Pollyanna Equine Sports Therapy

09/05/2024

Lovely day jumping a Birthday gift from my parents and sister. Thank you for the lesson.

20/04/2024

What better way to spend some down time after a busy week than behind these ears with and .and_the.goldicorn hope everyone is enjoying the better weather

17/04/2024

Great day presenting and helping out at the Animal Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Conference held Lovely to meet new people and catch up with old friends 😊

13/04/2024

Late morning snoozing with some beautiful weather. Hope everyone is enjoying this glorious day

11/04/2024

I do love this time of year, the evenings are getting longer and the bluebells are coming out. The track was so calm and tranquil this evening that I had to get a few pics. I did appreciate the lull in the wind and rain 😬

What did you get up to this evening?

11/02/2024

Ended up being a lovely day to bang some new posts onto the track. Had some extra helpers at one point 🤣. Hope you all had a lovely weekend?

08/02/2024

Lovely day treating .eq yard before going to Spain 🇪🇸 to compete. All very cuddly today 🤣. Safe travels and have fun .eq and

07/02/2024

This is Jack a donkey I have started treating. Jack is quite the character and definitely knows what he likes or doesn’t like. Jack isn’t very trusting of people especially professionals coming in.

Originally I wasn’t there to treat Jack but his horse companion. On initially meeting Jack he wouldn’t let me touch him but after treating his companion a couple of times Jack asked for some treatment which was very unexpected by me and his owner. I was filling in notes when he came up to me and asked for his neck to be done. So I obliged.

The next time I was up treating his companion we gave him a very gentle massage, which he really relaxed into. Each time I come we treat a bit more and I am hoping that later on this year we will start to introduce some adjustments.

The reason why I wanted to talk about Jack is because treatment is very much on his terms which I feel most treatment should be. But to see how relaxed, calm and happy he is just from a little bit of treatment is absolutely amazing. Helping an animal to feel better is a real privilege and these small moments are what make this job so rewarding and spectacular.

I love my job for moments like this.

01/02/2024

Always lovely meeting new clients.

This lovely lady was slightly un-level through her pelvis. The left being lower than the right (shown in left bottom photograph) which was really apparent at the walk. Through some soft tissue work and adjustments we were able to change this (bottom right photograph). Hopefully this will make her more comfortable as she begins to increase her activity levels.

Thank you for taking the photographs. It is something I often forget to do when treating.

24/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful clients and friends 🎅. Hope you all have a relaxing day with family.

04/11/2023

The McTimoney College of Chiropractic and McTimoney Animal Association are hosting their first Animal Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Conference on 17th April 2024 at the college in Abingdon. The conference will showcase the latest research in animal chiropractic care and rehabilitation through platform and poster presentations.

The College is inviting abstracts from all animal musculoskeletal disciplines, including veterinary physiotherapy, with relevant new research. Clinical research and case studies are welcomed and will be considered by a peer review committee. Abstracts must be submitted by 2nd January 2024, and successful applicants will be notified. Tickets will be on sale for £30 each from February 2024.

Fantastic value for a full 8 hours CPD for industry professionals including veterinary surgeons, chiropractors, physiotherapists, massage therapists and hydrotherapists. Tickets can be booked here at https://bit.ly/3HjfrhY

The McTimoney College of Chiropractic is committed to advancing the field of animal chiropractic care and rehabilitation. This conference is an exciting opportunity for professionals in all animal musculoskeletal disciplines to come and understand how chiropractic care complements other rehabilitation therapies. For more information on abstract submission or further details, please contact: [email protected]

17/10/2023

Busy day treating today, best pic has to go to Kylie 🤣. Always love treating at .eq. Lovely horses and a brilliantly run yard 😊. It was also fantastic to do a demo lecture at at the Common Leys campus for and . Friendly staff and students. Such a pleasure.

13/10/2023

Interesting read about hunter’s bumps and that chiropractic can be beneficial in treating them.



https://thehorse.com/1123858/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-horses-hunters-bump/?fbclid=IwAR2JtVdrYiW7IXdu3Mm-wt_EDT02gdf5WJSKkTXBPTED3bohW5J036Zy-OU_aem_AVkT4zuh9t7V0oenOWrAlDKEdHX9lQZffgeLl7gSSM-E7rV5hkZVsJVTHq5XqrdqiII

Two veterinarians explain why horses develop hunter’s bumps and how to treat them.

