OP equine therapy

30/07/2024

Life here at OP Equine Therapy has been ticking away 🙌🏻🐴

I have treated all over the country in the past couple of months, meeting different horses with their own abilities - show jumpers to retired horses. I love the variation and questions that come with each treatment- not one session is ever the same. I find it interesting to adapt and use my tool bag in different ways for each individual 🐴

This video features Freddie, a firm favourite of mine as he enjoys his treatments so obviously. As soon as the hands are on, he relaxes down and knows what’s to come 💆🏼‍♀️

Please do message for any questions or queries. 💕🐴

18/06/2024

Really interesting post- definitely worth the read! 🙌🏻

Saddles will affect how the horse feels, grows and develops through the muscular system throughout its life. It is SO important to ensure your horse is comfortable both in their bodies and in the tack you are putting on them. 🐴💕

Let's talk about adjustable saddles 🤔

The horse world has made some staggering progress in a relatively short period of time understanding how much a horse can grow and change both as a young horse, but also through work and seasonal changes. This is great! 🌟 Rather than fitting a 4yo with their saddle for life, we are expecting change and we are actively looking for signs than adjustments are needed to protect the horse and to enable their continued development 🫶

Now, we know horses change. And we know saddles are adjustable. So why is it that I can't guarantee at an ADJUSTABLE saddle can be altered to fit for the length of a horses ridden career?

Simply put, the way a horse grows and changes isn't black and white.

There are some excellent physios and other equine professionals posting educational posts on how treatment/work/time/muscle development can take a horses posture and shape from one thing to something entirely different. And that is truly amazing 😍. But let's not pretend that these amazing changes won't affect how your saddle fits and what can be done to adjust it to fit.

When looking at possible options to fit a horse, we are looking at back shape and width initially to determine which brands/models/trees could work. And this can change drastically over time.

Now let's imagine you've bought a spindly youngster who has been lucky enough to have had a slow start in life just turned out with some ground work. This horse most likely has a big old grass tummy and lacks muscle along its back, as is only fair.

This lack of muscle means there's a natural increase in curvature through its back, and the added weight of a rider sits the saddle RIGHT back. So we look at saddles with the most suitable tree shape, a supportive length of point to give ample wither clearance, and a generous rear gusset in the panel to bring the rider back up into balance and discuss a plan to regularly check and adjust the saddle to fit. All good. ✅️

Now fast forward through the next year of this horses life. The cavaletti poles and ground work have done their job. You've been taking it slow and steady and your youngster has started to become supple and balanced. It even has core strength!

Now we've been checking it regularly and adjusting it as needed, but can we keep that original saddle fitting well to continue to allow the horse continued development and growth? Not necessarily. Lets say its core strengthened and it's back lifted. It was more able to work from behind and is no longer the shape of a fruit bowl. It's widened, through natural growth as its young and through correct training and muscle development.

So we can widen the saddle and that will solve it? Possibly not in this case. By widening the saddle to the correct width for the horse the balance has been affected. It's just doing a massive face plant now. Okay, lets lift it with flocking in front? Maybe the panel will allow it, but maybe not. And lets not forget that generous panel at the back that helped with the weak back which is no longer weak. It's making it bridge, we don't want that. So we soften the back to try and make it as level and even as possible, that will work right? Maybe. But maybe not. And even if it does, is this still the BEST fit for your horse to be allowing it to work as comfortably as possible?

Now not every horse is going to change drastically, some really do seem to be able to stay in the same saddle very happily for YEARS!!

And saddle adjustability is constantly developing. Whilst you cannot change the shape of the tree from front to back; you can change the width, how it's flocked, the girthing arrangement and in some saddles, the panels and flaps.

Saddle fitters are generally not out to sell you a saddle that is going to be unsuitable after a short period of time. We fit to the horse we see on the day, and if that horse no longer suits a saddle, despite our best efforts to adjust it, it is out duty of care to make that known. Now that not to say that a temporary fix with pads or otherwise can't work, but you hear of so many people wary of fitters who are 'just out there to sell'. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but maybe reframe the perspective to that person being accountable for the fit of the saddle and their duty of care to the horse.

And to flip it in on its head, a horse who is in great shape when a saddle has been fitted and who develops issues or has inconsistent work can start to lose muscle and change shape. Sure, poor saddle fit can also cause this, but we can't always blame the saddle, other factors can also be the cause.

The subject of adjustable saddles is vast and I've prattled on for long enough 😂

And just because, here's a photo of the lovely Gudrun from David Dyer Saddles and her beautiful youngster Belzon when we had a crack at finding the right saddle for this absolute stunner 😍 🦄

14/06/2024

Life has been endlessly busy over here at OP Equine Therapy. Horses have been treated one after another in the sunshine (and odd rain shower, it is England of course! 🌧️) for the last few weeks.

