22/07/2026
Reflections from Lockie Phillips' clinic through a vet nurse's eyes 🐴
Bit of a different post today but thought it was worth sharing! Over the past two days I (Mel) have had the privilege of attending an Emotional Horsemanship clinic with Lockie Phillips. It counted towards my annual CPD requirement, and as part of this, nurses also have to record and reflect on what we learn and how it applies to our clinical practice, so I wanted to share some of that reflection with you all! I got far more out of this clinic than simply ticking a box. Personally I find its really important to be open-minded and receptive to learning and growing; sometimes that means going to horse training clinics to understand more about horse behaviour, horse-human interactions, what owners want for their horses, and whether there’s anything useful that I could take on board as a veterinary professional.
For anyone who hasn’t come across Lockie’s work before, Emotional Horsemanship is a horse-first approach that blends science, empathy and feel to help people better understand the horse’s experience (building willing, confident horses through ethical training, clear communication and genuine curiosity, always recognising that every horse is an individual). I went expecting to learn more about training methods and instead, I found myself reflecting just as much on the parallels with veterinary medicine! It was also just a genuinely enjoyable couple of days. There was plenty of laughter, thoughtful discussion and lots of moments that challenged our thinking - in the best possible way. Big thanks to Lockie for holding such an insightful clinic with a very inclusive vibe, and for being the most refreshing trainer I have heard in quite a while. If anyone is interested I have written my perspective on some key points from the clinic below:
💭 The multitude of answers
One thing Lockie said stuck with me: people search for a singular answer, when the truth is a multitude of answers. In training, that means no method fits every horse - you have to work with the individual. In veterinary practice, it means there may be multiple things going on with a horse! Good practitioners are working with layers of context, not a just checklist. We also have to try to understand not only the individual horse in front of us, but your individual perspective as an owner too, and tailor advice and treatment to your own unique situation.
💭 Giving it time
Lockie drew a clear distinction between just asking a horse to go, versus asking it to go when it's physically, mentally, and emotionally ready. That's rehab in a nutshell. We can hit every box on a physical recovery timeline and yet mentally the horse may not actually be ready to ‘do more’ - and that’s ok! He talked about small adjustments making a big difference, but giving those small adjustments room to work rather than judging progress too soon. It's so easy, both in the arena and in a treatment setting, to assume something isn't working and want a ‘quick fix’, when really the body just needs time to adapt. Tissue remodels slowly. Nervous systems recalibrate slowly. A horse settling into a new way of moving or coping doesn't always happen on the textbook timeline we'd like it to!
💭 Advising further diagnostics, not guessing
Even in a training context, Lockie was clear about the limits of what he could say without seeing more; recommending checks like neck X-rays just to rule things in or out, rather than assuming. In fact he even said ‘That's all the information I can give right now - it would be irresponsible to say more without seeing your horse.’ It was rare to hear such honesty articulated so plainly and this is often something we have to say too. You can send a photo or a video, we can discuss things over the phone, but sometimes the best way to truly help is by actually examining your horse ‘in person’.
💭 Bodywork, fitness, and movement quality
A recurring theme was how important bodywork and fitness are for a horse's ease of movement and joint integrity - not as an afterthought, but as core to good quality of movement and long-term health. In equine vet medicine, this is so important: focusing on soundness, fitness and movement quality aren't "extras," they're preventative medicine.
💭 Respecting the owner's (and the patient’s) agency
Lockie was clear that his job is to give suggestions, not orders: owners interpret the information and decide what to do with it, because they're adults and it's their call. Even when people say "tell me what to do," he won't just hand out commands. We are all responsible for our own projections; we interpret things through our own perspective and we have to be self-aware and accountable for our own actions rather than assigning blame. He pairs that with honesty about boundaries too, and is clear on his own moral stance, even if it has cost him clients. We have similar things in veterinary medicine; we can offer options and suggestions but only you truly know your and your horse’s situation - this is why its crucial for us to have a good transparent relationship with our clients, work as a team, and understand and help as much as we can. However, ultimately people have the freedom to choose which road to take with their own horses - and that’s something we support!
💭 Constraints breed creativity
Lockie also made the point that constraints make you creative. A sudden change of direction, for instance, can be a simple, low-effort strategy to bring liveliness back into a horse rather than reaching for more equipment or more intervention. I found this such a useful reframe for clinical problem-solving too: we often have to work within constraints (ethical, financial, legal/regulatory etc) but we always endeavour to come up with different options and do the best for horses (and their owners) within that context.
Overall, I felt this clinic was less "here's a training method" and more "here's a way of thinking” - and plenty of things applied to how I want to work and practice as a vet nurse (and as a human being!) A genuine desire to help, patience, clear communication, honesty even when it may be unpopular, setting healthy boundaries, respecting people's right to make their own decisions, loving each horse for who they are, and treating the individual rather than chasing a universal fix.
This was Lockie's first UK clinic and hopefully he will be back; if you're interested I would highly recommend checking out his work: https://emotionalhorsemanship.com/
