Equine Osteopathy Manitoba

04/10/2026

“𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀… 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁”

“I’ve done the poles.”
“I’ve done the hills.”
“I’ve followed the plan.”

…and yet…

👉 the same issue keeps coming back
“Or it improves… but never fully resolves”

This is one of the most common situations I see.

Not because the rehab plan is wrong.

But because something important is missing.

Most rehabilitation focuses on:

• strength
• repetition
• progression

But the body doesn’t just need strength.

👉 it needs accurate input

If the pelvis,and specifically the sacral system, is not:

• moving clearly
• receiving clean proprioceptive input
• able to shift between stability and mobility

Then the nervous system does something very predictable:

👉 it protects

And when it protects:

• motor patterns change
• stabilisers reduce their activity
• larger muscles begin to compensate
• movement becomes efficient for safety, not performance

So you can:

✔ do the right exercises
✔ follow the right plan
✔ build strength

…and still reinforce the same pattern.

Because the system is organising around protection, not function.

From an osteopathic perspective, before progression…

👉 the system must be able to organise load

That means:

• the sacrum must adapt between the ilia
• the pelvic ring must transfer force evenly
• the nervous system must accept the input as “safe”

If that step is missed…

👉 rehabilitation becomes repetition of dysfunction

This is why some horses:

• improve briefly
• then regress
• or plateau despite consistent work

It’s not lack of effort.

👉 it’s lack of clarity within the system

And this is also why I don’t start with poles, hills, or strengthening in many cases.

Not because they don’t work…

👉 but because they are often introduced before the system is ready to use them

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿:

• why rehab sometimes fails despite doing everything “right”
• how the nervous system influences pelvic function
• what needs to happen before progression actually works
• and how common exercises fit into this >when the system is ready

If you’ve been in that position…

👉 this will likely make a lot of things make sense

𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁

02/25/2026

Elevate your practice and protect your passion! 🌟 Conact me to create a Private Membership Association for exclusive tools to navigate liability and regulations. Your clients and horses deserve the best care!

02/22/2026

🌟 Attention Bodyworkers! 🌟 Are you feeling the pressure from liability and government regulations? It's time to take a stand and protect your practice! Don't let uncertainties hold you back. 🛡️✨

📞 Contact me today for tailored solutions that empower you to thrive confidently in your work! Let's secure your peace of mind together! 💪

01/14/2026

The United States are the only country where I've ever seen joint injections being sold to horse owners as "maintenance". When I ask horse owners if they go to an annual visit with their primary care physician and have all of their joints injected they typically say "of course not", but why do they think it needs to be done on their horses?

Joint injections with cortisone are a common method for pain relief in osteoarthritis, but they should be considered critically, as repeated or high-dose applications can cause cartilage and bone damage, tendon shortening or rupture, and an increased risk of infection, making the long-term consequences riskier; therefore, they are often used for a limited time and with caution.

Risks and critical thoughts:

Cartilage and bone damage: Repeated injections can promote cartilage breakdown and even accelerated joint degeneration, especially in joints that are under more pressure.

Tendon and ligament degeneration: Cortisone can weaken tendons and ligaments, increasing the risk of tears (never have I seen that many suspensory injuries anywhere else!).

Slowed healing: Inflammation is important for healing; cortisone interrupts this process and can delay healing.

Side effects at the injection site: Skin discoloration and infections are possible, but infections are rare.

Systemic effects: In metabolic horses blood sugar levels may rise; ACTH levels in cushings horses rise, increased appetite and weight gain are possible.

In humans steroid injections have found to be the cause of Rapid Destructive Hip Disease. Injections in horses are a huge money making factor, so there aren't pharmaceutical companies who are willing to invest money into studies that prove this "maintenance" causes more harm than good.

Regular bodywork that strengthens the musculoskeletal frame and breaks up compensation patterns is the only thing that should be called "maintenance".

10/14/2025

Creating a gathering place for osteopathy questions and discovering osteopathic connection in the body.

Understand osteopathic principles, and connections in the equine body while maintaining the integrity of A.T. Still’s life’s work.

10/11/2025

My osteopath mentor Janek Vluggen and Chris Irwin collaborating.

08/17/2025

Getting some insight on what osteopathy is, and who I learnt from.
Janek, besides being one of the best in osteopathy in humans on the planet - decided to develop osteopathy for equines. He is a genius, he understands anatomy of the horse better than anyone, and understands the horse in a completely different way than what we are used to.

In this episode of Echoes & Embers, we sit down with internationally recognized osteopath Janek Vluggen to explore the deep science, philosophy, and practice...

08/06/2025

Book your spot!

06/08/2025

Welcome to our 𝙋𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙘 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙢 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨!
Over the next little while we are going to dive deeper into the commonly talked about Pelvic Room treatment.

If you have wondered…
• What is the pelvic room?
• What is the purpose of the treatment?
• How do I know if my horse needs one?
• What can I expect during and after a treatment?
Follow along and we will answer your questions!

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺?
If you’ve worked with an Equine Osteopath EDO®, you’ve likely heard them mention potential issues within the pelvic room of a horse, but what exactly is the pelvic room and why is it so important?

