Francois Pieterse EMP

11/06/2025

Two Horses, One Journey to Comfort 🐴💛

Both of these horses get treated regularly, and in this session, they each showed clear signs of letting go — big yawns, full-body shakes, and deep relaxation.

These aren’t just random movements — they’re the body’s way of processing change, releasing tension, and resetting the nervous system.

Every horse is different, but when they start to show these kinds of reactions, we know we’re on the right track. Healing happens over time, with trust, patience, and consistent care. 🌿✨

13/05/2025

🌿 Maintenance Monday 🌿

Not all bodywork is about performance — sometimes, it's simply about comfort. 💛

This lovely old soul has had his fair share of injuries over the years, but with regular treatments, we help keep him comfortable, mobile, and happy in his body.

Watching him enjoy a good roll after his session is the best reward — a sign that he’s feeling looser, lighter, and more at ease. 🐴✨

Bodywork isn’t just for the young and athletic — it’s also a gift for our seniors who’ve carried us through so much.

08/02/2024

These two girls getting ready for Sanesa this weekend

08/02/2024

Some beautiful horses having their monthly treatments done, making sure their muscles are feeling strong and active for the next months work at Peraldi - Secunda Equestrian Centre & Riding School

25/01/2024

Some beautiful horses having their routine treatments done

09/08/2022

Big Lucius having a roll after treatment

09/08/2022

Some Handsome big boys getting treated at Riverview Stables

01/08/2022

27/07/2022

19/07/2022

💡Polework inspo 💡

I haven’t posted a pole work exercise in a while so I thought I would share with you one of my all-time favourites. 😉

It’s important when doing polework not to just grab a load of poles and just chuck them down in a pretty pattern and ride over them 100 of times but to actually take the time to plan what you wish to work on and to think about what you are trying to achieve. 🤔

The Zig Zag exercise is one to improve your horse's readability, proprioception, straightness and hind limb musculature. 💪⠀⠀

Set the poles so that the middle of the poles are one trot stride apart (approx 4 1/2 toe-to-heel steps). The aim of this exercise is to go over them bang on in the centre of the poles. To add variety you can also do some 10m trot circles going over two at a time as shown in image. ⠀⠀

To increase the difficulty of the exercise and to really get your horse lifting through the back and bringing the hindlimb underneath himself raise the poles at one end. ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

03/07/2022

❌ Poles & Cavaletti❌

Trotting poles and canter poles can both be excellent tools for encouraging your horse to use their body fully instead of being a bit ‘lazy’ and dragging themselves along on the forehand. However you need to take care that your horse is not going over poles with a hollow back as this will build the wrong muscles and could even cause injury.As with trotting poles, cavaletti – and even small jumps – are a great way to get a horse more engaged and using their bodies. The higher the obstacles are, the more effort the horse has to put in and playing around with distances can also increase or decrease the difficulty.

And remember…

With all exercises that require mental or physical effort on the horse’s part it is important to keep training sessions short and start easy, building up to more difficult things only as the horse improves. Ending and starting on an easy, positive note will also help keep your horse fresh and happy during work. 👍

07/05/2022