Somato-Osteopathic Re-education Workshop

Practical training for horse owners and equine therapists, available in person or live via Zoom.

Stop strengthening dysfunction

Somato-Osteopathic Re-education: Resetting the Equine Nervous System

Fusing osteopathic principles with somatic movement to explore chronic protective bracing and persistent tension patterns.

My approach brings together equine manual therapy, osteopathic principles and somatic movement, with an emphasis on understanding why some horses continue to show tension or restriction despite previous intervention.

This practical workshop focuses on:

• Understanding relationships between movement, protective tension and whole-horse function.

• Exploring active movement and recognising patterns of restriction and compensation.

• Learning practical somatic movement techniques, with individual guidance and attention to horse and handler safety.

• Working in a small group, allowing time for demonstration, discussion and hands-on practice.

Thursday 15 October 2026

BOOKING INFORMATION

Book your place using the product and checkout on this page.

Your place is confirmed once booking and payment have been successfully completed.

Full joining instructions and venue details will be emailed to confirmed delegates.

Somato-Osteopathic Re-education – Practical Workshop for Horse Owners & Equine Therapists
£145.00

A practical one-day workshop teaching gentle somatic movement techniques you can use with your own horse or within your work as an equine therapist.

Small-group teaching, horses provided, near Market Rasen.

Booking information

  • Book securely through my website using the “Book Your Place” link

  • Your place is confirmed once your booking and payment have been successfully completed

  • You will receive booking confirmation after payment

  • Full joining information, including the exact venue address or Zoom link, will be sent to confirmed delegates.

  • Please read my Course Terms & Conditions before booking

  • See FULL COURSE INFORMATION below

Somato-Osteopathic Re-education

Practical Workshop Information

Understanding Why Tension Persists

Somatic movement uses gentle, controlled movement to help horses explore changes in muscular tension and develop more relaxed, balanced movement patterns.

In this practical workshop, I bring together somatic movement and osteopathic principles to explore why some horses continue to show persistent tension and protective movement patterns.

The day is deliberately practical and straightforward. I will guide you through a sequence of exercises, each focusing on a different area of the body, while encouraging you to consider the relationships between movement, tension and whole-horse function.

You will also see how additional techniques can be used before the somatic work to help prepare the horse.

YOU WILL LEARN:

• A guided sequence of somatic movement exercises designed to help horses explore and release unwanted tension patterns.

• How different exercises relate to different areas of the body.

• Additional preparatory techniques to support the somatic work.

• A simple routine that you can continue to use with your own horse.

• How to recognise and consider movement patterns rather than focusing only on individual areas of tension.

This is not massage.

The workshop combines theory, demonstration and plenty of supervised practical work.

You will practise with different horses during the day, allowing you to experience how individual horses respond.

If you are joining the workshop, you will be able to follow the demonstrations, explanations and practical sessions as they happen.

Horses are provided, so you do not need to bring your own horse.

One place may be available for a delegate wishing to bring their own horse, by prior arrangement. Please contact me as soon as possible if you would like to ask about this.

In-person places are limited to 15 people to allow small-group practical work and individual guidance.

COURSE TIMETABLE (United Kingdom time)

09:30 Welcome and course introduction

09:45–11:00 Principles, theory and demonstration

11:00–11:15 Break

11:15–13:15 Practical session

13:15–14:00 Lunch

14:00–16:00 Further practical session and Q&A

LOCATION / ATTENDANCE

You can attend in person near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, or join live via Zoom. The exact venue address or Zoom joining information will be sent after booking.

PRICE

£145 per person

Please see my Course Terms & Conditions before booking.

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING IN PERSON

Tea and coffee are provided. Please bring your own lunch.

Parts of the course will take place indoors and outdoors in a working equestrian yard environment, so please dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy yard footwear. No trainers or wellies.

If you have any questions before booking, please contact me:

helen@helenthornton.com

+44 (0)7947 623923