The pelvic room refers to the space within the pelvic cavity that houses several critical organs. These include the spleen, kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, ileocecal valve, and bladder.
In mares, this area also contains reproductive structures such as the ovaries, uterus, and uterine horns. In geldings, it includes the inguinal canals, the upper portion of the spermatic cord, the cremaster muscle, and the prostate gland. For stallions, the testicles are also part of this space.

This region is rich in soft tissue and fascial structures—the connective tissues that support and link organs. These fascial connections (like the nephrosplenic ligament) allow the organs to maintain both structure and mobility, enabling them to shift and slide relative to one another and the surrounding musculoskeletal system. This mobility is essential. Every organ in the body should have the capacity for micro-movement to function optimally.

In the pelvic room, restricted movement can not only compromise the function of internal organs but also affect the mobility and balance of the skeletal structures, particularly the pelvis, lumbar spine and the upper cervical area initially. That’s why equine osteopaths pay close attention to this area—it’s central to both internal health and biomechanical harmony.

04/22/2025

Turnout is one of the most polarizing topics in modern horse keeping. So, let’s skip the debate. We’ve gathered some results from veterinary science, peer-reviewed journals, and international welfare assessments. These are real numbers, from real studies, so you can make strategic decisions rooted in evidence, not tradition.

-A 25% reduction in soft tissue injuries was found in adult horses turned out for at least 12 hours daily, compared to those kept in stalls greater than 12 hours daily. (Reilly & Bryk-Lucy, 2021)

-Comparing turnout duration, a study found that horses with only 2 hours of turnout exhibited significantly higher energy levels, anxiety, and behaviors such as rearing, bucking, and fence running, whereas horses receiving over 12 hours of turnout were more likely to walk, graze, and remain calm. (Hockenhull & Creighton, 2010)

-Foals receiving inconsistent turnout (9 to 23 hours per day) had 4.6 times more musculoskeletal injuries than those with 24/7 access to turnout. Furthermore, for every extra acre of turnout, there was a 24% reduction in injury risk. (Brown-Douglas et al., 2022)

-A study on 2-year-old horses found that those kept in individual stalls required more time to get used to training activities and showed more unwanted behaviors, like resistance or agitation, than horses kept on pasture. The stalled horses needed an average of 26 minutes of training time, while the pastured horses needed only 19 minutes, to complete the same task. Additionally, the stalled horses were more likely to show unwanted behaviors during training (8 instances on average compared to just 2 for pastured horses). (Rivera et al., 2002)

-Stall-kept livestock experience a higher incidence of hoof-related issues, including uneven hoof growth and lameness, while those with access to turnout demonstrated healthier, more balanced hoof development. (Black, R.A. et al., 2017)

-A European welfare study using the AWIN protocol assessed 315 horses in group-housing turnout systems. Only 2.3% of these horses exhibited signs of lameness, compared to lameness rates as high as 33% in stalled horses across various studies. (AWIN Welfare Assessment, 2023)

-Within just one day of moving from group turnout to individual stalling, equine cortisol levels spike, and their white blood cell count shows significant changes, including a 25% increase in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and a decrease in infection-fighting cells like monocytes and T cells. Additionally, behaviors indicative of stress, such as oral manipulation, neighing, pawing, and apathy, became evident in most horses within a week. (Schmucker et al., 2022)

-Horses with regular turnout showed higher heart rate variability, indicating improved balance in their autonomic nervous system and greater stress resilience. (Rietmann et al., 2004)

-Welsh ponies who received daily pasture turnout in a herd exhibited fewer stress-related behaviors, were significantly calmer, less fearful, less reactive, more interactive with humans, and more adaptable in learning tasks compared to ponies housed in impoverished environments (stalls with limited turnout). Even three months after the study, ponies in the enriched group retained these positive behaviors and demonstrated higher curiosity and superior learning performance. (Lansade et al., 2014)

Can you find a single peer-reviewed study that shows horses kept stabled 24/7 are sounder, healthier, or happier than those with regular turnout? Even the most finely tuned, performance-focused horses are still horses. Just like any other, they require room to roam, stretch their legs, and engage in natural behaviors such as grazing and socializing.

It’s important to recognize that no horse truly dislikes turnout. If a horse resists going outside, it’s due to improper conditioning, previous negative experiences, or being overwhelmed by a sudden change in environment: what’s known as "flooding." Horses who’ve been confined for extended periods or who’ve never had proper exposure to outdoor spaces may react with anxiety or reluctance. These reactions stem from fear, not from an inherent dislike of turnout. With patience and gradual exposure, every horse can be reconditioned to embrace the outdoors. After all, instincts tell them to roam, graze, and move, it's in their nature.

Of course, there are times when limiting a horse's movement is necessary, such as during health issues or transportation. In these instances, it’s crucial to understand the physiological and psychological changes that occur so we can minimize stress and discomfort.

Turnout is a biological necessity. To support our horses’ overall health and well-being, we must prioritize their freedom to move. After all, a healthy, happy horse is one that has the opportunity to be just that: a horse.