News & Articles

Here are some pictures of a painted horse I did a little while ago showing the deep muscles of the horses body.  I am no Picasso so some of them may not be quite 100% pin point accurate due to lack of artistic skill but they are not far off!!  Some of these pictures can be seen in my December article of Everything Horse UK magazine on muscle injury

How many can you label?

This picture shows how the saddle should sit in relation to the scapula

A typical hind limb stretch that you can do after exercise to stretch out the hamstrings.  Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds allow the horse to relax into it, take it a little further and hold for another 30 then release.  Never push your horse too far, and if they are uncomfortable release immediately.  Always keep the limb in the natural line of motion unless you are advised other wise by your physical therapist.

This picture is showing a typical forelimb stretch you can do after exercise to stretch out the shoulder and triceps area in particular, be careful not to let the horse lock at the carpus (knee), keep a slight bend in the knee, hold for about a minute.

Neck stretch, do both sides equally, you will find that one side is easier for them than the other but this will become more even the more you do.

Part 2 of my series on musculoskeletal injuries is in this months Everything Horse UK Magazine on page 22, this month looking at muscle injury. If you missed part 1 on tendon injury you can still catch up on line. Lots of other great articles too plus the Christmas gift guide. Well worth a read. http://www.joomag.com/magazine/everything-horse-uk/0225542001417542577?preview

I am always being asked are you able to do this, and can you do that ? So just to clear up any misconceptions a few of the more common “can you . . .” questions

Can you tell me what is wrong with my horse?

I can tell you that your horse has issues/pain in certain places, I can show you that they are not moving correctly, and I can treat them using the techniques I am qualified to use, I can give you useful exercises to relieve their discomfort and aid their recovery,  but I can not give you a diagnosis, this is something that ONLY a veterinarian can do. If you are seeing another therapist and they are diagnosing problems with your horse they are doing this against the law.  I may make suggestions of z, y and z things that I think the problem could possibly be based on the symptoms I am seeing/palpating but can never diagnose, as I do not have x-ray eyes or magical blood tests! Sometimes I may give you a few hints such as, “He is carrying a little extra weight, has he ever had laminitis before?”, or “next time your vet comes you may just want to ask them about . . . or to have a look at  . . .”, but I am not allowed to say your horse definitely has laminitis/ kissing spines etc., just recommend that you ask your vet, and I will do my best to ease their pain in the mean time.

Can you check my tack?

I have completed some cpd courses and additional learning in saddle fitting so I know my way around a saddle and can normally spot areas where there are tack fitting problems.  If required, I will recommend getting a fully qualified master saddler in to correct any problems, as they know a lot more than me.  I work very closely with an excellent saddler so if you think your tack maybe an issue mention it to me at my next visit, I can have an initial check and refer you over to my saddler if required.

Can you recommend a feeding regime for my horse?

NO. Even though I do have a good rounded knowledge of nutrition it is not my area of expertise so I would always recommend contacting a equine nutrition specialist, which is what I do for my own horse! Most of the leading feed manufacturers have help lines for that purpose or you can email them.  Sometimes I will recommend particular joint or mobility supplement or electrolytes but that is about as far as it goes.

Can you give me riding  lessons?

Yes. As a freelance fully qualified and highly experienced coach I am able to give you riding lessons on your horse at your location.  My particular areas of interest are show jumping, confidence issues (horse & rider), behavioural problems and being able to still improve horse and rider while rehabilitating injury.  I am up to date with equine specific first aid and child protection.  People seem to find my lessons fun, educational, useful,  and relevant for them and their horses’ individual needs.  They often say about how good it is that I am a physical therapist and an instructor as I can be helping them and their horse to improve on so many different levels –  from a physiological point of view, behavioural, fitness, suppleness stamina, skills, relaxation, equitation, and as I have competed on some level in most disciplines I can use this experience to help my clients achieve their goals.

Can you help me find a horse to buy?

Yes. I know the pain for trawling through the classifieds, going and trying out horse after horse and it just not being right, then you think you have found “the one” and it fails the vetting! I can help by taking some of the task over for you.  I like to see you ride so I know what sort of level horse you require and have an in depth discussion about your aspirations and goals for the horse you are wanting and within budget. I will then find appropriate horses and even go ride it first and if not suitable you don’t even have to leave your house.  When you do go to try a horse I can be there to ensure you purchase with your head not your heart.  I can do some initial basic checks and assessments so that when it comes to vetting time there hopefully shouldn’t be too many nasty surprises.

Can you help me to sell my horse?

Yes.  I can help through the entire process. I can give your horse a thorough assessment and if tweaks need to be made before sale such as some schooling, physical therapy, behavioural work, or even just a tidy up (mane pulling, bathing etc.) I can do all that, take the pics arrange adverts etc. and can even carry out the viewings for you. For a set fee or % of sale price.

I don’t know how to lunge/long rein/do ground work, and my horse has never been lunged before, can you teach me how to do it?

Yes. Being able to work your horse effectively from the ground is highly beneficial and provides some much needed variety to your work, but you must do it correctly in order to gain any benefit from it, and I can teach you how to do this.

Do you do any lectures, clinics or demo’s?

Yes, keep an eye on facebook, twitter, and the website for dates and venues, or alternatively if you would like to organise one for your yard, work place, riding club, college etc. please contact me to arrange.

(Pic is a painted horse I did showing the deep muscles of the horses body in preparation for a lecture series)

Can you school/compete my horse for me?

