Jill Steptoe in Geelong, Victoria | Medical and health

Jill Steptoe

Locality: Geelong, Victoria

Phone: +61 421 089 860

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• Medical and health
• Massage therapist
• Pet service
• Therapist

25.01.2022 A little while back, I was asking myself how I could better support my clients between visits - in particular, I was thinking of those who were unable to ride but still wanted to remain active and bond with their horses while working on straightness and balance. After some pondering, I came up with a simple idea, that with encouragement from a like-minded equine professional (now partner in crime) very quickly grew into a BIG idea - needless to say, theres been some exciting... things happening behind the scenes lately! After mountains of planning and preparation Im so pleased to finally be announcing a combined initiative between JS Equine Therapies and Simon Fielder Horsemanship! Very soon, well be kicking off on a number of hands-on, educational and practical clinics focused on taking horse owners through a journey which brings to light the important connection between tension in the mind and body, how this affects the way our horses think, move and behave - and what we can do to help them be at their best potential. The clinics are suitable for all horse owners who are looking develop a deeper understanding of their horse, building their strength and balance, in addition to their own skills in a relaxed, friendly environment. Simon and I are super excited about this combined adventure, and being able to provide a unique learning experience for horses and owners. Most importantly, were looking forward to meeting you all along the way! So stay tuned!! Keep an eye out for snippets of info and clinic dates through Facebook and Instagram - well be announcing very very shortly!! Dont forget to head on over and like Simon Fielder Horsemanship, wholl also be keeping us up to date on clinic news and events. Personally, Id like to give Simon a heartfelt Thank you. Thank you for all the time spent brainstorming and the inspiration to keep thinking big so we could help so many more than I initially imagined possible.

25.01.2022 Did you know i’m qualified in therapeutic acupuncture? A traditional Chinese therapy now widely accepted in western medicine, it’s something I use often to compliment my sessions.. and i’ve achieved some amazing results! Although I mainly use acupuncture to compliment my bodywork, it isn’t just for the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems. It‘s a lovely complimentary therapy, sometimes used in conjunction with veterinary medicine, to aid in naturally resolving targeted concerns or to support a horse’s overall health and well-being in general. Feel free to touch base or simply chat during your next session to see how acupuncture can naturally assist your horses optimal performance and quality of life.

24.01.2022 I love meeting everyones fur-families while im out and about. Animals have so much unconditional love and they truly are a special part of our families. These two gorgeous boys waited patiently today while their larger horse-brother finished up with his massage

24.01.2022 Who can guess what colour horse just got a massage? Lol

23.01.2022 There are a couple of ‘Balancing Equine Mind and Body Clinics’ with Simon Fielder Horsemanship coming up again soon. See links below for more info and bookings - these clinics just keep getting better and better - Palotti Park - Sat 1st Feb 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/events/783026845509778/?ti=icl... - Whinbury Hill - Sun 9th Feb 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/events/2656502267737742/?ti=icl

23.01.2022 Have you ever spoken to, or read a summary from an equine professional and found yourself a little confused about the terminology theyre using? Heres a diagram that should help explain some basic directional terminology for you, and at the very least give you a good reference point when deciphering the information theyre giving. The full terms are below, plus you can head on over to my website and download a PDF copy to keep on hand at home. :) https://www.jsequinetherapie...s.com.au//Directional-Terminol Caudal: The rear portion of the horse the plane going towards the hind. Cranial: The front portion of the horse the plane going towards the head. Distal: Meaning further away from the main part of the horses body. Ie: The hoof is the most distal part of the leg. Proximal: Meaning closer to the body, or point of attachment. Ie: The knee is proximal to the ankle. Dorsal: The back surface, or topline Ventral: Underneath the belly. The under part. Lateral: Away from the middle plane (mid line) of the horses body. Also refers to the outside or external part of a surface. Medial: Towards the middle plane (mid line) of the horses body. Also refers to an inner or more internal part. Palmer: From the bottom of the front hoof (the sole) continuing up to the back of the knee. Plantar: From the bottom of the hind hoof (the sole) continuing up to the back of the hock. Rostral: From top of head and towards the nose.

23.01.2022 Upcoming bookings available - please feel free to touch base if your area isn't mentioned and i'll do my best to fit you in as soon as possible :)

23.01.2022 Really excited and privileged to once again be at The Winged Horse Equine Welfare Inc. open day on Sat Nov 3rd. Such an amazing organisation thats so much more than meets the eye and who also share a strong passion for their community’s well-being also. Mark your calendars guys and come say ‘hello’

21.01.2022 I could not be happier with the service Jill offered me and my horses. She did both horses, was very thorough, and took great care. She took her time to make sure my anxious horse was mentally ok with what she was doing, and that I understood what was going on. If your horse needs a bodyworker, or check up, I would certainly recommend Jill. Thank you, Mishel

19.01.2022 Clinic dates and locations are here! Please see individual event posts for further details. CLINIC VENUES, JUNE 2019: Friday 21st June - Saddle On, Lovely Banks, VIC... https://www.facebook.com/events/408518063333332/ Sunday 23rd June - Pallotti Park, Curlewis, VIC https://www.facebook.com/events/2311516119109384/ Thursday 27th June - Black Horse Lodge, Little River, VIC https://www.facebook.com/events/459676141444972/ Sunday 30th June - Unicorn Lodge, Clarendon, VIC https://www.facebook.com/events/380208632592445/ CLINIC COST: To kick off the launch of our clinics, we are offering all participants a reduced cost of $150 be sure to take advantage! Full payment of $150 (introductory price), or $100 deposit required to secure your place (non-refundable unless otherwise advised). Limit of 6 participants per clinic. Please contact [email protected] for bookings and enquiries. CLINIC TIMES: 8.30am till 4.30pm.

19.01.2022 Fantastic demo at Equitana with the master himself, Jim Masterson

18.01.2022 100% recommend Salieri Park Equine Services!! If youre in need of a little extra education for your horse in a wide variety of disciplines, jump in quick to take advantage of this offer!! I work with many of Salieri Parks horses and always feel and see the improvements.

18.01.2022 Grooming your horse doesn't just have to be about removing dirt, dust and mud - or working through the copious amounts of shedding now spring has arrived! Why? Because other than providing your horse with one of the most simple pleasures in life, it gives you an opportunity to develop a deeper level of awareness about what’s going on with their body and detecting any potential muscular concerns. Knowing what’s normal and what’s not will also keep you on top of knowing when to... seek professional services. Using light pressure with the palm of your hands or fingers to gently explore the musculature, here's a couple of tips on what to look out for: Does the horse show discomfort in any particular area? Is there heat in the muscle that's not normally there (assuming you haven't just exercised the horse)? When you run your hand down a muscle or group of muscles, does it feel smooth or are you feeling something else? Is the muscle tight or in spasm? Does the muscle size and texture feel the same on both sides? Adjust your pressure to suit the horse and never use so much pressure as to create obvious discomfort. Also avoid the urge to 'dig in' to the muscle with your fingers as this may cause damage the muscle fibres.

18.01.2022 Repost on the under appreciated connective soft tissue, Fascia. Did you know Fascia is also a sensory organ thats embedded in nerve endings and mechanoreceptors that talk to the Central Nervous System (CNS)? It plays a big role in your horses posture, movement, proprioception and coordination. Each message the mechanoreceptors send out are interpreted by the CNS, which then effectively relays information back to the muscles. Amazing!

