Heather Wallace- Animal Bodywork

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Heather Wallace- Animal Bodywork Premiere holistic wellness provider offering soft tissue therapies, cold laser, & Craniosacral therapy, for performance animals and pets.

Saddle Fit Evaluations for Horse & Rider, all disciplines. A holistic wellness practitioner who focuses on connection and partnering WITH the animal for the best benefits. Offering massage therapy, cold laser, thermal imaging, craniosacral therapy, and aromatherapy for pets, performance animals, and livestock throughout Central New Jersey.Let me show you why I make a difference in the lives of your animals. Visit me at animalbodywork.com to learn more.

Red Flag: when the horse is shut down it takes you multiple sessions just to gain trust and remove the bracing but the c...
10/15/2026

Red Flag: when the horse is shut down it takes you multiple sessions just to gain trust and remove the bracing but the client wants faster results and hires a replacement- then gives that person credit for your work. Has this ever happened to you? Often, I get a lot of the harder cases because I’m referred to by veterinarians or when the owner’s usual massage therapist hasn’t been able to pinpoint the issue. It can take a long time to unravel months or years of imbalance and compensation. To be honest, I love these cases but the lack of patience I see in the owners can be incredibly frustrating. Trust the professional and don’t just focus on how much it costs, focus on their value and what changes they can make over the long term. Rehabilitation bodywork and maintenance is still cheaper than surgery but it will take longer. Quick results are not the ones that tend to last.

Your dog may not lay down for massage- and that’s okay. I call initial visits a first date. After all, we’re just gettin...
10/14/2026

Your dog may not lay down for massage- and that’s okay.

I call initial visits a first date. After all, we’re just getting to know each other. Dogs are super sweet, but we can’t expect them to show weakness or discomfort upon meeting for the first time.

Usually a dog will stand then sit for the bodywork session, and they may walk away at any time. After three sessions, they may choose to lay down. Regardless, it’s their session so whatever makes them comfortable is what we do!

Is your horse lacking top line? Honestly, it’s not hard to build up if you know why it is lacking. There are generally t...
10/13/2026

Is your horse lacking top line? Honestly, it’s not hard to build up if you know why it is lacking. There are generally three reasons your horse may struggle:

1. Nutrition. Poor nutrition with a focus on grain and “fillers” rather than alfalfa and a forage-based diet can mean empty calories. Similar to eating a bag of chips for every meal. It’s going to help you gain weight but with very little vitamin value, compared to other options.

2. Illness. My horses have chronic Lyme disease and my pony, when he flares up, tends to lose muscle quickly. This is very common that when there is illness, muscle wasting occurs. Always contact your veterinarian if you are concerned with your horse’s health.

3. Saddle Fit. This is such an incredibly important part of muscle gain. A saddle should move WITH the horse. When the muscle has freedom of movement and extended range of motion, muscle grows. Often, a saddle will sit too wide on a horse and put pressure on the shoulders, wither, and back preventing muscle growth.

I’ve lost count of how many horses I’ve seen that are ridden 6 days a week and still lack good muscle tone. It’s horrible and it can be changed. It doesn’t even take very long. This is your reminder, get your tack fit regularly by an independent evaluator and not a saddle company representative who wants to sell you something.

10/12/2026

The Belly Lift

This belly lift technique is an alternative to the "butt tucks". I prefer not to use butt tucks as many horses have a posterior pelvis (out of alignment) and the tuck will put additional pressure on the lumbar spine and the stifle in this instance.

The belly lift is a one-and-done exercise, similar to a plank.

1. Stand perpendicular to the horse and squat.
2. Hold your arms shoulder width apart.
3. One hand should go underneath the sternum and the other placed on the belly (again- shoulder width apart).
4. Gently stand and press your arms up as you rise, gently and in one fluid motion. (Be careful- some mares like to kick!)

You will not see much of a rise because you are moving with them, but this is a great reminder for them to engage their core prior to saddling. If your horse pins their ears, goes to kick, or seems genuinely uncomfortable DO NOT do this technique and call a professional.

Disclaimer: these gentle techniques are homework for the horse owner and not intended to replace veterinary care or bodywork/massage therapy with a professional. This is simply small tool you can use at home!

That 'attitude' about being stacked? Pain. Discomfort. Muscle guarding. Fix the body, fix the behavior. Show dogs deserv...
10/12/2026

That 'attitude' about being stacked? Pain. Discomfort. Muscle guarding. Fix the body, fix the behavior. Show dogs deserve to feel good too. đź’™

It's Friday! That means time to answer a Frequently Asked Question. Do you have questions? Ask them below. ...
10/09/2026

It's Friday! That means time to answer a Frequently Asked Question. Do you have questions? Ask them below.

False. Tension is a normal part of life, even for horses that aren't ridden. I know that I personally, carry a lot of te...
10/08/2026

False. Tension is a normal part of life, even for horses that aren't ridden. I know that I personally, carry a lot of tension in my body and rely on my massage therapist and chiropractor to help me remove the imbalances that result. Some animals are more reactive and release tension through explosive behavior, while others are more stoic and internalize the tension.

Regardless, a massage or bodywork session is not a one and done. It is something to be included as part of your wellness program, like the farrier.

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle hands-on technique created by a Chiropractor that uses a light touch to examine m...
10/07/2026

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle hands-on technique created by a Chiropractor that uses a light touch to examine membranes and movement of the fluids in and around the central nervous system.

Relieving tension in the central nervous system promotes a feeling of well-being by eliminating pain and boosting health and immunity. This technique focuses on stimulating the Central Nervous System and detecting the cranial rhythm of the body with gentle hands, as well as moving the cranial sutures and bones in the head to their proper place. A chiropractor or massage therapist may perform craniosacral therapy, and it’s wonderful for sensitive or anxious animals!

Craniosacral therapy has great benefits, especially for animals with:

Tension in the head and neck
Poll pain
Bracing in shoulders and back
TMJ or dental issues
Tail misalignment
Senior animals
Sensitive animals

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I feel with my fingers. I always laugh when clients ask if I need more light. I don’t use my eyes to work except to watc...
10/06/2026

I feel with my fingers. I always laugh when clients ask if I need more light. I don’t use my eyes to work except to watch for a reaction from my client. When I first started with my certifications, I was unsure what I was feeling and asked a lot of questions. Often, I will find a knot or change in soft tissue and direct an owner or colleague to the area so they can feel it themselves and know what is normal, and what is not.

As a bodyworker, my hands are trained and with each case I receive more experience. I can “see” knots, feel adhesions, and striations in the soft tissue. This is perhaps the biggest reason I avoid the use of massage guns and other tools. Not only do many non-pracititioners not understand anatomy well enough to avoid injury or bruising, but they are a tsunami when instead my fingers are a gentle wave.

These tools can create damage and result in secondary issues, and should only be used by professionals. Then again, many professional bodyworkers and massage therapists I know, prefer to only use their own hands.

10/05/2026

The Benefits of Pole Work

It's amazing how something so small can build such a beautiful foundation!

To learn more about how I integrate pole work and grid work into my work, order your copy of Body Conditioning for the Horse and Rider today. Link in bio or on Amazon!

https://f.mtr.cool/b2zra2jbxa

Address

26 Main Street
Keyport, NJ
07735

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 12pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17327847195

Website

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