03/10/2023

Celebrating 8yrs with this chap. So glad I met you 🥰

27/09/2023

While my business name might be pollyanna equine sports therapy I do also do dogs. In fact I am qualified to do any animal. Over the summer I did a drawing project of the dog anatomy and here is the dog skeleton!

Here are some interesting facts about the dog skeleton

Dogs like horses do not have a clavicle (collar bone)

There are approximately 320 bones in a dogs body depending on how long their tail is.

There are 3 types of skull shape
Brachycephalic- flat nosed, which can cause health issues due to breathing problems. Examples include Pug, French Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Dolichocephalic- long nosed with a elongated skull for example Greyhound, Saluki, Borzoi.

Mesaticephalic- medium nose for example Labrador, Border Collie

Common issues a dogs skeleton can be affected by include hip or elbow dysplasia and osteochondritis, which tend to affect fast growing and large breeds. Dogs can also suffer from osteoarthritis as humans do. Treatment can help manage discomfort and stiffness caused by these conditions allowing your dog to be more comfortable improving their well being.

Please do get in contact with Pollyanna to discuss your dog or book a treatment on [email protected] or 07988899427

31/08/2023

Just wanted to post about some of my clients success this month.
Firstly for being selected for U25 dressage championships and coming 9th overall.
for becoming 80cm trailblazer Champion.
Lastly .eq for becoming the U21 National Showjumping Champion not just first but also second.
Really proud of all my clients achievements however big or small they are and wish everyone their continued success it what ever they chose to do. I am just glad I can help ☺️

23/08/2023

Muscle focus: Gracilis

Location (origin/insertion):

The gracilis has a broad tendon that originates from the prepubic tendon and the pelvic symphysis (ventral surface of pelvis). It runs down the thigh and merges with the crural fascia, medial patellar ligament and proximal cranial border of the tibia.

Nerve Supply:

Obturator nerve

Action:

The gracilis adducts the hind limb.

Dysfunction/tightness:

The gracilis can sometimes be sensitive to palpate. When contracted there maybe a reduced amount of abduction. As with the adductor femoris there could be a reduction in power especially when jumping, going downhill or in collection work. Lateral movements may also be affected due to the reduced range of abduction or if the gracilis is weak. If the horse is turned in small circles then the hind step under may also be reduced due to a reduced range of movement, weakness and discomfort.

If your horse shows signs of lameness then always consult your veterinarian before a chiropractic or massage treatment. If you do have any questions about muscles, soft tissue work or animal chiropractic then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Pollyanna ([email protected] or 07988899427)

17/08/2023

I think someone wants to join the circus! All for a Jaffa cake 🤣

05/08/2023

Adductor Femoris (Adductor muscle)

Location (Origin/Insertion):

The adductor femoris originates from the ventral surface of the p***s, ischium and wide tendon of gracilis. It runs down the inner thigh to insert onto the rough surface between the third trochanter and supracondylar fossa, as well as the medial epicondyle of the femur. It also inserts into the medial collateral ligament of the stifle.

Nerve Supply:

Obturator nerve

Action:

The adductor femoris adducts the hind limb, extends the hip and rotates the femur medially

Dysfunction/tightness:

If the adductor femoris is contracted them the toe of that hind may be medially rotated when standing. The horse may also move the hind limb medially when palpated or during movement. There may also be difficulty flexing the hip or stifle joint and a reduced range of motion. If the adductor femoris (and gracilis) is weak then lateral placement of the hind limb may occur. When ridden there may be a feeling that power is lacking from the hind quarters which might be more noticeable when jumping, going downhill or doing collection work. Lateral work may also be affected due to a reduction in range of movement.

If your horse shows signs of lameness then always consult your veterinarian before a chiropractic or massage treatment. If you do have any questions about muscles, soft tissue work or animal chiropractic then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Pollyanna ([email protected] or 07988899427)

03/08/2023

A little bit of a delayed post but this is the 3rd time treating this lovely lady. Every time she gets even more relaxed than last. I am not sure she can get much more relaxed than this 🤣

20/07/2023

Pre (left) and post (right) treatment of the shoulder girdle.

