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Equi VP

Equine Veterinary Physiotherapist, Certified MagnaWave Practitioner & Rider based in Devon + Cornwall

08/01/2025

❄️ January Availability ❄️

I hope everyone has had a great start to 2025 despite the rather cold and snowy weather we’ve had so far! Please see the second picture to view my availability for the rest of January.

If you’d like to book your horse in for a physiotherapy session whether you’re a new or regular client please pop me a message, email or fill out the ‘Appointment Request Form’ on my website.

📸 first photo by

24/12/2024

Merry Christmas everyone 🎄

18/12/2024

“I don’t need a fancy, professionally fitted saddle, I only hack out and mostly in walk!”

I’m going to quote Dr Ian Bidstrup from a recent webinar he conducted on saddle fit from a specialist spinal vet’s perspective – and for those interested there will be a more in depth look at saddle design next year which will be fascinating.

THE SLOW DEATH

This is the terminology he uses to describe slow rides. Now slow walk is important, super important, when we’re building posture and balance for sure, I’m a big proponent. However, when we consider the pressure under saddles and its effect on the skin and blood flow then we have to think more traditionally and look at the role of the saddle in spreading that pressure.

If you sit on your horse in halt, it’s likely that the pressure under the saddle is already approaching levels that prevent blood flow. I’d have to go and look at a ton of research to try and get down to it but we know it’s not always that easy to get our hand under the front or anywhere else under the saddle, your weight and that of the saddle has to go somewhere!

What happens when we move at a pace that’s faster than walk?

Each part of the back under the saddle is at least partly unloaded at one stage of the stride pattern. In rising trot we shift our weight forward and back in the saddle, from our seatbones to the stirrup bars. In canter the whole saddle rocks a little, and the pressure under the saddle fluctuates and transfers from front to back and back again with each stride. Even sitting trot allows for some relief of pressure under the saddle in all areas within each stride.

Racehorses have pretty grim saddles with teeny areas underneath them, the reason that greater damage isn’t done is because whenever they walk any distance they’re generally going to the gallops where they will get immediate relief from the unrelenting pressure.

Walk does not offer any real alleviation of pressure. A lack of blood flow to the muscle will stop them functioning fully, and may be causing damage to the skin and to the fascia. Fascia are layers of connective tissue that wrap around muscles (you’ve seen it if you’ve prepared or eaten most meats) that are critical to the skeletal and biomechanical health of the horse and obviously the skin is pretty important too!

The long riding experts Be Professional. Look Cool. have also looked at this VERY closely in their work, the effect of saddle pressure on the horse’s back and, for riding long distances daily, back to back, for long periods of time where "mistakes" get hugely magnified. He recommends intervals for dismounting and loosening the girth, and for taking the saddle off. This should be done more than once every day, and that’s WITH doing faster work. Here’s a post of theirs on the subject https://www.facebook.com/beprofessionallookcool/posts/pfbid03369vorLPo4PeMYF49a7V6kp1HYm6qH7ixnywNMqApYvHrPzernmJBD13rCpQpuDyl

Remember, they’re not just poorly designed to carry us and a saddle, the way they function in the wild means that riding them will always compromise them immensely unless we’re super careful about how we load them with weight and how we prepare them to carry that weight.

Give your horse a break – if you’re not doing faster work then your need for a well fitting saddle is just as high, perhaps higher, as those working at supposedly higher levels. Take the fitting of your saddle deadly seriously.

13/12/2024

Between Veterinary Physiotherapy appointments it may be recommended that you complete some exercises with your horse to continue to build upon progressions made within the sessions.

Exercises can range from gentle weight shifts and baited stretches to gymnastic jumping. Usually exercises such as carrot stretches, lateral tail pulls, backing up and limb stretches, also known as dynamic mobilisation exercises, are recommended to be performed for at least 2-3 reps, 4-6 x a week.

But just why is completing these dynamic mobilisation exercises little and often so beneficial?

Research suggests that it can take four weeks to start seeing significant improvements in muscle mass and tone. Therefore investing your time into completing dynamic mobilisation exercises for a few reps multiple times a week will contribute towards improved strength over time.

