Featured Provider
Working with the nervous system in this way allows for the release of deeper tension in the connective tissues of the joints, not only the larger outer muscles.
Hi Krystle, thanks for taking the time to chat! Please tell us what it is that you do.
I’m a Masterson Method Certified Practitioner and am lucky enough to work with horses of all walks of life to release tension, improve compensation patterns and help them find a more optimal way of going to improve overall performance.
What inspired you to pursue The Masterson Method over other options?
My boy Sonny had a slip in the paddock and was showing signs of discomfort so a friend recommended a bodyworker to me – this friend is a bodyworker herself which speaks volumes of her respect for the wonderful woman she recommended. This was my introduction to The Masterson Method.
Through the first session I was fascinated with Sonny’s responses and how he was actively playing a role in the process. By the third session I decided I needed to learn how to do it myself!
Can you explain, in plain terms, what makes The Masterson Method different from massage or chiropractic work?
The Masterson Method is a gentle method of bodywork where we work beneath the horses’ natural brace and all movement techniques are carried out with the horse in a relaxed state. Working with the nervous system in this way allows for the release of deeper tension in the connective tissues of the joints, not only the larger outer muscles. I love the principles of The Masterson Method that allow us to work WITH the horse rather than ON the horse, we’re having a conversation with the horse through the process and they are guiding us.
What are you actually looking for in a horse’s response and what does “release” look like?
A response can be as subtle as a blink, a lip twitch or a change of breathing while releases can range from a hip drop, to a head shake, yawns, or a full body stretch.
Working with the nervous system in this way allows for the release of deeper tension in the connective tissues of the joints, not only the larger outer muscles.
Please walk us through what a session looks like from when you first approach the horse – what do you look for in that first impression?
When I first approach a horse there’s a period of introduction. Horses are prey animals so despite being domesticated for over 5000 years their instincts are still strong – if they show pain or weakness in the herd they will be the next one on the menu for the local mountain lion so they have a natural brace or guard that they use to protect themselves by hiding any vulnerability.
Right from the start I’m looking to build trust, I want to be able to work below that natural brace and to do that the horse needs to feel safe enough to let me in. Does the horse settle quickly with me? Or are they overly suspicious and guarded? Physically, I’m looking at the way the horse is standing, how they move and if there are any obvious muscle imbalances.
Most compensations can’t be seen easily and are not found until you start working with the horse but all of these things (combined with information from the owner) help to build a picture. I will then complete an evaluation comprising of palpation through the body and gentle flexion of the leg joints before moving into the actual session.
As a Masterson Method practitioner, I have a ‘toolbox’ of techniques to use through a session but the horse tells me if, how, when and where to use them.
What do you feel is your greatest success so far in your career?
Being entrusted to work with someone’s horse is a privilege that I don’t take for granted so success for me is simply being able to do what I do.
Were there any surprises in the early days of your career that nobody warned you about?
Not really, I’m very lucky to have a great team of supporters and mentors that helped me through my study and have become my Masterson Method family.
What area of New Zealand do you work in and how can people contact you to find out more or to book a treatment for their horse?
I’m based in Okuku, North Canterbury and travel as far north as Kaikoura and as far south as Timaru. I can be contacted by phone or WhatsApp on 021 213 7639, through Facebook messenger, or by email at info@kpequinenz.co.nz. My website also has more information and a contact form – www.kpequinenz.co.nz.
Lastly, if there was one thing you wished all horse owners knew, what would it be?
How to do the Bladder Meridian 😊