Here above we have Freddie enjoying a lasering session after his massage. He usually feels slightly tense in his lower back and so his 5-weekly treatments keep him feeling refreshed and supple. Freddie struggles with relaxing into his treatments, however on this day, he couldn’t get enough 🥰

Please do contact for any questions or queries! 💕🐴

06/06/2024

So nice to hear such kind words from a client today. It makes all the hard work worth it🙌🏻💕

28/04/2024

Smile if it’s treatment day! (>>swipe for a surprise! 😁)

It has been a very busy few weeks treating lots of lovely horses & ponies. Fred (above) is treated 5 weeks regularly to ensure he is feeling his best at all times. It is my goal to keep him supple and soft, with his body sitting straight in the correct position. Fred enjoys the massaging gun most through his lower back, as well as a lasering session to release lasting tension. 🙌🏻

Regardless of how often Fred is worked between treatments, he builds tension in his usual areas and so it is important that we keep him up to date to avoid pain due to increased tension. Fred’s time period between treatments is what works best for him- every horse is different and this is assessed based on their individual needs.

See you in 5 weeks Fred! 😁💕🙌🏻

Please do contact for any questions or queries!

15/04/2024

When the sun is out, you’re having a massage and life is great ☀️

Joey is a common feature on my page. He is treated every 5 or 6 weeks, dependent on how he has been feeling. The change in Joey’s body is absolutely brilliant over the last year, he has gained lots of muscle and is learning to use his body correctly. It’s my job to make sure his muscles are soft and supple, and his body is sitting straight and correct. 🐴

This job is SO worth it when you see how much the horse enjoys the treatment🙌🏻
Please do contact for any questions or queries! I cover lots of areas in and around Kent! ☀️
More pics& vids in the comments! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

09/03/2024

Lasering to support laminitis 🐴

The laser is such an effect tool in many different areas. This week, Woody has had an intense lasering course to help his inflammation and pain after his diagnosis last week. When researching, case studies from other therapists prove lasering to be HIGHLY effective with the management of laminitis. Woody is laminitic and arthritic - this does not go hand in hand as we need mobility AND rest. He has had 2 lasering sessions a day and he is finally comfortable enough to lay down and rest, which he had not been doing pre- diagnosis. At the grand age of 37, we will do all we can to help this chap💕

Please do contact for any questions or queries.

25/02/2024

After each treatment, I have form for the client to have. This form details how the horse was feeling, where I have felt tension, tools that were used and overall feedback. There is also a diagram of tense areas and a bit about the oils that they preferred. This is efficient in keeping track of sessions over time, lots of my lovely regular clients have a folder with a stack of sheets to compare to 🥰

It is just as important for the horse to analyse feedback, as demonstrated by Joey ☺️💕

18/02/2024

Tomorrow 2 spaces left

Next adult equine learning Sunday 18 February

£55 pp early bird rate )£65 from 1st Feb

Tagging those who have expressed interest 💖All welcome 🙏

10.30 start bring refreshments and dress for the weather 💖

18/02/2024

❤️ red light therapy lasering is hugely beneficial to the treatment of your horse. Did you know that lasering will….

🐴- reduce any pain and inflammation, either within the body or from injury.

🐴- relaxes and releases tension in muscles.

🐴- supports joint pain, such as arthritis.

🐴- aids in rebuilding connective soft tissue from any damage.

I use the laser as a part of treating, alongside massage therapy and other techniques I use during a session. I have found with experience the laser is great to break down tension initially, before massage, to soften muscles. I also have found lasering to be great after a massage to release any lasting tension. This is a brilliant tool that I am fortunate to have and means I can help in as many ways as possible.

Please do contact for any bookings or queries! 🐴

14/02/2024

The Process Of Releasing - kindly demonstrated by Freddie 🐴❤️

Freddie tends to hold himself in a fairly tense frame; he has a playful personality and a short attention span. This means that when other things are going on around us, he finds it challenging to relax into the treatment. During his session yesterday, he released down and allowed his body to melt into the massage. Body language signs (such as licking, chewing, heavy blinking, yawning e.c.t) are all great indicators of release. This is SO positive to see, especially for Freddie.

Fred is regularly treated on a 5 week schedule to keep his muscles supple and reduce tension in the body. His ridden work has improved leeps and bounds overtime, as he is able to use his body correctly.

Well done Freddie, for the hard work, and for being such a pleasure to help 🐴💕

06/02/2024

What is included in a treatment with OP Equine Therapy?

