Serenity Equine Therapy

05/31/2026

About anything 🤣

Friday Funny!
We pride ourselves on our course being clear and easy to understand. But some discussions can still get pretty in depth 😬😆

05/28/2026

Recognizing a dropped thoracic sling.
First photo is before nervous system regulation and a rebalancing hoof trim.
Second photo is afterwards. Between the two photos is 45 minutes.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll recognize that this is Joey. Joey really likes to help me learn how to be better in every aspect of my life.
Coming out of winter and having to change herd dynamics because of spring grass meant Joey had to leave the big herd and be a pal for old Bucky boy and my miniature pony Littlefoot.
Buck and little foot are not very good at regulating their own nervous systems and even though Joey is quite solid of a horse, it is merely a front.
Joey is one of those horses that heavily internalizes everything. He may seem calm and relatively happy but I’ve learnt with him overtime that because of his internalizing his body will show his truth of what actually is happening pertaining to his nervous system.

When I had brought him in, I was planning on doing a short bodywork session to practice some of my new EMOT modalities and follow up with a quick balance trim.
I noticed Joey was acting quite irritable and did not want to stand still while tied and was exhibiting stress behaviours. Pulling at the lead rope, pawing, swinging his body back-and-forth and bobbing his head up and down. Completely unlike him.
I had started to work on him with some acupressure and he was having none of it.
After trying for a couple minutes, I realized he was nearly incapable of being present in his own body as he was stuck in his sympathetic nervous system.
Sometimes bodywork is able to help horses come out of their sympathetic and back into their parasympathetic nervous system. But sometimes they are too overwhelmed and overstimulated to be able to handle pinpointed modalities.
Thankfully, I have spent the last 4 1/2 years really learning how to help horses regulate their nervous system and have gained some extra tools outside of my therapy to be able to help horses come back into their body.
It only took about 10 minutes of me working with and connecting with Joey that he was able to reconnect with himself and regulate his nervous system.
Afterwards, we headed back over to the fence where I tied him, and he stood nearly perfect. It was also his supper time so I was really proud of him for trying so hard.
His hoof trim went without a fuss, and I was able to trim him in 15 minutes.

Nervous system regulation is so important for any horse and human.
Learning to regulate your own nervous system can do wonders for your horses nervous system and therefore their healing ability.

05/27/2026

Learning about the diaphragms has been a game changer in my sessions.
Breath is life!

🐴 The 5 Diaphragms of Equine Osteopathy

The word diaphragm does not simply mean “breathing muscle.”

The term originates from the Greek meaning:
“to divide” or “partition.”

Osteopathically, diaphragms can be thought of as key transitional zones or “compartments” within the body…

…areas where pressure, tension, movement, circulation, nerve function and fascial continuity all interact.

And when one loses adaptability, the effects rarely stay local.

One restriction can begin influencing:

- movement
- breathing
- thoracic sling function
- pelvic mechanics
- lumbar stability
- circulation
- nervous system tone
- and compensation patterns throughout the horse.

One of the biggest shifts in osteopathic thinking is moving away from seeing the horse as isolated body parts…

…and instead understanding the horse as a connected system of pressure regulation, load transfer, fascia, neurology and compensation.

This is where the concept of the 5 diaphragms becomes so important.

Not simply “breathing diaphragms”…

…but integrated regions that influence:

- movement
- circulation
- pressure regulation
- load transfer
- proprioception
- compensation patterns
- and even the horse’s ability to relax and organise movement efficiently.

When one area loses adaptability, the body rarely compensates locally.

A restriction through one diaphragm may begin influencing:

- rib mobility
- forelimb loading
- hindlimb engagement
- pelvic organisation
- breathing mechanics
- spinal tension
- autonomic nervous system tone
- and overall movement quality.

This is one of the reasons some horses:

- never seem to “hold” treatment
- continue compensating despite strengthening work
- become chronically tight
- struggle with transitions or canter
- brace through the thorax or pelvis
- appear reactive, tense or unable to soften properly
- or keep developing recurring patterns elsewhere in the body.

