About Me

I’m Holly Clanahan, and for me, horses are life. I was riding before I could walk, and I started showing all-around horses in my pre-teen years. My best-buddy buckskin Quarter Horse gelding, Powdie Bars Gold, and I traveled many miles with my parents, competing in 4-H, open shows and International Buckskin Horse Association shows, where we won a world championship in western riding. Lovealots Dream took me to what was then known as the American Junior Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show and All American Quarter Horse Congress. It was, truly, a horse kid’s dream come true.

College and a career in journalism took me away from the show pen, though never away from horses. When I found enough time and money to return, I tested the waters of dressage with Lark It Or Leave It, and then western dressage with Stop Drop And Roll, two Rugged Lark-bred gems. That last mare goes by the barn name of “Zen” and is the namesake for my business.

Those horse names are important to me, as the horses themselves are. Somewhere along the way, as I explored more mindful methods of horsemanship, I realized just how incredibly giving horses are – even to the point of pushing through discomfort and outright pain. And that wasn’t at all what I wanted out of my partnerships.

That, then, led me to learning more about their bodies and how I could help them. I will forever be a student of horsemanship and of their physical and mental well-being.
My learning journey, so far, has taken me to:

 Certified Equine Craniosacral Practitioner — LISTEN Approach Pillar 1 Certification, Peak Performance & Wellness Solutions. The LISTEN Approach is a combination of modalities, including craniosacral, osteopathic techniques, myofascial release and acupressure to help your horse’s body find true balance and wellness.
 Superior Therapy’s Muscular Rehab Therapist certification
 Equine Sports Massage Therapist certification, Equiflex
 Member of Celeste Lazaris’ Balance Through Movement Method Masterclass
 Superior Therapy’s Rehab Therapist Certification (under way)
 Acupressure Methods for Horses short course
 Numerous other one-on-one studies with mentors, as well as an endless list of books and podcasts. Current favorite is “Melting Bone, Healing Tide: An introduction to biodynamic skeletal therapy.”

Along the way, I realized that the knowledge I was gaining to help my own horses shouldn’t stop there. Knowledge is most powerful when it is shared, which is why I love expanding my reach into barns and pastures across the region. I’m passionate about educating owners, as they are their horses’ best advocates. Together, mindfully, we can make things a whole lot better for a whole lot of horses.