About Amy
YOUR HORSE WILL THANK YOU
Celebrating 20 Years of Equine Sports Therapy
My goal as an Equine Therapist is to create balance and healing in the horse, while educating the owner and helping them to understand their equine friend.
My passion for horses started at a young age but was not able to really come to light until I was an adult. In 2002, I met my now current husband. He had just brought home a 3 month old colt from a local horse rescue and thought it would be a great idea for him to be mine. This is where my adventure began in horse training and horsemanship and still continues to grow. I have always had a strong interest in bio mechanics, how the body functions and healing modalities. In 2003, I was taking a personal training course and my Bachelor of Science degree to try and further this interest.
That is when I met another Equine Therapist around Okotoks and he introduced me to what Equine Therapy is and the BC College of Equine Therapy. It truly was the best of both worlds- horses and working to better the body! Upon acceptance to the course I completed my personal trainer course but decided to leave completing my Bachelor of Science to a further date.
It has been a life long belief for me that true healing is holistic and encompasses every aspect of life that affects the body. As such, my practice provides a full body approach to help equine athletes compete, recover and live at their greatest potential.”
— AMY M. Willow Creek Equine Founder
I graduated from the BCCET in 2006 as an Equine Sports Therapist and have never looked back!
I have taken numerous continuing education courses to further my knowledge in modalities like cranial sacral therapy, acupressure, BodyTalk, Equine Assisted Learning, saddle fitting, nutrition and herbs, NKT Therapy and Equine Kinesiology Taping.
As a rider, I have worked on various ranches, pastures and feedlots. I have also worked with reputable trainers that excel in horsemanship, centered riding, cutting, and working cow horse. I love working cows but also have a strong desire to improve my riding skills and develop a well connected ride on my horses.
In each session, I pull from this diverse skill set which is what makes for an integrative approach to wellness and healing.
A foundation based on education.
BC College of Equine Therapy
The BC College of Equine Therapy is where my learning began. This college (now called Natural Touch Therapy Institute) is a two year program and certification course. Covering everything from in depth anatomy and physiology, massage, acupressure, energy work, saddle fitting, and so much more! This program is where learning how to be a thinking therapist comes together. Looking at the entire body, and everything that can affect how it functions and determining how the learned skill set can help balance the body.
For more information about this program please visit www.natural-touch.ca
NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT)
NKT is an application of Motor Control Therapy, neuroscience, and functional anatomy that allows the practitioner to figure out the cause of faulty movement patterns in the brain’s Motor Control Centre. NKT has a set of protocols that allows the practitioner to determine which muscles are not working properly and which ones are over compensating. Specific release techniques and corrective exercises can help to restore proper function and re-program the Motor Control Centre.
Continuing Education Courses
Since 2006 Amy has continued to develop and further her education. The need to keep learning, improving and evolving as a therapist is paramount in providing the best care to her clients. A wide range of courses have been studied such as Advanced Acupressure, Chiropractic assessment techniques, cranial sacral therapy, BodyTalk for Animals, Equine Assisted Learning, Equi-Taping, Various nutrition courses, Exercise rehabilitation, and Advanced bodyworker technique courses.
Mentorship and Collaboration
As a therapist and fellow team member on your horse’s wellness team Amy feels that it is important to work with fellow equine therapists, veterinarians, dentists, etc. Collaborating ideas, education and experience serves to build relationships within the equine community but also to strengthen and expand the current knowledge bases. Amy has mentored with several highly skilled professionals in the industry and participated in several full horse dissection clinics, one on one learning sessions, advanced therapist learning days. Several collaboration sessions have been attended with Moore Equine and Energy Equine (along with fellow therapists and farriers) to discuss different case studies and how different approaches to healing can combine and create a complete and successful treatment plan.
