The Equine Functional Posture Podcast

Healthy Head and Neck Posture

Head and neck position alone does not create self-carriage, collection, or correct biomechanics. Today we are discussing how the poll, jaw, neck muscles, cranial nerves, hyoid, nuchal ligament, back, and pelvis can all be affected when the head and neck are held in position rather than responding freely to whole-body posture.

In this episode, we unpack:

Why head position should be the result of whole-body organisation

How thoracic sling, core, and hindlimb engagement support healthy flexion

What can happen through the jaw, poll, throat latch, and upper neck when flexion is manufactured

Why tension through the nuchal ligament can affect the back, neck, and hind end

How fatigue can show up as heaviness, bracing, rushing, or loss of adjustability

What owners can look for before, during, and after work

Healthy head and neck posture is not about holding the horse in a shape. It is about supporting the body so the head and neck can become soft, adjustable, and free.

To learn more about Dr Raquel Butler visit:

Facebook: Integrated Veterinary Therapeutics
Website: https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com.au

To learn more about Sophie Vandenberg:

Facebook: Equine Posturelate – Sophie Vandenberg

Have any questions or topics you’d love us to cover?

Email us at: [email protected]

What if the most valuable part of your training session is not the exercise itself, but the pause that follows it?

In this episode, we explore why brain breaks are such an important part of training, learning, emotional regulation, and postural change. A pause is never wasted time; it is the moment where the horse processes, integrates, softens, reorganises. You also have the opportunity to slow down and be present.

In this episode, we unpack:

What a brain break can look like during groundwork, ridden work, or rehabilitation

Why pauses help support nervous system regulation and learning

The physical signs that a horse is processing and softening

How fatigue, tension, and repetition can lead to bracing and compensation

Why brain breaks can build confidence, curiosity, and emotional safety

How to recognise when your horse needs more time, not more pressure

To learn more about Dr Raquel Butler visit:

Facebook: Integrated Veterinary Therapeutics
Website: https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com.au

To learn more about Sophie Vandenberg:

Facebook: Equine Posturelate – Sophie Vandenberg

Have any questions or topics you’d love us to cover?

Email us at: [email protected]

Do you know how to recognise an abdominal muscle injury??

The horse’s abdominals are one of the most important support systems in the body. In this episode, we explore the anatomy and function of the abdominal muscles, how abdominal injuries can occur, and why these injuries are so commonly missed. We also discuss how abdominal dysfunction can influence posture, spinal stability, thoracic sling function, pelvic mechanics, and movement quality throughout the entire body.

In this episode, we unpack:

The role of the abdominal muscles in spinal support, posture, breathing, urination, defecation, and movement

The four abdominal muscles and how their different fibre directions help stabilize and coordinate the body

Common causes of abdominal injuries, including slips, falls, getting caught in fences, mud, float injuries, kicks, and compensation patterns

Why abdominal injuries often do not present as obvious lameness, making them easy to overlook

Signs of abdominal dysfunction, including shortened stride length, difficulty cantering, poor back lift, altered posture, instability, and difficulty picking up limbs for the farrier

How abdominal injuries can influence the thoracic sling, pelvis, lumbar spine, multifidi, and whole-body biomechanics

Why rehabilitation must focus on restoring whole-body function rather than just treating one isolated area

This episode highlights how interconnected the horse’s body truly is and why understanding abdominal function can completely change the way you assess posture, movement, performance, and rehabilitation. It also reinforces the importance of observation, palpation, and recognising subtle compensations before they develop into larger problems.

To learn more about Dr Raquel Butler visit:

Facebook: Integrated Veterinary Therapeutics
Website: https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com.au

To learn more about Sophie Vandenberg:

Facebook: Equine Posturelate – Sophie Vandenberg

Have any questions or topics you’d love us to cover?

Email us at: [email protected]

Do you know how to observe your horse's back to know whether the work you do is improving or detracting from your horse's back health?

Your horse’s back can give valuable clues about how they are coping with work, carrying a rider, and managing tension or fatigue through the body. This episode is about creating simple, purposeful checks you can use before and after riding. We also discuss causeso f back discomfort - so that if anything goes awry you can begin a process of elimination!

In this episode, we unpack:

Why the back can act as a window into whole-body function and compensation

What to observe : we cover shape, comfort, texture/tone, function

How back tension may relate to saddle fit, rider function, workload, fatigue, limb discomfort, or hoof balance

Why knowing what is normal for your horse can help you pick up small changes earlier

This episode is a practical guide to making your pre and post work observations more intentional, so you can recognise change earlier and have more useful conversations with the professionals supporting your horse.

To learn more about Dr Raquel Butler visit:

Facebook: Integrated Veterinary Therapeutics
Website: https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com

To learn more about Sophie Vandenberg:

Facebook: Equine Posturelate – Sophie Vandenberg

Have any questions or topics you’d love us to cover?

Email us at: [email protected]

What does your horses paddock posture reveal?

What if you could learn more about your horse’s posture, comfort, and biomechanics just by watching them in the paddock? Your horse spends the majority of their time in their paddock or living arrangement, and observing how they are loading through their body in these spaces is important information.

In this episode, we unpack:

What grazing posture can reveal about balance, stability, and compensation

How hard feed posture may show tension, offloading, or discomfort

Why urination and defecation positions can give clues about the pelvis, lumbar spine, stifles, abdominals, and tail

What balanced, effortless paddock posture should look like



To learn more about Dr Raquel Butler visit:

Facebook: Integrated Veterinary Therapeutics
Website: https://www.integratedvettherapeutics.com

To learn more about Sophie Vandenberg:

Facebook: Equine Posturelate – Sophie Vandenberg

Have any questions or topics you’d love us to cover?

Email us at: [email protected]