Laura Stickley Holistic Equine Massage Practitioner

12/02/2026

Has anyone seen or been offered these halters and ropes/lines?

My friends yard has been targeted a number of times in the last week or so and these have been taken.

Some of the missing items have large sentimental value so it would be great to get them back where they belong.

Please share this post so as many people as possible see and we have more of a chance of finding the missing items.

09/02/2026

31/01/2026

After a pretty rocky January of chest infections, pneumonia and a cracked rib it was lovely to finally be back out treating beautiful horses this morning.

Dallas and Binkle both enjoyed their treatments which included a mixture of traditional hands-on massage, essential oils and the thermal wand.

I am doing a slower return to work than I did last time and only treating up to 2 horses a day to begin with, in the hope that I can do so without making myself ill again 🤞

I'm looking forward to catching up with you all again and seeing your lovely horses.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

30/01/2026

Massage therapy and the horse's limbic system.

The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in emotion, memory, stress regulation, and social bonding, so anything that affects it can have a noticeable impact on the horse’s behavior and overall well-being.

Massage can affect the limbic system by...

🐴 Lowers Stress and Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System
💚 Stimulating sensory nerves in the skin and muscles. These signals travel to brain regions connected to the limbic system, particularly the amygdala (stress and fear processor) and hypothalamus (regulates hormones).

This results in:
💚 Reduced release of stress hormones (like cortisol)
💚 Increased activation of the parasympathetic system (“rest and digest”)
💚 Slower heart rate, deeper breathing, softer eyes, licking/chewing - signs of relaxation
These responses show that the limbic system is shifting into a calm state.

🐴 Enhances Emotional Regulation
The limbic system interprets touch as a social and emotional cue. Slow, rhythmic massage paticularly in familiar contact areas like the neck, withers, and shoulders can...
💚 Produce oxytocin (the bonding and calming hormone)
💚 Reduce anxiety or hypervigilance
💚 Promote feelings of safety and trust

This is why massage often helps sensitive, reactive, or previously stressed horses settle over time.

🐴 Helps Release Stored Emotional Tension
💚 Horses commonly store emotional stress in the body, particularly in:
The poll
TMJ
Neck
Back
Pectorals
Flanks

💚 Massage of these areas sends feedback to the limbic system, which can cause:
Yawning
Licking and chewing
Blinking
Stretching
Shaking
These are neurological "reset" behaviors tied to limbic system processing.

🐴 Improves Learning and Memory
💚 A relaxed limbic system improves cognitive function. When stress levels decrease:
✅️ The hippocampus (responsible for memory and spatial learning) functions better
✅️ The horse becomes more receptive to training
✅️ Emotional associations with certain tasks can shift from negative to positive
This is why massage before training or rehabilitation sessions can help the horse learn more calmly and effectively.

🐴 Strengthens Horse–Human Bonding
💚 Gentle touch activates bonding pathways that involve the limbic system, especially the amygdala and hypothalamus. This leads to:
✅️ Increased trust
✅️ Improved tolerance of handling
✅️ More willingness to engage socially
Some horses become noticeably more affectionate or softer in their demeanor over time.

🐴 Overall, massage shifts the horse from a sympathetic (“alert, stressed”) state to a parasympathetic (“calm, connected”) one.
www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

17/01/2026

Many of you will have seen this beautiful collie face over the years of me treating your horses.

A few years ago she was quite a regular at some yards I visited frequently.

Sadly, Emily passed away on Thursday evening after quickly becoming very poorly.

Thank you so much to everyone who put up with me checking my phone during treatments last week and to those who had appointment times shuffled at the last minute.

Emily is now at peace next to Sindy, Mibbs, Jaz and Mia (all her doggy friends) who sleep peacefully in mum and dads garden.

15/01/2026

Who remembers Belle from the beginning of December?

When I first treated her, she really didn't want to be touched and took some convincing that it was going to be a nice experience.

Today Belle was a totally different horse, and we had such a rewarding session.

There was a moment of "Don't touch me there" but the video shows her response when she realised that I wasn't going to hurt her sensitive poll and was actually going to make it feel more comfortable.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

15/01/2026

Release ❤ Repair ❤ Restore

The aim of the treatments I provide for your horses is:

❤ to release both physical and emotional tension.

❤ to aid the repair of the soft tissue.

❤ to restore physical and emotional balance and wellbeing.

www.laurasequinemassage.co.uk

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24/12/2025

When the feed shop didn't have the normal molasses free chaff last week and Doug hadn't had molasses for 6+ years.
I think it's well and truly in his system now 🪁🚀🪁

20/12/2025

Happy Winter Solstice Eve

We are so nearly there ❤️

17/12/2025

🎄The lovely Bruno was my last treatment today before taking some time off over the Christmas period 🎄

A massive thank you to everyone who has supported my small business this past year, and let me be a part of their horse's journey. I can't wait to see you all again in 2026.

I hope you all have an enjoyable Christmas and new years with friends and family (the 2 legged and 4 legged members).

🎅🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄🎅