Kelly's Equine Services

Kelly's Equine Services Masterson Method Certified Practitioner and Equine CranioSacral Therapist.

11/19/2025

Due to the EHV outbreak in Texas, I will arrange my schedule so that I am only at one barn per day. I will not see clients at one barn and then travel to another on the same day.

Praying for all the horses out there and please stay safe.

Got to spend some time with the East Williamson County Boys & Girls Club!I loved every question these kids had about hor...
11/14/2025

Got to spend some time with the East Williamson County Boys & Girls Club!

I loved every question these kids had about horses, and they had a LOT. 🤩

Thank you Double Spur for hosting Greg Dial and me as well as Equi-Vive Equine Mobile Massage and Salt Therapy for the f...
11/09/2025

Thank you Double Spur for hosting Greg Dial and me as well as Equi-Vive Equine Mobile Massage and Salt Therapy for the final 15 Minute Connection clinic of 2025!

What a great group of students we had so much fun.

More to come in 2026!

Our first student has arrived for the 15 Minute Connection clinic!!
11/08/2025

Our first student has arrived for the 15 Minute Connection clinic!!

11/08/2025

Sucked Back: About the Scariest Horse Problem I Can Think Of

In an attempt to. make horses safe to ride, much desensitizing focuses on stillness. Stand still while you see/feel/experience this stimulus. I hear often that people absolutely require stillness from their horses for certain situations, and I agree that being still is an important part of safety for mounting, tying and such.

But the thoughtful horse person must very carefully distinguish between still and "stuck."

Stuck is when forward is removed from the horse's vocabulary - blocked, shut down, repeatedly denied. A horse learning will squirm away, squiggle around, and naturally want to move away from a fearful stimulus or something they don't understand. An intelligent horse person knows how to channel that energy into something constructive, as opposed to shutting the energy down.

In time, the horse learns that CONSTRUCTIVE movement leads to calm - not evasive movement being allowed to continue. Constructive movement allows the horse to process through movement (the very thing they were designed for) what scares them, until they settle into stillness.

This preserves their forward nature - allowing us to build on it in their training. For things like trailer loading of course, we need some forward movement. Shutting down a horse's forward movement will come back to haunt you a million fold in trailer loading by producing a horse that balks, sucks back, pulls back, or flat out plants.

Shutting down forward movement creates more rearing, bucking, and planting - none of these desirable.

And of course, it is impossible to create contact, connection, bend, and any other desirable way of going without forward movement. You can't shape lack of movement.

Don't confuse "stuck" for calm. Don't remove the forward out of a horse just for the illusion of safety - a horse that does not go is in no way safe - it is not a matter of if, but when, this horse will react dangerously - and it is a travesty created entirely by human fear of the forward nature of a horse.

As always, the solution is learning to ride, learning to love going forward - constructively, not uncontrollably.
Human fear of forward is one of the greatest causes of flattening out and repressing the most beautiful parts of a horse: their love of movement.

Posture posture posture!
11/08/2025

Posture posture posture!

We still have space available for Saturday! Sign up instructions are in the flyer. Join us!
11/05/2025

We still have space available for Saturday! Sign up instructions are in the flyer. Join us!

Another great start to a great day! Masterson Method for the win!
11/04/2025

Another great start to a great day! Masterson Method for the win!

Any day with horses is a good day. I love sharing Masterson Method with people!
11/04/2025

Any day with horses is a good day. I love sharing Masterson Method with people!

11/01/2025

What is Motor Mapping and How Does Sub-Clinical Pain or Injury Change It?

What is motor mapping?

Motor mapping refers to the way the brain organizes and represents movement.
In the motor cortex (a region of the brain), different areas correspond to different body parts and their movements.

These “maps” aren’t physical drawings but patterns of neural activity that tell the muscles how and when to contract.

For example, there’s a map of your hand that allows you to grip, flex, or extend, and a different map for your legs that allows you to walk, run, or balance.

Why it matters

Plasticity: These maps aren’t fixed. They change based on use, training, or injury.

Skill development: Repetition (like practicing a musical instrument or learning a new riding aid) strengthens and refines motor maps, making movements smoother and more precise.

Injury/compensation: Pain or disuse can shrink or distort motor maps. For instance, if a horse (or a person) protects a sore limb, the brain map of that limb can become weaker.

Recovery: Retraining movement—whether through physical therapy, bodywork, or progressive exercise—helps “redraw” motor maps so the brain and body coordinate more effectively again.

Motor maps explain why

A racehorse fresh off the track still “remembers” how to run fast with its neck low and back hollowed, even when it’s being retrained for dressage.

A horse recovering from lameness may continue to move unevenly, even after the injury has healed, because the brain still holds the old protective pattern.

Consistent, gentle, and progressive training can gradually reshape these maps so the horse learns new, healthier movement habits.

In short: motor mapping is the brain’s blueprint for movement. Training, pain, and experience redraw the blueprint, which is why both good habits and bad ones get reinforced over time.

How Does Sub-Clinical Pain or Injury Change It? Click here for the rest of the article - https://koperequine.com/what-is-motor-mapping-and-how-does-sub-clinical-pain-or-injury-change-it/

Are you ready to join us and learn how to keep your horse in the best condition possible, in only 15 minutes a day, and ...
10/30/2025

Are you ready to join us and learn how to keep your horse in the best condition possible, in only 15 minutes a day, and also strengthen your connection?

If that wasn’t enough we are thrilled to have Equi-Vive Equine Mobile Massage and Salt Therapy join us! Christina will have a booth set up with all the information you need PLUS a demo!! If your horse struggles with allergies you will want to hear about this therapy.

Sign up instructions are in the flyer. See you there!

Saturday November 8 from 2:00-5:00 pm.

Address

Houston, TX

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(281) 850-5566

Website

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It’s All About the Horse

If you are doing any level of riding – competition or just for fun - your horse is moving athletically. All athletes benefit from bodywork, allowing their muscles to relax and restore full range of motion.

When you provide bodywork for your horse, you are actively participating in their well-being. If your horse is in a training program or working physically hard, Masterson Method Bodywork can help to release muscle tension, thereby allowing better range of motion and athletic ability.

I am a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner since 2015. I am also a Masterson Method Coach, helping to teach and progress future practitioners. I have 164+ hours of Masterson Method training, and 32 hours of Advanced Equine Anatomy.

I would love to meet with you and discuss your current situation. Contact me today!