PS Vitality Pro has been an innovator in the equine industry for over a decade. We take great pride in helping to foster new techniques in order to help the horse release stored trauma, or tension. Through thousands of bodywork sessions, and years of technical training both on the ground, In- Hand, and under saddle, Tara has transformed horses internally. She creates symmetry, proper tone, and balance as well as bio-tensegrity. She calls it "Somatic Spatial Fluency". It can be described as a horse's ability to sense, interpret, and respond to its body and surroundings in a harmonious and balanced way. It involves the integration of proprioception (body awareness), spatial awareness, and the nervous system's capacity to regulate itself in various environments.
What is Somatics?
Somatics is the study and practice of the body as a living, sensing, and self-aware organism. The term comes from the Greek word "soma," meaning "body," and emphasizes the body-mind connection. It focuses on how we perceive, feel, and experience movement and presence from within, rather than how the body looks or performs externally. Somatic practices often involve gentle, mindful movements, body awareness techniques, and intentional breathing to enhance the integration of the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems.
In essence, somatics helps individuals (or animals) develop a deeper awareness of their body, release tension, and improve functional movement patterns by reeducating the nervous system.
How Somatics Relates to Horses
Horses, like humans, are highly sentient beings with a nervous system capable of storing tension, trauma, and stress in their bodies. They rely on somatic awareness for survival, as their ability to sense their environment, maintain balance, and move efficiently is critical to their well-being.
When somatic principles are applied to horses, they help enhance:
Body Awareness: Horses become more conscious of their movement patterns, posture, and balance.
Nervous System Regulation: Somatic techniques encourage horses to move out of stress states ("fight, flight, or freeze") and into a relaxed, receptive state.
Movement Reeducation: Through mindful and intentional exercises, horses can release compensatory patterns, improve coordination, and restore natural movement.
How It Can Be Used in Rehabilitation or Bodywork:
Enhancing Body Awareness: Somatic Spatial Fluency helps horses better recognize and utilize their own bodies. This is crucial in rehabilitation, where they may need to relearn proper movement patterns or regain confidence in their physical capabilities.
Facilitating Nervous System Regulation: By focusing on Somatic Spatial Fluency, you can help the horse shift out of a "fight, flight, or freeze" state and into a more relaxed, parasympathetic mode. This makes them more receptive to bodywork or therapeutic exercises.
Supporting Balanced Movement: Exercises that promote Somatic Spatial Fluency encourage even weight distribution, symmetrical movement, and fluid transitions, which are key in recovering from injuries or overcoming compensation patterns.
Improving Connection with Handlers: When horses are more aware of their own bodies and how they occupy space, they become more attuned to their handlers' cues and more responsive in rehabilitation exercises.
Preventing Re-injury: Somatic Spatial Fluency reduces the risk of re-injury by teaching the horse to move efficiently and avoid unnecessary tension or strain.
Examples of Practical Applications:
In-Hand Exercises: Simple movements such as those introduced in the "Concepts of the Cavesson Courses" teach the basic principles of rebuilding and revamping the areas of the horse's body that are often overlooked or misunderstood in the training process.
Touch and Pressure Techniques: During bodywork, applying specific tactile stimulations can encourage the horse to focus on different areas of its body, fostering awareness and relaxation. This is where spatial awareness is born and teaching the horse to step into an open space to create better balance and symmetry.
Slow, Intentional Movements: Controlled, slow exercises can retrain the horse's nervous system to support safe, deliberate movements during recovery.
In the context of Somatic Spatial Fluency for Equine Rejuvenation, the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems play integral roles in achieving balance, awareness, and coordinated movement. Here's how they work together within this concept:
Neuromuscular System:
The neuromuscular system consists of the nerves and muscles that coordinate movement, posture, and responses to stimuli. Within this framework:
Proprioception and Spatial Awareness:The neuromuscular system gathers input from sensory receptors in muscles, tendons, and joints (proprioceptors) to create an internal map of the horse’s body and its position in space. This allows the horse to move confidently and adjust to its environment.
Motor Control:Precise signals from the nervous system enable muscles to contract and relax in a coordinated manner, facilitating fluid, balanced movements that reflect Somatic Spatial Fluency.
Nervous System Regulation:When the nervous system is calm and regulated, it enhances the horse's ability to process spatial and bodily feedback effectively. In rehabilitation, this ensures that the horse is not operating from a state of tension or stress, which can impair healing.
Musculoskeletal System:
The musculoskeletal system provides the structural framework and mechanics for movement. Its role within this idea includes:
Alignment and Symmetry:Somatic Spatial Fluency relies on a balanced musculoskeletal system where the horse can distribute weight evenly and avoid compensatory patterns that lead to strain or injury. This is often taught in a static position first.
Dynamic Stability:As the horse moves, the musculoskeletal system works in tandem with neuromuscular inputs to maintain stability and control through transitions, turns, and variable terrain.
Rehabilitation of Patterns:Somatic Spatial Fluency involves retraining the musculoskeletal system to move efficiently after injury or imbalance. Through targeted exercises, the body relearns optimal movement patterns.
How They Work Together:
Feedback Loops:The neuromuscular system constantly monitors the musculoskeletal system’s position and movement, providing real-time feedback to adjust and refine actions. This creates a harmonious cycle of input and response.
Building Somatic Awareness:Exercises and bodywork stimulate sensory pathways, encouraging the neuromuscular system to "listen" to the musculoskeletal system more effectively. This enhances spatial awareness and body confidence.
Healing Through Movement:Gentle, intentional movements encourage both systems to engage in healing by reinforcing healthy patterns, reducing tension, and improving flexibility and strength.
By integrating the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems within the boundaries of Somatic Spatial Fluency for Equine Rejuvenation, you create a holistic approach to fostering recovery, enhancing performance, and restoring balance in horses.
The concept of Somatic Spatial Fluency for Equine Rejuvenation is deeply interconnected with the fascia, which plays a pivotal role in the horse's overall movement, proprioception, and healing. Here's how this approach communicates with the fascia:
1. Fascia as a Sensory Organ
Fascia is densely packed with sensory nerve endings and proprioceptors, making it highly receptive to stimuli. When the neuromuscular and musculoskeletal systems engage in Somatic Spatial Fluency:
Proprioceptive Activation: Exercises and movements enhance the fascia's ability to sense and transmit information about the horse's body position, helping to refine spatial awareness.
Tactile Communication: Bodywork techniques such as myofascial release or Microcurrent Therapy send signals to the fascia, encouraging it to adapt and realign with healthier patterns.
2. Facilitating Fascia's Elasticity and Hydration
Fascia has a unique ability to store and release energy, contributing to the horse's fluid movement. However, tension, trauma, or disuse can lead to adhesions or stiffness.
Somatic Fluency Rehydrates Fascia: Gentle, purposeful movements "massage" the fascia, increasing circulation and promoting the flow of fluids that hydrate the tissue.
Elastic Recoil: Rhythmic exercises engage the fascia’s elastic properties, helping the horse regain natural spring and coordination. The Electro Myopulse can help to stimulate these tight tissue adhesions.
3. Unwinding Restrictions in the Fascia
Fascia operates as a continuous, interconnected network throughout the body. When one area is restricted, it affects the entire system.
Releasing Tension Through Movement: By encouraging symmetrical, fluid movements, Somatic Spatial Fluency promotes fascial release, reducing adhesions and restoring the natural glide between layers.
Energy Flow in Bodywork: Techniques like running a magnet along the governing meridian can support fascia in releasing stored energetic or emotional "blockages," enabling freer movement.
4. Facilitating Nervous System and Fascia Interplay
Fascia and the nervous system are closely linked through sensory feedback loops.
Regulating the Nervous System: Relaxation techniques calm the nervous system, which in turn reduces fascial tension. A relaxed fascia improves communication between muscles and joints.
Supporting Somatic Integration: Fascia’s responsiveness to stimuli helps create an integrated sense of body awareness, as it acts as a bridge between the physical and energetic systems.
5. Fascia as a Memory Bank
Fascia can hold onto patterns of stress, trauma, or compensation.
Somatic Spatial Fluency Promotes Relearning: Deliberate movement patterns reprogram the fascia’s "memory," replacing inefficient compensatory patterns with optimal alignment and function.