17.01.2022 Located in the skull, the hyoid apparatus is a combination of small bones fused together to make one solid structure that looks something similar to a chicken wishbone. Although not directly attached to the skeleton, it's the attachment point for many key muscles and is a worthy detail when considering performance. The tongue is attached to the hyoid bone, along with muscles running down into the sternum and shoulders. Because of this, there is a direct link with tongue actio...n to the muscles of the shoulders, chest and back - and vice versa. You can experiment with this link yourself. Keeping your tongue relaxed, sit upright, roll your shoulders back and look upward (like a horse hollowing it's back). Keeping your tongue relaxed, now also relax your shoulders and back into their normal position. Repeat. (go on - give it a go!). What happens? Did you feel your tongue retract and then relax back into your mouth? If your horses back is tense, if the bit in his mouth or other interference doesn't allow for the tongue to relax, he will experience the same chain of tension as you just have which will impact his movement. For example, tension at the hyoid apparatus will influence the attached muscles running down into the sternum and shoulders, resulting in shortened movement of the forelimbs. (Perhaps your riding instructor may have touched on this) Last but not least, if for whatever reason there's tightness in the throat muscles attached to the hyoid apparatus (such as from cribbing) it can interfere with movement of the poll. This is because as the muscle tension develops, the hyoid apparatus is moving into a position that feels uncomfortable for the horse, who will probably be sticking his nose out in an attempt to avoid it.

17.01.2022 Available for treatments over the holiday season - as a gift to celebrate Christmas, quote 'HOLIDAY SPECIAL' when booking to receive a discount! Offer valid between now and 6th Jan 2018. It's a perfect time of year to enhance your horses well-being and say 'thank you'.

17.01.2022 The lovely Ellie, owned and loved by sponsored rider Maddy looking dapper in her new sponsorship rug. Just a little shout out to Heads To Tails Horseware for the custom order!

16.01.2022 These two girls have been out and about doing exactly what they do best - being amazing! Both are such an inspiration to so many, and we wanted to give you a quick update on how things have been going. Maddy and horse Belle are certainly moving up the ranks. Bree and her most recent (and very promising) horse Roo will absolutely be a team to watch out for! ... SPONSORED RIDER: Madeleine OCallaghan Its been a great year for Belle and I so far, Belle has been very consistent, with some great performances at 1* level. Having just stepped up to 2* I am excited to see what the future will bring. She is feeling amazing and getting stronger and more balanced all the time. SPONSORED RIDER: Bree Cocks Empower within or as we call him, Roo, hasnt been out competing much of late as we have been taking our time to get the schooling correct in order to get him ready to begin competing. Im very excited that we will be attending our first horse trials for the year next weekend at Candle Bark, doing the EvA95. Roo will also be competing at the royal Geelong show. Together we have done a few cheeky competitions including the 6 bar costume challenge at friends of Werribee horse trials where I wore my mothers wedding dress and made it into the final round, jumping 1.55m to place 5th.

16.01.2022 It’s always lovely to receive great feedback from clients - thank you Pallotti Park Agistment for your kind words and for providing such a super vibe for both your horses and their riders.. It’s always such a pleasure to come out and be greeted with smiles! Very highly recommend your facilities

16.01.2022 Everybody loves a good stretch. Aside from making you feel great, when performed correctly they have incredible value when it comes to keeping our equine friends fit and supple. Heres some quick fun facts about stretches with your horse: ** Stretching can be guided by owners through passive non-ridden exercises, active ridden exercises or through creating automatic reactions to induce stretch in areas of the body.... ** Done before exercise, they will help to tone the muscles and aid in better range of motion. ** Stretching after exercise will help to lengthen the muscles to the same state they were in prior to their exercise. ** Stretching is fantastic for improving performance because it maintains or regains optimum mobility and suppleness in your horse, allowing them to better function to their best possible potential. ** When you stretch out the tension and resistance in the muscles, tendons and ligaments, youre improving and maintaining your horses optimal range in joint movement. ** Stretching helps to improve co-ordination and balance. ** Stretching also provides relaxation for the horse and aids reduction of pain and anxiety. Its significant to note that stretching needs to be done correctly in order to achieve the best results and so we dont inadvertently end up causing injury. This knowledge is a valuable tool for all horse owners. A good body worker will be more than happy to provide you with key information on stretches, and what is best (and how and when) for you and your horse. And dont forget to keep an eye out for our next Balancing Equine Body and Mind clinics, where we dig a little further into to the scientific nitty gritty, and the dos and dont of stretching

15.01.2022 ‘Admin’ mornings done right

15.01.2022 Its only a little over a week before the Balancing Equine Mind and Body clinics start Very excited and looking forward to seeing you there! Theres still a few places left, so please be sure to touch base soon for your bookings before theyre all snapped up. Please note for all enquiries, places are only secured once payment has been received.

