Corinne Metcalfe McTimoney Animal Therapy

15/08/2023

Absolutely love this. Horses are individuals, riders are individuals and the symbiotic partnership between the two is integral to a happy horse. There are no quick fixes, ever!! None of us ever stop learning, but sadly not everyone is open to this continual journey.

The juxtaposition between having a happy horse and having a fixed horse:

At the start of my equine physio career I sat firmly in the camp of basically everything could be 'fixed' by doing the right exercise.

By this I mean quietly micromanaging the horse to make sure they moved in perfect posture. Always.

And when they fell out of that "perfect" posture, I had many tools adorning my toolkit to shoe-horn them back in.

I knew about head and neck positions.
I knew about the position of the spine.
I knew about vertical balance.
I knew about relaxation.

But I hadn't learned that you could adjust the orientation of all of the above, but the bracing could still be there.

Because I was taught to steamroll through fascia like it didn't exist. In bodywork, training and management.

And I also hadn't learned that in many situations you can take problems away quite simply by making your horse happy.

No need to over train, counter condition or expose.

And that actually, it's reasonable to recognise that some things DO in fact need rectifying - but it's not appropriate to rectify them YET.

And I think this is my most favourite rabbit hole to be dragged down yet - because with learning to truly unwind the brace, instead of focusing on the absolute biomechanics of everything:

I've been invited into that space where I'm presented with a mirror.

Where the natural inclination is to 'do' is overwritten by 'being-.

Probably my most profound learning experience to date is learning that, despite having a great deal of tools in the metaphorical tool kit, sometimes the skill comes from sitting quietly and minding your own rhythm.

Is the problem you see really the problem you have?

And is the plan you've made going to solve the problem or serve as a sticking plaster? ♥️

20/11/2022

Great news!
registered

Another busy day promoting RAMP at London Vet Show 2022. We are delight that the British Equine Veterinary Association have issued this statement for RAMP to launch at the show.
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10/11/2022

This ⬇️💯

WHY ARE DRAW REINS A BAD IDEA?

I could write a very long, technical explanation, but it’s really quite simple. Draw reins place the horse’s mouth at the fulcrum of a lever, one end of which is fixed (the girth), the other end is totally reliant on the feel, or lack of, in the rider’s hands. It is very, VERY easy to over-shorten them.

• They shorten and compress the neck
• They force the horse to close the angle in his gullet, crushing the larynx, parotid and restricting the hyoid apparatus. This also creates hyperflexion in the upper neck, damaging joints and ligaments.
• Compression at the base of the neck will cause most horse to drop through their chest and withers to try to fit the vertebrae into the smaller area they have been given. Rather than a regular, smooth curve at the base of the neck, you then have an ’S’ bend. This drives more weight through the horse’s front legs, making them ‘on the forehand’. Ironic, given that one of the supposed benefits of draw reins is to create lightness in the forehand (actually, they just encourage the horse to sit behind the contact).
• Dropping through the base of the neck will create hollowness under the saddle.
• With all that compression going on in front, any energy created by the hind limbs simply cannot be transmitted forward. There will be a ‘log jam’ somewhere in the middle, probably right under the rider.
• Often, because of this, horses will simply trail their hind limbs.
• A study by Bystrom, et al showed that head and neck angles were significantly decreased, and limb kinematics were affected by the use of draw reins. Roepstorff, et al, found that the use of draw reins influenced ground reaction forces at trot.

We are all familiar with the concept that the horse’s hind end is his ‘engine’. Pulling the front end in and forcing an outline effectively stalls that engine, and creates a chain of damaging load patterns, which will ultimately lead to injury.

Some would argue that only skilled riders should use draw reins. I would argue that really skilled riders have no use for them. If the horse is putting his head up, strong or leaning (already on the forehand, fyi), it is the rider’s responsibility to work out why. This could be due to discomfort, lack of training, or a combination of the two. The horse needs to be shown how to better carry himself through improved hindlimb engagement and posture, which will, in turn, lighten the forehand and allow a soft, lengthened neck to a light, elastic contact.

