About Carla
Carla always loved horses, though she didn’t have access to them growing up. As an adult, she enjoyed occasional trail rides on vacation, but her horse journey truly began in 2006 after the passing of her beloved 15-year-old Australian Shepherd.
Encouraged by her longtime vet, Carla began spending weekends at his retirement farm, caring for his herd of ten horses. That experience sparked a new path—one that led her to Mark Rashid’s clinics, where she began understanding horse behavior, and later to study barefoot hoof care.
From 2009 to 2010, Carla completed a holistic hoof care program with Equine Soundness, which also included education in equine nutrition, lifestyle, and natural balanced dentistry. She continued learning while working in healthcare until 2010, when she committed full-time to working with horses.
Carla has studied with renowned clinicians including Mark Rashid, Mark Russell, Jillian Kreinbring, Dr. Steve Peters, and Gray Kyle-Graves—mentors who deeply shaped her horsemanship and life.
She remains dedicated to lifelong learning and lives in service to the horse.
Carla has studied equine craniosacral therapy, she is a Masterson Method® Certified Practitioner, she has studied Linda Tellington Jone’s TTouch Method and studied equine massage techniques. All this to say that Carla has many options available when it comes to what best serves your horse to facilitate returning your horse’s body to a state of wellbeing and homeostasis. It is in this place, homeostasis, where your horse’s body will begin to heal.
Carla’s commitment, compassion and deep understanding of equine anatomy and horse behavior facilitate her ability to create a bodywork session which cultivates wellness for your horse physically and emotionally, allowing them to live as comfortably as possible and be the best partner for their human.
Carla’s bodywork sessions begin with taking a history from the owner, followed by an assessment and evaluation of your horse or equine. Sessions typically last between one and one and a half hours but will always be guided by your horse. It is strongly recommended that you plan for a minimum of three sessions as Carla has often seen horses make amazing changes within this timeframe. Sessions should be scheduled when the horse has been fed and will be comfortable for the duration of the session. While water should be available, it’s preferable for hay to be removed from the area. The session should be scheduled to avoid feeding time and times when their friends are being turned out. Please also schedule a session so your horse can have the following 24 hours off from work or being ridden. This timeframe could expand depending on the depth and type of work needed to help your horse. If your horse needs fly spray to be comfortable during the session, please have that available. At the conclusion of your horse’s bodywork session, it is preferable for them to be hand walked for 15-20 minutes to help their body process the work that’s just been done. Depending on the work that was done and your horse’s response, Carla will discuss turnout options with you.
Carla welcomes the opportunity to be part of your horse’s health care team and welcomes collaboration with your veterinarian, chiropractor and/or trainer.
What is Craniosacral Therapy? This amazingly gentle and effective work incorporates the craniosacral system, the fascial system and the nervous system. Through addressing restrictions that may lie in the head or anywhere along the spine from cervical through sacral and coccygeal regions, we also touch the entire fascial system throughout the body, including the extremities. Craniosacral therapy can have a profound calming and rebalancing effect on the nervous system of the horse. Craniosacral therapy facilitates a rebalancing of the autonomic nervous system, primarily the brain and spinal cord. Thereafter, the effects can be down-regulation of the sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight/freeze) and up-regulation of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). The beneficial effects of craniosacral therapy permeate throughout the horse’s body to promote self-healing.
What is Masterson Method Equine Performance Bodywork? This will be light work that focuses on releasing tension in key junctions of the body that most affect performance for the horse. The work is guided by your horse’s responses. Physical improvement often includes improved range of motion and suppleness.
What is TTOUCH® Bodywork?: The Tellington TTouch® work is a gentle method of bodywork that can improve behavior, enhance performance, supports health, well-being and fosters learning. The intent of TTouch® is to activate the function of the cells and awaken cellular intelligence.
What is Equine Massage?: Equine massage uses many different types of touch to help relieve tension in muscle tissue and fascia. Different massage techniques are best applied in varying areas of the body based on anatomy.
Reasons horses may benefit from the bodywork Carla offers include:
Relieving tension that accumulates from everyday activities
Injuries/Non-acute Illness
All disciplines of work and athletic endeavors
Poor tack
Poor hoof care
Pulling back of any type
Trailer accidents
Unexplained Lameness
Head Shaking