Living Anatomy of the Horse

13/09/2026

🐴On my way home from an incredible valuable weekend in Napier learning from Dr Ivana Ruddock through equine dissection. I love her way of teaching, incredibly knowledgeable & curious and never afraid to question what we think we know. Every horse is different, and that matters.Thank you Vicki Wilson for making this event happen, for your insights, your kind hospitality & yummy food❤️🐴

04/09/2026

🐎𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 – 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣🐎
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Kinesiology tape is another tool I use — but it isn't about strapping a horse in or holding a joint in place.⁣
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In this video, for example, the tape over the semitendinosus is applied with 𝐧𝐨 stretch at all. ⁣
The purpose is to provide a light, continuous sensory input and this can help to redirect the horse's awareness /proprioception, particularly when pain or discomfort has changed how the horse is using their body. On a side note: kinesiology tape + a very windy day = a bit of a challenge!⁣😆

27/08/2026

𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 - 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 A𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬⁣
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When I talk about joint adjustments, I am referring to techniques associated with chiropractic / spinal manipulation,but I don't use the term “chiropractic” to describe my equine work, because the title “chiropractor” is protected in New Zealand.⁣
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For me, this is an advanced area of physical therapy training, requiring specific additional education and certification.⁣
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A spinal adjustment is 𝐧𝐨𝐭 about putting a bone back into place. In her book 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬, Dr Heidi Haavik offers a different explanation, involving the small muscles that attach to individual vertebrae. Changes in muscle tension can influence how the vertebrae move and how prominent or restricted certain areas feel when palpated.⁣
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If an adjustment is appropriate, I learned specific manual techniques, working as close to the joint as possible, with a short lever and a very small, controlled amplitude. I also use an Activator, which is used in human and animal chiropractic to deliver a fast, controlled impulse to a specific joint.⁣
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Modern Manual Therapy education has moved towards short-lever, localised techniques, where precision and control are fundamental to safe practice.⁣
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𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨?⁣
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One proposed way of understanding the effects of spinal adjustment is through the paraspinal muscles and their muscle spindles.⁣
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Muscle spindles are tiny stretch sensitive receptors within muscles. Dr Heidi Haavik describes them as “𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴” because they provide the nervous system with information about muscle length and movement.⁣
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When an adjustment applies a fast, small stretch to the tissues around a vertebra, the muscle spindles can respond and send sensory information back to the central nervous system.⁣
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So rather than thinking of an adjustment as putting a bone back into place, another way of looking at it, is as providing a very specific sensory input to the nervous system, which can influence muscle activity, movement and neuromuscular control.⁣
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And, just as with soft-tissue work, horse feedback matters. The horse's response before, during and after a technique is part of the information I use.⁣
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Reference: 𝘏𝘢𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘬, 𝘏. — 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬: 𝘈 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘖𝘶𝘵. See less

27/08/2026

🌸Thank you Comcol Equine Debbie Nelson for having me🌸

20/08/2026

🐴𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 - 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬-𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞⁣
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Hands-on work is the most important part of my musculoskeletal therapy — not simply “massage”, but an opportunity to assess tissue, feel how the horse responds, and listen to what the horse is telling me through its body.⁣
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Here I'm working through the tibial muscles of Pie's hind limb. These muscles are an important link to the tendinous structures associated with the flexor and extensor apparatus. As I engage with these tissues, Pie he is leaning his pelvis into my left hand — a lovely example of the horse actively participating in the interaction.⁣
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Not every horse enjoys every kind of touch, but it is part of the conversation and all horse feedback matters.⁣
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What does your horse do when they really enjoy being touched?⁣
Lean into you? Nibble you? Close their eyes?⁣
I would love to hear — or see a photo🐴 ⁣

16/08/2026

🐴𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲⁣⁣
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Over the coming weeks, I wish to take you behind the scenes of my Equine Musculoskeletal Therapy and share a little more about the different techniques I use in my work. From hands-on soft tissue techniques, to joint adjustments /mobilisation, dry needling, photobiomodulation and kinesiology taping, each has a different purpose and place within Equine Therapy.⁣⁣
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For me, becoming a good therapist means continually learning to become more conscious of what the horse is communicating through their body. Not simply identifying what I can feel, but learning to perceive how the horse is responding and adapting in front of me. The more we learn to recognize that communication, the more we can work with the horse rather than simply work on the horse. ⁣⁣
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For all of us who work with horses, learning is a lifelong journey — there is always something more to understand, and usually a horse there to remind us of it.⁣⁣
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I’d love to hear from you along the way, so please feel free to share any questions, thoughts or experiences you have as we explore these topics together🐴

10/08/2026

I absolutely love Equine Anatomy. If you do too, I highly recommend following Equine Anatomy in Layers. Ivana is someone I’ve had the pleasure of communicating with; her work is a wonderful example of why anatomy education should make us curious, ask questions and think critically, whilst remaining mindful of assumptions and not moving too quickly from observation to conclusion. That kind of interpretive humility is something I greatly value👌

06/08/2026

❤️🍀So proud of my sponsor children Katie & Gem competing in Australia! Lots of luck & love to you both🍀❤️

05/06/2026

🌸If you're looking for a graphic designer with a rare talent for understanding the heart of a project and turning it into something that truly connects with people, I can wholeheartedly recommend Sarah. Sarah designed my website and every advertising poster for my educational projects over the years, and she has always exceeded my expectations.🌸

Hi and welcome to all the new faces who’ve followed me for the ride recently 🤍

If you’re new here, I thought I’d share a little about the story behind Snaffle Design.

When used correctly, a snaffle bit is one of the softest and most refined forms of communication between horse and rider. It’s subtle, skilful, and built on connection and understanding rather than force.

That’s always felt a lot like good design to me.

I started Snaffle Design because I love helping businesses communicate who they are in a way that feels genuine, thoughtful, and beautifully put together whether that’s through branding, print, web, or social media.

I’m Sarah — a qualified graphic designer, equestrian enthusiast, and most importantly, a mum to two beautiful little tots and I’m so glad you’re here.

Thank you for following along and supporting this little business of mine 🤍