Yes. I can, I may not be the most aesthetically pleasing rider but I get the job done!  I love schooling and my own horse hates it she just wants to jump.  I am quiet but confident when I ride.  I enjoy schooling youngsters most, doing their basic training and show jumping, improving their skill level, confidence and fitness, at the same time ensuring their musculoskeletal system is developing correctly. If you need someone to complete your horse for you weather as a one off or on a regular basis I can do this, dressage up to medium level, BSJA up to Foxhunter level, BE up to Intermediate, local and county showing in hand and ridden classes. I can also help you prepare for competitions, planning your competition season, training, transport, grooms, entries, etc.

(Pic is me and my mare chilling between classes at riding club show)

If you have any more question not covered here or in the frequently asked questions section please fell free to call, email, facebook me.

I have been writing some useful articles for a very popular equestrian magazine that you might be interested in, Everything Horse UK.  Every month there is a wide range of great articles, such a good read.  I had a few published in the July, August and September 2014 issues on my top 10 tips for keeping your horse in tip top condition, stress and the competition horse, and recognising signs that your horse has a musculoskeletal problem.  I have just started writing a series of articles for them the first of which has just been published in the November issue on musculoskeletal injuries, looking into the main types of musculoskeletal injuries that can occur in our horses; tendon injuries (November issue), muscle injuries (December issue), bone injuries (January issue), and ligament injuries (February issue). This will hopefully help owners understand how these types of injury occurs, how they heal, how they are treated and rehabilitated, and how they can be avoided.  I think this is really important as pain due to musculoskeletal injury is the most common cause of performance loss in horses. Most cases will initially present as a behavioural problem or a performance/training issue, and early diagnosis and treatment will improve the long term outcome.  This is a printed magazine and an online magazine, so if you have missed any of my previous articles and would like to catch up you can do on line at www.everythinghorseuk.co.uk.  You can also sign up to subscribe to receive future issues of Everything Horse UK magazine in your inbox, so you never miss an issue, and even better is that it is all free, both the printed version and the online version.  Happy reading!!

Over the last couple of months I have done some great CPD courses to further improve and expand on the therapies and treatments that we already offer, to be able to give animals a better all round holistic treatment encouraging optimal performance and health.

The first one I did was t-touch, which is an effective method of activating the function of the cells by opening the neural pathways, using a combination of specific touches, lifts, and movement exercises helping to release tension and increase body awareness.

The next one I did was advanced stretching and mobilisation which as an already big fan of the enormous benefits of stretching for loosening tight tissue, mobilising joints and easing away adhesions, I was really looking forwards to this one.  Although most of these moves I was already doing it was good to be reminded of a few that I perhaps don’t use as much that can be really useful, or using others in a different way for a different effect.

The last one that I have just done, that I have been really impressed with is myofascial release.  Mind bogglingly effective for physical and some psychological issues, even though it may appear as though you are not doing much the results can be very dramatic.  Fascia is interconnected through the entire body, due to stress (physical & emotional) water is pushed out of it leaving it hard and gel like.  This causes it to shorten and compress the capillaries and nerves causing ischemia, pain and imbalance, which can have far reaching effects over the entire body.  The release techniques cause the collagen fibres to reorganise, allowing more hydration of the tissues and force the adhesions to release, which at the same time can cause a big emotional release and unwinding too.

Where required I have been integrating what I have learned in all these cpd courses, putting them into the treatments I have been doing recently, and getting some great results! For more information or to discuss your animal feel free to give me a call.

This is video is aimed at every horse owner, it gives you some basic stretches that I would recommend carrying out after ever exercise session to improve your horses over all musculoskeletal health.  Stretching helps to mobilise the joints, release tension, loosen tight tissues, improve circulation, and ease adhesions, as well as improving the overall strength tone and flexibility of the muscles and tendons.  There are a few important points to consider first:

• Never stretch a cold horse, warm the muscles up first through exercise, solarium, massage etc.
• Don’t put yourself at risk both with lifting (think of your posture – knees bent back straight) but also ensure the horse knows where you are
• Don’t push the horse to far to fast  – take it slowly, wait until they relax, never push them out of their comfortable range.  When you first start they may not be able to reach very far but every day they will stretch a little further
• If you are unsure of anything please ask me – in person, phone or email

We aim to be a part of all horses’ and dogs’ overall health program to improve well-being, welfare, health and performance. We are completely focussed on helping you to get the best from your animal by offering a range of services all individually tailored to your animals’ specific needs at competitive prices, making it available for not only the elite athletic animals but for all horse and dog owners as part of their regular care routine. Services, therapies and techniques include McTimoney, body work, sports massage, spinal therapy, stretching, physical therapy, musculoskeletal manipulation & adjustments to realign sub-luxations, kinesio taping, stress point therapy, natural horsemanship, riding, hot and cold therapy, magnetic field therapy, schooling, training, rehabilitation, coaching, and education. Check out the rest of the website for more information, if there is anything you can’t find or would like more information on please feel free to contact us.

We cover all areas of Cheshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, West Midlands, South Lancashire, Derbyshire, North Wales, South & West Yorkshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester. You can find us on facebook and twitter or keep a check on this blog, to keep up to date with new services, special offers, where to find us, which shows and events we will be at, etc. We will be writing monthly articles on subjects of interest on this blog, and we are hoping to open an online store very soon for all of your animals alternative therapy needs, keep an eye on the site for more details.