Essential Equilibrium

29/10/2025

Are we approaching asymmetry or laterality with curiosity… or with a pre-conceived bias?

It’s a question that’s been on my mind as we draw closer to the Vet Rehab Summit, and I’m spending more time preparing for each of the lectures.

Dr Kevin Haussler is speaking about “redefining laterality,” and that title alone has given me pause.

When I think laterality, my mind immediately goes to asymmetry - and from there, straight to lameness, pain, compensation, dysfunction, injury.
In my head, asymmetry is something to correct. It’s a sign that something isn’t right.

But then I read studies reporting that a huge percentage of performance horses - even at the highest levels - show measurable asymmetries, often without any obvious lameness.
And it makes me stop and think:
If these horses are still performing, are we looking at normal laterality?
Or are they, in fact, competing with undiagnosed pain or pathology?

That’s one side of the conversation:

Asymmetry = something is wrong.
Find it, fix it, restore balance.

But the other side says something quite different:

Asymmetry is normal.
Horses are naturally one-sided - just like humans.
Trying to make them perfectly symmetrical may be unrealistic, even unfair.

We hear it often - “he’s left-sided,” “she’s always been stiffer that way,” “it’s normal for them to favour one rein.”
And perhaps, in some cases, it really is.

But as Haussler reminds us in his 2025 paper, “The Challenge of Defining Laterality in Horses,” the reality is far more complex than either extreme.

The study outlines how what we interpret as laterality can actually be the result of a whole network of other factors - some benign, others not.
Among them:

▶️ Structural differences: variations in limb length, hoof balance, joint angles, or muscle development.
▶️ Functional or biomechanical asymmetries: uneven loading, stiffness, or range of motion linked to use patterns.
▶️ Pain and compensation: where injury, discomfort, or low-grade lameness drive protective movement patterns that look like “side dominance.”
▶️ Rider and handling influences: saddle fit, mounting habits, rein tension, the rider’s own asymmetry, and the way we lead or train.
▶️ Environmental factors: arena shape, surface type, turning direction, or even how horses are stabled and fed.
▶️ True neurological laterality: an innate preference for one side, which can influence motor control and coordination ( but is just one piece of the picture.)

Haussler’s point is clear: when we see asymmetry, we can’t jump to conclusions.
We have to ask why.

Because sometimes, that “left-sidedness” is nothing more than conformation and habit.
And other times, it’s the first whisper of discomfort, a subtle sign that the horse is protecting itself.

Our job is to stay curious long enough to tell the difference.

So perhaps the goal isn’t to eliminate every asymmetry, nor to accept them all as harmless.
It’s to understand the story behind them, to look for patterns across time, in different contexts, with and without a rider.

And speaking of the rider… we can’t separate them from the picture.
The rider’s posture, balance, strength, mounting routine, and even the distribution of rein tension can all shape what we perceive as the horse’s “bias.”
As Maria Teresa Engell will explore at the Summit, the horse and rider form one moving system - each influencing the other, for better or worse.

So as we head into the Vet Rehab Summit, I’m holding onto this:

Let’s approach laterality and asymmetry with curiosity rather than assumption.
Let’s be willing to ask why ▶️ and be open to answers that may not align with our bias.
And let’s keep seeing the horse, in all their beautiful complexity, as a conversation between structure, movement, training, and the human who guides them.

08/10/2025

Another amazimg opportunity offered by raquel !
And on a topic that affects so many, everything our horses do is telling us something. The more we learn about understanding them the better

Picking up legs for the farrier

Jelly (my warmblood) used to have a lot of trouble picking up his hindlimbs for the farrier or any exercises and it created a lot of anxiety for him.

It was a product of lumbar sacral pelvic discomfort including lumbosacral disease, Sacroliliac changes including liganent damage, iliopsoas dysfunction and an underlying muscle disorder (myofibrillar myopathy).

He was not just being naughty or difficult.

When a horse is struggling, refusing or reacting to having their limbs picked up - we need to ask WHY?

Join me in my FREE MASTERCLASS to gain an insight into the potential WHY!

Register now - https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com/pbmc-oct25

Thursday 23rd October

26/09/2025

👀➡️🐴 Did you know your horse’s eyes play a huge role in how polework improves their posture?

When a horse approaches poles, their oculomotor system (the way the eyes track, focus and guide movement) is activated. To safely place their feet, the horse has to:
🔹 Visually scan the poles ahead
🔹 Adjust stride length and rhythm
🔹 Coordinate head, neck, and limb movement with what their eyes are telling them

This “eye-body connection” sharpens proprioception (awareness of where the body is in space). The horse learns to balance their body better, engage the core, and lift through the thoracic sling instead of collapsing on the forehand.

