Silver Horse Equine Services

10/11/2024

What treatment should I use?

Knowing a horse’s history is helpful and I’m guided by what the horse is comfortable with while considering the desired outcome.

In this instance my own mare Flora suffered a huge trauma in late pregnancy, she had an infection which despite best efforts resulted in her being induced and foaling early to save her life. Unfortunately the foal was not viable this early. Horribly sad for Flora and all concerned.

Once Flora was home from hospital and all signs of infection had cleared and she had been re examined again by our repro vet, I could start some therapy.

Flora was still experiencing some pain and discomfort from foaling, she was also coming into foal heat and the discomfort that brings, plus raging hormones, an udder that was still drying up and the grief and stress she experienced. It was a lot…………….. I could see and feel her emotional distress.
Where should I start?

I started with running my hands lightly over her body, noting some tender areas through her back, lumbar and pelvis. Flora just dropped her head into my hands and wanted me to stay there.

My decision at this time was to go gently and offer Flora therapy that would be gentle and effective. Hands on would be too much for her to start with so I opted for some trusted therapy tools.

Therapy tool #1
The poll & TMJ cap from Equine Therapy Products offers warmth and Red Light Therapy to target some Conception Vessel, Gall Bladder and Bladder meridian points, the TMJ, the first couple of cervical joints at the top of the head and neck. Relax muscles that were likely to be carrying increased tension which I knew was there from hearing her grind her teeth which is often associated with pain.
I think many of us have experienced pain, stress, emotion and tension and know how that makes our necks and shoulders ache and gives us a headache. The red light poll cap is amazing at offering warmth and also penetrating the skin to affect nerve endings and fascia which is the super highway of information and hydration that travels throughout the entire body. Red light can be used rather like acupuncture but without puncturing the skin with needles, light passes through the skin to nerves and cells to send information to the brain which then decides how to use that information.

Therapy Tool #2 I find really useful in cases like this where hands on may be too much for the body to tolerate well, is my Equilibrium Massage Pad which offers gentle vibration and massage to gently bring new oxygen rich blood to the muscles.

Therapy Tool #3 I team up the massage pad with a red light pad placed over the lumbar vertebrae and lumbar sacral junction to add warmth and target pain relieving point Bai Hui.

Then to therapy tool #4, I placed the Equilibrium Magnet pad over the hindquarters to again bring warmth and oxygen rich blood to the muscles of her pelvis and hindquarters.

Flora has never had these therapy tools on her all at once as you can see by her expression but once she understood how they made her feel, that she was safe and felt quite nice, she settled and absorbed all they had to offer.

In hospital Flora was exceptionally good for the vets and all her treatment, but knowing her all her life, when I went to collect her, I could see how low she really was and knew she would need some TLC to help her through. Flora just wanted me to gently hold her head in my hands and stroke her face, just be there and share space. There was still the necessary vital checks to do, temp, HR, respiration, capillary refill, skin tenting, mucous membranes and gut sounds, antibiotics and pain relief, all a bit invasive but it’s what we need to do.
The vets at home and hospital are amazing and can do all the technical life saving treatments for which I am forever thankful. Once home it’s down to the owner to nurse the patient through the next stage.
I’m grateful for the Equine Sports Massage Therapy knowledge and multiple therapy tools that I have. Flora has had several treatments which certainly help perk her up, so must be doing what I need them to.

A month on and Flora is pretty much recovered although I know she’s still got a little way to go.

26/10/2024

I love poems and stories
This is a good one, listen to the end 😉
When you work with horses, there’s always a story.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/hUR3r5nSTnmLmvNx/?mibextid=UalRPS

02/10/2024

🔵OPENING MY BOOKS TO NEW CLIENTS IN YARRA VALLEY AREA🔵

Does your horse need some TLC?

Hi everyone

I’m Pip Donaldson, Equine Sports Massage Therapist.

I achieved my ESMT certificate in Perth, WA in 2016, then worked with many lovely clients and their beautiful equines, everything from Olympic athletes to the retired family pony.
I coached at Pony Club, Adult Riders and a Riding School, plus freelance groundwork training and ridden coaching.

I’ve worked with vets and zoo keepers at the National Zoo in Canberra on a couple of exotic species, an antelope and a Sun Bear which was super interesting.

