Free Flow Equine Therapies - Susan Rousak

I've heard some people say, "I don't need bodywork because I work my horse correctly."

While I'm a big believer in training and working horses correctly, I don't believe that's enough to completely negate the need for bodywork.

Because even when everything is done "right," horses are still horses.

They play in the paddock, slip in the mud, roll awkwardly, carry old injuries, compensate for weaknesses, and age just like we do. They can develop tension from growth spurts, changes in workload, saddle fit issues, travel, competition, or simply from the repetitive nature of their job.

Even the best-managed equine athletes place physical demands on their bodies. In fact, the harder a horse works and the more correctly they work, the more important it becomes to ensure their body is comfortable and functioning as well as possible.

Think about human athletes. They don't stop needing massage, physiotherapy, or other forms of body maintenance because they train correctly. Quite the opposite. Their training is supported by a team that helps keep their bodies moving efficiently and addresses minor issues before they become bigger problems.

Bodywork isn't a substitute for good training, good management, veterinary care, or appropriate farriery. It's one piece of the puzzle that can help support comfort, movement, and overall wellbeing.

Correct work and bodywork aren't opposing ideas—they complement each other. When combined with good management, they help give our horses the best opportunity to feel and perform at their best.

🐴 A horse doesn't have to be injured, sore, or performing poorly to benefit from bodywork. Sometimes it's simply about supporting the body before problems arise. 💙

This is a fantastic opportunity to get some x-rays done. X-rays can make a huge difference in helping manage your horse's feet. If your horse isn't comfortable in the hoof, they won't be comfortable anywhere! 😀

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You never know what is happening inside the hoof until you look!

Benefits of a Farrier Set of X-Rays:

• Accurate hoof balance assessment
• Informed trimming and shoeing decisions
• Detect problems before they're an issue
• Measure sole depth and internal structures
• Monitor laminitis and other hoof conditions
• Supports long-term soundness and performance

📅 Promotion available for 6 weeks.
📞 Contact us on (02) 6253 1810 to book your horse or organise an on-property group booking.

🐴 Why Manners Matter 🐴

I was reading a post earlier about horse manners, and it got me thinking about just how important they are.

For me, manners are one of the very first things I look at with any horse. Not because I want a horse that's "obedient," but because how a horse responds tells me so much about their understanding, confidence, emotional state, and relationship with people.

Good manners aren't about control. They're about creating a partnership that is safe, respectful, and enjoyable for both horse and human.

A horse that can lead without dragging or barging, stand quietly when asked, respect personal space, and respond softly to pressure is easier and safer to handle in everyday life. These skills become even more valuable when a horse is injured, stressed, excited, or being handled by someone other than their owner.

I've also found that clear, consistent expectations often help horses feel more secure. When they understand the boundaries and know what's being asked of them, there's less confusion, less tension, and often more confidence.

As owners, trainers, bodyworkers, vets, and farriers, we all benefit from horses that can calmly participate in their care and training. It makes our jobs easier, but more importantly, it creates better experiences for the horse.

The goal isn't perfection. Horses are living, thinking animals with emotions, opinions, and the occasional bad day. But investing in good manners pays dividends throughout a horse's entire life.

For me, some non-negotiables are:
▫️ Leading with a respectful amount of space between us.
▫️ Coming softly from a feel.
▫️ Yielding softly to pressure—both physically and mentally.
▫️ Standing quietly at the mounting block.

✨ Sometimes the best-trained horse isn't the one performing the fanciest movements. It's the horse that's a pleasure to be around every day.

What ground manners are non-negotiable for your horses?

👇 I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

I'm extremely humbled to be nominated for the ETAA Therapist of the Year (ACT). Thank you to whoever sponsored me, it means so much ♥️

I started doing equine bodywork to help horses, driven from trying to help my own horses. Running a business and trying to have a career in a field you are passionate about is both rewarding and extremely difficult. I'm so lucky to have a lot of amazing clients and friends who support me 😊

Thank you also to for organising these awards. It can be lonely out there as a sole trader but ETAA provides support, guidance and helps drive the standards of equine professionals. We are lucky to have such a great organisation behind us!

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Most of us have big, exciting dreams about what we want to do with our horses. 🌊🐴

Maybe it's riding down a beach, heading out on a long trail with friends, winning a dressage competition, tackling a cross-country course, or simply showing them in hand.

This is human, normal, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting that.

But a lot of the time, we try to jump straight to the exciting activity without building a rock-solid foundation of soundness, happiness, and safety first.

Look, jumping ahead is fine if you don’t care about falling off. It's fine if you don't mind causing your horse worry, injury, or discomfort. If you are reading this, I’m guessing that’s not you.

The fortunate thing is this: A safe, sound, and happy horse will take very little to adapt to any activity we might ask of them. By slowing down to set them up with a proper foundation, we don't just keep ourselves and our horses safe. We actually open up the possibilities for all the fun, exciting things we want to do with them - completely free of the worry, guilt, or fear.

And of course, not every horse will have the capacity to fulfil our dreams. But it is much better to find that out systematically, in a way that keeps us and them safe, than to find out after the damage is done.

