Radiance Equine Acupuncture

18/06/2026

One of the most beautiful changes I have witnessed in horses is the moment they stop merely tolerating life and begin participating in it again.

At first, the difference can be hard to see.

The horse is still standing in the pasture.

Still eating.

Still doing all the things a horse is supposed to do.

But something has changed.

A spark returns to their eyes.

Curiosity returns to their movements.

Playfulness begins to appear where vigilance once lived.

They start initiating interactions instead of simply enduring them.

They begin expressing preferences.

Opinions.

Ideas.

The horse who once seemed withdrawn starts becoming visible.

And I think that transformation teaches us something important.

Because many humans know what it feels like to be tolerated.

To be accepted only when they are convenient.

To be welcomed only when they are easy.

To feel that parts of themselves must stay hidden to remain loved.

But there is a world of difference between being tolerated and being welcomed.

Tolerance says:

“I’ll put up with you.”

Welcome says:

“I’m glad you’re here.”

I think horses feel that difference too.

Not because they understand the words.

But because they understand the experience.

The experience of being seen.

The experience of being allowed.

The experience of taking up space without apology.

Perhaps that is why healing often looks so ordinary at first.

A horse grazing peacefully.

A horse taking a nap.

A horse playing with a friend.

A horse expressing an opinion.

Small things.

Yet beneath those moments is something profound:

A being discovering that they are not merely being tolerated in the world.

They are welcome in it.

And maybe that is one of the greatest gifts we can offer another living being.

Not perfection.

Not solutions.

Not control.

Just the feeling that their existence is not a burden.

It is a blessing.

18/06/2026

Some facts worth thinking about….

Data compiled from Jeffcott, Butler et al., Haussler, and Bennett indicate that in terms of equine development, the p***c symphysis, the central pelvic integration point, doesn’t fuse until a horse is approximately 5.7 (+/- 1.4). The tuber sacrale, a critical pelvic anchor, fuses at around 5.8 (+/- 1.2). The sacroiliac and lumbosacral regions, which are among the most loaded structures in a ridden horse, are among the last to fully consolidate, often not until age five to seven.

These are not peripheral structures. These are core load-bearing components of the horse's hindquarter and propulsive system.

The work of researchers like Dr. Deb Bennett has laid out the skeletal maturation sequence in detail: the lumbar spine closes between 4.5 and 5.5 years, the pelvis between 4 and 5, the hocks and stifles between 3 and 4. The cervical and thoracic vertebrae are last, sometimes not closing until 7 or even 8 in larger horses.

What this tells us is that the horse we are putting under saddle at two or three years old may still have significant active development happening in almost every region of its axial skeleton.

The horse's body makes this distinction evident, even when our assessment criteria do not.

Dr. Carol Shwetz, DVM, has spent years documenting what happens clinically when training and performance demands arrive before these structures are ready. The pelvic findings in her case series are something I had not seen laid out quite like this before, and they reframe a lot of what we are seeing in everyday equine practice.

Next week, Dr. Shwetz will be joining me to host a webinar where she'll present her findings from dissections, what these might mean, and what questions they open up about the developing horse and the demands we place on it.

You don't want to miss it.

📆 Thursday 25th June
⏰ 7pm GMT

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/younghorse

(Images courtesy of Dr. Carol Shwetz and Becks Nairn)

15/06/2026

26/05/2026

🐴✨ Make a Simple “Sniff Pot” for Your Horse

One of the easiest ways to add a little curiosity and enrichment to your horse’s day is with something we call a Sniff Pot.

It’s simple to make, inexpensive, and surprisingly interesting for many horses.

All you need is:

• A strong plastic container with a lid
• A few small holes drilled into the top
• Something interesting for your horse to smell

That’s it. 😊

Horses naturally explore the world through scent, and many really enjoy investigating new smells when they’re introduced gently and safely.

Some horses become very curious.
Some sniff thoughtfully and quietly.
Some clearly have opinions about which scents they like… and which ones they definitely do not. 😄

It’s a lovely way to encourage calm investigation, curiosity, and thinking.

You may even notice your horse becoming more confident about exploring new things over time.

Here are a few interesting things you can try inside your Sniff Pot:

🌿 Herbs
• Fenugreek (many horses seem to love this one)
• Peppermint
• Chamomile
• Lavender
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Dried mint leaves

🍎 Food scents
• Banana peel
• Cinnamon stick
• Cloves (very small amount)
• Vanilla essence on cotton wool

🌸 Nature smells
• Pine needles
• Eucalyptus leaves
• Flowers such as roses or marigolds
• Safe leaves or bark from horse-safe trees

✨ Essential oils (very tiny amounts only)
Place a drop or two on a cotton ball inside the container.

Some horses enjoy:
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Frankincense
• Chamomile

The important thing is to let your horse choose.

Some horses will be fascinated by certain smells and completely uninterested in others.

That’s part of the fun.

You’re learning more about what your horse enjoys while also giving them something new and interesting to explore.

And watching your horse carefully investigate a new scent with those soft whiskers twitching will give you a smile. 😊🐴

If you’d like more simple ideas like this to enjoy with your horse, I’ve left a link in the comments below. ✨

21/05/2026

19/05/2026