In the first photograph a mild asymmetry can be seen by the horses right pectoral area being lower than the left. There is also a slight misalignment of the shoulder blade on the right, which is lower than the left (not shown in images). After 4 minutes of treatment using McTimoney equine adjustments and soft tissue work into the area we were able to make the chest more symmetrical.

Small misalignments such as these need to be addressed regularly so that they don’t develop into anything more serious. Even small misalignments can cause discomfort and stiffness and reduce performance in any horse. A performance horse like this is seen frequently as would any athlete so they can stay at the top of their game.

The second set of photographs are my client telling me that more than just his chest should be on the photographs 🤣🤦‍♀️

16/07/2023

Last but not least Happy Birthday Travis 🥳

Travis is the last in my herd to introduce this month and is 22yrs old today. Travis has been with me for almost 8yrs. I met Travis at a local riding school and had no intention of owning a horse until I met him. I remember in my first riding lesson he spooked at the instructors apple and I loved him from that point on 🤣.

Travis is a reserved individual and not particularly cuddly but is my rock. He can be picky on what treats he has, such as apples have to have red on them 🤷‍♀️.

14/07/2023

Muscle Focus: Gluteus Superficialis (Superficial gluteal muscle)

Location (origin/insertion)
The gluteus superficialis originates from the tuber coxae (point of hip), lateral border of the ilium (hip bone) and gluteal fascia. It inserts onto the third trochanter on the femur joining the tensor fasciae latae.

Nerve supply:
Cranial and caudal gluteal nerve

Action:
The gluteus superficialis flexes the hip, abducts and medially rotates the hind limb.

Dysfunction/tightness:
If the gluteus superficialis is tight or any problems being experienced the hindlimb is likely to swing outward and give the appearance the hoof is rotating inwards. This may show as the horse stepping out wider with the affected hindlimb. Your horse may find lateral movements such as leg yield or half pass difficult as it won’t like bringing the leg in underneath its body.

If your horse shows signs of lameness then always consult your veterinarian before a chiropractic or massage treatment. If you do have any questions about muscles, soft tissue work or animal chiropractic then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Pollyanna ([email protected] or 07988899427)

08/07/2023

Happy Birthday Bertie.

Yesterday was Richie’s Birthday and today it is Bertie’s. Bertie is 4yrs old and has been with me since he was 6 months old. He is the youngest of my little herd.

It has been a rollercoaster but we are getting there and Bertie is so much better and controlling his emotions. Those that have met him know that he can be quite handy with his teeth 🤦‍♀️.

Bertie has learnt that you can’t play with humans the same way as you play with a big horse, which I very much appreciate 🤣

Bertie is an intelligent but lazy individual which is going to make an interesting combination as we progress with his education. On the plus side he doesn’t seem phased by arrows being fired from his back but whether we can get him to canter while we do it is another question.

I am very much looking forward to our many adventures together ☺️

07/07/2023

Happy Birthday 🥳

I thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce my horses this month as they all have birthdays!

This is Richie. Richie is 12yrs old today an Irish Sports Horse with Dutch warmblood. He has been with me and my small herd for 3.5 years and this is all thanks to who I can’t thank enough for letting me have him.

Richie is not a straight forward horse and has taught me a lot over the years of treating every horse as an individual. Richie shows autistic tendencies. It’s the only way to really describe him but I love him to bits despite this. He is a joy to be around and is very much a big dog standing at 16.3hh. People often confuse him with Travis due to size and colour but they couldn’t be more different 🤣.

Richie enjoys playing, eating and paddock hopping. He doesn’t like to be left out and has to come on a hack if Travis is going irrelevant of whether I have enough people to ride 🤦‍♀️.

Happy Birthday Richie have a wonderful day 🥰

26/06/2023

Short blog on the effects of sleep deprivation on horses and the importance of massage and chiropractic treatment to help improve wellbeing...

Short blog on the effects of sleep deprivation on horses and the importance of massage and chiropractic treatment to help improve wellbeing

26/06/2023

Had a lovely day sponsoring the senior 70cm class won by (well done). It was a sunny and hot day and there were some extra spectators 🤣 enjoying the day.

23/06/2023

Looking forward to being this weekend. Sponsoring the Senior 70cm so do come and find me for a catch up or chat about what I do and how it can help your horse or dog.