Meldrum Vet Physio

07/10/2024

Graduation 🎓🥳 can finally say I’m a fully qualified veterinary physiotherapist with BSc (Hons) and also took home the Outstanding Student of the Year award - much to my surprise!! These girls have been such rocks over the last 3 years and I wouldn’t have got here without them. Excited for the next chapter, and for a break from writing assignments!📚🐴vet.physio .9vetphys

05/09/2024

03/09/2024

Another lovely morning at looking at rehabilitation, discussing correct technique and different reasons for various exercises. Lots of great discussions and some fab demo ponies 😍🐴

14/08/2024

So much fun at running a physio demo morning. I love teaching so much and to get to combine it with physio was brilliant. Lovely ponies (including gorgeous Candy with her muscles painted on) and lovely people, can’t wait for the next one…!

22/05/2024

Another year with IRVAP making sure I’m up to date and registered 🐴🐶 a bit slow to post this as I’ve been mega busy but I have now submitted my dissertation and passed my final OSCE exams! 💪

18/04/2024

17/04/2024

If anyone, anywhere tells you to pull the horses head down (or uses leverage and gadgets to do so) they have no knowledge of healthy horse biomechanics or of correct training.
The horse's nose must always lead, with the poll highest and the gullet open. The base of the ears mustn't be lower than the withers. The jaw must be mobile. If the horse cannot chew and swallow, the hindlegs cannot operate correctly. If the hindlegs cannot operate correctly, the horse will not be able to jump, or stay off the forehand, or stay sound.
"Don’t be obsessed with the head and neck, learn to feel what the hindquarters are doing." ~ Glenys Shandley

08/04/2024

Tendon injuries are a pain, but there’s lots that can be done to improve your chance of a good recovery.

1. Rest - box rest for the first couple of weeks is imperative to reduce pain and reduce risk of reinjury.
2. Cold - cold hosing 2-3x daily reduces inflammation, or treatment with cryotherapy which decreases inflammation even more, and provides pain relief
3. Controlled exercise - in hand walking puts low level stress through the tendon to realign the fibres while the tendon heals. This is important as the more aligned the fibres are the more elastic they can be so the risk of re injury in the future is reduced.

Ensuring that tendon injuries are spotted ASAP and dealt with immediately is so important so that the rehabilitation process can start soon and be as effective as possible. For more info about tendon injury rehab or to book in cryotherapy for your horse, send me a message 🐴

26/03/2024

Now that spring is at least pretending to arrive, and the clocks going forward this weekend will bring a little more light, some of you fair weather riders (I don’t blame you 😉) are thinking of bringing your horses back into work, but nobody wants an injured horse that could have been avoided.

1. Always include a warm up: 10-20 minutes spent walking, with some gentle suppling exercises is a great way to begin a schooling session. Horses who have been stabled or are older or arthritic may need closer to 20 or on days when it’s particularly cold.

2. Static exercises are your friend: include some gentle exercises that can be done in the stable in your daily routine. These may be stretching, weight shifting or balance exercises and will help build strength ready for ridden work.

3. Hacking! All the hacking! Don’t be too eager to go round and round in circles in the school. Apart from being boring it puts unnecessary strain on your horses tendons and ligaments especially if your surface is deep. Hacking is great for your horses brain and is generally better for their legs as well - just avoid any seriously deep mud!

4. Whatever you do, introduce it gradually: you can’t just hop on and start where you left off. Begin with 10-20 mins gentle work a couple times a week, depending on how long they’ve had off and how fit they were before. Then increase gradually as your horse is coping with it.

5. Have your saddle checked: your horse has probably changed shape a little either from less muscle or more fat or just the change in season and the last thing you want to do is ride in a saddle that no longer fits.

If your horse is coming back from an injury then consult a vet/ vet physio before starting to ensure that work is introduced in an appropriate way. And if you’re not sure or would like some more exercise ideas….send me a message!

20/03/2024

There’s plenty we can be doing to help improve our horses outside schooling them. Taking a good look at their whole week outside of those short sessions is helpful to see how it all works together. If you need help designing or implementing some ground work or static exercises then give me a message, or if you’re interested in learning how to longrein or work your horse in hand then I’d love to help you with that too 🐴🤩

15/03/2024

Cold therapy (cryotherapy) has been around for EVER! We all know about ice packs, cold hosing, and ice boots….BUT we are seeing its benefits even bigger and better when we reach even colder temperatures ❄️ the KaasenEquine sprays out at -78 degrees meaning your horses gets the maximum benefit!

These include…..
🧊 reduced inflammation
🧊 increased stride length
🧊 improved range of motion
🧊 improved muscle tone
🧊 increased circulation and lymphatic flow
Plus benefits to skin, laminitis and arthritis, pain relief, improved performance and so much more!

❄️ message today to get booked in and see for yourself what cryotherapy could do for you ❄️

08/03/2024

The PhotizoUK team are in full support of the new national campaign.

Launched by Animal Therapy Media team at , this important campaign will help educate and spread awareness of the serious injuries and long term risks to dogs from uncontrolled ball throwing.

Visit the Photizo stand at Crufts; Hall 1 - Stand 52 to speak to Animal Therapy Media team members.
A full deep dive on ball throwing is included in the latest issue 30 of Animal Therapy Magazine, To Throw or Not to Throw? Ball Throwing Explained, written by Animal Physiotherapist & Canine Hydrotherapist Jemma Cooper.

Get your copy at Crufts or subscribe to the magazine through https://animaltherapymedia.co.uk/membership-account/membership-levels/ to help us share this important information.
Help us to educate dog owners about the risks and prevent unnecessary physical injury and negative behavioural effects for our beloved pooches.
Animal Therapy Magazine