Don't skip the foundation to chase the dream. Build the foundation, and the horse will give you the dream willingly.

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Photo: Linda is a wonderful role model for what putting time into foundation looks like. Through working on her pony Bernie's health, comfort and understanding she has helped him to be more ready for the activities they might enjoy together.

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“Why does my horse chomp and chew on the bit?”

This is one the most common questions I am asked in consultations, and it’s sometimes a tricky one to answer as there are many reasons why this happens.

A bit of gentle mouthing can be perfectly normal, the contact should feel consistent in your hands, pliable and steady, but when a horse is constantly fussing in the contact, it will feel all over the place, and it’s usually because your horse is trying to tell you something isn’t right.

It’s easy to put it down to tension, a quirk in their behaviour, or just one of those things. Often though, the bit itself is doing far more than people realise.

I often see riders using popular bits, and yes they can work well for most horses, but may still cause problems for a particular horse. Too much pressure on the tongue, instability, mixed signals, or simply too much movement in the mouth. So much depends on the horse’s own anatomy, their way their way of going, also the riders hands. So when the conversation coming down the rein isn’t clear or consistent, or the bit is too mobile giving unclear signals, many horses just get busier and busier in the mouth. It’s a viscous circle.

If the pressure feels wobbly, late, too strong, or hard to make sense of, the horse starts reacting to the contact rather than settling into it and trusting it. You might see a horse who chews or chomps a lot, feels inconsistent in the hand, leans or pulls, backs off the rein, works the tongue around, tenses through the jaw and neck, or simply ignores the rein aids altogether. Many horses respond well to stability and even pressure in the mouth.

The tricky part is that horses are good at coping. Many of them quietly learn to put up with discomfort, so the small signs get brushed off as normal long before anything more obvious shows up. It’s also why swapping bit after bit, without working out why the horse is reacting in the first place, can leave them even more muddled in the contact.

Every horse is different. Mouth shape, sensitivity, training, balance, the rider’s influence, it all plays an equal part. So finding the right bit is rarely as simple as copying what worked for someone else’s horse.

I’ve written a new article on the most common reasons horses chew or chomp on the bit, and it gives you more insight as to why this may happen, and also tips to help your horse be happier in the contact. Have a read, it may help you solve the problem. *Photo below shows a bit fitted too low in the mouth, which is one reason that horses may chew and chomp with a bit.

Full article linked in the comments.

Lately I've been thinking about just how many opinions exist in the horse world.

Unlike many sports, we aren't just working with ourselves. We're working with another living being who has their own experiences, emotions, physical limitations, strengths, and preferences.

Then we add trainers, vets, bodyworkers, farriers, saddle fitters, coaches, friends, social media, books, podcasts...

That's a lot of input. 🤯

Spend five minutes scrolling and you'll find completely different opinions on training, management, feeding, tack, rehabilitation, and just about everything else horse-related.

It can feel overwhelming.

One of the reasons I originally studied bodywork was because I wanted to help my own horse. The more I learned, the more I realised there was rarely a single "right" answer. Instead, there were different perspectives that helped me better understand what my horse might be experiencing physically, mentally, and emotionally.

That lesson has stayed with me.

These days, when I'm working with horses and their owners, I'm less interested in being "right" and more interested in being curious. Curious about what the horse is telling us. Curious about what might help. Curious about how all the pieces fit together.

Because every horse is different.

What works brilliantly for one horse may not work for another. And that's okay.

So if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the advice out there, remember this:

✨ You don't have to follow every trend.
✨ You don't have to listen to every opinion.
✨ You don't have to have all the answers.

Keep learning. Keep asking questions. Keep building your team. And most importantly, keep getting to know the horse in front of you.

They're the one opinion that matters most. ❤️

**Prevention is always easier than repair.**

One of the biggest misconceptions about equine bodywork is that it's only needed when something has already gone wrong.

The reality? Horses are masters at compensating.

A small restriction in the body today might not show up as a major problem for weeks, months, or even years. Instead, your horse quietly adjusts. They shift weight, alter movement patterns, and recruit different muscles to keep doing their job.

The challenge is that compensation comes at a cost.

Over time, these small changes can lead to:
🐴 Reduced performance
🐴 Muscle tension and soreness
🐴 Difficulty with specific movements
🐴 Changes in behaviour under saddle
🐴 Increased wear and tear on joints and soft tissues

Regular bodywork isn't just about fixing issues—it's about identifying and addressing minor restrictions before they become major problems.

Think of it like servicing your car. Most people don't wait until the engine fails before getting it checked. Routine maintenance helps keep everything functioning as it should and can prevent bigger, more expensive problems down the track.

Your horse's body deserves the same consideration.

Bodywork won't prevent every injury or issue, but maintaining mobility, comfort, and body awareness can help your horse move more efficiently, recover better from work, and stay happier in their job.

The horses that often benefit the most from bodywork aren't the ones that are obviously struggling—they're the ones whose owners are committed to keeping small issues small.

✨ Prevention is rarely as dramatic as rehabilitation, but it's usually far more effective.

What's the first subtle sign your horse shows when they're starting to feel uncomfortable? 👇

When you tape up the horse and then realise the tape and rug are matchy matchy 😆