Echo Hill Equestrian Physical Therapy

02/23/2026

When people ask me why my sessions are more than their massage session….even though they use the same things….and have modalities too….and are prescribing things.

Practitioners work best when we work together and within our scope of practice. I’ve invested thousands of dollars and hours into my education and credentials.

I’m not a massage therapist

I’m not a personal trainer or health coach

I’m a board certified clinical specialist in orthopedics with a doctorate in physical therapy, with a graduate credential in equine rehabilitation and hike certifications in functional dry needling, blood flow restriction training, Barbell Rehab Method

To my self-employed friends — I see you. I am you.

And for those who are not self-employed, this is educational.

When you see a service fee, understand that roughly 30% becomes take-home income.

The other 70% sustains the infrastructure required to operate legally, ethically, and professionally.

* Secure booking systems
* Website hosting
* Licensing and mandatory continuing education
* Liability and commercial insurance
* Facility costs and maintenance
* Vehicle, travel, and farm expenses
* Technology platforms and software
* Sanitation standards
* Payment processing fees on every transaction

In my case, fixed annual overhead exceeds six figures before I pay myself. That does not include corporate and personal tax, CPP (both portions as self-employed), accounting, legal fees, marketing, or equipment replacement.

It also does not include the educational investment behind the work.

To date, that investment is approximately a quarter of a million dollars:

✅ BSc in Kinesiology (UBC)
✅ Human Kinetics diploma (Langara College)
✅ Regulated healthcare license (RMT from WCCMT)
✅ Human Osteopathy diploma in progress (CSO)
✅ Multiple equine certification(s)

**And over 25 years of clinical experience

Maintaining credentials is ongoing.

Initial education is a capital investment.
Continuing education is a recurring operational cost.

And then there is time......

👉 A one-hour human appointment requires nearly another hour behind the scenes for charting, sanitation, billing, and communication.

👉 An equine session includes travel, vehicle costs, assistant support, video review, report writing, and follow-up.

👉 One educational webinar can take 150 hours from research to delivery.

Fees reflect the entire structure — not just hands-on time or one-one time.

Self-employment means carrying the whole system: compliance, risk management, infrastructure, sustainability.

Revenue only exists when work is performed.
Expenses exist regardless.

Pricing is not about what an hour feels worth. It is about sustaining a system built on depth of training, experience, and responsibility.

That is the cost of doing business.

02/10/2026

🙌🫶🙌

Yesterday my Olympic dream did not finish the way I dreamt it would. It wasn’t a story book ending or a fairy tail, it was just life. I dared to dream and had worked so hard to achieve it. Because in Downhill ski racing the difference between a strategic line and a catastrophic injury can be as small as 5 inches.

I was simply 5 inches too tight on my line when my right arm hooked inside of the gate, twisting me and resulted in my crash. My ACL and past injuries had nothing to do with my crash whatsoever.

Unfortunately, I sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly.

While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets. Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport.

And similar to ski racing, we take risks in life. We dream. We love. We jump. And sometimes we fall. Sometimes our hearts are broken. Sometimes we don’t achieve the dreams we know we could have. But that is the also the beauty of life; we can try.

I tried. I dreamt. I jumped.

I hope if you take away anything from my journey it’s that you all have the courage to dare greatly. Life is too short not to take chances on yourself. Because the only failure in life is not trying.

I believe in you, just as you believed in me.

❤️LV

02/05/2026

Ready for a change?

Your dreams don’t work without daily discipline. With horses or with life 🖤🐴

02/05/2026

If you're experiencing financial hardship and are having trouble buying feed for your horses, BHA can help by providing up to 30 days of quality hay at no cost. For program details and to apply, click here: https://beartoothhumane.org/hay-bank/

02/03/2026

As we head into another breeding and foaling season, biosecurity is top of mind for everyone in the industry!

Review our guidelines for proper washing and drying to keep the germs at bay🧴🧼

02/02/2026

🐴🐴 CAUDAL PELVIC TILTS 🐴🐴
I see this exercise completed all over socials where hoof picks are used to get an exaggerated response, and the horse isn’t even held in a stretch for more than a couple of seconds at most! The mobilisation is wonky, stressed and not educating the nervous system.
These should be gradual. If your horse either lacks response or shoots into orbit every time you do this stretch, your horse is not able to complete this exercise correctly and comfortably!
Equally, if you have been recommended to use a hoof pick to get a response and stretch and your horse shoots into a stretch... this is also not what we are looking for.