There are no short cuts to helping the horse find balance under the rider.

The picture illustrates how the horse will sit behind the contact, is compressed through the gullet and over flexed in the upper neck. You can clearly see that the horse’s face is behind the vertical and there is tension in the neck muscles. There is not even any contact on either sets of reins – it is common for horses to do this to avoid uncomfortable mouth pressure, and too often gets confused for being ‘light in the contact’.

You might think it would be a physiotherapist's dream, fixing problems caused by improper use of gadgets - but I'd much rather identify why the horse is having difficulty balancing himself, correct any musculoskeletal imbalances, and help the rider help the horse in a sustainable way.

Byström, A., L. Roepstorff, and C. Johnston. "Effects of draw reins on limb kinematics." Equine Veterinary Journal 38.S36 (2006): 452-456.
Roepstorff, L., et al. "Influence of draw reins on ground reaction forces at the trot." Equine Veterinary Journal 34.S34 (2002): 349-352.

31/10/2022

Looking to arrange a day in Ulverston and surrounding areas.…please PM me if you would like a visit 🐎

05/08/2022

Support evidence that manual chiropractic treatment reduces sensitivity to pain along the thoracic and lumbar musculature with independent laterality effects at different sites. Further research is warranted with larger cohorts, repeatability and over a longer period

13/07/2022

13/06/2022

I will be in the Ulverston/Barrow area on Monday 20th June. Please PM me if you would like an appointment 🐎

11/06/2022

This is a great article and sadly very true. IMO too many modern sport horses are bred for unnatural movement rather than correct conformation and soundness 😞

SOUNDNESS is such an important topic from a breeding point of view. Many dressage horses seem to require specialist treatments during their careers nowadays, and I wonder whether this is because we are now breeding horses to have such huge, elastic paces that their bones and joints can’t quite kee...

06/03/2022

Do you know what qualifications your animal physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath has???

By using a RAMP registered practitioner, you can relax in the knowledge that not only do their qualifications meet RAMP’s gold standards but they also carry out yearly training to maintain that standard.

www.rampregister.org

04/03/2022

⬇️⬇️⬇️

Qualified vs Non-Qualified Saddle Fitters.
Do YOU know the difference?

Did you know that ANYONE can call themselves a Saddle Fitter? My mum, who writes books, has never seen inside a saddle, and wouldn’t know the difference between a dressage or a jump saddle… she could set up as a ‘Saddle Fitter’ tomorrow with NO training. None. Nothing. Niente. Zilch.

‘WHAT?!?’

04/03/2022

Admin morning for me today sorting out my membership association renewals and professional liability insurance.
I’m proud to be a member of both the McTimoney Animal Association and RAMP, having studied to Masters degree level…..please make sure when choosing a therapist for your animal that they are fully qualified and insured, you can ensure this by choosing one from the RAMP register.

www.rampregister.org
www.mctimoneyanimal.co.uk

17/01/2022

I’ve shared it before and I’ll share it again! ⬇️

While many of the ‘gadgets’ available may appear to provide a quick fix, many lead to resistance, tension and subsequently your horse becoming sore. A strong healthy topline can only come from consistently working your horse forward from behind so that he/she stays supple and relaxed over their back and into an elastic contact.

A QUICK NOTE ABOUT GADGETS:

There are numerous gadgets on the market that can be used to persuade the horse to drop his head into an “outline”. However, items such as draw reins, bungees and the like simply pull the horse’s head down and hold it there rather than encouraging the horse to work forward through his back TO SEEK the contact.

These gadgets work by applying pressure to the horse’s poll, nose, mouth, and/or jaw, and there are plenty of bits on the market that do the same thing. However, simply getting the horse to lower his head or bring his nose closer to his chest is not a correct outline for dressage.

In order to create a correct outline, the horse should STRETCH FORWARD INTO the contact. The backwards pressure caused by these gadgets encourages the horse to instead duck behind the contact, which is the opposite of what we are trying to achieve.

