty acids all contribute to the body's ability to regulate and repair itself.

When the internal environment is supportive, the organism self-regulates. When it is compromised, pathology often follows.

Chronic stress alters hormonal rhythms.
Poor nutrition limits substrate availability.
Reduced movement decreases the mechanical signals needed for tissue health.
Circulatory restriction limits nutrient delivery and waste removal.

This is why diet and movement are not optional. They provide the building blocks the body uses to produce its own chemistry.

Understanding this changes the way you practice. My kinesiology degree and RMT training introduced the biochemical and nutritional foundations of tissue health. Osteopathy expanded that lens further, integrating the nervous system, circulation, lymphatics, and endocrine system.

When the body is understood as an integrated regulatory network rather than isolated structures, assessment changes, treatment changes, outcomes change.

This is the framework we explore inside our programs.

Because the goal is not to override the body.

The goal is to support its ability to regulate itself.

03/10/2026

Gait analysis gives you valuable information—but it’s only one piece of the story.

To fully understand how a horse is functioning, you need both active and passive assessments.

👉 Want to join a community of passionate, forward-thinking therapists?

Our Orthopaedic Assessment Courses are designed for practicing equine therapists or students ready to take their skills to the next level.

🎥 This clip is from one of our monthly live Q&A sessions, where students get lifetime access to real-time coaching. We dive deep into key concepts and answer all your questions related to assessment, manual therapy, and clinical success.

Inside the program, you’ll learn full joint-by-joint assessment, including:

* Active and Passive Range of Motion (AROM and PROM)
* Special Tests
* Palpation
* Static Postural Observation
* And so much more!

What’s included:
* Year-round enrolment
* Lifetime mentorship
* 25+ years of clinical and teaching experience
* A global network of like-minded therapists

If you’re ready to elevate your practice and make a bigger impact for your equine clients, we’re here to help you get there.

✨ Don’t wait—join our community of thriving practitioners who’ve already transformed their approach.

📩 Connect with us directly: info@equilibriatherapeutics.com

😊 We can’t wait to welcome you inside.

03/06/2026

Can the horse industry please stop using words like spicy, sassy, naughty, or cheeky to describe aversive behavioural responses in horses.

Those are human interpretations. They are not grounded in equine behavioural science.

What is often labelled as "attitude" is usually communication - pain, confusion, fear, defensive behaviour, or an attempt to avoid pressure the body cannot comfortably accommodate.

The longer I am on social media, the harder it becomes to watch this dynamic play out daily.

👉 Videos where horses clearly display distress signals are framed as entertainment
👉 Horses expressing discomfort are mocked or dismissed as having "personality"
👉In some cases the horse is visibly lame or in significant pain, yet the narrative becomes one of dominance - applause for "showing the horse who is boss"

From a behavioural and physiological perspective, this is not horsemanship. It is a failure to interpret the signals the animal is giving.

For those of us working within an evidence based framework - anatomy, biomechanics, neurophysiology, and behaviour - the constant stream of misinformation can be exhausting.

This year I will be doing a significant cull of what I allow into my social media feed. Not out of disengagement, but out of necessity for mental health.

Because when you spend your life studying the horse's anatomy, physiology, and behaviour, it becomes very difficult to watch their attempts to communicate be reduced to jokes.

If you would rather hear it from a neuroscientist than from me, I recommend the work of Dr. Stephen Peters (link in comments), who has spent years studying the equine brain.

Horses simply do not have the neurological architecture required for the kind of complex intent implied by words like "spicy," "sassy," "naughty," or "cheeky." These are human interpretations layered onto behavioural responses better explained by physiology, stress responses, learning history, and environmental pressure.

Understanding the brain changes how we interpret behaviour.

Signed,
a very tired, very evidence based therapist
and a lifelong lover of horses

03/06/2026

Final Spot Remaining for 2026

There is now one final space remaining for the 2026 intake of the Equine Craniosacral Level 1 Certification.

Once this space is filled, enrolment will close until 2027.

The online course is open now, which allows students to begin working through the theory and arrive at the practicum prepared for the hands-on clinical work.

Level 1 Live Practicum
August 6-9, 2026 (Langley, BC)

Students must complete the online modules prior to attending the practicum. The program also includes three live webinars designed to guide students through the most important concepts and ensure everyone arrives ready to apply the work in practice.

Live Webinar Schedule:

June 15, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM PST

June 29, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM PST

July 13, 2026 — 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM PST

All webinars are recorded, so replays are available for students who cannot attend live. However, the online course and webinar content must be completed prior to the practicum.

If you have been considering joining us, this is the final opening for 2026.

Once this spot is filled, we will begin compiling the waitlist for the 2027 intake.

More information and registration can be found on our website. Link in comments (FB) or link tree (IG).

03/05/2026

For anyone who has been curious about attending one of Lockie’s clinics, or even just auditing to observe, this is a great opportunity while he is touring through Canada.

Many of you may remember that I did a live clinic here with Emotional Horsemanship by Lockie Phillips and Alexa Linton a few years ago. Watching his work in person was a powerful experience. It is a rare chance to see horsemanship that is deeply ethical, compassionate, and grounded in an understanding of the horse’s perspective while still being practical and effective.

