Equine Kneads

Without a strong understanding of anatomy and physiology, it’s easy to stay stuck at:
• “This feels tight”
• “This side is different”
• “Something isn't right here”

When what you really need is the ability to explain:
• Why that tissue is changing
• How it connects to movement and load
• What systems are influencing the pattern
• And how it relates to the horse as a whole

That’s the difference between guessing and understanding.
This is exactly why I created the Equine Anatomy & Physiology Certificate program.

It’s not memorization-based learning. It’s a systems-focused approach that teaches you how to connect structure, function, movement, and physiology in a way that actually applies to real horses in front of you.

You learn how to interpret:
• Posture changes
• Compensation patterns
• Movement restrictions
• Recovery responses
• And performance limitations

Not as isolated pieces, but as a connected system.

Because when you understand how the body works together, your hands don't just feel more, you understand more.
And that changes everything about how you practice.

Learn more and get started today:
https://equine-kneads.com/equine-anatomy-physiology-certificate

Link in bio.

Do you love the process as much as the outcome?

And more importantly… what’s your “why”?

These are two of the biggest questions we work through in mentoring because they are the foundation of whether your business becomes sustainable long term or whether you end up burned out, frustrated, and constantly questioning yourself.

Almost everyone says:
“I want to help horses.” Or “I want to work with horses.”

And I believe that wholeheartedly. Most people entering this field genuinely care deeply about horses and want to make a difference.

But the reality is… your “why” has to go deeper than that.

Because helping horses alone won’t carry you through:
• inconsistent income
• difficult clients
• exhaustion
• comparison
• business setbacks
• physical wear and tear
• slow seasons
• self-doubt
• long days where you feel like quitting

Your “why” has to be tied to something bigger.

Freedom.
Purpose.
Legacy.
Stability.
Growth.
Creating a life you’re proud of.
Building something meaningful.
Creating change in an industry that desperately needs educated professionals.
Giving horses and owners a better experience.
Proving to yourself you’re capable of more.

That deeper WHY is what keeps you moving when motivation fades. And this is where I think many coaching programs completely miss the mark.

They give you theory.
They give you formulas.
They give you “step-by-step systems.”

But they don’t take the time to understand YOU.

Your strengths.
Your weaknesses.
Your communication style.
Your personality.
Your values.
Your goals.
Your capacity.
What actually drives you.
What drains you.
What sustainability looks like for YOUR life.

Because a scalable business isn’t just about growth. It’s about building something you can maintain long term without sacrificing yourself in the process.

Passion without structure creates chaos.
Structure without passion creates resentment.

You need both.

In Equine Kneads Academy business mentoring, we focus heavily on understanding the person behind the business, not just the business itself. Because when you understand your why, your patterns, your strengths, and how YOU operate best, you build a business that becomes far more sustainable, intentional, and aligned long term.

https://equine-kneads.com/business-mentorship

We were not able to attend the Zoom meeting live, but we were able to watch the replay provided by Colton Woods, and we are incredibly thankful that this was made available to the community.

Near the end of the meeting, several concerns were brought forward that we also feel need to be taken seriously.

One of the biggest concerns is the financial burden this could place on owners, ranches, rescues, and animal caretakers.

If an owner is required to involve a veterinarian every single time they want to bring out a bodyworker for wellness-based support, how is that realistic?

Veterinarians are already stretched thin in many areas. Many clients struggle to get appointments for urgent or necessary veterinary care, let alone additional appointments for wellness-based bodywork oversight.

There is also the question of affordability.

If someone is using massage, bodywork, acupressure, energy work, kinesiology taping, red light therapy, or similar wellness-focused modalities to support general comfort, maintenance, movement, relaxation, or quality of life, adding another required veterinary appointment creates another cost barrier.

For rescues, ranches, and multi-animal homes, that cost becomes even more unrealistic.

Another important concern is placing veterinarians in a position where they are expected to oversee modalities they may not be trained in.

Most veterinarians are not receiving in-depth training in holistic animal therapies during veterinary school. Many openly acknowledge that they do not have the education or confidence to determine when certain modalities are appropriate, especially when we start discussing more specialized areas such as osteopathy, chiropractic-style work, advanced bodywork, or energetic and meridian-based therapies.

So the question becomes:

How are veterinarians expected to oversee something they may not be trained in?

And why should their responsibility and liability be placed on the line for wellness-based services that are being performed by properly trained practitioners?

In many cases, this could create the opposite of what the industry needs. Instead of increasing collaboration, it may cause veterinarians to avoid involvement altogether because the liability feels too high. That creates another setback for animal wellness care, responsible bodyworkers, and the owners who are trying to support their animals in a thoughtful way.

What we believe needs to happen is not the removal of standards.

We believe the industry needs stronger standards.

Organizations such as IAHAP exist to help create that structure. We have strict assessment processes in place for who we call board certified, who receives specialty designation, and which practitioners or educational providers are approved through us.

We do not believe a practitioner should only be recognized if they attended one specific school, one specific educator, or one specific program that paid to be part of a system.

Instead, we assess the education itself.

We look at the program, the hours, the curriculum, the hands-on requirements, the case studies, the assessments, the scope of practice, and the professionalism behind that training.

If someone’s certification does not meet our standards, we do not simply shut the door on them. We help guide them toward a suitable pathway so they can continue building their education and move toward a higher professional standard.

This is not about gatekeeping.

This is about protecting animals, protecting owners, protecting qualified practitioners, and creating a realistic path forward for the industry.

We are not here to gain from fear or restriction.

We are here to support a pathway that encourages better education, clearer standards, responsible scope of practice, and stronger recognition for the practitioners who are doing this work properly.

The animal wellness industry is growing, and with that growth comes responsibility.

But regulation should not make care inaccessible.

It should not place unrealistic burdens on veterinarians.

It should not punish properly trained practitioners.

And it should not take wellness options away from the animals and owners who benefit from them.

There has to be a better way forward - and we believe that better way starts with education, accountability, professional standards, and collaboration.

We have a lot more to do behind the scenes and we still need to make more notes from the meeting.
This is what your membership supports - the hours and efforts put into CHANGE.

We will keep everyone updated as we learn more.

Balance pads don't “target one muscle.”
They change how the entire body organizes itself.

When a horse stands on a slightly unstable surface, they don’t get to isolate a single area, they have to find balance through the whole system. That means the body starts to communicate differently through:
• Core engagement
• Deep postural stabilizers along the spine
• Hind end support and load sharing
• Shoulder stability and control

What you're really seeing is a conversation in real time about balance, coordination, and awareness.
That “wobble” isn't the goal, it’s the input that forces adaptation.

This is why we use tools like this in structured conditioning and rehab work at Equine Kneads Academy. Not as a quick fix, but as a way to teach the body how to function better.

Done correctly, balance pads can support:
• Improved core activation
• Better postural stability
• Increased coordination
• Greater proprioception (body awareness in space)

But like everything in bodywork and rehab, it’s not just what you use, it’s how and when you use it.
A simple starting point for many horses looks like:
✔️ 3–5 minutes
✔️ 2–3 times per week
✔️ All four feet on the pads, with supervision and intention

Progression matters. Individual differences matter. And context matters.
Because the goal isn't to challenge the horse randomly—it’s to build a body that can organize, stabilize, and carry itself more efficiently over time.

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