Equine Positional Release

“Equine Positional Release is a simple and innovative tool in the fabric of holistic horse care. A partner to barefoot trimming and a complement to natural training and riding, EPR continues to make a heartening contribution along the path of humane and respectful horse-human partnerships. The strong voice of the growing number of horse and human advocates supports the on-going growth and development of EPR and allied non-force disciplines in Australia, NZ and the USA.”

What is EPR?

Equine Positional Release (EPR) is a manual therapy developed by Zarna Carter, Homoeopath, Herbalist, Ortho-Bionomy Instructor, and developer of Equine Positional Release & Equine Ortho-Bionomy. EPR uses non-force techniques that use movement away from pain and toward comfort to achieve joint stabilization, soft tissue repair and postural re-education. It is an innovative approach incorporating the mechanism of self-correction and the body’s natural ability to heal. EPR combines the principles found in Homoeopathy (like cures like; less is more) and non-violent horse handling with manual positional release techniques to achieve structural alignment and soundness.

How does EPR work?

EPR uses movement and body position to stimulate a natural reflex found in muscles and joints. This reflexive ability is part of the nervous system and is called proprioception. It is initiated by touch, movement and positioning of the body. When the body is moved into a comfortable position away from pain or discomfort, the natural response is for the body to relax and re-balance. This in turn helps: muscles relax and return to their normal tone, joints to return to alignment, blood circulation and nerve supply to improve, reduce pain and tension, recovery from performance, improve healing from injury and illness.

What can EPR help?

EPR works with the whole body, the horse as a whole. Range of motion, flexibility, strength and endurance all improve once the body can move more freely. Comfortable, pain free movement under saddle or in training will improve attitude and behavior. EPR can be used to prevent injuries and to aid in the treatment of injuries including muscle, joint, neck, shoulder, back and leg problems; hoof problems and rehabilitation; problems with movement and gait patterns and reduced performance. Working holistically with the horse and rider improves attitude, understanding, behavior and performance, along with the horse-rider partnership.

EPR is especially effective in combination with hoof rehabilitation. Chronic foot pain can be carried throughout the body. As the hoof develops health the body also needs support to integrate new pathways toward health. Equine Positional Release enables the horse to reconnect with the body and sustain improved health.

What is an EPR session like?

The initial intake and assessment session will take about 1 hour. The horse will be examined visually and tactilely, watched in movement, and then taken through a series of movements to establish the range of comfort/discomfort in different areas of the body. A history is taken and any pertinent details are discussed. Following the assessment non-force positioning techniques are used to begin a dialogue with the horse and introduce them to the areas needing attention. Horses may become very relaxed and sometimes enter an almost trance-like state. Releases may occur during the work such as licking, chewing, change in breathing pattern, change in muscle tone, head shaking, sighing, change in attitude and alertness. Areas that have sustained chronic pain, injury and/or compensation may demonstrate a change in hair coat, sweating, twitching, softening, or filling out. Response to the EPR work may be immediate and can also have a longer window of affect – sometimes days – while the horse integrates the information given during the session. EPR is used as a modality to create lasting changes. It is not typically used as a long-term maintenance therapy. Sometimes two or three follow-up sessions are all that are needed. More deeply entrenched issues may require more frequent sessions over a longer period of time. As the horse becomes more familiar with the work they participate more in their own healing and begin to understand how the techniques help their bodies.