Here is a question I am commonly asked when booking a session. The label ‘Massage Therapist’ can be confining to one department. A treatment can consist of massaging techniques by hand, red light laser therapy, use of the massaging gun, tuning fork vibrational therapy, manipulation of the fascia, healing with the pendulum and smelling essential oils. Most importantly: treatments are based off each individual horse and their needs. Treating intuitively means we can help the horse specifically, rather than just following the same routine.

I think this is why I enjoy my job so much, every horse brings a new opportunity and approach to treat using the skills that I have. This way, we can come together to help the horse as a team.

If you are interested in booking a treatment, send over a message and we can go from there. Here to help 🐴💕

08/01/2024

Really interesting read about bridle fitting, which I feel as though is commonly overlooked. Much about the TMJ and how a cheek piece position can effect the head - especially with additional tension in this area!

03/01/2024

With only a few months to go until lighter evenings (perfect for after work hacking ☀️) and with the 2024 show season just around the corner, start the year off right by booking your horse in for a session with OP Equine Therapy.

Each massage therapy session is only £35 and will help make sure your horse is feeling their best - both mentally and physically 💪🏼. I offer discounts for groups of 3 horses or more so feel free to get in touch to discuss individual requirements.

We’ll work as a team to keep your horse happy and feeling great all year long!

Feel free to check out my page to find out more about what I offer and read reviews from previous clients! Hopefully see you soon🐴

31/12/2023

2023 ❤️

What a year. I feel as though this year, business really started to pull together and become quite something.

I am so excited to find out what is up and coming for me in 2024. I am so looking forward to making even more horses feel comfortable in themselves. For all those who I have met this year, to all the horses I have treated this year, I am eternally grateful. ❤️

Here’s to a happy new year! Enjoy everyone 😘

24/12/2023

Very Merry Christmas too all lovely clients at OP Equine Therapy 🎄❤️

It has been a very busy few weeks! I hope you all enjoy some time off to rest and eat as much as possible! 😂 🎅🏼

Thankyou to lovely clients who have gifted presents, it is very thoughtful and I am very appreciative! 💕

Looking forward to the New Year, with new challenges and achievements. 🥂

23/09/2023

Andddd breathe…

Joey enjoying some calming blend, essential oils are brilliant for the horses 🐴

I hope everyone has a great weekend😘

18/09/2023

Joey enjoys a massage every 5 weeks religiously. His owner understands that when he is feeling slightly off, he is probably due a treatment.

Joey holds most of his tension in his trapezius, leading down into his triceps, as well as his hamstrings. To release his tension, Joey has a massage by hand, following on with a session from the massaging gun. After this, any slightly tenser areas will have a session with the infrared laser.

Joey is used to his treatments and relaxes very quickly into the routine. He is quite simply, a pleasure to treat💕

01/09/2023

A successful day in Broadstairs treating another bunch of lovely ponies🐴

Pictured first is Freddie. He is feeling really great thanks to his regular treatments over the past 6 months. Freddie’s owner can now feel a change when he is ready for his next treatment 💕 This shows how beneficial regular treatments are for Freddie’s movements and workload, since his owner can now notice minor changes.

Jas, also pictured, is shown to be relaxing into her treatment, bending round to check up on me 😂💕

15/08/2023

A great weekend for OP Equine Therapy. Mr Pickles, pictured above, enjoyed his first massage in his new home.

This lovely boy held some tension in his poll and TMJ, which I released with massage over the trigger points. Mr Pickles’ body language relaxed more and more as the treatment went on. He especially enjoyed his fascial, with lots of yawning and licking.

Mr Pickles was the last of 5 on this day, but by no means the least.
“Bella was fast asleep when we came back and her bed is so tidy so she’s definitely happy!🥰 and all the herd seem so relaxed in the field, thank you!…think it’s safe to say the ponies were happy to see you too”

A lovely message received to conclude the day💕💕

13/08/2023

Very interesting read when considering fit of the saddle. As mentioned in the post, saddles need to fit each individual area including scapula and rib cage. This effects how your horse’s muscles feel based on the pressure a saddle is creating. Correctly fitting saddles are SO important🙌🏻

Wool flocking and it’s benefits!!