In addition, gradual conditioning lessens the risk of overloading structures such as muscles, joints & tendons whilst still providing them sufficient progressive stimulus to encourage adaptation.

Also, performing exercises frequently allows you to closely track your horse’s progress and enables you to identify small improvements as they occur e.g. increased neck range of motion when performing carrot stretches or the ability to perform a greater amount of good quality steps when backing up.

If you’d like to learn about which dynamic mobilisations exercises might benefit your horse, please get in touch about booking a veterinary physiotherapy session so that we can develop a tailored exercise plan for them:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450 616297

06/12/2024

Tis the season 🎄

Elsie keeping her ears toasty yesterday in a rather fetching Santa hat 🐴😂

04/12/2024

2025 Price List 🐴

I am so pleased to announce that I am keeping my prices the same going into the new year. This decision has been made to take into account the cost of living crisis as well as my aim to make physiotherapy sessions available to, and affordable for, as many horse owners as possible.

As the photo shows, the prices will be as follows:
• Veterinary Physiotherapy session (1-1.5hr) £45
• MagnaWave PEMF full body session £45
• Massage Therapy (30-45min) £35
• Exercising/Training £various, depending on type of exercising/training, duration & travel - please enquire for more details

For more information about what each type of session involves please check out my website or alternatively pop me a message or email, I’m more than happy to answer any questions you may have

💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450 616297

02/12/2024

I’m officially back to work today after having to take some time off due to illness

A huge thank you to all my lovely clients for being so patient & understanding with me this past week or so!

If your horse is due for physio in the next few weeks and I haven’t contacted you yet , please bear with me, I will be working through my list of who to contact over the next couple of days 🐴

23/11/2024

Have you considered getting your horse checked over by a veterinary physiotherapist as winter sets in?

Maybe you’ve noticed your horse showing signs of stiffness in the colder weather or you’ve opted to give them some time off over winter and are hoping for them to come back from their break feeling refreshed & ready for the next season

During a veterinary physiotherapy session areas of musculoskeletal tension, dysfunction and weakness can be identified and targeted with a range of manual therapies, electrotherapies & exercise recommendations

If you are opting to give your horse some time off, a physio check up beforehand can help to eliminate asymmetries and contribute towards ensuring that they come back into work ready to perform at their best

If you are creating a winter training plan for your horse and would like to identify and eradicate areas of musculoskeletal dysfunction that may be acting as a barrier to progression in your training programme, a veterinary physiotherapy session may be a vital tool to achieving those goals

If you think your horse may benefit from a veterinary physiotherapy session whether they are in light work, in winter training or about to go on a break, pop me a message to enquire or check out the ‘Appointment Request’ form on my website:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450 616297

02/10/2024

Autumn is definitely in the air at the moment 🍁

With the changing of the season comes a changing of coat, a change of pace as the competition season winds down & a change in temperature with cooler days resulting in some soft tissue & joint stiffness - and not just in older horses.

If you’d like to book your horse in for a physiotherapy session to check their musculoskeletal condition and ensure they are feeling their best as winter begins to draw nearer, please pop me a message or check out the appointment request page on my website 🐴

📧 [email protected]
💻 www.equivp.co.uk

07/09/2024

Please note that I will be on annual leave from the 8-15th September with limited signal at times so although I will do my best to reply to any messages when I get the opportunity, please allow extra time for responses during this period

Non-urgent enquiries will be responded to when I am back to work on the 16th September🐴

06/07/2024

🐴 Taking on new riding work 🐴

Calm, confident & quiet lightweight rider looking to take on one more horse for exercising in Plymouth & the surrounding areas

Services include:
• Hacking - specialising in improving horse confidence when hacking solo but am also happy to hack out with owners if they have more than one horse
• Carrying out rehabilitation programmes
• Schooling - experience from newly-backed to schoolmasters
• Groundwork - including long lining and lunging

A little about me:
• Fully insured & have own transport
• 5ft7 & 54kgs so able to ride any horses over 14hh
• Fully qualified BSc(Hons) veterinary physiotherapist able to train from an anatomical perspective to support the horse’s conformation and posture to promote longevity in their ridden career

To enquire, feel free to pop me a message or text/Whatsapp 07450616297

Multiple references available upon request

12/06/2024

As I’m currently in the process of updating the testimonial section of my website it would be very much appreciated if any existing clients, who feel they would be happy to do so, would be prepared to write a review. This can be done on the review section of my page or by sending me an email or message with your review which may be featured on my website and/or social media pages.

