In this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast, I sit down with Averill Pessin, a social media, communications, and business development expert specializing in the equine industry. We explore how bodywork business owners can thoughtfully define their social media ethics and create a responsible online presence that builds trust while protecting everyone involved.

Averill shares practical guidance on balancing social proof with client privacy, what to include in client agreements (including sample wording), handling comments and negative feedback, representing sale horses and before-and-after images, deciding whether to tag owners, navigating kids on social media, and maintaining professional interactions… even when opinions differ. Whether you’re growing an equine bodywork practice or simply want to show up more ethically online, this conversation offers clear strategies to check the boxes of education, advertising, and social proof without compromising integrity.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Contact Averill Pessin: [email protected]

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DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

What we practice is what we get. Walking horses prepares them for…. (insert drumroll here)…Walking.

The true fitness of a horse dictates what happens in a bodywork session and what homework will be left for the horse between sessions.

There are many aspects to fitness: general fitness, sport specific skill acquisition, and tissue training.

This last type of fitness is what is most commonly overlooked and misunderstood by practitioners. It includes ROM, control of ROM, strength in ROM and lastly, stamina. 

The specific exercises left for horses by a bodyworker should come from an understanding of tissue training. This is the key to moving forward with a horse’s training! In this fan favourite episode I jump into the concepts behind true body fitness in horses.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Equine Reaction Ponts Skill Accelerator Course

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

Join me for this episode of the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast where we look at the thoracic sling. This is the horse’s built-in shock absorber and suspension bridge. 
It is a powerful muscular-fascial hammock made of the serratus ventralis, pectorals, subclavius, trapezius, rhomboids, and longissimus that lifts the thorax between the front legs and carries 60–65 percent of the rider’s weight.
When the sling is weak, tight, or restricted, horses often compensate with a high head carriage, hollow back, short forelimb stride, tripping, or forelimb lameness.
Tune in to learn simple five-minute range-of-motion and strength tests you can run on level ground, plus owner-safe bodywork techniques that directly free and strengthen the sling. 

You’ll also pick up daily groundwork homework that builds lasting support, clear ways to tell whether the problem sits in the sling itself, the withers, or the neck-shoulder junction, and a green-light checklist to confirm your horse is truly ready before you add collected work, lateral movements, or jumping. 

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

Equine Reaction Ponts Skill Accelerator Course

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

This fan favourite episode is based on a listener question about prepping her dressage horse for the demand of show season without overloading the horse’s tissues.

I chat about assessing weaknesses, planning exercises to overcome them and how to gauge where the point of fatigue/ failure is. I also reveal my 2 secret tips for a body “re-set” to help horses maintain correct form in workouts while we are increasing fitness levels.

We love listener questions! Feel free to send us topics you want to hear more of.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

Equine Reaction Ponts Skill Accelerator Course

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome Isabelle D’Costa of Honos Nutrition Co., a leading horse nutrition expert. She has helped many horses, from young ones in training to older retired friends, build strong and healthy toplines. Join us as we explore how the right food can create and keep that great topline from the inside out.

We chat about the basic foods horses need for strong muscles and some common feeding mistakes to watch out for. Then we share easy tips for every stage of a horse’s life, whether they are training hard, competing, or enjoying their later years. No matter if you ride in shows or just love time with your horse, you will pick up simple ideas to help your horse build its best topline yet.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Isabelle D’Costa : Honos Nutrition Co.

Instagram: @honosnutritionco

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

Equine Reaction Ponts Skill Accelerator Course

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

In this episode, we dive into the subtle world of equine behaviour, exploring whether your horse is genuinely at ease or subtly working to calm itself amid lingering stress. As prey animals, horses are naturally primed for survival, often exhibiting self-soothing actions when they’re still in a heightened state of arousal. We break down the key differences between these de-stressing signals (rooted in the fight-or-flight response) and true relaxation, helping you better interpret your horse’s cues during training, bodywork sessions, new environments, or everyday interactions.
Discover practical insights into body language and contextual clues that reveal your horse’s inner state, from tension-releasing behaviors like licking or yawning to signs of deep contentment such as a lowered head or cocked leg.
Whether you’re a rider, trainer, or horse owner, this discussion equips you with tools to foster a safer, more harmonious bond, ensuring your horse isn’t just coping but truly thriving in a stress-free zone.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

Equine Reaction Ponts Skill Accelerator Course

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

Have you ever seen a horse stretch its neck waaaay up during a bodywork session? Well, then you’ve witnessed a pandiculation!

