One of my least favourite words in the context of equine therapy is "fix". But if bodywork isn't going to "fix" your horse, what does it do?
Equine therapy supports your horse while he learns new ways to move his body, while his body heals itself from injury, or while he adapts to new situations and changes in his life. Bodywork can show horses what nice touch feels like, bring awareness to his body to restore freedom of movement, and teach him how to regulate his nervous system (humans + touch = good feels + safety = calm). Equine therapy can ease the ache of a sore or tense body caused by work, stress, or injuries. It can help solve puzzles by looking through a holistic lens (taking into account his entire body and lifestyle).
I purposely use ambiguous terms because therapy can be so many different things. It can be massage or other hands-on modalities, proprioceptive and somatic exercises, based in movement, or "energy work" (the term we have to use because we have no better way of explaining it - but it's just another way of interacting with the nervous system). It can look like many different things, and it can utilize all sorts of tools. But at the end of the day, the goal is the same.
Why do horses need equine therapy? Because we restrict their movement in stalls, paddocks, or fields a fraction of the size of what they would naturally roam. We time their meals, we put shoes and equipment on them, we ride them over distances, in circles and over obstacles. We selectively breed them to adapt their bodies to the sports we want to do with them. This is not meant to make you feel bad or guilty! Humanity would not be where it is today without utilizing horses the way that we have. Horses can love being with humans and having a job, if they're feeling comfortable and safe. Horses and humans have beautiful partnerships. But we need to recognize that horses already live stressful lives just by BEING - they're a prey animal who needs to be constantly alert to danger. The very least that we can do, in exchange for all of the things they do for us, is to prioritize their comfort and sense of safety. This is where equine therapy really shines.
Kaiti Elliott
Certified Equine Performance Therapist
Fraser Valley, BC