CQ Equine Therapies with Sonja

18/08/2026

How adorable are these boys !?!?

Cute as a button at 12 weeks old, with big opinions and loves his Emmett sessions - keeping his growing body supple and calm.

His ‘big brother’ greets me at the gate with the most heart warming welcome, every time - and loves processing his treatments with a snooze in the sun before returning to big brother duties … which he does oh so well 🐶 🧡

It’s only since his first Emmett treatment that this big boy has been able to enjoy a pat from his humans without his body flinching involuntarily - he’s 8yrs old - can you just imagine how amazing that much feel, for him!

17/08/2026

This man’s beautiful human KNEW something wasn’t feeling quite right and called me in to take a look —

Oh how I love working with horses - they cannot and do not lie - his body took to Emmett like a duck to water and he was so incredibly appreciative.

There will be a few more treatments in his future but his body was doing beautifully, with what we did here, for now 🧡🤩

Emmett Technique for Horses, is non-invasive and works with the horses neuromuscular system - based on the practitioners assessment both before and during the treatment session - different releases can illicit different responses in each horse and we can adapt the treatment to suit, as we go - helping horses heal - it’s addictive 😃🧡

12/08/2026

Jumping for joy … at the remarkable change in this beautiful blue heeler ‘Rosie’ 👏🙌

I met Rosie last Tuesday 4th August for her very first Emmett Technique treatment - at that time she was not able to put any weight on her left hind foot and that had been the case since last year and the leg was badly atrophied. (See the last video)

Her second Emmett treatment was this Monday 10th August and the second video was only 24hours after that session - you will notice she is still very much processing her corrections.

The very first video - this was sent to me by her wonderful owner today - 48 hours after her second session - her first time running on all four legs - man oh man - I love what I do !!!

29/07/2026

“I asked for a plan for my HORSE’S movement, not mine. It’s the horse that needs rehab, not me.”…

Horses often adjust their body, to accommodate for weaknesses in our body …

“I asked for a plan for my HORSE’S movement, not mine. It’s the horse that needs rehab, not me.”

A student said this to me after receiving feedback on her riding.

Her horse was hollow, crooked, and struggling to carry himself well. She had expected a list of exercises for the horse—a rehabilitation program to strengthen his body and improve his way of going. Instead, much of our conversation revolved around her: her balance, her posture, her awareness, and the way she organized her own body in the saddle.

She was surprised.

Like many riders, she viewed herself as the instructor and the horse as the student. From her perspective, the horse was the one with the physical deficits, so surely the horse was the one who needed the exercises.

The problem is that a horse cannot separate their movement from the person sitting on their back.

Our bodies become part of their biomechanics.

Every shift in our pelvis changes how the horse uses their back. Every collapse through one side of our torso influences how they load a limb. Every moment we brace, grip, lean, or become asymmetrical changes the information the horse receives about balance, direction, and weight.

In other words, rider and horse become a single athletic system. One cannot move independently of the other.

This is why any rehabilitation or gymnastic program is only as effective as the rider’s ability to perform it.

Shoulder-in, for example, is a brilliant exercise for improving lateral suppleness, engagement, and straightness—but only when it is ridden correctly. If the rider overbends the neck, collapses a hip, drives with the seat, or blocks the horse’s back with tension, the exercise no longer develops the horse as intended. It simply rehearses poor movement under a different name.

The exercise itself is not therapeutic.

The quality with which it is ridden is.

This is why the conscientious rider learns to balance themselves, control themselves, and understand themselves before asking the horse to do the same.

They understand that horses cannot separate our influence from their own movement. Every aid, every posture, every habit becomes part of the environment in which the horse learns to carry themselves.

The goal, then, is not simply to find better exercises. It is to become a better influence.

Because a horse can only move as well as the conversation we create with them allows.

In the end, horsemanship is not simply the education of the horse. It is the continual education of the rider.

28/07/2026

Comfort changes …E V E R Y T H I N G 🧡

Comfort changes everything.

Not just movement.

Everything.

A comfortable horse learns more willingly.
Moves more freely.
Recovers more easily.
Connects more readily with its rider.

We often focus on performance before comfort.

But what if comfort is the foundation that performance is built on?

Every horse deserves to feel their best—not because they're competing, but because they're our partners.

What changes have you noticed when your horse is truly comfortable?

27/07/2026

A few people have heard me say this and many more are likely to 😃
This is one of the bigger reasons, why I love working with horses 😃🧡

YOU CAN'T FOOL A HORSE. 🐴

Horses don't care about qualifications.

They don't care about certificates.

They don't care what you've read.

They simply respond to how they feel.

That's why the EMMETT Technique has always fascinated me. It began with observation, not assumption. Ross Emmett understood that horses are honest teachers—if we take the time to listen.

Sometimes the gentlest touch is all it takes to change the conversation.

25/07/2026

There’s something powerful about realising you don’t need to “fight” tissue to create change.

The nervous system responds to safety, precision and communication.

That’s why many therapists are moving towards gentler approaches like The Emmett Technique.

21/07/2026

💥 😃

The best tool is the one that makes every other tool work better 🦎

The EMMETT Technique is widely recognised as the "Chameleon" of bodywork because it does not require a practitioner to change their core philosophy. Instead, it adapts seamlessly, filling the gaps where traditional manual therapies might stall due to acute pain or muscle guarding.

Why practitioners integrate these specialised points into their sessions:
✨ Immediate assessment - allows for rapid testing and clearing of restrictions within seconds.
✨ Preserves the practitioner - reduces the physical wear and tear on the therapist’s hands, thumbs, and joints.
✨ Enhances the outcome - prepares the soft tissue so that subsequent adjustments, massage strokes, or exercises are more effective.

Whether the day involves structural alignment, sports rehabilitation, or relaxation therapy, the Technique blends into the workflow effortlessly.

20/07/2026

One of my bestest regulars ‘Mac’ - he’s a senior now and enjoying retired life but his owner is amazing at making sure his body is happy and healthy.
He had quite a bit to say about how he was feeling today, so I took my time with the corrections, giving him grace and time to process them at his own pace.

At one point he very dramatically told me he needed a little help with his jaw — he knew what he needed and he found a way to tell me - such a gem 💎 💞

Those who know me from my Sonja | Queensland Farm Life account, will understand why the third image made it into the carousel … for those who don’t, I’m always watching to see how a horse stands, stretches and plants his/her hooves when they ‘pee’ and this man did great, after his treatment!