The equine bodywork blog reviews Masterson Method teqhniques such as the Bladder Meridian, Tongue and Poll Release and the Head Up technique along with blog posts explaining equine anatomy, bodywork tips and how The Masterson Method works.
The equine bodywork blog features posts from The Masterson Method Founder, Jim Masterson, along with many Masterson Method Certified Practitioners currently practicing equine bodywork.
We hope the equine bodywork blog posts are educational and get you interested in learning more about The Masterson Method. If you have specific questions about The Masterson Method or equine bodywork, check out the Bodywork Questions and Answers page. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, contact us to submit a question
by Crissi McDonald, MMCP When we shut the truck doors and let the dogs jump out of the backseat, our clinic horse Rocky raised himself from a warm morning nap he’d been taking. He pushed on to his front legs, rocked forward, and then got his wobbly hind end underneath him. As he walked toward…
By Lisa Haldane, MMCP and owner of Avalon Performance Horse and Rider Support As many of you know I got certified as a Masterson Method practitioner in 2009 and started teaching weekend seminars over the next few years. Later I developed the online courses that are now offered through Avalon Performance Horse and Rider Support…
Have you ever noticed in training that it is often easier to do lateral work, bending, turning, and lead changes, in one direction than in the other? This may be due in part to a horse’s natural predominance of one side; what is sometimes called, “natural crookedness.” Horses are similar to humans in this respect.…
Jim Masterson was interviewed by Jane Pike on the Confident Rider Podcast. Jane shares: Team, I am so thrilled to be able to share this conversation with you today on my podcast. I’m talking with Jim Masterson about the Masterson Method and how it is we can work with our horse to release underlying…
What if My Horse Tries to Kick me? If he’s tries to kick you, it’s because you’re finding something with your hand that he’s been covering up and blocking out, but now that you’ve found it it’s bothering him. He’s now letting you know you’ve found something uncomfortable. You don’t even have to know what…
Can I do this Wrong? We use techniques with this method that use no pressure or movement, and some that involve different levels of pressure and movement. But they all rely on reading the responses of the horse, and softening when we run into resistance. If you’re doing this then 1) you can’t hurt the…
Bladder Meridian Technique Goal: To bypass the Horse’s survival-defense response and connect directly with the part of the horse’s nervous system that holds and releases tension. The results: This simple yet powerful Technique establishes the basis of communication between you and the horse through touch and response. It puts you both on the…
“What if’s” and other questions on the Bladder Meridian/Search-Response-Stay-Release. Now you’ve had time to practice some of the Techniques described in earlier Educational Fridays, and I’m sure you ALL have. (I know some of you haven’t because I have an app that can tell that!). You may have some questions about things that…
Tips on Softness, the Nervous System, and Horse Behavior Before we go any further with the Techniques I want to start to go back over what we’ve covered so far, and to touch on some things that may be relevant at this point in your practice. As you may have noticed, just as there…
It’s been my experience when working on horses that have had an accident in the past such as a fall; going over backwards; running into something; or an accident in a trailer, that the bodywork will often uncover what the horse’s body has been blocking out, sometimes for years. When an accident or incident such…
Head Up Technique on Shoulder This article is the third of three. As we said last week, there are three ways to do the Head Up Techniques: a) Chin Lift (Hands Under Chin) b) Head in Arm c) Head on Shoulder This week we will work on c) Head Up on Shoulder…
The most common complaint, in my experience, that inspires a horse owner to request bodywork concerns the perceived inability of their horse to bend properly. As a rider and trainer, I know that a rider’s incorrect body position alone can make it impossible for a horse to bend properly through the body. However, when I…
Article by Becky Tenges, Certified Practitioner, Instructor and Certification Block 3 Mentor ~ Since becoming certified as a Masterson Method Practitioner and Instructor, I have been on a continuing education quest to become a better bodyworker by learning more about anatomy, biomechanics and possible primary causes of discomfort in my horse clients. For a couple…
Where is the Bladder Meridian? In Chinese medicine, there are twelve primary acupuncture meridians in the body. The Bladder Meridian is one of the major acupuncture meridians that has a unique effect on balancing the other acupuncture meridians. It runs down each side of the body, about two inches parallel to the top line, then…