14.01.2022 Don't forget to enter for your chance to win! The lucky winner will be announced this coming Monday - so jump in and enter as many times as you like! Simply like 'jsequinetherapies', tag a couple of friends in the original post and share! GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!

13.01.2022 Buddys owner spoilt him today with both massage and acupuncture for his general well-being and stress relief. A wonderful combination that he certainly agreed with

13.01.2022 It will be exciting to see so many clients competing at the Geelong Horse Trials this weekend - good luck everyone!! Xx

13.01.2022 There are a couple of Balancing Equine Mind and Body Clinics with Simon Fielder Horsemanship coming up again soon. See links below for more info and bookings - these clinics just keep getting better and better - Palotti Park - Sat 1st Feb 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/events/783026845509778/?ti=icl... - Whinbury Hill - Sun 9th Feb 2020 - https://www.facebook.com/events/2656502267737742/?ti=icl

13.01.2022 I'm always talking about and recommending follow-up 'stretches' for my clients as part a treatment - however as these clients know, I tend to not use the word 'stretch' and go for 'gentle exercises within their natural range of motion.' Yes, they can be time consuming and easy to dismiss when you're in a rush, and exercises done in haste, too fast or too far have the potential to do more damage than good. But working together with your horse and their ability to improve their range of motion has so many benefits, and long-term those benefits are well worth the effort!

13.01.2022 Flashback Friday - Diagonal Compensation. What causes concern in front causes concern behind.. and vice versa. Did you know that by the time your horse is displaying some sort of compensation or discomfort, there has likely already been another primary concern niggling away that has resulted in the secondary concern thats presented? Our horses are wonderfully stoic animals, and wont always let us know theres something going on until its been going on for a while. Regular bodywork, stretches and both ground or ridden exercises specific to you and your horse as a team are also a great idea to help avoid imbalance and promote a healthy equine mind and body.

13.01.2022 Im so pleased to announce this pink goopy goodness is now available for purchase during on-site visits! Ive been using this product for a long time now and getting such great feedback. Please enquire to find out more, or to make sure this fantastic arnica and comfrey based gel is available at your next visit.

13.01.2022 I love meeting everyone’s fur-families while i’m out and about. Animals have so much unconditional love and they truly are a special part of our families. These two gorgeous boys waited patiently today while their larger horse-brother finished up with his massage

13.01.2022 Its been a while since I last had a holiday, so Ive decided to take a little break over Christmas and spend some time with family and friends (and my horse too of course). Please dont hesitate to touch base during this time - ill be responding to everyone as quickly as possible and taking bookings for the New Year. Christmas is only a short 6 weeks away, so it might be an idea to pre-book a spot for your horse now - ill be working extended hours up until the 23rd to make sure I can fit you all in :)

13.01.2022 Buddy’s owner spoilt him today with both massage and acupuncture for his general well-being and stress relief. A wonderful combination that he certainly agreed with

12.01.2022 COMPETITION WINNER - CONGRATULATIONS MADISON PARELLO!! A big congratulations to Madison Parello - winner of 2 x tickets to see Alycia Burton in Ballarat next month! Woo hoo - so happy for you! Please touch base through PM when you get a moment and we can exchange details for you to claim this amazing prize :) Many 'thank yous' also go out to everyone who took the time to enter this competition - if you like a good competition, keep your eyes peeled on this page because a little birdie tells me there's plans for ongoing ones...

12.01.2022 A special privilege to do some post surgery acupuncture and kinesiology taping for this gorgeous canine this morning.

12.01.2022 Participant packs are all done - feeling pumped about hosting our first Balancing Equine Mind and Body clinic tomorrow!

