Equine Hanna Somatics — Training the Nervous System with Alissa Mayer

In this episode, Celina Skogan from Equidemia speaks with Alissa Mayer BSc (Equine), EHSE-C, director of the Equine Hanna Somatics® Professional Training & Certification Program, about how Hanna Somatics principles can be applied to horses — why chronic tension isn’t just a mechanical issue, how the nervous system learns and unlearns movement, and what this means for prehab, rehab and training. This conversation bridges neuroscience, motor learning, pain science and equine performance, offering a fresh perspective on posture, comfort and movement quality — and reframing persistent muscle tension as a neurophysiological learning pattern that can be retrained, not just worked on. You will gain a clear understanding of what Equine Hanna Somatics actually addresses, how sensory-motor amnesia can develop in horses through stress and learned patterns and why voluntary pandiculation plays a central role in restoring movement awareness. The episode highlights where this approach can be genuinely effective, where its limits lie and how it can be integrated thoughtfully alongside veterinary care and training. It also offers insight into how nervous-system-based learning may shape the future of sustainable performance and equine welfare.