A Plus Equine Bodywork

09/06/2026

DSLD, what an awful disease!

Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis is a progressive disease.

Why the Suspensory ligaments show the first break down, The core biochemical defect is an abnormal accumulation of proteoglycans (carbohydrate-protein molecules) within the extracellular matrix of connective tissue.

Because the suspensory is under extreme continuous tension during weight-bearing, the proteoglycan accumulation causes it to lose elasticity and fail structurally here first. This results in the dropped fetlock appearance first.

DSLD has recently been renamed to ESPA, Equine Systemic Proteoglycan Accumulation which affects all the soft tissues in the body. However still more research is needed because I see older horses who seem to just have stand alone DSLD and do not look to have ESPA. The way these problems appear to break down structures in the horses body is different in each horse. I note that in the ESPA horses they seem to be hypermobile generally in their body. Reading about Ehlors danlos syndrome in humans I can’t help but see the similarities to ESPA in horses.

I suspect we are dealing with these problems on a spectrum of severity and this is why it shows up slightly differently in every horse. These photos below are from a 24 year old unridden carriage horse who’s suspensory branch’s in all four legs where a mess. But the rest of his soft tissues in his body including the nuchal ligaments were in tact. The SDFT and DDFT showed aged related changes but not replacement with scar tissue like the suspensory.

So much more research is needed and genetic testing so we can test for these diseases.

To see cases of DSLD including movement assessments and palpations head to patreon.

https://www.patreon.com/Becks_nairn/posts/america-update-155906247

https://www.patreon.com/Becks_nairn/posts/hypermobility-in-150520409

Thank you to Shibumi Equestrian Centre for graciously sharing these horses stories and always hosting professional clinics.

09/04/2026

09/04/2026

Tigger says “quit doing scheduling and play with me!”

I am currently booking into October and November so if you were planning on getting your horse some post show bodywork, getting on one of our cost saving wellness plans, or helping to support your horse’s body as we go into the fall season (think cooler weather and slippery footing), now is the time to book to guarantee your spot!

09/02/2026

Kind of chic to get your horse regular bodywork 😉

08/21/2026

When choosing a lesson barn, be sure to ask about the care each horse receives. Lesson horses have one of the hardest jobs out there, dealing with riders as they learn to ride. Balance, correct cues, etc are a work in progress and a good lesson horse takes that in stride and helps their rider learn.

Very honoured to be a part of the Valiant Equestrian care team!

🐴 Have you ever asked what happens to the school horses when they retire at your barn?

At Valiant Equestrian, retirement doesn’t mean being replaced, sold, or forgotten after their years of service. 🤎

Our school horses are family — and we believe the horses who teach our riders deserve to be cared for throughout every stage of their lives including the retirement stage.

Our school horses are either active show horses or lovingly semi-retired show horses. Every horse receives properly fitted tack and equipment, regular veterinary care by Bennett Equine Vet and farrier care by Kellie Vissor, blanketing, massage by Ashley - Equine Bodyworker and chiropractic support as needed, quality grain by Masterfeeds Horse Feeds , hay and supplements by Mad Barn , stalls with comfort mats, daily turnout, and a carefully managed workload for each individual horse.

And when a horse has given us all they can, they retire with us. They remain part of the Valiant family, because their value to us has never been measured by what they can do for us.

After all, they spent years teaching our riders.
The least we can do is give them a forever home. 🤎🐴

Developing Riders, Not Passengers™

08/20/2026

POOR HOOF HEALTH CONTRIBUTORS
Horses need important environmental support to have optimal hoof health!

Most hoof “issues” are a result of human misunderstanding.
When horses are given the proper environment, nutrition, freedom to move and competent hoof care professionals-their hooves hold up pretty dang well.

Some of the most common hoof dysfunctions or pathologies I see that contribute to body soreness are:

POOR BALANCE: this can present as pinched or collapsed heels, poor heel and frog development resulting in caudal heel failure, long toes and underrun heels and too long of trim cycles.

THRUSH: is a painful infection in the center sulcus of the heel. This presents as a deep crack between the heel bulbs-typically paired with one or more of the balance issues stated above. This can cause the horse to load more towards the front of the hoof to avoid the painful heel-creating an unbalanced load, impacting growth and balance in general.

INFLAMMATION: this presents as deep event lines in the hoof wall. This can happen for a long list of reasons-including but not limited to vaccinations, hormonal changes, digestive issues, iron overload and most commonly too much sugars in the diet from too much rich grass grazing and/or high sugar processed feeds.

ALL of these issues are greatly impacted by the horse's environment.

Hoof health is FED. Most horses are deficient in some form of the minerals needed to grow healthy hoof horn and sole thickness for comfort and structure integrity. Horses given free access to safe/limited grazing, appropriate forage for their needs, paired with supplemental mineral support are set up to grow an optimal hoof. A hoof that is fed properly can fight off infections and hold better balance.

A horse's day to day activities should provide the freedom to move in order to keep the optimal circulation to the hoof. Horses that spend too much time in confinement or only move over soft surfaces tend to have more issues than those that move a majority of the day. Things like stall waste or poor ground management will increase the risks of things like thrush and hoof wall integrity.
Creating an environment or providing a facility that can support a healthy hoof can make or break one of the most important factors in hoof health.

Ensuring a trim cycle that supports each horse's hoof care needs is a very important factor. We have normalized longer trim or reset cycles for affordability over function.
Shorter trim cycles will keep balance better. After roughly 4 weeks, the angles of a hoof will change in ways that greatly impact all of the structures above it and create compensatory patterns leading to body soreness.
I believe your hoof care professional is one of the most important parts of your wellness team.
A horse's body can only be as balanced as the foundation it stands on.
Having a HCP that is supportive of your hoof health goals is imperative.

Advocating for our horses starts with educating ourselves on what is and isn't “normal”, the way “things have always been done” has proven to not work for every horse.
If you suspect there are some changes that need to happen in regard to your horses' hoof health, ask questions and do your research! Knowledge is power!!

schaefferbodyworks.com

Learn more!
https://sbw-owners-massage.thinkific.com/courses/understanding-hoof-body

08/19/2026

Now proudly offering PEMF as an add on to trims and bodywork or as standalone sessions.

PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy uses gentle electromagnetic pulses to support the body’s natural processes, including circulation, relaxation, recovery, and healthy cellular function. When used alongside bodywork, PEMF can help prepare tissues for hands-on work and support relaxation and recovery afterward. During trims, it can also be used to help promote relaxation and comfort while supporting the body, especially for horses that struggle with standing for hoof care.

08/14/2026

I’m out of the office for the weekend taking a much needed mental health break. I will respond to messages and inquiries on Tuesday.

08/07/2026