There are many materials you can use inside your saddles panel - foams, air, cair, synthetic wool, and wool types to name the most used. At Cuomo Saddles we use Jacobs wool. There are several different wools but we choose this because it measures well under pressure, we feel it is a better quality flock, it offers an excellent memory rate. This wool is 100% natural and has exceptional breathability. It’s soft enough for comfort but hard enough for stability. It takes a bit more maintenance because it is softer than white wool but we like what it does when it’s found its place in the panel. It will mould quickly because it’s the softest wool.
As a saddle fitter when I fit our tree to your horses back it’s a straight, solid object that doesn’t bend and shape to the contours of your horses scapula, muscles and ribcage. Thankfully the flocking supports this 🙏
Every day I flock at least 4-5 saddles. I love to look at how the flocking has moulded itself around your horse. Be it dressage, jumping or general purpose every horse and rider moulds the flocking into a shape that works for them. Horses with one shoulder bigger than the other, horses with pathology that can’t move straight, horses that push off of one hind leg more than the other, and crooked riders create a certain amount of asymmetry in the saddle movement and the flocking helps this. It’s not something that should be seen as a negative, as long as there is enough wool in the panels to support everything that it needs, it’s not hard but not to soft, then it’s a great thing in helping the horse be comfortable in motion. In the images you can see just a few saddles with asymmetrical flocking created through use by horse and rider. And one image of a saddle fitted without wool flock where asymmetry of the horse is very tricky.

31/07/2023

First client of the week- Duffy enjoying her massage 🙌🏻

Eyes closed and blinking, head dropping and mouth twitching. All great signs of relaxation and releasing for Duffy. She is off to a stay away show for the week, and so we have ensured that Duffy is prepared physically, as well as mentally with a treatment and healing💕

I have a soft spot for this lovely girl; best of luck Duffy 🙌🏻

11/07/2023

It is time to shed some light on the importance of regular Equine Massage Therapy Treatments💡

Similar to us, horses need to have regular Massage Treatments to maintain the best performance possible. Not only does Massage Therapy increase blood flow🩸 of oxygen and nutrients to muscles, but it aids in relaxation 🧖🏽‍♀️ and reduced stiffness. 🐎

Regular treatments mean that your horse can perform flexibly without feeling uncomfortable from tight muscles. The body can remain straight over time, creating a balanced working horse. 💕

This way, you can enjoy your horse stress-free, knowing that they are feeling their best.

26/06/2023

Ava’s first interaction with the massaging machine gun. She was slightly unsure at first, and curled her head round for a hand of support 💕

After the initial curiosity passed, Ava relaxed into the treatment and could enjoy the vibrations 💕

Please do contact for any questions or queries! 🐴

23/06/2023

I am frequently asked this question: “do you enjoy your job?”

I think these pictures speak a thousand words for me💕

Joey’s owner is great with recognising when he is ready for a treatment. His sternum and pelvis tend to fall out to the left over a period of time, creating tension through the left side of his body. Joey is very lucky to have a mum that recognises the signs of this, so he never builds a large amount of tension and can proceed with a straight and correct body.

He is also the sweetest soul, which makes my job feel like a dream 🩷

Please do contact for any questions or queries.

19/06/2023

19/06/2023

I call this ‘The Faces of Timmy’ 🤣🐴💕

Little Timmy enjoyed a treatment on Friday alongside his best friend, Juno. Both horses were an absolute dream to treat and thoroughly enjoyed a massage in the sunshine ☀️

Timmy went through all of the motions, from having a smell of essential oils (took a liking to the adaptive calming blend), scratching me whilst massaging his neck and lastly, a lip to balance on the door for a nap 🤣

Timmy’s owner was unsure of how he would react to massage, being his first treatment. I think OP Equine Therapy had his seal of approval ☑️💕

Please do contact for any questions or queries! 🥰

17/06/2023

“Olivia came out yesterday to give the horses a massage to check their physical health and energy.

What can I say -we all loved it! What a lovely person and it was so nice seeing the boys so relaxed. Her presence was great, explaining what she was doing and spending time working with them. Thank you ☺️”

Please do contact for any questions or queries with treatments. 💕

Reviews after sessions mean the world to me. Above are some amazing pictures from the owner who managed to capture some great shots during treatments. 🐴💕

12/06/2023

Hi, I’m Olivia!

I’m an Equine Massage Therapist operating in Kent and thought it would be kind to introduce myself.

I qualified nearly 2 years ago in holistic my-manipulative massage therapy. I use my hands to treat, alongside tools to ensure comfort and relaxation for the horse. I have experience with a range temperaments from competition horses to older, retired horses.

During the treatment, I explain everything that I am doing in an understandable way and also provide detailed notes at the end of the session so that you (and I) can keep track of your horse’s progress over time.

I am looking to expand my client base, a session lasts approximately an hour. The costs for a treatment are introductory as I build my clientele. I do travel and currently have clients in areas inside and outside of Kent. If you are interested in a treatment or have any questions please feel free to message me.

Alternatively, have a look over at my page OP equine therapy to see past posts and treatments!

Thanks!
OP Equine Therapy x

07/06/2023

Part 2- Barry and the massaging machine🐴🩷