I now live just outside Melbourne close to Ringwood and the Yarra Valley and I’m opening my books to a few new clients in the area.

🔹Equine massage and tissue mobilisation.
🔹Red and Blue Light Therapy.
🔹I use a range of hands on and therapy tools depending on what the horse needs and prefers.
🔹Static and Dynamic Evaluation
🔹I can teach you some massage techniques, exercises & stretches to help your horse reach optimum mobility, posture, function and strength.
🔹I’m always happy to work closely with vets, farriers, chiropractors, saddle fitters and other therapists to ensure your horse has the best possible team of professionals attending to their health needs.
🔹Happy to offer a range of massage techniques and therapies to relax or troubleshoot specific issues.
🔹Family ponies to Olympic athletes

🔶If you think I might be a great fit for your horse’s super team, give me a call, send a text or message to discuss.
I look forward to meeting you and your horse.

Details on the info page.

13/09/2024

13/09/2024

Red and blue light therapy on Flora’s leg today.
An extensive bilateral hind limb injury that happened March ‘23 that has almost healed on the surface, just this little area at front of the LH hock where the limb flexes and on the cannon bone of the RH. I keep the sites clean and apply various moisturising topical salves including honey. Sometimes I also dress the wound and keep that in place with RockTape which helps keep wound moist, flat and clean particularly in bad weather. I also leave the wound open for few days, wash and apply moisturising salves. Any flaps of dead scar tissue are removed and area gently debrided to encourage healthy tissue growth.
Today the areas have been thoroughly washed, tidied and dried and red and blue light therapy applied to encourage healing and healthy tissue growth.
I absolutely love my Super Torch from Equine Therapy Products (WA). It’s a great tool has a variety of red and blue therapeutic lights, it’s easy to use and pop in my pocket.
Safety specs come with the torch and makes sure my eyes are safe from the very bright lights.

02/09/2024

Kinesiology Taping

I’ve used kinesiology taping for many varied applications and often with great success.
Here I’m using RockTape on my young mare Flora who had a couple of run ins with some fencing in March 23. Horrible injuries that required many vet visits and extensive nursing from me.
People are surprised I’m still dressing the injury 19 months on. It’s mostly healed on the surface but this is a niggly bit right at the flexion point at the front of her hock. I sometimes leave it washed and open to the air but try a variety of moisturisers, honey and balms to keep it moist as it heals as once the wound dries it cracks open again, then I have pieces of scar tissue flap that need to then be removed.
With much trial and error, I've found that a small dressing with honey applied and held in place with RockTape keeps the wound area moist and the tissue slowly healing. RockTape doesn't create any pressure sore issues and stays in place for at least four days even in the worst wet and muddy weather.

12/07/2024

When something changes……

Emotions …. When things bubble over.
Yesterday I brought in a mare who is usually really sweet to handle, but she was really rude when I turned my back to open the gate and had a lot to say, none of it was very nice 🤨 and involved trying to tap dance on my head! (The day you don’t have a helmet on because you’re just bringing in a normally sweet horse approx 50m)
So I decided we needed to work on a better conversation on a longer line in the safety of the arena. Getting to and into the arena was interesting, beating in mind it was a 15 sec walk to the near end but was already having a melt down and saying “No, I don’t want to go in the arena!”
So, we walked past arena to the other end as gate was already open. More “No!” and hi ho silver! catching me on the arm in the process, managed to get in but couldn’t even shut the gate in first 5 mins, really threw her toys out of the pram! Saw her belly button many times! She looked beautifully impressive!
So, while I understood her “No!” This was behaviour that needed to be resolved. Understand this horse is not overly worked in the arena ever, and we try and change things up so it’s not a boring grind to go in there. This horse is well cared for in every sense, lives out 24/7 and is well managed.
I worked with her for a good 20 to 30 mins just quietly moving her feet forward and laterally, stop and go, nothing flash, changing directions. This was interspersed with moments of hi ho silver with much waving of forelegs at full height and then dash off, particularly if her idea did not agree with my idea.
It was not a day for close work or anything in range of the front feet!
At the end of the session we were almost on the same page where she would walk calmly beside me, match my pace, stop and back up and turn without pressure apart from lifting my hand.
I would say she was compliant, just, but in reality she was elsewhere, probably with her head in a feed bucket.