Because the body is constantly redistributing pressure, force and tension through the entire system.

The 5 diaphragms are often described osteopathically as including areas such as:

- the pelvic diaphragm
- the respiratory diaphragm
- the thoracic inlet
- the tongue/hyoid complex
- and the cranial/tentorial region

but the important thing is not memorising names.

The important thing is understanding that the horse functions as one integrated system.

Not separate compartments.

This way of thinking completely changes how you begin interpreting:

- movement
- posture
- breathing
- asymmetry
- compensation
- “behaviour”
- recurring rehab failure
- and chronic performance issues.

This is a huge area within osteopathic thinking and something I’ll be expanding on much more in future posts, webinars and courses.

If you’d like me to do separate posts explaining each of the 5 diaphragms individually and how they relate to movement, compensation and the nervous system >

Please comment

👇 5 diaphragms

05/16/2026

Such an interesting saddle!

05/11/2026

05/07/2026

A lovely mare I’ve been working on since January 2026.
Before photos are before her first trim and were taken on January 16, 2026.
After photos taken May 6, 2026 after her trim yesterday.

With consistent trimming (first three cycles were 3 week intervals and then proceeded onto 5 week schedule.
In total 5 trims, we were able to help this mare grow out over half her hoof capsules in less than 16 weeks.
After 15 weeks since her first trim, she had finally stopped limping on her hind left where she had previously sustained a bad stifle injury years before.
Seeing the changes in this mares body and posture has been so interesting to see. Where once there was severe compensation patterns, they have steadily been breaking down and allowing her body to grow new healthier and balanced patterns where she is able to travel without as much discomfort and tension and gain more fluidity within her stride. Her posture has changed so much and her body has become much softer throughout her muscle groups.

Before her last trim 5 weeks ago, I was able to perform a thorough therapy session before I trimmed her to help her break down some of those compensation patterns.
When I arrived yesterday to her trim appointment, I was pleasantly surprised to not only see her in her new body but to hear the positive comments made by her owner about how much better she has been travelling. Next on the list for this gal is a vet appointment checkup to see how her stifle is doing and if she is able to be cleared for proper conditioning and hopefully be able to go back under saddle.
Seeing and hearing the hope in my clients eyes and energy is so gratifying.
Having their trust is one of the greatest gifts of this profession. One that I do not take lightly. Throughout these transformations there can be a lot of doubt, what ifs and odd changes within the body or hooves.
Healing the body and mind is not always a graceful and smooth process. Things have to get a little ugly before they can blossom in to not only beauty but also proper function.
These hooves are not done healing and we have a lot more to grow out. Trusting the process is truly a test.

05/06/2026

Wishing you all a truly blessed life. Today is my filly Luna’s 2nd birthday. Happy birthday Luna!

04/30/2026

A lovely before, and after of one of my longtime clients. Started with a hour long bodywork session to help relieve some of the tension throughout his body.
After his session, I then trimmed up his hooves.

This before and after is a great example of tension lines throughout the body in the before photo and how nearly all of the tension lines are gone after a thorough bodywork session and a balanced hoof trim.

We do not want to see muscle lines in a “ relaxed” horse. Muscle lines are an indication of tension and compensation patterns being held throughout the body.

04/29/2026

Never thought I’d ever use a cart at Irvines!!
This gal got a new Hoof Jack finally to make trimming my clients and own horses easier(my old one wasn’t looking to nice anymore and was becoming dysfunctional… I may have also accidentally backed over it last week 😳😅🤣).
A big ole bag of Redmond salt for the herd as well as a full box of dewormer for them!
Finally found a little mini stall fork for my son in his favourite color RED!
Cart is full and bank account is drained! So excited to crack my new stand out this afternoon!

04/25/2026

Being your own CEO means doing your own schedule. Keeping track of client horses and coordinating dates and time with owners can be intense sometimes. I am so grateful my clients are so flexible and understanding when I have to change dates and times when I have new pop up clients coming into the schedule. I sincerely thank you all!