ARTICLE 17 - Using Reiki to help animals cope with a change in routine

There is no denying that some animals, just like some people, are extremely sensitive.

One of the reasons I became Reiki-attuned in the first place was to help support my sensitive Thoroughbred mare, Jazz. If you’re a regular reader, you’ll already have a good sense of the many ways I’ve used Reiki to support her.

Like many sensitive horses, Jazz hates change. Routine and consistency are what help her feel safe. Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury of owning my own land, so I depend on keeping my horses on livery.

Anyone else in this situation will understand how little control that sometimes gives you. If the fields need to be fertilized, the horses may be moved to a different field on the other side of the yard. If the stables are being painted, they might have to move to a different stable—or spend 24/7 outside.

Life is full of change. I'm not criticizing or berating that—this is simply life. Change is part and parcel of it. But, like many of us, Jazz struggles with it.

This is where, once again, Reiki has come to the rescue. Using Reiki, Jazz’s stress becomes short-lived.

In this series of photos, you can see her changing reactions. The horses had just swapped from being in at night and out during the day, to coming into the stable during the day.

"What's going on here?"

My daughter was preparing her horse, Rosie, for a ride. As you can see from the first photo, Jazz is tense and clearly saying, “You’d better not be taking Rosie away from me and leaving me here by myself.” She’s anticipating what’s about to happen. Then she startes to weave.

She has no issue with us taking Rosie from the field—but this change in routine had left her feeling vulnerable and insecure.

Lots of yawns

The second photo shows her after just a few minutes of Reiki. She starts yawning and releasing tension. Because I’ve used Reiki on her so often, she responds very quickly. For her, it’s a signal to release and let go.

Let's meditate

After the yawns, Jazz becomes very sleepy and simply nods off. As Rosie is led away, she doesn’t even register it—remaining calm and settled from then on.

Stable Rest

Reiki is a wonderful tool to use when a horse is on enforced stable rest due to injury.

I was called out to a horse who was having a particularly hard time adjusting to stable life. Due to a leg injury, he had to stay indoors for about three months.

When I visited, he had already been in for a few days and was reacting badly. His human explained that he was bucking and cantering around the stable—not ideal for a healing leg!

At the start of the Reiki session, the beautiful TB gelding was very interested in me (and whether I had anything in my pockets). Comfort eating was clearly his go-to.

As the session progressed, he began to relax and lean into the energy.

About halfway through, he started nipping at his human, who was standing near his head. She exclaimed in surprise, saying he’d never done that before—he was such a loving horse!

I explained that he was likely releasing his frustrations. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. By expressing his frustration, he could begin to let go of it—allowing that pent-up energy to leave his field.

Sure enough, he soon became relaxed and peaceful again.

Not long after that, I felt he’d received enough energy. But the horse disagreed! He placed his head into my hands and clearly let me know I wasn’t to leave until the energy had worked into his third eye chakra.

Horses know best!

Ten minutes later, we finished—and this time, he let me go.

His human contacted me the next day, delighted with the outcome. He was peaceful, relaxed, and no longer cantering around the stable.He remained that way for the rest of his stable rest. No more Reiki was necessary.

Whether it's a sudden change in routine or the challenge of long-term stable rest, our animal companions often need a little extra support to help them navigate life’s uncertainties. Reiki offers a gentle, non-invasive way to ease their stress, restore balance, and promote emotional and physical healing. I’ve seen time and again how quickly animals respond when they feel truly seen, heard, and supported. If your horse or pet is struggling with change, consider giving Reiki a try—it might just be the calming balm they need.