12.01.2022 SAVE THE DATE and join us for a 2 day super clinic over the Anzac weekend at Whinbury Hill. We are expanding our Balancing Equine Mind and Body clinic over two days to cover both ground and ridden components, on top of our distinct and educational hands-on fun for learning more about the horse from head to toe. Whinbury Hill Equestrian Centre are offering their amazing camping facilities for all participants, and for those also interested Simon Fielder Horsemanship will al...so be hosting a separate clinic on Monday 27th to make this 3 days of great value! More details coming shortly, however initial enquiries can be directed to either Jill or Simon. Balancing Equine Mind and Body 2 Day Super Clinic: April 25 and 26 | Simon Fielder Horsemanship Clinic: April 27 ** Jill ** Jill Steptoe - Equine Myofunctional Therapist 0421 08 98 60 [email protected] ** Simon ** Simon Fielder Horsemanship 0428 894 102 [email protected]

12.01.2022 Essential oils such as lavender make a regular appearance in my sessions. If you're curious as to why, please read on Our horse's sense of smell is connected to the autonomic nervous system, which is made up of sympathetic responses that excite the body - such as the fright and flight response - and parasympathetic responses that act as a dampener to help your horse become calm and relaxed. Lavender is a gentle and effective aromatherapy for anxious horses. It aids in trigg...ering a reaction in the autonomic nervous system, that then signals for the endocrine system to release neurochemicals to promote a sense of calmness and relaxation in the horse - thus dampening the tense, fright and flight response. Because of this, the body relaxes. Which means the muscles also relax. Treating horses in a relaxed state, with relaxed muscle, is far more beneficial toward aiding the healing process that myofunctional therapy facilitates - rather than working with muscle that remains tense and less responsive to the manipulative techniques available to promote the restoration of healthy tissues. If you would like to learn more about the nervous system and massage, jump on over to my website and read 'How massage communicates and works with the equine nervous system.' Link: https://www.jsequinetherapies.com.au//Communicating-and-wo Balance the mind, balance the body - Balance the body, balance the mind.

12.01.2022 Im just going to leave this here...

11.01.2022 I recently had Jill come out to treat my horse. Hed been having a lot of resistance to pick up the left canter, very unhappy bending to the left and trying to drop out of the canter. I wasnt sure what was causing the problem but went through a process of elimination to find out. Jill looked at my horse in the walk and immediately picked up that he was uncomfortable in his hindquarters on the off side. He was also sore in his left shoulder. First ride back after a couple of days rest post treatment and he felt amazing! No problem to the left anymore, no more resistance whatsoever. Highly recommend her to everyone!! - Nicole Thankyou Nicole for such a wonderful review

10.01.2022 A big thankyou to everyone who takes time to send pictures of your horses enjoying treatments! I love them all and get such a kick out of seeing them. Here's a few piccies from recent visits I wanted to share - happy weekend everyone

10.01.2022 Our super handy handouts for clinic participants arrived today - they look fantastic!

10.01.2022 It was last year when I first gained my insight into Bree’s devotion towards her horse Envy and the world of Eventing. I’ve watched as oodles of time, money and positive attitude has overcome any hurdles thrown in their way, and I became undoubtedly impressed at what this dynamic duo have achieved since. I am so honored to now be offering Bree and Envy a sponsorship, and just can’t wait to jump in and be a part of working towards their dreams! Make sure you have a read abou...t Bree via my website (https://www.jsequinetherapies.com.au/sponsored-rider-bree-c) and I promise to keep you posted on future news also! Bree also offers in-demand training services, which you can check out via her page BC Equine Services. Welcome to the team Bree!

10.01.2022 WIN WIN WIN I thought it might be time to run a fun competition, and what better give-away than 2 x entries for you and a friend / daughter / son / partner to see the inspirational Alycia Burton in Ballarat! Alycia's event 'Light up your life with Alycia Burton' will be held in 2 parts on December 7th and 9th and is suitable for the whole family. To enter:... 1. LIKE Jill Steptoe - Equine Myofunctional Therapist 2. TAG at least two friends on the ORIGINAL post 3. SHARE this post Due to the nature of this give-away, some conditions will apply: - If under the age of 18, parent permission must be obtained before entering (I'll be checking) - All above requirements must be completed for entries to be valid - Winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries on 20 November 2017. - Some contact details will be required (privately) by the winner so I can provide these to Alycia for the event. Both entries are valid for Dec 7th and 9th. "Alycia mixes riding on Goldrush, gives some of her top training tips for horses who rush, who are lazy, who take rails, who have anxiety, who stop at jumps, bareback riding and more." Good luck everyone! * This competition is not affiliated with Facebook

09.01.2022 100% recommend Salieri Park Equine Services!! If you’re in need of a little extra education for your horse in a wide variety of disciplines, jump in quick to take advantage of this offer!! I work with many of Salieri Park’s horses and always feel and see the improvements.

