Musclebound Equine Therapy

03/01/2022

Happy New Year, wishing you health and happiness with you and your ponies xx

24/12/2021

Merry Christmas to all customers, friends, colleagues and all other therapists. Xx

25/11/2021

Jess had a super exciting week a few weeks ago.... And is a little slow to upload this 😅! Her week included doing a gait analysis to observe the difference between two girths for one of our clients.

Mary is an 18 year old cob mare who was displaying continuous discomfort around the girth line before and after ridden work. Displayed behaviour included putting ears back, biting the air and at her lead rope when tied up. Her owner purchased a new girth and asked if Jess would come out and see if there were any differences in Mary’s gait under saddle, as well as if there was any improvement in her behaviour when being girthed and reactivity upon palpitation of the muscles around the girth line.

We’ll refer to her usual girth as Girth A and the new girth as Girth B. Both girths were the same length.

Mary showed very clear signs of being more comfortable in Girth B than Girth A.
Under saddle this was indicated by more movement and lift in the front legs, increased mobility in the scapula, engagement of the core muscles and more activity and push from behind to form a more uphill frame. These can be seen in the photos below.

On the ground, Mary was a lot less reactive to Girth B, with no signs of discomfit observed towards it. There was a much more even pressure along her girth line and she visibly relaxed with it on. Unlike Girth A, Mary had no tightness in her pectoral muscles or latissimus Dorsi immediately after work and was unreactive to palpitation. Again, indication that there was a more even pressure sustained throughout the ride and confirming that Girth B is more suitable to Mary’s shape.

Please note that although this is a very good result for Mary and Paige, it may not be the same for other horses. Each horse is a different shape across their girth line and no girth will be suitable for every horse. If you have any questions, please get in contact.

23/11/2021

Watch out laminitis or cushing suffers, the frost will increase the sugars in the grass xx

10/10/2021

Annemarie may be fully booked for October, but Jess still has some spaces available!

She covers Kent, Surrey and Sussex, utilising a variety of techniques to provide a full equine bodywork session. She also offers a multi horse discount when there are 3 or more horses booked at the same yard 🦄.

Drop the page a message to book or if you have any questions.

05/09/2021

We've finally set up an Instagram! Head on over and give us a follow 😁

30/08/2021

Jess still has a couple of spaces left for next week and slots available throughout September but filling fast.

Jess specialises in offering horses both physical and mental release through deep tissue and energy work and has had some incredible results.

Drop her a message through the page to book or if you have any questions 😊

29/07/2021

Jess is super talented. Fully qualified in equine science and physical therapy Plus a reiki master. She trained under me for 4 years and I am really proud of her.
Give her a call, she can help you on all levels.

Jess is running an amazing offer this month for new and existing clients. We want everyone to be able to make the most out of their time with their horses and enjoy every second.

Why not make the most of this offer and book in to get your horse checked over?

29/07/2021

Jess is running an amazing offer this month for new and existing clients. We want everyone to be able to make the most out of their time with their horses and enjoy every second.

Why not make the most of this offer and book in to get your horse checked over?

22/07/2021

𝗛𝗼𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀

There is so much advice available to owner’s now and considering the weather we have had lately, it is really worth having a look through. It is also worth considering how the heat is affecting your horse’s muscular system as well.

It is super important to be aware if signs of heatstroke at the moment. If you’re concerned that your horse may have heat stroke, start aggressive cooling methods immediately and alert your vet.

It is also very important to be aware of your horse’s hydration and provide them with access to sources of salt and electrolytes. The minerals in electrolytes break down in the blood and tissues, and help maintain:

- Correct fluid balance in blood cells
- Maintain muscle functions
- Aid in waste possessing

Horses who are in harder work, in high temperatures sweat more and are more inclined to muscle damage due to electrolyte imbalances. So, it is something to keep in mind.

Alongside making sure your horse is fully hydrated, sports massage can have some great benefits. It can help improve blood flow, as well as improve muscle function, helping your horse’s body process toxins more effectively. For older horses or those with arthritic changes, you may find they are stiffer and they’re swelling more in this weather? Sports massage may help relieve some stiffness and boost the lymphatic system to help decrease swellings.

06/06/2021

Have you got a horse that is called quirky, complicated or difficult?

Do you have issues on the ground, under saddle or both?

This may be a sign of discomfort. Horses are not naturally complicated animals, so when they are behaving abnormally it may be worth considering why.

When presented with situations outside of their comfort zones, their fight, flight or freeze response is activated. In most cases they may work through this, but a horse who is compromised in its body is likely to "over react" to these situations.

Take Finn as a prime example. When I started with him, he was considered dangerous due to his rearing and bolting habits. With the combination of physio and groundwork we got him back under saddle and have completely stopped this behaviour.

If you would like to discuss how we may be able to help, please get in touch. We are more than happy to answer any questions.