I am hoping to attend the Edmonton clinic and may be in the area a few days beforehand doing some osteopathic assessments, so there is a good chance I will see some of you there as well.

Canada Clinic Tour 🇨🇦. October 2026
This year I will be travelling across Canada to host Emotional Horsemanship clinics in three beautiful locations:
Ottawa
Edmonton
Kelowna

These clinics are designed for thoughtful horse people who want practical, horse-first solutions in their training and care. Groundwork, Ridden Work, Group Work and Individual Sessions will be presented.

Across the weekend we will explore how emotion, biomechanics, and clear communication shape safer, calmer, and more enjoyable partnerships with horses. Participants will work with their horses in real time, and auditors are warmly welcomed to watch, learn, and ask questions throughout the clinic.

Every clinic is slightly different because every horse is different. We meet the horses where they are, and work with them in a way that is gentle, adaptable, and grounded in feel.

If you have been curious about Emotional Horsemanship, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience the work in person.

Spaces are limited at each location.

More information and booking details here:
https://emotionalhorsemanship.com/choose-your-clinic

I look forward to meeting you and your horses in Canada this fall!

03/03/2026

Most humans have language.

We can say aching. Burning. Stabbing. Radiating. Crushing. Throbbing. Sharp. Dull. Tender. Piercing. Shooting.

We can describe intensity.
We can describe location.
We can describe quality.
We can describe duration.

A horse cannot.

A horse cannot say:

"My SI joint feels jammed."
"My mid-back burns when I step under."
"My TMJ is referring pain into my poll."
"My stomach feels like it is cramping."

They only have behaviour.

Resistance.
Ear pinning.
Head tossing.
Nipping.
Biting.
Rushing.
Tail swishing.
Bucking.
Bolting.
Rearing.
Shutting down.
Exploding.

Behaviour is communication.

When we label something as "just behavioural," what we are often saying is:

"I do not yet understand what this body is trying to tell me."

Pain is not a personality trait.
It is a neurophysiological experience.

Before dismissing a response as attitude, consider this:

If you lost your ability to speak, how would your body ask for help.

This is why assessment matters.
This is why feedback matters.

This is why we must understand anatomy, neurology, and physiology instead of relying on interpretation alone.

Because horses cannot tell us what hurts.
But they are always telling us something.

03/02/2026

Struggling to resolve back pain in the horses you work with?

The missing piece might not be the back at all.

It might be the diaphragm.

Most people think of the diaphragm as simply a breathing muscle, but in the horse it plays a much bigger role in whole-body function.

The diaphragm attaches to the ribs, sternum, and lumbar vertebrae and sits directly above the organs of digestion. This means it influences both respiration and abdominal function.

Every breath creates motion through this structure.

🫁 On inhale the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, allowing the lungs to expand so oxygen can enter the bloodstream.

💨 On exhale it releases and moves upward, helping expel air while also creating a pumping effect for the abdominal organs.

This constant movement supports oxygen delivery, circulation, lymphatic flow, digestive motility, and pressure regulation through the trunk.

But there is another important relationship....

The diaphragm shares fascial connections with the psoas muscles along the lumbar spine. Because the psoas is a primary hip flexor, restriction in this region can influence hindlimb mechanics.

One common sign can be altered hip flexion. Horses may struggle to step underneath themselves or show reduced engagement of the hindquarters.

Now consider one more factor....

The diaphragm sits directly beneath where the rider's weight is placed. Saddle pressure, rib restrictions, or thoracic stiffness can all influence how freely this structure moves.

When it cannot move well, the effects may appear as back pain, breathing limitations, digestive dysfunction, or reduced performance.

This is why the diaphragm is often a missing piece in treatment plans.

If you want to learn how to properly assess and work with this structure, I created a mini online course dedicated entirely to the equine diaphragm.

Only $60 CAD. All materials downloadable to keep for life.

Registration link in bio (IG) or comments (FB)

03/02/2026

Thank you for posting this Amy Skinner Horsemanship.

We are living in a time of great falseness — where harm is often marketed as good, and what is vilified or feared is sometimes in service of a higher good.

A reactive public cannot distinguish truth from façade.

It has never been more essential — for our own well-being and for the collective — to step out of reactivity. When we are constantly triggered, we lose the ability to think critically. In that state, we unconsciously look to authority to think for us, because we are too emotionally unbalanced to trust our own discernment.

As long as we are operating from fear, anger, or superiority, we cannot move forward in a meaningful direction — personally or collectively.

The time is now to leave fear behind.

When you read an article, watch a video, or attend an event, pay attention to the emotion being sold to you. What are you being encouraged to feel? Who benefits from you feeling that way? And what actions are more likely when you do?

Simply noticing is the first step toward reclaiming your ability to think clearly.

Continually ask yourself:
Who benefits from my fear?
What do they gain if I stay reactive?

That question alone can return power to your hands.

Photo by Jasmine Cope of a very special teacher of mine