Blog
The Hidden Issue Young Horses Carry
This spring I was able to take on a client horse for some basic groundwork training and haltering. This was something I haven’t done in quite a few years (honestly, since having kids!).
A neighbour had asked for some help to get one of his yearling fillies haltered trained, leading, trailer loading, etc. as an older lady from Ontario had bought this filly and she would be leaving in 6 weeks. The first week was quite an experience for both myself and this filly. Her name was Sprint and she very much lives up to her name! She was very quick, loved to run, and because she had never left home before this left her in flight mode for the first little bit. I had to pull out all of the tricks that I had stored in my memory bank (as my senior horses are not like this at all haha). She loved a good scratch (as long as the halter was not in sight) so we started there.
That is where the Equine Sports Therapist side of me came out- I noticed she naturally would hold her head to the right. Her pole and the right side of her neck was super tight as well. When I would ask her to bring her nose to the left she would freak out and run away like I had hurt her. So…. I worked on the right side of her neck! She loved massage and myofascial release! She never offered to leave, just stood still, did some stretching, some yawning, and became my best friend! I did some mini neck sessions over the next few days and got to the point I could ask her to flex around to the left and right. I must say, this made having her accept the halter a lot easier!
After 20 years of being in practice as an Equine Sports Therapist, and not training horses for probably 12 years, this was a moment where what I do as a therapist and the rusty skills I had training horses really came together. One compliments the other so well, and for the sake of the horse. When we can make the first experiences with training low stress, and pain free it will make the next phase of training so much easier for both horse and rider/trainer.
Have a young horse starting training? Consider booking them a bodywork session! Lets check in with their body and be sure they are not hiding an issue that could become a training obstacle. This can make the trainers job a lot easier and successful.
Willow Creek Equine – News Feb 2026
2026 marks the official 20 year mark of Amy @ Willow Creek Equine being out in the equine community helping horses live and compete at their greatest potential. I have helped horses from all disciplines, breeds, and age groups with varying degrees of health and performance issues. Each horse is unique in their own way and have each shaped who I am as a practitioner.
A special “Thank You” to the owners who have reached out and made the appointments, and continue to do so in order to support their horses.. It has made my business possible for the last 20 years and many more to come. Watching you succeed with your horses or hearing how well your horse is doing after a session is what feeds my soul and keeps me doing what I do.
I want to take this year to give back to my clients by sending out monthly newsletters like this and sharing some of the information I have stored away in my brain! I have so much information I would love to share but session times can only be so long. Hopefully these newsletters give you some useful information you can apply to your horse or yourself. Keeping an open mind and learning new things is how we better our horsemanship skills and give our horses the best life they deserve. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or topic suggestions.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
We are officially into the New Year of 2026 and Fire Horse!
What does this mean?
The horse symbolizes strength, freedom, momentum, and forward movement. While the Fire element with the horse amplifies the horses natural drive, adding passion, courage and intensity (for us horse people a fire horse is the spicy dark red sorrel/chestnut horse that always keeps us thinking).
2026 is a Universal Year 1 in numerology. This means it is a new start to a nine- year cycle. It focusses on new beginnings, leadership and fresh starts. The “1” energy signifies initiation, innovation and personal power, encouraging bold action and the setting of new intentions/goals.
In our lives, this combination signifies a period of dynamic breakthroughs, bold decisions, and breaking free of old patterns, encouraging innovation, adventure, and pursuing ambitious goals with strong drive and determination. It is a year that rewards confidence, resilience, and trusting your instincts. Momentum builds when you commit fully and keep moving forward!!
In our coming sessions, think about what your goals are for your horse and for yourself. Lets work together to ensure there is progress and purpose for your horse, yourself, and together as a team. Connecting more with clients and helping them to achieve their goals is part of how I want to strengthen my purpose this year. You can expect more conversations on this during our sessions and more follow up from me to help you and your horse achieve that next level.
This is a year of progress, purpose and fearless forward motion!
February is Heart Month
Heart Month is a great time to focus on what we can do to help support our horses heart health. This is one area that tends to get overlooked when we are creating programs for our horses. For the majority of horses, heart health is all in the preventative care. This month I will talk a little bit about what we can add to our horses feed to support heart health. Next month a more in-depth approach to supporting the heart and overall muscle conditioning will be discussed.
Supplements that support the heart are high in Omega 3 (essential fatty acids)). Feeds such as ground flax (or flax oil), camelina oil, coconut / MCT oil. Omega 3’s support the cardiovascular system in a few ways. The first is that they are anti-inflammatory. This means they help reduce inflammation throughout the body and throughout the pathways affecting the heart. Omega 3’s also help improve circulation by reducing blood lipids and cholesterol. This helps to keep the blood vessels strong and increase circulation. Lastly, omega 3’s help enhance performance and recovery by improving red blood cells and allowing for better oxygen flow. This reduces lung bleeding in performance horses.
The best way to feed flax is to grind ¼-1/2 cup of flax seeds and add directly to their feed ration. This is digested and utilized in the body much quicker than the oils. It is important to grind flax right before it is fed as once it is ground and exposed to the air the oil starts to breakdown and will eventually become rancid.
If you are looking for an easy to feed oil that has a very high omega 3 content I recommend Equibody Glo from Omega Alpha. This oil has flax, camelina, MCT, and rice bran oils along with Vitamin D3 to support the immune system and bones (especially for horses that wear blankets or spend a lot of time inside a barn, not out in the sun). A regular daily dose would be 60ml/day but can increase to 180ml/day if supporting a specific issue.