Full Focus Equine

01/27/2026

One small restriction does not stay isolated—it creates a chain reaction.

When one area can't move properly, another part of the body has to compensate. Over time, those compensations add up, affecting movement, comfort, and performance. Addressing the source of tension helps the whole body move better—not just the symptom.

01/22/2026

In those first few minutes, I’m looking at how your horse stands, moves, and carries themselves—where they’re bracing, compensating, or avoiding movement.

These early clues help guide the entire session and often reveal patterns that have been building long before pain becomes obvious.
Because the body is always communicating—we just have to know how to listen.

01/18/2026

When thoughtful training is paired with consistent bodywork, your horse can move better, feel better, and stay sound longer. It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing what supports the body for the long haul.

01/15/2026

An initial consultation gives your horse a thorough, head-to-tail assessment so you can clearly understand how they're moving right now. No guessing, no pressure—just insight into what your horse needs today.

Sometimes the first step is simply knowing where your horse stands.
Schedule today: www.fullfocusequine.com

01/06/2026

Bodywork is a powerful tool—but it’s not magic, and it’s not a replacement for everything else in your horse’s care team.

What bodywork does do:
✔️ Improves mobility and range of motion
✔️ Reduces muscle tension and compensations
✔️ Helps the body move more efficiently
✔️ Supports recovery, performance, and longevity
✔️ Provides valuable insight into how your horse is feeling right now

What bodywork doesn’t do:
✖️ Replace veterinary care or diagnostics
✖️ Fix poor saddle fit or training issues on its own
✖️ Permanently “solve” problems without ongoing management
✖️ Eliminate the need for conditioning, rest, or good footing

Bodywork works best as part of a bigger picture—alongside proper training, tack fit, recovery, and veterinary care. When everything works together, your horse can move, feel, and perform their best.

12/15/2025

Love this reminder ♥️

Animals are incredibly sensitive to the energy we bring, and horses take it to another level. They can be drawn to calm, grounded presence or pull away from tension, frustration, or worry.

When you regulate yourself, you help your horse do the same. Ground your breath. Slow your thoughts. They notice… instantly.

12/13/2025

Hunter/jumper horses develop their own signature patterns of tension from repetition, precision, and the biomechanics of jumping.

1. Longissimus Dorsi Tightness (Back Tension)
Takeoff, landing, collection, and the repetitive nature of course work often overload the back muscles. Many show discomfort to grooming or a tendency to hollow when asked to lift their topline.

2. Gluteal Soreness
H/J horses rely on powerful hind-end thrust in order to get them around a course. Tight glutes can lead to sticky transitions, reluctance to sit on their hind end, or difficulty “pushing off” fences.

3. Hamstring Tension
Collected canter work and repeated jumping efforts frequently create hamstring strain. This may appear as trouble engaging behind, swapping leads, or cross-cantering.

4. Tight Pectorals
Frequent jumping efforts — especially tight rollback turns — create front-end bracing. Tight pecs often lead to reduced shoulder reach and that “downhill, pulling” feeling.

5. Trapezius & Rhomboid Stress
Saddle fit issues or rider imbalance often overload the upper back and thoracic sling. Horses may dislike being brushed around or feel flat in the lift of their withers.

Hunter/jumper horses perform best when their bodies are supple, balanced, and tension-free. Regular bodywork helps keep their backs, hind end, and shoulders moving freely — supporting better performance, smoother transitions, and happier, more willing partners in the ring.

12/08/2025

Luckily, massage can interrupt this cycle and restore correct use. And, if the problem has been there for a long time, massage is a great way to help the body transition to more correct muscle use.

12/03/2025

As horses age, their muscles don't adapt and build strength quite the same way they did when they were younger.

That means older horses may take longer to rebuild topline, regain condition after time off, or respond to a new exercise program. Consistency, proper nutrition, and supportive care (like massage, chiropractic, or PEMF) can make a big difference in keeping them comfortable, strong, and active through their senior years.

11/25/2025

Dressage horses are precision athletes—but all that collection, lateral work, and engagement can lead to tight backs, sore shoulders, and restrictions in the poll. Even small imbalances can show up as resistance in movements, uneven bend, or choppy transitions.

1. Tight Longissimus Dorsi
- Constant engagement and topline rounding can overload the longissimus.
- Presents as reluctance to lift the back, uneven bend, or difficulty transitioning into canter.

2. Psoas & Iliopsoas Restriction
- Deep hip flexors work overtime in collected trot, piaffe/passage mechanics, and lateral work.
- Can cause shortened hind stride, reluctance to “sit,” and difficulty with pirouettes.

3. Quadratus Lumborum (QL) Tension
- Stabilizes lumbar spine during movements requiring intense asymmetrical loading (half-pass, shoulder-in).
- Dysfunction shows up as one-sided stiffness, weaker engagement on one rein, or “banana-shape” compensation.

4. Gluteal & Hamstring Overuse
- Due to constant demand for hind-end propulsion and controlled engagement.
- May show as difficulty stepping under, tension in the start of work, or a cold-backed response.

5. Tight Trapezius & Rhomboids (From Frame + Saddle Pressure)
- Dressage horses spend more time in a rounded frame and experience concentrated saddle pressure.
- Results in reduced wither lift, resistance in transitions, or aversion to grooming the wither/shoulder region.

6. Sternocephalicus & Brachiocephalicus Tension
- Heavy influence from contact, flexion, and consistent frame shaping.
- Causes poll stiffness, limited lateral flexion, bracing through the neck, or reluctance to stretch long and low.

7. Omotransversarius Dysfunction (“One Rein Stiffer”)
- Helps with protraction of the forelimb; overuse shows up when one direction is favored.
- Presents as choppy stride on one side, resistance to shoulder-in/leg yields, or stiffness in circles.

Dressage horses perform best when their bodies are supple, balanced, and tension-free. Regular bodywork helps maintain elasticity, freedom, and engagement.

11/22/2025

If you're not sure where to start—or want a trusted referral to an equine nutrition professional—I'm happy to point you in the right direction. Just ask!

11/21/2025

Eventers are serious athletes — but the demands of dressage, galloping, and jumping across varied terrain create predictable patterns of tension I see over and over again:

1. Tight or Overloaded Longissimus Dorsi (Back Tension)
Collection work, jumping efforts, and even rider imbalances often overload the longissimus. Eventing horses may show sensitivity to grooming, hollowing, or decreased hind-end engagement.

2. Sore or Fatigued Gluteals
Galloping and cross-country efforts rely heavily on glute power. Trigger points here can cause shortened stride, reluctance to sit, or trouble with transitions.

3. Hamstring Tightness (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus)
Explosive push-off phases in jumping and long, forward gallops can cause tension in the hamstrings. This can show up as restricted hip/stifle motion, difficulty backing, or cross-cantering.

4. Tight Deep Pectorals
Eventers stabilize heavily through the front end — especially landing off solid fences or traveling downhill. Tight pecs often limit shoulder freedom and shorten the front stride.

5. Trapezius & Rhomboid Compensation
Between rider influence, saddle pressure over varied terrain, and tight turns, the thoracic sling often becomes overworked. Horses may dislike grooming or struggle to lift through the withers when under saddle.

Eventing horses work hard for us — and they deserve support that helps them stay sound, supple, and confident in every phase. Regular bodywork is one of the best ways to reduce cumulative tension, improve performance, and keep your partner feeling their best from dressage day to the final jump.