Over time, the repeated oculomotor + postural response builds:
✨ Improved spinal alignment
✨ More lifted, balanced, elastic movement
✨ Stronger topline and core stability

Now - the key here is BALANCED movement, as having improved proprioception means that the horse can coordinate their limbs and body over, around and through obstacles, changes in surface, undulations and speed with ease.

When you’re doing polework, you’re not just training muscles and joints, you’re training the nervous system too!! That’s why it’s such a powerful tool for posture, coordination, and overall wellbeing 👀

27/08/2025

21/08/2025

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change 🙏🏻

There are some amazing human beings putting themselves on the line to give horses a better life.
Im lucky enough to have met many of them and surround myself with those that want to do better ☺️

Be the change you wish to see ❤️

Today on the show… On the podcast .. she has been involved in the horse racing industry most of her life She has kept quiet for years now about the abuse, th...

10/08/2025

Biggest suppot for this lizzy 🙏🏻
Always a reminder to be as proactive and honest as possible to keep your practitioners safe

📣 After 10 years of thinking about it… I finally joined the club.

I’ve started wearing a riding helmet while working with horses.

It might seem like common sense, but it’s not common practice amongst equine vets in Australia yet. And honestly? It should be.
I know firsthand how quickly things can go wrong 🤕

When I was 17, I was kicked in the head during a freak paddock accident. I wasn’t riding or doing anything “risky” – just wrong place, wrong time. It split my forehead open, requiring 19 stitches. I was lucky it wasn’t worse.

A 3-year study run by CVS and the University of Liverpool revealed that 90% of equine vets experience work-related injuries, with 25% requiring hospital care! Head injuries were common, often from horse limbs during routine procedures.

Here are 3 things you can do to help keep your vet (and everyone who handles your horse) safer:

1️⃣ Train for touch
Help your horse get comfortable with being examined – especially legs, feet, head and mouth. The more familiar this feels, the safer it is for everyone.

2️⃣ Practice taking their temperature
If they clamp their tail, dance around, or threatens to kick during temperature checks, start training this essential skill using cooperative care techniques. (I'm a huge fan of Sarah Nickels from Abbey's Run Equestrian for this type of training - she's amazing!)

3️⃣ If they’re needle shy – address it now.
If your horse panics or lashes out when they see a needle, there are gentle desensitisation techniques that can rewire this behaviour. (Dr Lily Wilson has excellent training for this – worth checking out!)

Let's work together as horse owners and vets to help make veterinary care safer for everyone involved. A little training incorporated into your everyday horse care can go a long way! 🐴🙏

29/06/2025

Who doesn't love floofy ears 😍

EAR HAIR REMINDER | In line with the FEI Veterinary Regulations, since January 1 2025, EA General Regulations included a prohibition on removing or shortening the hair within the rims of the auricle under penalty of elimination from the event. In the introductory phase contravention of this regulation incurred a warning. From July 1 2025 it will entail elimination.

28/06/2025

This week, I saw a couple of horses that previously couldn’t stand still. Now, we could say they were bored, anxious, worried—or maybe just hungry!?

But here’s the thing: as function was restored in their bodies, they became able to stand still.
Not because they were stepped back every time they moved.
Not because they were rewarded every time they stayed still.
Not because they were forced to.

But simply because they were able to.

They could stand still because their body became a place of stability—a safe and reliable place to be.

Both of their owners commented that they had never seen their horses stand so still and calm. (And both have done an incredible job working with these horses—who had previously been reactive and, at times, dangerous.)

That centered stillness then translated into movement—resulting in horses that were self-regulated, balanced, responsive, light, and adaptable.

I don’t know about you, but when my back is sore, the hardest thing to do is stand still.
To stand calmly, relaxed, and in comfort—that takes function.

Postural stability, even at a standstill, takes function. When the body is connected, breathing is effortless and movement becomes efficient. But when there’s dysfunction—like fascial tension, spinal bracing, or restriction—just standing requires significant effort. The muscular system is overworking just to maintain posture, let alone create quality movement. It’s often easier to fall forward and “just go with it”—resulting in a freight train… or worse, a firecracker, ready to explode with the wrong cue.

Postural stability is a cornerstone of the Equine Functional Posture Course.
It connects the horse’s internal and external awareness, helping them respond to their environment with balance, efficiency, and presence.

It creates a horse that is connected to its body—and to you.
It creates a horse that is safer to be around, safer to ride, and more connected in relationship.

I absolutely love witnessing horses find postural stability. It’s a beautiful transformation—for the horse, the owner, and the possibilities that unfold.

