Holistic Bodywork For Horses

DAWA FITZMAURICE is a holistic equine bodyworker who integrates a variety of highly effective, proven modalities to resolve the core causes of lameness and emotional imbalance. She is passionate about helping horses reach their athletic potential and stay vibrantly healthy and happy into their old age. Dawa believes in empowering her clients to help their horses. In between sessions owners are given simple yet effective things they can do with their horses to further their recovery, enhance their performance or support their wellness depending on the needs of the individual horse.

Dawa is always expanding her knowledge as an equine bodyworker in order to better serve the horses she works with. Here is a list of the more in depth trainings she has completed:

Equine Acupressure Level 1 (November 2018)

Equine Acupressure Level 2 (April 2019)

Instructor Diana Thompson

Diana Thompson is a respected author and teacher of equine acupressure. In these courses Dawa learned the concepts and principles of traditional Chinese medicine and the location and uses of 128 acupressure points. She also learned the signs and symptoms of different patterns of imbalance in horses and how to choose the appropriate acupressure points to bring the horse back into balance. 

ESE1: CranioSacral Therapy: EcoSomatics Equine 1 (June 2017)

ESE2: CranioSacral Therapy: EcoSomatics Equine 2 (December 2017)

Instructor Sandra Howlett, DC, CST-D, CAC, EFLC

The Upledger Institute International is committed to the highest level of instruction. These courses gave Dawa soft touch techniques that work directly with a horse’s central nervous system and the bones and membranes surrounding it. She gained the ability to feel the craniosacral rhythm throughout the horse’s body as a way to identify where a horse is holding tension or is out of balance.

EEBW: Certified Equinology Equine Bodyworker (February 2019)

Instructor Debranne Pattillo, MEEBW founder of Equinology Inc.

Equinology is a respected institution that is known for its excellence in education. Their bodywork courses are thoroughly anatomically referenced. This is a 320 plus hour certification course that provided Dawa with skills in equine sports massage, trigger point therapy, soft tissue mobilization, stretching, range of motion exercises, static and dynamic evaluation of equine lameness as well as a good working knowledge of equine musculoskeletal anatomy and biodynamics. 

 

MMCP: Masterson Method Certified Practitioner (April 2021)

Instructors Sandy Vreeburg and Jim Masterson

The Masterson Method is an internationally recognized method of  Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork.  During this certification course Dawa learned new ways to find and release built up tension in key junctions of the horse’s body that most effect performance. This certification involves 135 hours of practical instruction plus an in depth and extensive field work course.

 

ABMP: Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals

Dawa is a professional member in good standing. Professional level members meet 

specific eligibility requirements based on training. All members are required to maintain the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics. 

When Is Equine Bodywork Right For YouR Horse?

  • If you notice tightness or soreness in their muscles
  • Perhaps athletic performance has declined
  • You may notice that their gaits are labored and have become stiff, choppy or uncoordinated
  • Reluctance when you ask for collection, lead changes, move at a trot or gallop, up or down hills
  • Maybe he/she is overly sensitive, or possibly has suddenly developed behavioral issues that are new to you.

Her Clients Rave That Their Horses Are Now Enjoying ...

  • Increased agility, balance and symmetry
  • Freedom from pain and restriction
  • Mental clarity and emotional wholeness
  • Fluid, graceful synchronized gaits
  • Increased flexibility and range of motion
  • Efficient, elongated strides
  • Improved stamina
  • Longer performance life

BODYWORK MODALITIES

CranioSacral Therapy

Works directly with the central nervous system and the surrounding bones and tissues to provide lasting relief from long-standing pain, restrictions, and tension resulting in fluid, graceful synchronized movement and the recovery of a horse’s mental clarity and emotional wholeness.

Acupressure

An ancient healing modality has been used for thousands of years to prevent and resolve disease by supporting the horse’s complete physical and emotional health. Stimulating the appropriate acupressure points restores the body’s natural balance, releasing muscle tension, boosting the immune system, reducing pain, and increasing circulation leaving a horse feeling calm and energized.

Sports Massage, Stretching and Soft Tissue Mobilization

These modalities increase circulation and tissue elasticity helping to prevent injury, quicken recovery time while creasing flexibility and range of motion. When a horse is flexible and supple there is less stress on their ligaments, joints, and tendons and they enjoy efficient, longer strides, improving stamina and increasing the length of their performance life.

Book A Session For Your Horse

Call or Text   ( 530) 470- 3378 Today 

Praise For Dawa

Dawa is a skilled and passionate equine bodyworker. She combines various techniques and modalities including Masterson Method and CranioSacral Therapy  to acheive exceptional theraputic benifits. I recommend her work to anyone looking for thereputic bodywork to benifitthe horses in their life.

