Erin Characklis

OSTEOPATHY AND

TENSEGRITY TRAINING

Horse-TensegrityTraining.jpeg

Maybe you know this…

You believe in the potential of your horse, but the training has stagnated, and you don't know how to move forward.

You're frustrated because your horse isn't developing the way you envision. You know there's more potential, but you can't quite figure out how to reach that stage.

Something is standing in the way of the next step in your horse's training, but it’s so subtle that you can’t quite name it.

Your horse isn’t working in a good frame and isn’t moving freely through its back. Maybe it’s lazy, tense, or even nervous and insecure.

Or you notice…

…that your horse has a weak or hollow back and that its neck and back musculature isn’t functioning properly.

Your horse has poor self-carriage and is unstable. Or maybe your horse is stable but stiff, with little mobility.

You might observe irregularities in gait or movement patterns.

While riding, you notice that your horse is less supple on one side than the other.

You realize that it struggles to maintain a healthy top line or has developed unhealthy movement patterns.

Your horse might be showing a very short stride in trot and little extension in canter.

Imagine for a moment…

…your horse is responsive, supple, and moves forward on its own. The communication between you and your horse has improved, and your overall partnership exudes harmony.

Your horse can quickly understand and perform every new task without stress.

Your horse is healthy, through new length in his topline, his back has stabilized, he has improved engagement of his trunk muscles, and he moves in better balance.

The jumping technique, movement amplitude, strength, and coordination have all improved positively.

Your horse’s movement patterns are correct, and you have a precise strategy for maintaining and developing his body further.

You also notice that…

…your veterinary costs have decreased because you can prevent injuries and wear and tear through proper movement patterns.

You have a detailed plan for correctly and successfully rehabilitating your horse after surgery or injury.

With your stable and healthy horse, you can make long-term plans for the future and set goals, such as participating in specific competitions. Even subtle pain points are quickly recognized, so nothing stands in the way of successful training.

In the training of sport horses, your healthy horse develops according to its age because there are no injury breaks to distract from the competition rhythm. The chance of good marketability increases.

Hey, I’m Erin.

For over 20 years, I have been training young, talented show jumpers and selling them worldwide.

A few years ago, one of my training horses was being treated for a movement restriction by Birte Heinsen. I was so impressed by how quickly it was possible to show this horse a new movement pattern that it peaked my curiosity as to how it was done.

I immediately enrolled in the Horse Tensegrity Trainer course with Birte and her four colleagues. In this training with fascia release, I found a particularly effective technique to develop and maintain a healthy topline, by showing the horse a correct way to use and round his back. 

Osteopathy was the perfect complement to this. Through this intense course, anatomy and biomechanics came to the forefront, and everything started to make sense. I completed my training as an osteopath with Barbara Welter-Böller.

This unique combination of osteopathy and Horse Tensegrity Training has proven to be very successful—and makes my treatments, along with my years of experience as an equestrian and trainer of talented sport horses, unique.

Here’s how our collaboration looks:

We schedule an appointment.

I treat your horse until the issues are resolved. This takes about 1 to 1.5 hours. The treatment consists of osteopathy and tensegrity training or fascia work—tailored to your horse's needs.

You decide whether and when to book further treatments. Experience shows that a minimum of three to five sessions is necessary.

Additionally, if the situation allows, riding sessions can be added, based on the horse's needs.

Prices

Prices applicable starting on 01.01.2025.

Treatment price: 180,- Euro incl. 19% Tax

You can find us in Nübbel:

Hof Moholz

Moholz 3

24809 Nübbel

Arrangements can be made for farm visits with travel costs applicable:

20,- Euro for up to 30 kilometer.

30,- Euro for 30-50 kilometer.

50,- Euro for a 50-100 kilometer.

Client Feedback

“Minimum 5 stars for Erin and her amazing work! From the very first treatment, I became an absolute fan of Erin, her expertise, and her interaction with the horses! I’ve never seen anyone take so much time and put so much passion into their work! Thanks to Erin, my horse is more relaxed and significantly more responsive! The progress my gelding has made is largely due to Erin! She will continue to be an important part of my horse's training!”

Nadine with Krümi, 5 year old Holsteiner gelding

“I see the work Erin does with my sport horses as a preventative measure to avoid wear and tear and injuries. I continually notice how well the horses feel after her treatment and how freely they move afterward. I wish I had been able to offer this training opportunity to my horses earlier. I would recommend this to any rider who values the healthy development of their horse.”

Jörg, Professional rider, with his show jumpers.

“I met Erin a few years ago when I bought a horse from her. She has continued to support us to this day. I had no prior experience with tensegrity training or anything similar with horses. Thanks to Erin, we learned how to not only provide a good experience for our sport horses but also keep them fit and supported through osteopathy and tensegrity training. These concepts have become indispensable in our daily work. The results speak for themselves.”

Peter with Cody and Sven, 9 and 8 year old showjumping horses.

“Erin is an absolute recommendation for me, and I wouldn't want to miss the training with her. I came to her to learn Horse Tensegrity Training for my horse, who had issues with proper muscle development due to his ECVM/ECRM diagnosis. Erin was a true blessing for us. Her expertise, calm demeanor with the horses, and patient explanations helped me apply her training at home. The results showed quickly in my horse's body and his increasingly relaxed demeanor. In every training session with Erin, my horse makes further progress. There’s no sign of his previous limitations, and he has become a fantastic riding horse. Erin trains with Horse Tensegrity Training on the ground and also under saddle, doing so with such sensitivity that I can trust her completely with my horse. Her approach is always pro-horse and at the pace that the horse needs. Erin has become an essential part of our training, and my horse and I are glad to have found her.”

Katja with Raven, 6 year old Hannoveraner gelding

“For many years, I have appreciated Erin not only as a person. Her professional commitment in handling and working with horses is always empathetic, fair, and always "pro-horse." This quality continues to impress me time and again. When Erin told me about her training as an osteopath focusing on tensegrity therapy (which I had never heard of before), I knew this was something for me and my senior Haflinger.

Unfortunately, I can no longer gymnasticize the old gentleman enough from the saddle. Through tensegrity therapy, I now have a new way to effectively gymnasticize him from the ground, providing variety in his daily routine, engaging his body and mind, serving his health, and further strengthening the bond between us.

My environmentally oriented Haflinger has always had difficulties relaxing and letting go. His top line was often tight and thus rather short. Even after just two training sessions with Erin, and my rather novice implementation at home, amazing progress has been evident.

He works concentrated and attentively with me. His feedback through sighing and licking his lips, along with a noticeable extension of his entire top line through the engagement of his trunk muscles and thus the arching of his back, shows me how satisfied and comfortable he feels with this therapy. The only downside is that I only learned about this wonderful and effective way of working now.

I sincerely thank Erin for her support and wish her all the best in her new venture.”

Sabine with Nimbus, 22 year old Haflinger gelding