Bodywork Unlocks Stored Trauma: Techniques aimed at fascial release free up areas of stored tension, allowing the horse to fully engage with its body in a new, balanced way. Tara will address these emotional traumas during her sessions.
By integrating somatic spatial fluency with bodywork, you directly influence the fascia to support rejuvenation, connection, and harmony.
What It Means to Create Space for a Horse
I am often confronted with the burning question of how do I create space while interacting with my horse? The truth is it took me years and years and thousands of horses to figure out how to master this skill. Creating space for a horse involves providing a safe, supportive environment—physically, emotionally, and energetically—where the horse feels free to relax, process, and express itself without fear or pressure. It’s about fostering a connection rooted in respect, trust, and understanding, allowing the horse to engage with you and its surroundings in a natural, unguarded way. However, this does not mean that you allow the horse to walk all over you, become the dominant partner, or have the upper hand in every situation. When you become more in tune with a horse, the relationship evolves into a partnership based on mutual understanding and respect. The horse begins to see you as a trustworthy presence, and you become better at interpreting their needs, emotions, and intentions. This creates an environment where the horse feels safe, seen, and willing to connect on a deeper level. Here are some ideas to think about:
Steps to Foster Spatial Awareness and Bonding Through Human Interaction
1. Observe the Horse’s Body Language
What It Means: Horses communicate primarily through body language. By learning to recognize subtle cues like ear position, muscle tension, and posture, you can respond appropriately to their emotional and physical state. This is why I enjoy the classical techniques of round penning so much. The horse is free to make a decision, a mistake, or show their outright opinion while you as the handler can remain safe in their presence.
2. Match Energy Levels
What It Means: Horses are highly sensitive to energy. Becoming in tune involves matching their energy level—calm when they are calm, and active when they are energized. If the horse is nervous or high-strung, focus on calming your breathing and lowering your energy. If they are lethargic, use intentional movement to bring gentle vitality into the interaction. This is where my whole philosophy on diaphragmatic breathing comes into play. Tightness creates a spiral of tension, and it creates a vibration of unwanted energy that reads and translates differently than what your mind intends.
3. Practice Mindful Presence
What It Means: Horses live in the present moment and can sense when your focus is elsewhere. Being fully present fosters trust and connection. Clear your mind of distractions and focus on the horse, your surroundings, and your body language. Move intentionally, and give the horse your undivided attention. This is easier said than done as we all have daily stressors that take over from moment to moment. Horses will learn your language, and this will force presence on your behalf. Let them show you how to become more aware of how you match their energy and develop more patience in your pursuit of developing good mind and body awareness.
4. Respect Their Space
What It Means: Horses value their personal space and may feel threatened if it's invaded too quickly or without permission. Respecting their boundaries builds trust. Approach slowly and observe their reaction. Allow them to move toward you when they are ready, signaling their willingness to engage. Do learn where the bubble is. This means that if you approach and retreat, the horse will signal to you when they become uncomfortable, or feel flooded. Pay attention to their signals and learn to be keener in their presence.
5. Engage in Mutual Activities
What It Means: Bonding grows through shared experiences that foster communication and understanding. In-Hand exercises using my signature combination cavesson, or Groundwork exercises, such as my language of leadership sessions, can encourage the horse to pay attention to your cues while building spatial awareness. Grooming sessions can also deepen the bond by associating touch with relaxation and care. You are always their teacher throughout every process. Every moment you are present is an opportunity to train and teach your partner.
6. Develop Emotional Awareness
What It Means: Horses sense and mirror emotions. Being aware of your emotional state helps you maintain a calm and inviting presence. Regularly check in with yourself. If you’re feeling stressed or tense, take a moment to reset before interacting with the horse. Deep breathing and grounding exercises can help. Horses can help you to regulate your emotional state. Take a moment to take a few deep breaths. You may be surprised as your horse will release their tension with a deep sigh as well.
7. Learn Through Movement
What It Means: Spatial awareness develops as both you and the horse become more attuned to each other’s movements and responses. Use exercises that emphasize coordinated movement, like moving together in a round pen, cavesson techniques, or groundwork exercises. Pay attention to the subtle ways the horse mirrors your actions or signals their needs.