Temporal mandibular joint issues can create tension in the poll, and vice-versa says, equine bodywork therapist Jim Masterson. And conversely, pain or restriction in the poll will affect other parts of the body. “Issues in your horse’s body have a way of reflecting in his poll and atlas,” explains Masterson. Therefore, tension and pain he…
By Coralie Hughes ~ I am often struck by the similarities between what it takes to ride well and what it takes to be a good practitioner of the Masterson Method. At a recent dressage training clinic I attended, the internationally famous trainer kept repeating “every horse is a song”, with the admonition that the…
Head Up Technique in Arm This article is the second of three. As we said last week, there are three ways to do the Head Up Techniques: a) Chin Lift (Hands Under Chin) b) Head in Arm c) Head on Shoulder Which you use depends on which the horse is more comfortable…
Head-up Technique: Chin Lift There are three ways to do the Head Up Techniques. This article is the first of three. a) Chin Lift (Hands Under Chin) b) Head in Arm c) Head on Shoulder Which you use depends on which the horse is more comfortable with. It is generally easier for…
Tongue (and poll) Release The Purpose of this Technique is to release muscle tension in deep muscles around and associated with the hyoid apparatus. This area is associated with tension in the poll, TMJ and jaw, sternum and other areas of the horse. The Goal of this Technique is to encourage the horse to gently…
Head Down Technique The Purpose of this Technique is to release tension and improve comfort and range of motion in the poll and atlas. The Goal is to get the horse to relax the head down so that the muscles behind the poll can be massaged, and to get movement in the poll/atlas (atlanto-occipital) junction in a relaxed…
Lateral Cervical Flexion Anatomy, Tips, & Notes Once the initial tension is released and the horse is capable staying relaxed, increased movement and range of motion can be asked in subsequent passes down the neck. Don’t over-focus on any one area. Be aware that it may cause bracing or discomfort. Soften hands, arms,…
Lateral Cervical Flexion Explanation & Steps With the Bladder Meridian Technique, we began the process of getting the horse to release tension in the body by bringing her awareness to it in a way that she can’t brace against it. When we use no pressure, the horse has nothing to brace against. Now we’re going…
The Horse’s Diagonal and Where to Start With this method of bodywork, in general we start where it’s easiest for the horse, then work through where it’s difficult for the horse. So where do we start? Horses are like humans in the sense that they are not symmetrical. Just as humans have a…
Three Key Junctions that affect performance The 15 second definition of the Masterson Method is: It’s a method of equine bodywork in which we read and follow the horse’s responses to our touch to enable it to release tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance. We’ve talked about the…
How Does The Masterson Method Work? This method works because we work with the horse’s natural instincts as 1) and prey animal, and 2) as a herd animal. As a prey animal the horse’s first survival response to danger, pressure or discomfort is to flee. If he doesn’t have that option, which he usually doesn’t when working…
The purposes of the Bladder Meridian Technique are to: Uncover areas of tension in the horse that he might be hiding Help the horse to begin releasing that tension Connect you with the language of the horse, ie. he gets to know that you’re seeing his body language and mean no harm, and you…
The Horse’s Responses to Touch The key to the amount of pressure (or non-pressure) you use is that it remains underneath the horse’s ability to brace against it. How do you know if the horse is bracing? By his responses – visual and palpable Subtle Responses tell us that the horse is feeling something,…
Levels of Touch The amount of pressure (or non-pressure) we use is the most important, and often the most difficult part for humans, of staying underneath the horse’s bracing response. When asked “How much pressure are you using?”, rather than say, “Well, I’m using exactly 2.43 pounds per square inch over an area…
Importance of Level of Touch Why is Touch so important when doing this work with the horse? For humans, if something is working well we think that even more of it will work better. Working with the horse with this Method, the opposite is true for the following reason: The horse…
Masterson Method® Equine Facilitated Therapy Program Specialist Training. Equine Facilitated Therapy is a growing field, with equine therapy centers offering programming to a variety of clients and incorporating horses experientially to provide clients with physical, mental and behavioral health benefits and therapy. We are excited to announce that we are developing a new specialty within…
The Masterson Method of Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork comprises of two basic categories of techniques: those that release tension in situ, and those that release tension through range of motion in a relaxed state. Releasing tension in the muscles and restoring flexibility and range of motion to the skeleton work together. Relieving tension in the…