Pandiculation is very different from passive stretching.

Join me for this fan favourite episode of the podcast where I examine the scientific differences between these two types of stretches. I examine what is happening in the body in each situation, and why it is extremely important to know the difference between the two!

Hint: The body processes the sensory information completely differently! 

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

• Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back
• Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!
• Equine Reaction Points Skill Accelerator Course

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

Join us on the Starline Equine Bodywork Podcast for an enlightening conversation with sports medicine veterinarian and rehabilitation specialist Dr. Bri Henderson, where we delve into the realities of equine recovery.

Discover why rehabilitation is not always a straight path, exploring the biological factors (like inflammation, proliferation, and the lengthy remodeling phase) that sometimes lead to progress plateaus and setbacks. Dr. Henderson also discusses key objective markers for advancing rehab stages, from symmetry assessments and palpation, helping you understand when asymmetry signals a red flag versus normal recovery.

In this episode, we shift focus to building resilience post-injury, unpacking the neuromuscular benefits of proprioceptive exercises like pole work to “wake up” core stability and prevent compensation patterns that could lead to re-injury. We emphasize the vital role of teamwork among vets, farriers, bodyworkers, and owners, addressing common communication pitfalls and ideal re-check schedules to ensure aligned care. 

Whether you’re a dedicated horse owner or equine professional, this science-backed discussion offers practical takeaways for supporting your horse’s journey back to strength.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Rivendell Equine Veterinary Services- Dr Bri Henderson

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

SHOW SPONSORS:
IG: @equigate
FB: @equigate
https://www.equigate.com

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

Cantering and galloping can offer more therapeutic value than bodywork and stretches put together. Still, too many of us miss out on the opportunity to head out and let our horses really stretch their strides.

Address gait rhythm issues, back hollowing, back stiffness, and one-sidedness through galloping.

Come along as we dive into the advantages of galloping in this fan favourite podcast episode.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

SHOW SPONSORS: 
IG: @equigate
FB: @equigate
https://www.equigate.com

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.

Join me as we dive into the world of equine dentistry with our guest, Dr. Christy Barnes, a veterinarian with a special interest in dental care. As an equine bodywork practitioner, I’ve often uncovered hidden mouth issues during assessments that explain puzzling performance hurdles, and Dr. Barnes sheds light on how dentistry is a cornerstone of overall equine well-being. We’ll explore the fundamentals of jaw balance and TMJ function, uncovering how occlusal harmony influences everything. Whether you’re a fellow bodyworker spotting compensatory patterns or a dedicated horse owner attuned to subtle signs, this conversation invites you to connect the dots between dental health and your horse’s performance. 

We’ll also cover routine floating procedures (debunking myths about tools and sedation), and collaborative strategies for bodyworkers and owners to partner with vets for preventive care.

LINKS RELATED TO THIS EPISODE:

Bennett Equine Veterinary Services- Dr. Christy Barnes

Grab your FREE assessment guide for your horse’s back

Join the FREE “Stick With It” private podcast series here and learn 3 ways to use kinesiology tape that nobody ever told you about!

SHOW SPONSORS:
IG: @equigate
FB: @equigate
https://www.equigate.com

Connect with us:
Instagram - @starlineequinebodywork
Pinterest - https://pin.it/7kvSCpt
Website - starlinebodywork.com

DISCLAIMER:
The ideas expressed in this podcast are opinions only, and are not substitutes for proper veterinary care, veterinary medicine and other forms of bodywork. The opinions are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic in nature.