Did she consent? Yes, to having her halter put on but from there she wanted to call the shots and quite frankly, I was in her way and she was going to make sure I got out of her damn way! I was not compliant at that point! 🙄

There needed to be a frank and open discussion about what I expected to be considered polite behaviour from her. Not aggressive or angry or dominating nor pleading and bargaining.
It’s hey, I see you and understand you need to express yourself and you’re feeling frustrated at not being allowed in the same time as your buddy (who she bosses about) but let’s get to the same page and go from there.

Better today thankfully but still not happy about coming in second. I think it’s a little bit of thinking she’s missing out but it wasn’t hay or breakfast as she’d had both of those.

Even the sweetest of horses can have an off day or two, usually born out of fear or frustration or pain and sometimes a combination. It’s recognition of that and working out what’s necessary to get to a place of understanding and safety for all parties.

16/05/2024

The importance of good equine dentistry

13/03/2024

A very interesting post regarding fascia and its response to inflammation which makes me 🤔
I’m always interested in the incredible fascia.

This week I found another cause of tight fascia in horses, one I had not fully understood the implications of.
I know horses in the tropics struggle with a fascial system that is way tighter than horses not living in the tropics.
This has short term effects on performance due to less flexibility and predisposing horses to tendon/ligament and muscle injuries.
The list of long term effects on fascia, and related structures, is a long one and I am not going to delve into all the 'whys' in this post, please ask if you are interested in more info.
This is what I have personally experienced:
- roaching of lumbar/loin area
- pelvis tilted forward/anterior tilt
- excessive tension in abdominal area
- earlier onset of painful joint degeneration
- inability to gain muscle
- inability to breathe deeply
- pain under saddle/kissing spines
- inability to relax and stretch
- stifle dysfunction
- tension in poll area
- neck stiffness
- scarring due to itching
- effects of rugging 365 days of year
- unusual postural compensations from standing under fans on uneven surfaces
All of these things effect your horse in a negative way.
So what did I find last week?
My own horse Wishes has been struggling with biting bugs and flies throughout our wet summer here on Sth Coast, NSW. I have tried many, many remedies and yes she is fully rugged.
She is also overweight and her body had begun to feel a bit tight all over, which I attributed to being overweight.
Desperate to give her relief I started her on daily antihistamines and on day 3 her body was softer all over.
Significantly softer! Wishes is alao moving more freely.
So that allergic, inflammatory response was causing generalised tension in her fascial system.
Makes perfect sense now I am aware! We know fascia responds poorly to the horse being unwell in any way.
So if your horse is struggling with itch and bites please take this into consideration and remember they will NOT be able to perform at their best.

31/05/2023

Interesting chat about Oil Seed R**e / Canola pollen (fields of yellow) and how it seems to be affecting horses on a race yard. There are issues with unexplained bleeds, skin allergies and poor performance. Horses were all out doing well in races before the crop started to flower.
This trainer has built a salt room to help his horses.

Have you, your horses or other animals struggled with pollen from OSR / Canola?

Has anyone used a salt room and noticed the benefits?

27/03/2023

A snippet from a fascinating video and discussion regarding the pedal bone / P3

Head over to Dr Simon J Curtis to learn more

19/02/2023

Getting the hoof balance and hoof - pastern angles right. The work done by Progressive Equine has a massive, positive impact on the overall musculoskeletal function, posture and comfort of the horse.

https://fb.watch/iNMBChd1kN/?mibextid=v7YzmG

19/01/2023

A very interesting article about equine OCD
If you read the blog and want to know more, click on the link to the podcast, grab a cuppa and get yourself some interesting knowledge regarding young horses, bone development OCD and the impact on breeding from mares who have foals with OCD and the future of horses with OCD.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10160926600233478&id=153533233477&mibextid=qC1gEa

Tuesdays with Tony - OCD is a bone lesion that can cause major problems for horses. Tony explains why in his blog this week.

19/12/2022

I loved Black Beauty and grew up watching this tv show. I cried every time the music played for the end credits. Still tear up now! Not allowed “Galloping Home” as my iPhone ringtone as I will cry!

It’s hard for horse fans of a certain age to to hear the familiar theme tune without a smile – and now more people will be able to enjoy the classic TV version of Black Beauty in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Anna Sewell’s literary masterpiece was adapted for the television series, whic...