🎯 AIM
• Increase range of motion of sacroiliac joint, and thoracolumbar spine.
• Encourage engagement of core muscles to release hip flexors.
• Facilitate the relaxation of lumbar back muscles.

✅ Correct
• Smooth backward rotation of the pelvis
• No fidgeting
• Ability to hold the stretch for 15 seconds
• Smooth relaxation of the pelvis back to neutral.

❌ Wrong
• Jerky or sharp rotation
• Dampened or non-existent response
• Inability to hold stretch
• Fidgeting, moving away or weight shifting
• Asymmetrical rotation ie. One side of pelvis stretches more than the other

🧘 Stretch your Horse Manual 🧘
To complete this stretch correctly, I have put together a Stretching Manual for Horse Owners (available via the website!) which provides step by step instructions & cautions.

https://www.vetphysiophyle.co.uk/shop/p/s-t-r-e-t-c-h-your-horse

If your horse is unable to complete this stretch correctly, even with correct aids, please consult the advice of your vet and veterinary physiotherapist.
📸

01/29/2026

We both fight the good fight. But Bradley Blair Osteopath has the good graphics.

01/25/2026

Horses do not wake up with a to-do list.

They are not standing at the gate thinking, “Right. Big day today. Hope she finally nails that 20-metre circle and remembers her inside leg.”

They are thinking about: Is it safe. Is it predictable. Where’s my herd. Where’s my food. Why is that wheelbarrow looking suspicious. Can I nap later.

That’s it. That’s the full wellbeing strategy.

So when you choose not to ride, you are not depriving your horse of a vital life experience. You are not “letting them down.” You are not ruining their career.

You are, in fact, aligning beautifully with their priorities.

Most days, what your horse actually wants is you turning up without dragging your nervous system behind you like a rattling tin can. They notice everything. The clenched jaw. The stompy footsteps. The breath you forgot to take because your brain is doing its loud dial-up modem thing.

They clock it instantly. And they respond accordingly.

A horse would much rather stand with you quietly than carry you while you’re wound tighter than a baler twine knot.

They would prefer a calm groom over 45 minutes of schooling while the winter wind bangs the arena boards like it’s auditioning for a horror film.

They would rather feel you settle next to them than feel you trying to sort yourself out on their back.

Riding is a human idea. A hobby. A sport. A thing we invented. Horses did not put it on the agenda.

What they look for is harmony. A safe companion. Someone predictable enough that their body can finally unclench.

So when you decide not to ride because you’re tired, the ground is frozen, or your brain is shouting nonsense at full volume, you’re not failing.

You’re being fluent in horse.

A regulated human is infinitely more valuable than a mounted one.

They don’t keep score. They don’t measure commitment in hours ridden. They don’t care if today was a “walk to the field and snacks” kind of day. They dont care if you take them for hack inhand and not on their backs.

They care that you’re safe company. That you don’t bring storms into their space. That when you do ask something of them, it comes from clarity, not pressure.

And honestly? Some horses thrive when riding takes a back seat for a while. Their bodies get a breather. Their minds get space. The relationship stops being about tasks and starts being about trust again.

If you’re showing up kindly, you’re doing enough. If your horse is eating well, moving freely, and living a routine that makes sense to them, you’re doing enough.

And in the quieter seasons, the bond often deepens. Because horses remember who chose stillness over striving. And who sat with them when nothing needed to be achieved. 💛🐎

01/25/2026

💧 𝐃𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬?

Soaking feed or utilizing mashes is a common practice intended to increase water intake in horses - but does it actually help?

I decided to take a dive into the research, as many horse owners soak feed in the winter, particularly during cold weather snaps, to encourage water intake. And while digging, I came across two studies you may find interesting!

🧪𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝟏 (𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐚 𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐥., 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓)
The first study took place in Florida, where the average ambient temperature during the study was 55°F (13°C). This research evaluated horses consuming soaked pelleted feed, alfalfa cubes, or beet pulp in a 2:1 ratio of water to concentrate.

This study found that horses rapidly self-regulated voluntary water intake based on the amount of water provided in the meal. This means, when water was added to their feed, they voluntarily drank less so total water consumption remained the same.

This was shown as horses on dry feed had a voluntary water intake of 32.2 L while horses on soaked feed reduced voluntary water intake to 25.4 L to accommodate the ~6 L of water provided in the mash, for a total water intake of 31.5 L.