09.01.2022 I’m so pleased to announce this pink goopy goodness is now available for purchase during on-site visits! I’ve been using this product for a long time now and getting such great feedback. Please enquire to find out more, or to make sure this fantastic arnica and comfrey based gel is available at your next visit.

09.01.2022 Want an inside peek into the Balancing Equine Mind and Body clinics? Check out details, images (some beautifully taken by our photographer, Mariah Smyth of My Secondchance Standardbred!) and feedback from attendees on the JS Equine Therapies website New clinic dates announced soon! https://www.jsequinetherapies.com.au/clinics

09.01.2022 With all the rain that's been around, has your paddock turned into a slippery mudslide? Has your horse been running around and displaying unexpected acrobatic abilities? It may be possible your much loved fur-baby has strained or pulled one of their muscles. Some signs of possible paddock shinnadigans gone wrong are: - lameness - short stepping... - stiffness - tenderness through the back and neck - reluctance to move forward - reluctance to bend Not all signs will be obvious, but if something doesn't quite look or feel right, or if you suspect possible concern from a paddock slide or fall, it's always worth checking in for a bodywork assessment to ensure their optimal performance and quality of life.

09.01.2022 Im so proud of this pair! It seems sponsored rider Maddy and her very talented horse Belle made quite the impression on Chris Burton today, and have been selected to ride in the Equitana masterclass on Saturday, as well as an education session on Friday afternoon. Well done girls - absolutely well deserved, and also very exciting! Belles now all tucked in for the night (and will be getting a nice treatment after her classes )

08.01.2022 Some fantastic action shots of sponsored rider Madeleine O'Callaghan and her horse Mintie giving it their all during the EV Eventing Spring Horse Trials in Werribee over the weekend. Go Maddy!

08.01.2022 What a fantastic day! Thank-you to everyone who came along to our first clinic - You (and your horses) were all amazing. Simon Fielder Horsemanship and I hope youve walked away with a little more in your tool belt to help you and your horses amazing journeys together

08.01.2022 Was starting to get a little line-up for the next massage today

08.01.2022 I am so very proud and excited to announce the amazing Madeleine O'Callaghan as a sponsored rider. Madeleine lives and breathes horses, and among many other achievements was recently selected as a reserve for the Australian Young Rider Team (Oceania Championships). I've no doubt the future is going to be strong and bright for Madeleine and her horses, and I feel so incredibly humbled to be a part of this amazing lady's journey. We'll keep you up to date on exciting news, but... in the meantime enjoy reading a little more about Madeleine via my website: www.jsequinetherapies.com.au/sponsored-rider

07.01.2022 Meet beautiful Flynn - adopted by an incredibly loving family from the equally loving team at The Winged Horse Equine Welfare Inc. Such an expressive boy who was thoroughly enjoying his treatment!

06.01.2022 I’m so proud of this pair! It seems sponsored rider Maddy and her very talented horse Belle made quite the impression on Chris Burton today, and have been selected to ride in the Equitana masterclass on Saturday, as well as an education session on Friday afternoon. Well done girls - absolutely well deserved, and also very exciting! Belle‘s now all tucked in for the night (and will be getting a nice treatment after her classes )

06.01.2022 There are several 'lines of compensation' to consider that demonstrate how local problems can affect distant points of your horse’s body - and their performance. Diagonal compensation patterns occur when stress areas on one side of the body are reflected diagonally on the other side of the body. These lines of compensation exist diagonally between the skull and shoulders (blue), the shoulders and hips (red) and between the skull and hips (green). So for example, if your horse is experiencing problems with their far side shoulder, this may be diagonally reflected through concern at either the near side hind or near side poll. Not sure what you’re seeing or feeling but something doesn’t feel quite right? Call your body worker for a full assessment and personalised treatment to assist both you and your horse.