Testimonials may be about the riding/training aspect of my work, the veterinary physiotherapy/massage therapy side, or both.

Also I’d like to add a little thank you to everyone who has supported my business to date, I wouldn’t be able to do the work that I do without the support of each and every one of you

📸 Maia Paige Visual

01/05/2024

A few client horses from the past week🐴

I’m trying to get better at taking more photos when I’m out and about - it was a New Years resolution of mine and we all know how those go 🤣

17/04/2024

Identifying asymmetries

Most riders will be aware of their horses having a weaker rein to work on. They might be less flexible to turn to the right vs left, for example.

Being able to also pick out asymmetries when your horse is stood still can help you to target and minimise L vs R differences which may be limiting your horse’s performance or may even indicate an underlying pathology.

One commonly seen asymmetry is: high/low in the hooves.

In the pair shown in the second photo, the right forelimb hoof bulbs are more upright and contracted than the wider & lower bulbs of the left hoof. The right hoof in this pair is known as a ‘club foot’ as it also has a steeper hoof angle, more concave sole & a smaller weight bearing surface area than the left.

In this pair, the left fore is likely to have greater forward swing of the stride and increased weight bearing than the right fore. This horse is also likely to be left canter dominant and bring their left fore forwards more frequently when grazing.

Due to the asymmetrical balance through hooves which are high/low, the forces on the affected horse’s limbs will be uneven. This can affect muscle engagement (especially if the cause of the asymmetry is due to poor posture or injury compensation), ground reaction force dissipation & even increase injury risk.

One pattern seen in cases with a high/low asymmetry is increased muscle mass in one forelimb compared to the other. This difference in shoulder muscle mass, in particular, can start to push the saddle to sit over to one side which in turn can lead to the development of asymmetry in the rider.

To address an asymmetry in your horse, there are a huge range of techniques & professionals which may be of use. These include training exercises (such as weight shifts), farriery, saddle checks, chiropractors, physiotherapists & veterinary work. The route you take with your horse will depend on the root cause of an asymmetry & the consequential compensatory patterns.

If you have identified an asymmetry in your horse & would like to book a physiotherapy session for them, contact me to book an appointment:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450 616297

30/03/2024

A reminder that the clocks go forward tonight marking the start of lighter evenings & hopefully some drier weather 🤞☔️

06/03/2024

Wotsit & Illusion enjoying their routine physiotherapy sessions yesterday 🐴

With the competition season just beginning it is a good idea to get your horse checked by a veterinary physiotherapist to ensure they are able to perform at their optimum for the best results.

If you would like to book a veterinary physiotherapy session for your horse, pop me a message or check out my website for more information

💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450616297

26/02/2024

Why is poll pain/tension seen so frequently in horses?

I get asked this a lot as it’s a very common finding during a veterinary physiotherapy assessment so though I’d shed some thoughts on this topic:

Poll tension may either be primary or secondary.

Primary pain and tension are caused by direct trauma to the poll itself. This is most commonly caused by a pull-back injury when the horse is tied up. An ill-fitting or too-tight bridle headpiece can also cause primary poll pain.

Secondary pain and tension is the more complex category due to the huge range of causes. Causes can range from lameness, back pain, sacroiliac dysfunction, chronic asymmetry, poor ridden posture, dentistry issues etc.

The reason for such a large range of causes is all down to anatomy.

The poll is the junction between the head and neck (and therefore body) of the horse. As a result, any pain or dysfunction in the horse’s body which results in the development of channels of soft tissue tension, or altered postural or movement patterns will impact the poll.