But that brings us to the second study 👇

❄️ 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝟐 (𝐑𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟑)
This study evaluated seasonal differences in water intake during the fall (55°F; 12.8 °C) and winter (-4 to 33°F; -20 to 0.67°C) in Wisconsin. Horses were fed a pelleted concentrate at 0.5% body weight, with soaked feed provided at 2 L water/kg feed.

This study found that horses drank:
🍁 29.3 L/day in the fall
❄️ 24.7 L/day in the winter

This decrease supports previous findings that water intake drops by approximately 6–12% during the cold winter months.

However, this study also evaluated soaked vs dry feed.

While no difference in voluntary water intake was observed during the fall trial, horses in the winter consumed more water when eating a mash (26.9 L) compared to when consuming dry feed (22.4 L), a difference of about 1.2 gallons per day. The study found that horses consuming the mash drank equal to or more water than horses consuming the dry grain, in addition to the water they consumed in their feed.

✨𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞
Cold weather can reduce voluntary water intake in horses, but feeding a mash during winter can help combat that decline. In more mild weather, however, soaking feeds likely does not increase total water intake, as horses will self-regulate.

Will these studies make you more likely to soak you feeds - why or why not?

Stay warm out there!
Dr. DeBoer

Ferreira N, Binder D, Garbati IH, Lance JM, Warren LK. Effect of soaking feed on water intake and hydration in horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2025 May 1;148:105449.

Rucker NK, Hiney KM. Voluntary water intake in horses when fed a dry versus mash grain in two different seasons. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2013 May;33(5):355-6.

01/23/2026

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻... can we teach horses to have it?

It's one of the most vital skills we can teach our horses because it moves them from a reactionary state to one of thoughtful focus. Many people are used to seeing horses that are either very stressed/anxious or completely shut down, yet both of these states are actually rooted in tension.

A horse that is self-regulated has the internal tools to bring his own energy levels back to a baseline of relaxation without needing physical restraint from a human. In fact, when we add equipment to restrain, we may stop a behavior, but we do not change the emotional state for the better. Instead, we oftentimes only make it worse.

Through the use of positive reinforcement, we can click and reinforce the exact moments when horses decides to take a breath, soften their muscles, or shift their attention back to us. This process teaches our horses that they have a choice in how they feel, which builds a foundation of true confidence rather than forced compliance.

The science behind this approach tells us that horses do not have a highly developed pre-frontal cortex, which means they are not capable of plotting/planning to be difficult or stubborn.

Instead, their behaviors are often survival mechanisms triggered by a lack of clarity or a feeling of being unsafe. When we act as behavioral analysts, we stop looking at horses as a set of fixed personality traits and start seeing their actions as responses to the environment.

By using a bridge signal like a clicker to identify calm behaviors, we help horses to understand exactly what we are looking for. This clarity reduces the anxiety that leads to spooking or bolting, as they begin to realize that they can control the outcome of the session by maintaining their own emotional balance.

Properly utilizing food as a reinforcer plays a massive role in helping horses regulate their own nervous system. When they chooses to chew, they're making a physiological choice to move out of a fight or flight state and into a more relaxed frame of mind.

This is why it is so important to provide a satisfying mouthful rather than being stingy with food reinforcement. If a horse is only getting a few crumbs, he can become frustrated and frantic, which keeps his dopamine levels in a constant state of seeking and sometimes- even agitation. When the prediction of the next dopamine hit is interrupted, it can become frustrating.

Context shifts are another area where self-regulation is put to the test, such as when you travel to a busy show or a new arena. In these new environments, sights and sounds act as overriding factors that can easily cause a horse to lose his focus. Instead of trying to force him to behave, we meet him where he is by using high-value reinforcers that help him bridge the gap between worry and the training.

By rewarding the smallest tries at relaxation in a scary place, we show our horses that they can feel safe even when the world around them is changing. Over time, horses learn to check in with the trainer and regulate their own arousal levels because they know that staying calm and present is the most reinforcing path forward. It’s also the safest.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a horse who is a curious and confident learner who genuinely enjoys the process of working with people. This requires us to look past surface behaviors and address the underlying causes of tension, whether they stem from past trauma, physical pain, or simply a lack of understanding.

When we prioritize the emotional state of the horse, we develop a partnership built on a consistent commitment to trust rather than fear. A horse that can regulate his own energy is safer to be around and much more capable of performing complex tasks with ease.

By shifting our perspective to honor the horse as an intelligent and sentient individual, we create a training experience that is both compassionate and incredibly effective.