06.01.2022 In a recent post about the hyoid bone, we touched base on how tongue position can greatly influence the free movement of your horse. Naturally, the bit can be a large factor here. So with that in mind, here's a really great article outlining how you can ensure a bit not only suits your horse physically, but mentally too - and then how to introduce it respectfully.

05.01.2022 Caught in a little light rain this morning How is your day going everyone? I’d love to see some happy snaps of you and your horses

05.01.2022 I’m just going to leave this here...

05.01.2022 Caught in a little light rain this morning How is your day going everyone? Id love to see some happy snaps of you and your horses

05.01.2022 I've been getting loads of enjoyment working with the amazing team at The Winged Horse Equine Welfare Inc. Body work sessions for a rescue horse isn't just a means of helping them through any physical challenges, but it also aids in helping them deal with the emotional ones too. Regular sessions as part of a recovery program is a great way to ease the transition into their new lives. I'm already humbled and amazed at the transformations i see after a treatment and cant wait to be back out there each week!

05.01.2022 Essential oils such as lavender make a regular appearance in my sessions. If youre curious as to why, please read on Our horses sense of smell is connected to the autonomic nervous system, which is made up of sympathetic responses that excite the body - such as the fright and flight response - and parasympathetic responses that act as a dampener to help your horse become calm and relaxed. Lavender is a gentle and effective aromatherapy for anxious horses. It aids in trigg...ering a reaction in the autonomic nervous system, that then signals for the endocrine system to release neurochemicals to promote a sense of calmness and relaxation in the horse - thus dampening the tense, fright and flight response. Because of this, the body relaxes. Which means the muscles also relax. Treating horses in a relaxed state, with relaxed muscle, is far more beneficial toward aiding the healing process that myofunctional therapy facilitates - rather than working with muscle that remains tense and less responsive to the manipulative techniques available to promote the restoration of healthy tissues. If you would like to learn more about the nervous system and massage, jump on over to my website and read How massage communicates and works with the equine nervous system. Link: https://www.jsequinetherapies.com.au//Communicating-and-wo Balance the mind, balance the body - Balance the body, balance the mind.

05.01.2022 These cute little faces with relaxed yawns and sleepy massage eyes were a lovely way to finish the working week What has everyone else been up to today?

05.01.2022 It's been a while since I last had a holiday, so I've decided to take a little break over Christmas and spend some time with family and friends (and my horse too of course). Please don't hesitate to touch base during this time - i'll be responding to everyone as quickly as possible and taking bookings for the New Year. Christmas is only a short 6 weeks away, so it might be an idea to pre-book a spot for your horse now - i'll be working extended hours up until the 23rd to make sure I can fit you all in :)

04.01.2022 Proud sponsor shout-out! Maddy and her new mare Belle competing at Ballarat Hickstead last weekend. An inspiring up and coming pair finishing 2nd in both the 80 and their unofficial dressage test. Well done Maddy and Belle - love your inspiring positive attitude and hard work :)

04.01.2022 Guess who's organised the Team Entry prizes for Barwon Valley Pony Club's Horse Trials this Sunday? Lots of little goodies to be won! If you haven't already, make sure your team is registered before 8am on the day - good luck everyone! BVPC HT Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/153251135477420/?active_tab=about

04.01.2022 Each movement your horse makes will place a greater amount of stress at a specific point in the muscular system. These are called stress points, and when over-stressed, will no doubt be the culprit of certain performance concerns. An affected area might be no larger than the size of a 5 cent piece and go easily unnoticed as your horse continues to perform reasonably well. But, as that stress point goes unnoticed, tightening of the muscle will continue to develop into a spasm ...and draw in thousands of muscle fibers that then become shortened and unable to release. As the spasm remains under stress and tension, it will continue to gather in thousands more of the surrounding muscle fibers and expand in size. As it does, it causes pain, discomfort and will significantly reduce the muscles ability to perform to its full potential, resulting in problems at that location, somewhere distant to the originating cause, pulls or even tears. Unfortunately, because of the nature of this building accumulation, it's most likely only at this stage owners become aware there is a problem. A good massage therapist will be able to evaluate the overall picture presenting, assist in locating that originating cause and work with you to restore normal function. Of course, prevention is better than cure and this is why regular massage therapy is always recommended (especially to high performing horses).

