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.