✨ Come join us in the Equine Functional Posture Course and discover the transformation that awaits you and your horse.

www.integratedvettherapeutics.com/efp

24/06/2025

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀.𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲?⠀
Ringbone occurs when the horse’s body lays down too many osteocytes (bone cells) than it needs. It often happens around an injury site or inflammation at the pastern.⠀
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Ringbone is a type of arthritis in the pastern joint(referred to as 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲. )There is a lot of movement in this joint so it causes immense pain. This is the most common area.⠀
𝗟𝗼𝘄 𝗥𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲 is found in the coffin joint. While there is less movement there, it is a weight bearing area.⠀
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When there is inflammation here, it has nowhere to go and remains trapped in the hoof capsule. The coffin joint is highly susceptible as it degenerates quickly. ⠀
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Genetics plays a part, as does conformation and the type of work the horse does.⠀
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Show jumpers, polo ponies and some western disciplines are more prone to ringbone.⠀
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Repetitive work on hard surfaces and horses that are overweight are also highly susceptible.⠀
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The signs are not easy to spot. A choppy type gait with head bobbing, reluctance to bear weight or go forward and mild and recurring laminitis are a heads up.⠀
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Flexion tests and X-rays will help to distinguish ringbone from the myriad of other hoof problems. Your farrier should be brought up to speed as well as they will be part of the treatment plan. Nutrition can also help to contribute to making the horse. More comfortable.⠀
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It’s important to get onto it quickly as there is no cure for ringbone and it is degenerative. ⠀
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It can however be managed and more comfortable for your horse. There are many great herbs that reduce inflammation, ease pain and several that assist in bone issues like Yarrow and Comfrey. Circulatory herbs also help with this problem.

17/06/2025

Our horses are our best teachers ❤️
And we are there best advocates 🙏🏻

DON’T BE AFRAID TO GET A SECOND OPINION

Have you ever had that “I feel like something isn’t right but I’m not sure what it is” feeling?

Do you feel like your horse is trying to tell you something, but your traditional horse knowledge says “it’s just behavioural, he/she will get over it”?

What about these classic comments:
“Typical mare”
“All thoroughbreds are like that”
“All draft breeds are heavy on the forehand and there’s nothing you can do”
“That breed isn’t designed for riding”
“Maybe if you fed them less and rode them more they wouldn’t look like that”

STOP listening to these comments. If you can’t stop listening, ask “why?”
Often the answer or reason is ridiculous.

A wonderful horseman once said to me “some don’t realise what is possible with the horse they have”.

STOP ignoring your horse. Get a second opinion if you feel like something isn’t right. Ask your professionals why, what, how, and educate yourself on what you’re concerned about.
This may include: hoof health, dentition, saddle fit, tack fit and proper use, horse trailers/floats, equine chiropractic care and other modalities, nutrition and pathology.

START listening to your gut. START looking after your own gut, your intuition and “gut feeling” improves as your gut health does. Funnily enough, anxiety, self doubt and lack of confidence also tend to improve with better gut health.

YOU KNOW YOUR HORSE BEST!

You are their advocate.

It is okay to learn more, ask why and get a second opinion if you are not sure.

16/06/2025

Horses need friends and family that are Horses, not us. Yes we add an element of friendship to their lives but we cannot replace paddock buddies

When horses are denied regular contact with other horses, they can experience increased stress, which may manifest as restlessness, stereotypic behaviours (such as weaving or cribbing), and even health issues like digestive or musculoskeletal problems.

Social isolation has also been linked to heightened anxiety, learning difficulties, and a greater risk of injury, as horses deprived of companionship are more likely to become despondent or withdrawn.

Humans can offer comfort and support to horses during periods of social isolation, but cannot fully substitute for the social bonds horses form with other horses.

A recent (2025) study by Janczarek and colleagues examined this issue by measuring heart rate, heart rate variability, and behavioural responses in 12 horses during brief isolation periods.

The researchers found that even with attentive human support, horses still show physiological and behavioural signs of stress when isolated from other horses. Mares, in particular, remained stressed regardless of the type of human interaction.

Janczarek, I., Gazda, I., Barłowska, J., Kurnik, J., & Łuszczyński, J. (2025). Social Isolation of Horses vs. Support Provided by a Human. Animals

13/02/2025

X-rays and scans show the status of the tissues being imaged BUT they don’t measure pain.

Horses can, same as people, have severe changes but absolutely no pain or conversely have minor changes sadly suffering significant pain.

We need to be aware of any signs of pain but also be aware that there is not automatically pain, as the changes can be incidental findings.

I had two cases today demonstrating this point. One with severe osteoarthritis of the hind fetlocks and one with very advanced kissing spines. If you over-read their x-rays you’d have thought the pain would have been extreme and end of the road for them. In both horses the severity of the changes in the x-rays were a complete surprise to the vets and the owners.

Future management plans and training expectations have been modified as a result of the findings. However both horses are staying in work with very caring owners and an a multi-disciplinary team supporting them.

At the moment the plan is to ride the horse in front of them each day, look out for but don’t anticipate clinical signs that are not there.

If your horse has a diagnosis, remember to care for them as horse first, pathology/injury second and take each day at a time.