17/11/2021

13/09/2021

Wise words indeed!! Your vet is your horse’s primary carer and should always be the first port of call if your horse has unexplained lameness.

06/07/2021

Event horses that had a lower total number of misalignments were more likely to be placed higher in a FEI 1* eventing competition. Further research of effects of correcting misalignments on performance parameters is recommended.

21/06/2021

☀️SUMMER HOLIDAY APPOINTMENTS☀️

I am now down to my last few available appointment slots before the school holidays. From 21st July - 31st August I will be working very reduced hours so if you would like an appointment before then please get in touch sooner rather than later!

As always I will try my very best to accommodate everyone and will still be available for urgent appointments (I may just have to bring the kids with me!)

Corinne

27/04/2021

I thought I’d add this little video of the lovely Betty beautifully demonstrating the signs of release during our session today. I’m normally far too in the moment, tuned into the horse and concentrating on the feedback I am getting from them to whip my phone out and capture things on camera but Betty was super chilled, not at all camera shy and carried on like this for a good few minutes.

Horses are by nature creatures that try to hide signs of pain, and instead store it within themselves as musculoskeletal tension. During a session one of my aims is to identify any areas of pain and tension and help the horse to release them. Signs of release vary from subtle blinking, lip and nostril twitching to licking and chewing, head/body shaking, yawning, and snorting, shown perfectly here.

If you think your horse could benefit from a session please message me direct or 📱07879 477598. 🐴

16/03/2021

15/03/2021

28/02/2021

Five tips to keep your horses sound.

1. Maintain a good warm up routine. Try riding in the ‘light seat’ for the first five and last five minutes to warm up and cool off. This will allow the blood to circulate through your horses back muscles, thus keeping them supple and preventing injury. Additionally research had shown that working your horse in a long and low outline is extremely beneficial for horses suffering from kissing spine.

2. Avoid rein tension. A recent study has shown riders to transmit an extra 3kg of tension down the reins than needed in an attempt to acheive the desired ‘dressage outline’. Not only does tension cause the horses muscles to become sore and damaged, it also reduces stride length. This reduction in stride length is due to a reduction in overall joint motion, which will cause problems later on in his career. Just think about it... during rehab, the ultimate goal is to achieve maximum range of motion - something we should be working towards, not against.

3. A good friend once told me that there is no point in fixing the roof if the foundations are faulty. There will never be a truer statement said. Horses that are presented to us with back pain, 9 times out of 10 are lame. Yes they do have sore backs, however this is secondary to pain in the distal limbs. These horses adapt to work differently in an effort to minimise pain, so for sure they will have sore back muscles. A physio can release these back muscles of course, however they cannot prevent them reoccurring if they are secondary to lameness.

4. Choose your ground. Just say for example you have a horse diagnosed with navicular syndrome. Provided you have been given the go-ahead to keep riding, then be clever about what ground you ride on. For example, if your horse has a bony navicular then don’t go hammering him on hard ground, whereas with a tendinous navic, you don’t want to go working through deep heavy going. Just walk the surface before taking your horse through it. Additionally, remember this isn’t just for rehabilitation... use this motto everywhere you go as prevention is far better than cure.

5. Don’t skimp on your farrier. Horses feet grow with the toe growing at a faster rate than the heel. We’ve all heard of the long toe low heel analogy.... well that’s because this puts extra strain on the ligament and tendons at the back of the horses legs. This WILL predispose them to injury. So next time just stop and think is the small amount of money you will save by extending that shoeing cycle really worth it?

We have finally been given some great news that we can get back to some pony parties following a long break due to the covid crisis. However please please please bring your horses back to full fitness slowly and make sure you are doing everything possible to keep him happy and healthy.

That said, please have fun and good luck with the show season 🍾🐎🍾

E.J Westwood . On behalf of NVG.

22/02/2021

The McTimoney College of Chiropractic is delighted to announce a series of free Webinars focused on the use of McTimoney animal treatment.