Amber Johnson, DVM, CVA, CVMMP - New Castle, CA

Cadence Integrative Veternary Services

“Dawa Fitzmaurice of Blissful Equine combines several different modalities into each treatment, which provides her multiple tools for different issues and personalities. She is caring, experienced, and intuitive, and creates a comfortable environment for each horse. My horses look forward to her visits and relax instantly into each session. It’s fascinating to see how each individual horse responds to her care, and to learn more about what makes them tick. I highly recommend adding Blissful Equine to your horse’s complement of care, whether you have performance horses or backyard pleasure horses!”

Natalie Sundstrom, VMD, Grass Valley,CA

Associate Veterinarian

“Dawa has really helped my 13-year-old Arab mare Melika Kamaal reach her full potential as an endurance horse. Dawa solved problems I knew were there and addressed problems I had missed, setting us up for success. Melika’s pre-ride sessions identify and resolve any soreness and tight spots allowing Melika to be more balanced and use her body evenly in competition. Her post-ride sessions quicken her recovery. The bodywork Melika received from Dawa was an integral part of our 2018 Virginia City win.”

Jacob Cukjati Nevada City, CA

Winner of Virgina City 100 and Cache Creek 50

 

“Although my riding days are behind me, I still care for my retired endurance horses. The importance of Dawa’s sessions for them as senior horses is invaluable. She keeps them happy and healthy.”

Shannon Weil, Cool, CA ,

First woman, first year at the Virginia City 100-Mile Ride.,Tevis finisher, author-Strike Along Trot Legendary Horsewoman Linda Tellington Jones

“For many years, I’ve been competing on my mare, HCC Zara (Sara), Who is well into a very successful endurance career. I began noticing that she was pushing off unevenly in her rear end and loosing her powerful drive. With Dawa’s many “tools,” she was able to correct the issues that were inhibiting her movement and now Sara is pushing off evenly from her hind end again. If Sara’s issues had not been addressed, I feel it would have compromised her level of performance and shortened the duration of her competitive career. Sara is very responsive to Dawa’s work and we’re now on a regular maintenance schedule of acupressure, sports massage and equine unwinding.”

Ann Starrs Hall, Auburn, CA

HCC Zara RR, FEI World Champion Horse and Rider Combination; AERC Decade Horse 3000 Miles of Competition; Numerous Wins and Best Conditions at 100 mile and 75 mile distances.

“Romeo my dear 18 year-old gelding suffered for many years from past physical and probably emotional injuries. I tried a number of physical therapies to help him but it was a struggle for both of us. At his core he is a loving, gentle albeit high strung horse but would become highly reactive and dangerous if something in his environment “disturbed” him or if he felt unsure about what he and I were doing. While we stuck together, I increasingly felt unsafe around him as he had severely kicked me a couple of times. However we persevered and finally last year we found Dawa. Right from the first session Romeo received great physical relief and continued to improve between sessions. At one point, Dawa addressed his “pent up” emotional blockages during a session when she felt he was ready and able to “process” this treatment. There was a HUGE change in Romeo after this session. It felt to me that all of a sudden he had become “normal’; grounded and calm. I did not feel on guard or in danger anymore. Writing this brings tears as I am so thankful for Dawa and her expertise and great care. Romeo and I are now a happy horse/human couple. Thank you so much Dawa!”

Maude Beaucham, Forest Hil CA

“Woody, my 13-year-old Quarter horse, was limping, had a roach back and was on anti-inflammatories. He was stiff in his hind end and it looked really painful and uncoordinated when he trotted. In his canter departs he demonstrated a reluctance or hesitant “hop” which frightened me. Now after working with Dawa, Woody’s roach back has disappeared, he is willingly trotting and galloping smoothly, and having fun jumping and doing tricks. His departs and transitions are seamless and I am enjoying all his gaits, woohoo!”

Regan Gere, Penn Valley, CA

I noticed that Stargazer, my beloved thoroughbred gelding was having difficulty getting up. I became increasingly concerned, as we all know that when a horse can’t get up, it usually means the blue juice. Every morning I would look out, with trepidation, to see if my horse was standing, or stuck down. When Dawa worked on him it was a MIRICLE. She unlocked his rear end and got the energy flowing, and Star was like a new horse. Now, he is able to have naps and get up, no problem. The work Dawa did on him saved his life, and the best part is she taught me some skills, so I can work on him between the times she sees him, and keep everything fluid. There is my beautiful boy, now 31 and still looking and moving the way he always has. Thank you, Dawa, from the bottom of my heart!

Lynn Schugren Nevada City, CA

Book A Session For Your Horse

Call or Text ( 530) 470- 3378 Today