About HH Therapy

Happy Horse Therapy

What is HH Therapy?

HH Therapy utilises Equine CranioSacral Therapy - one of the most effective and powerful holistic therapies that exist today. With light finger pressure we connect with the horse’s Central Nervous System to encourage the body’s self-healing mechanism to rebalance at its own pace.

A typical HH Therapy Session

I start every session with a thorough assessment of the horse. I watch how they move, stand, breathe, chew and react to their surroundings. I then feel their body, from head to tail, finding any asymmetry and tightness. Before I start therapy I take photos of the head, spine and both sides of the body.

HH Therapy is a light touch related to a specific bone or muscle. Some holds will only take a couple of minutes and others up to 20 minutes. I step back periodically to observe and give the horse their own time & space to feel & process the changes.

When finished, I observe the horse being walked in hand and standing etc. and take photos again. Before & after photos offer historical records throughout the treatment plan.

How long is each HH Therapy session ?

Each session takes 45 minutes to an hour and is tailored to each individual horse and their needs on the day. It is important to stop when we feel the horse has had enough as they need time to process and accept the changes in their body

How often do you recommend an HH Maintenance Therapy Session?

Depending on the needs of each horse HH Maintenance Therapy sessions are recommended at quarterly or half yearly intervals.

An HH Therapy session before and/or after increased training, competition, dental work or worming is of a huge benefit.

How do I know if my horse would benefit from an HH Therapy session?

Horses try to tell us what’s wrong but we often fail to listen or notice. If they have an unexplained change in temperament or behaviour they are probably experiencing an imbalance in their body which may have been caused by an injury, illness or emotional trauma.

Unbalanced horses can be edgy and unsure of themselves. When they show this to us by bucking, rearing, kicking, refusing to load, spookiness, head shaking or crib biting they are asking for our help.

What ridden issues can an HH Therapy session help with?

Many common riding problems can be helped, such as :-

Picking up wrong lead
Leans on rein
Runs into canter
Disunited
Drags toe
Trips
Crooked in halt
Refuses to jump

Will I notice a difference in my horse after HH therapy?

Generally, the horse will be more relaxed and calmer with unrestricted breathing and a freer whole body movement. Most horses exhibit physical & mental changes both during and immediately after the session. Changes often continue over the next couple of days as the horse adjusts to his rebalanced body.

When ridden the horse will often feel lighter with more impulsion and flexibility.

What are the “dos & don’ts” after an HH Therapy session?

Ideally, turn the horse out after therapy to allow the body to move and adjust to its new patterns.

If turn out is not possible then 10 – 15 minutes walking in hand is really beneficial.

How soon can my horse be ridden after HH Therapy?

Give the horse a rest day after HH Therapy to enable them to adjust to the changes in their body.

Plan a relaxed hack as the first ride after the day off.

Don’t rush back to heavy training or competition the following day.

Increase the intensity of training back to their normal level over the next couple of days.