Susan Clark - Equine Touch

15/11/2025

What an amazing example of Equine Touch bodywork from Nicole Nicola Studd.

14/11/2025

𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 has the potential to grow all year, which is different from many other plants. Certain things are necessary for this growth, but if they are not met, the grass will be dormant, waiting for conditions to improve.

This November, we are seeing greener pastures in much of the UK, as we are experiencing conditions that are suitable for growth.

𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Grass can grow at temperatures above 6 deg. C. It will grow quicker when it is above 15 deg. C. But temperate grasses, such as we have in the UK, are not keen on it being too hot so will not thrive above 25 deg. C. If it is very hot, above 30 deg. C., seeds will not germinate. In still conditions, cooler temperatures can result in ground frost, where there is frost on the grass, but the air temperature is a few degrees higher. This will inhibit growth, as will higher ground temperatures in summer, especially where there is little grass cover and the soil absorbs heat, taking its temperature well above that of the air above.

𝗠𝗼𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Grass of course needs moisture to grow. Generally, this is from rain, but we should not underestimate the effect of heavy dew. This is more likely in still conditions. Snow melt will often result in muddy conditions because it is often still too cold for the grass to grow and take up the moisture. Sun and wind remove moisture, so very overcast, still conditions, such as we may see for instance under high pressure in the autumn, can result in a gradual increase in moisture, supporting plant growth if other factors are favourable. Grass species generally are shallow rooting, so are not able to access water deeper in the soil, unlike deeper rooting forage plants such as sainfoin, lucerne and the vetch family. A few grass types are deeper rooting than the others and so more drought tolerant. These include Cocksfoot and Timothy. Organic matter in the soil helps to retain moisture, so efforts to increase organic matter will be rewarded with improved grass, especially on light, sandy soils.

𝗦𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Healthy soil will produce healthy grass, to support our horses’ health. Grazing can result in gradually reduced pH in the soil, making it more acidic. A pH 6 – 6.5 is a good level to aim for. If the pH is below 5.5 then it is worth taking measures to correct it, by applying a liming agent or Simple System's Natural Paddock Recovery. This may also help improve surface drainage, especially on heavy clay soils, by breaking up the solid nature of such soils. Ditches and field drains need to be well maintained to prevent water logging. Healthy microbes will benefit the grass and the horses. They in turn will benefit from organic matter in the soil, so we must return in some way the organic matter removed by grazing. On sufficient acreage, resting and harrowing disperses droppings to return nutrients. On restricted acreage, poo-picking is usual, but will result in a gradual decline in soil quality unless the rotted muck is spread back on the paddock.

𝗜𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆. If conditions are not favourable, the grass will become stressed, and this will result in it making sugars. It may also make a seed head to ensure the next generation, rather than making leaf. Seed heads are borne on tough stalks which are high in fibre but low in nutrition. When conditions are not great, grass rarely dies but will wait until conditions improve. For instance, if it is too cold to grow, but it is sunny, the grass will still make sugar but cannot process it into growth. The sugar will build up, which is why in frosty conditions, the risk of laminitis can increase. Conversely, very dull, mild, damp weather is probably safer for those prone to laminitis, provided they don’t become overweight.

10/11/2025

09/11/2025

15 Fascinating Facts About Horses’ Emotional Memory and Empathy
Horses hold one of the most powerful long-term memories among domestic animals — recalling people, voices, and events for decades.
They read human intent through facial expressions, distinguishing friend from threat long before a hand is raised.
A single act of kindness can echo for years — a horse may seek out the same person even after a long separation.
Trauma carves deep grooves — a horse may forever avoid a place, object, or person tied to fear.
They sense human emotion through voice tone, breath rhythm, and body tension — even from across a field.
They respond not just to fear, but to sadness, joy, or confusion — silently, instinctively.
Mirror neurons in their brains allow them to feel what others feel — true empathy in motion.
When tears fall nearby, a horse may approach softly, lower its head, and offer a gentle touch — comfort without words.
A wounded horse can form the deepest bonds with a patient human — shared pain becomes shared trust.
Horses are proven emotional therapists for PTSD, depression, and anxiety — healing hearts, not just bodies.
They grieve deeply — lingering by a lost companion or withdrawing in quiet mourning.
Once bonded, they memorize your personal rhythms — footsteps, breath, even the silence between.
Their memory isn’t just survival — it’s the foundation for profound connection with those who earn their trust.
With gentle consistency, fear can be rewritten into safety — even shattered trust can be rebuilt.
Horse empathy is biological fact, not folklore — their brains and hearts sync with human emotion in real time.

03/11/2025

On December 13 & 14, Rachaël Draaisma is organizing an online summit where you will spend two days exploring how scentwork can unlock the horse’s potential for wellbeing and performance – together with six leading experts from science and practice! Online summit 2025 Explore the powerful effect...

01/11/2025

I am working on the:
Fascia
Nerves
Muscle
Bone
Joints

Why we cant seperate one from another and are never working on one specific anatomical structure.

You will have heard many say they are working on one specific structure yet still quote whole horse, yet if you are thinking of only one structure then you can never think of whole horse as your focus and attention will think this one structure trumps every other moving part in the horse.

Let's look at one example
Your therapist says we are working on the medial gluteal and off they pop working in the area over the rump yet never venture onto the lumbar area, what is being missed out ???

Well first how is the skin in that area because as therapists its the first thing we touch, its one of the first approaches into the sensory nervous system, how we touch matters to how the horse will gauge the rest of our work, its always how the horse sees our approach not how we view the area that needs work. If we introduce ourselves with a dig and poke then already we are bringing alarm to the nervous system.

What are we addressing there is the gluteal fascia that comes before the muscle, can we ever address one without the other or are they so interconnected to the whole system that we always have to have a mind set of approaching both.

It has connections to the longissimus muscle extending as the gluteal tongue, it has connections to the illium, sacriolliac ligaments, femur so why do we only concentrate on the middle part without ever wondering into the connections, is the range of motion restricted through the hindlimbs by this one muscle or do we think of how the muscles work in conjunction with others and other structures to achieve an extension, abduction, retraction.

When people ask what I am thinking when working on a horse its those questions from all above and it extends throughout the body, always have as many questions for that may lead to more answers.

Thinking in a singular structural thought leads to less questions and often an answer that may never get to the root of an issue.

We often quote whole horse yet still say its a singular issue, yet all affects one another.

It would be nice if there was just one issue and one answer, how easy our life would be yet even time is our enemy and can affect the body for often professionals are coming in long after the one issue occured.

A diagnosis is often not the beginning of an issue its only the beginning of addressing an issue that may have been there long enough for other issues to arise either in the healing or compensation timeline.

So if someone asks do I work on the nerves, fascia, muscles, joints, bones or any other structure people like to single out my simple answer is I work on the whole horse nothing more nothing less its what I have always done and how I have always thought.

28/10/2025

28/10/2025

Hope this helps when thinking of the spinal cord
Nice and simple xx

I am full of a stupid cough yeah love my s**t immune system

But back to the doom phase of putting things together 😃😃 on the positive side of things if I never got ill i wouldn't of begun drawing to pass the time 😅

If you like it then hitting the like button means I can keep putting free stuff out as I am monetised so if you share please share the original xx

Oops had to edit as got the ventral and dorsal branch the wrong way round 😃 thank you to who pointed it out i appreciate it xx brains get frazzled