The Equine Functional Posture Podcast

Assessing Postural Muscles: Controlled or Compensating?

Today we’re talking about how to recognise whether your horse is developing true postural control through the spine. Deep spinal muscles can be difficult to assess directly, but we can begin to understand how well they are functioning by observing our horse's movement.

In this episode, we explore:

Why postural control is often the limiting factor in all kinds of training

How balance and stability show up in small everyday movements

What limb placement and weight shifting can tell us

How you can watch and understand spinal control in deceleration and upward transitions

How watching paddock postures can reveal whether training is improving everyday function

Signs of spinal muscle fatigue; including brace and reduced co-orination

Why functional spinal motion needs to come before more advanced exercises



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: equinefunctionalposture@gmail.com

The Nuchal Ligament - Could you describe it's function?

Today we’re unpacking the nuchal ligament: what it does, how it works, and why it is often misunderstood for it's role in body mechanics. We also share insights from dissections about where issues can occur and how ribcage position is paramount!

The nuchal ligament is a passive recoil support system that helps reduce the effort required to move and support the head and neck -which can be up to 90kg combined weight! But it does not actively lift the horse’s neck or back. That job still belongs to the muscles, thoracic sling, abdominals and deeper stabilising systems.

In this episode, we explore:

The anatomy and function of the nuchal ligament

Why it acts as an energy-saving recoil system, not a “head holder”

Signs the nuchal ligament system may be under strain or dysfunctional

What we see clinically and in dissections

How better posture, bodywork, saddle fit, feeding positions and training choices can support healthier function

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: equinefunctionalposture@gmail.com

Un-Bridled Conversations- Horse Wellbeing and Biomechanics

In this episode, we explore bridleless and bitless riding as more than just an impressive training goal. We discuss what changes when the horse is no longer connected through the mouth, and how this can reveal important information about posture, balance, expression and comfort.

We reflect on recent bridleless competition footage, the positive reception it received, and what it showed us about collection, jumping technique, stride regularity and self-carriage without relying on the bit.

In this episode, we unpack:

Why bitless and bridleless riding deserve a place as valid riding and competition options

What a horse’s expression can tell us about comfort, pressure and conflict

How the head, neck and mouth can influence stride length, rhythm and hind-end function

Why bridleless riding still needs thoughtful, peaceful training foundations

How removing the bridle can reveal a horse’s true neutral posture

Anatomical considerations when using neck ropes or bridle-less aids.

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: equinefunctionalposture@gmail.com

Master the essential, proven, science-based tools to understand posture, movement and behaviour from the inside out - so you can create real, lasting change without overwhelm, pressure or confusion.

Enrol now and transform how you support your horse’s body, balance and wellbeing: Equine Functional Posture Course



WHO's responsibility is your horse's posture?

Your horse’s posture is not something that can be fully outsourced. While your vet, bodyworker, trainer, hoof care provider and saddle fitter all play important roles, the daily observations and small consistent inputs from the owner are often what create lasting change.

In this episode, we unpack:

Why the horse owner’s role is irreplaceable in postural change

How behaviour, posture and movement are forms of communication

What parts of your horse’s progress cannot be outsourced

Why bodywork creates opportunity, but the owner helps maintain change

How daily exercises, warm-ups and observations support the “positive posture bank”

How the Equine Functional Posture Course helps owners recognise, support and advocate for their horse



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: equinefunctionalposture@gmail.com

Master the essential, proven, science-based tools to understand posture, movement and behaviour from the inside out - so you can create real, lasting change without overwhelm, pressure or confusion.

Enrol now and transform how you support your horse’s body, balance and wellbeing: Equine Functional Posture Course



Activations: Waking Up Better Movement

Activations are one of the ways we can help prepare the horse’s body for better posture, stability and movement. They are not just exercises to “switch muscles on”, but a way to improve awareness, motor control and the quality of muscle recruitment before and during work.

In this episode, we unpack:

What activations are and why they matter in postural rehabilitation

How we carry out activations with specificity to target specific muscles

How activations prime nerves and muscles for co-ordination and balance

The difference between true activation and bracing

Why rest, release and time under tension are so important

Examples of activations including tail shifts, belly lifts and carrot stretches

How activations fit into the bigger picture of assessment, exercise and reassessment



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: equinefunctionalposture@gmail.com