Restore Balance, Mobility, and Healthy Function
What is Osteopathy
Equine osteopathy is a manual therapy approach for horses that focuses on restoring balance, mobility, and healthy function in the body by treating joints, muscles, fascia, and internal structures as one interconnected system. It’s based on the same core principles as human osteopathy but adapted to equine anatomy, biomechanics, and behavior.
Assess mobility and alignment in joints, spine, and soft tissues
Identify Restrictions that may affect movement, performance
Release tension in muscles, fascia, and ligiments
Support they body's self-healing mechanisms
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The Body Is A Unit
Everything in the body is interconnected - Skeleton, muscles, fascia, organs, circulation, and even behavior.
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION ARE INTERRELATED THROUGH THE ENTIRE BODY
How a part of the body is shaped (structure) influences how it works (function) and vice versa.
A rotated pelvis changes muscle tension patterns, which can alter gait and lead to secondary issues.
In practice, correcting misaligned joints can improve muscle function without directly treating the muscle.
THE BODY HAS SELF-HEALING AND SELF-REGULATING MECHANISMS
The horse’s body is designed to heal itself when given the right conditions — good circulation, nerve supply, and movement.
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Restrictions reduce blood and lymph flow, slowing healing.
In practice: Osteopathy aims to remove these restrictions so the horse’s body can restore balance on its own.
THE RULE OF ARTERY IS ABSOLUTE, A.T. STILL
Healthy tissue needs good circulation. Arterial blood brings nutrients and oxygen; veins and lymph remove waste.
- If a joint is restricted, surrounding blood flow can be compromised, affecting tissue health.
In practice: Gentle mobilization and soft tissue work help restore optimal circulation to include fascia restrictions!