03.01.2022 These cute little faces with relaxed yawns and sleepy ‘massage eyes’ were a lovely way to finish the working week What has everyone else been up to today?

03.01.2022 I recently had Jill come out to treat my horse. He’d been having a lot of resistance to pick up the left canter, very unhappy bending to the left and trying to drop out of the canter. I wasn’t sure what was causing the problem but went through a process of elimination to find out. Jill looked at my horse in the walk and immediately picked up that he was uncomfortable in his hindquarters on the off side. He was also sore in his left shoulder. First ride back after a couple of days rest post treatment and he felt amazing! No problem to the left anymore, no more resistance whatsoever. Highly recommend her to everyone!! - Nicole Thankyou Nicole for such a wonderful review

03.01.2022 It’s only a little over a week before the ‘Balancing Equine Mind and Body’ clinics start Very excited and looking forward to seeing you there! There’s still a few places left, so please be sure to touch base soon for your bookings before they‘re all snapped up. Please note for all enquiries, places are only secured once payment has been received.

03.01.2022 lol, what's your favorite abbreviation? I think 'SLH' would be the most common one i'd use.. along with MIHA!

03.01.2022 Fantastic article - 100% worth the read.

02.01.2022 Want an inside peek into the ‘Balancing Equine Mind and Body’ clinics? Check out details, images (some beautifully taken by our photographer, Mariah Smyth of My Secondchance Standardbred!) and feedback from attendees on the JS Equine Therapies website New clinic dates announced soon! https://www.jsequinetherapies.com.au/clinics

02.01.2022 Ah-herm... i’ve been feeling a ‘little horse’ today...

02.01.2022 Simon Fielder Horsemanship at work during our last ’Balancing Mind and Body’ clinic for the month. We’ve had such a great time - thank you to all paricipants you’ve been amazing!

02.01.2022 Participant packs are all done - feeling pumped about hosting our first ‘Balancing Equine Mind and Body’ clinic tomorrow!

02.01.2022 ".. skeletal alignment is not enough to give the horse release and freedom of motion. It is very important for bones to align but we must remember that bones are slaves to soft tissue. Therefore by only aligning the bones we are not addressing the fascial restriction and soft tissue adhesions that might be happening along the bones." -- Wonderfully said - this is a must read article that just touches the surface of this topic really. Based on presentation, I too recommend chi...ropractic services for many horses (and my preferred chiro is fantastic), but I also very strongly feel that chiro should be used as a complimentary therapy and not pursued as a solo therapy as often as some feel they need to - because after all, except for the odd exception, it's the muscles attached to skeletal bones that are the driving force behind the need for a re-alignment. I reserve no judgement for those who can only get around to chiropractic treatment - at the end of the day you are doing something to help your horse and that is absolutely wonderful, but I do raise the question - if you're just after the quick fix of chiro and not addressing the horse as a whole are you really doing the best thing for them? Feel free to touch base or chat to your preferred equine bodyworker. I find a bodywork session 1 - 2 weeks post chiro works really well for best results, along with specific exercises and other recommendations that address the potential reasons your horse has been requiring chiropractic alignment. See more

01.01.2022 With ingredients traditionally used to treat sprains, strains, bruises, pain and inflammation of the joints and muscles, this Arnica and Comfrey based gel is a useful tool in my treatment kit to help horses of all kinds - from performance horses with stressed muscles and strains, to retired horses with sore joints. The gel easily penetrates your horses hair, is non-sticky and super easy to apply. Plus, because its suitable for use on dogs and humans too, this gel is super handy to have on hand! I usually have a tub or two with me to sell while on a visit, but please feel free to touch base for larger orders and enquiries.

01.01.2022 Simon Fielder Horsemanship at work during our last Balancing Mind and Body clinic for the month. Weve had such a great time - thank you to all paricipants youve been amazing!