To expand on the anatomical connections a bit further, the poll is the first attachment site of the extensor chain of muscles which runs along the topline of the horse’s neck and back, along the top of the pelvis, into the tail and down the back of the hindlimb. Balance between the flexor and extensor muscle chains is required for good posture and harmony in the musculoskeletal system. As soon as the balance is tipped for any reason, channels of tension can develop within the body.

How can you tell if your horse has poll pain/tension? Behavioural indicators may include:
▪️Head tossing/shaking
▪️Becoming difficult to bridle
▪️Becoming head shy around the poll area
▪️Inconsistent contact or travelling around in a high head carriage when ridden
▪️Uneven rein tension
▪️Becoming difficult to turn in one or both directions

💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450 616297

09/02/2024

Have you ever thought about your horse’s post-exercise routine?

Human athletes are encouraged to stretch after exercise to promote recovery & reduce muscle soreness and stiffness.

Incorporating carrot stretches into your horse’s post-exercise routine 3-5 x per week has been linked to improvements in neck range of motion, top line muscle quality and balance & core strength, with significant improvements being seen in as little as 2 weeks in some cases.

Adding forelimb & hindlimb stretches post-exercise a few times a week has been associated with improvements in joint health & range of motion, stride length, gait expression, muscle flexibility & balance.

Stretching guidelines:
✖️Never stretch a cold muscle, the optimal time to perform stretches is post-exercise when the muscles are warm
✔️ Hold stretches for at least 7 seconds to override the stretch reflex
✔️ Repeat stretches 2-3 times for optimal results
✔️ Always use slow & controlled movements when performing your horse’s stretches & don’t go beyond their comfortable range of motion
✔️ Ask for advice on how to perform stretches from your trusted equine professionals if you are unsure

💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]

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Videos

A very British winter day for a ride ❄️ ft special guests including flooded road, mud & very grey skies 😂 Thanks again to @shoreline_shots_nq @elisemaiairish for filming #veterinaryphysiotherapy #equine #equinetraining #horsetraining #horseriding #trailriding #horsehacking #equestrian #equestrianlifestyle

Get ready to hack out with me, winter edition ❄️ Hacking out forms such an important part of a winter training programme. The variation in surfaces of on- and off-road routes plus different gradients makes it an invaluable strengthening tool for a gradual conditioning programme. In addition, the constantly changing surroundings helps to improve a horse’s confidence by getting them used to new sights, smells and sounds. For horses that are nervous to hack out, it might be a good idea to try riding out in company or leading them out in hand initially to build up their confidence 🐴 Videography by @shoreline_shots_nq aka @elisemaiairish Horse credits @kenzie00xo #veterinaryphysiotherapy #equine #equinetraining #horsetraining #horseriding #trailriding #horsehacking #equestrian #equestrianlifestyle

Hello Winter ❄️ A light dusting of snow yesterday morning made for a very picturesque wander across the moor for my first ride of the day on Patch 🐴 I may have mentioned previously that one of my goals for this year was to try and post more on this account - that has very much not happened so I’m aiming to change that with the remaining month and a half of the year. Let’s see if I stick to it shall we 😂 #dartmoor #snow #devon #veterinaryphysiotherapy #horseriding #equestrian #equestrianwinter #horse #vetphysio #vetphysiouk

A rather curious Toffee ‘helping out’ with Clover’s back massage during her physio session today 🐴😂 #veterinaryphysiotherapy #vetphysio #vetphysiouk #veterinaryphysiotherapist #equinesportstherapy #equinebodywork #equinemassage

How to tell if your horse might benefit from a physiotherapy session Under saddle: • Difficulty turning on one rein • Tripping or stumbling • Evading the contact - raising their head high, rounding BTV, constantly mouthing the bit etc • Becoming disunited or falling out of canter • Head tossing/nodding/shaking when ridden • Kicking out, rearing, bucking etc • Starting to knock poles and/or refuse fences Getting ready to ride: • Becoming difficult to catch in the stable • Turning away when tack is presented • Head tossing, tail swishing etc when the saddle is placed on their back • Avoiding the bridle and/or the bit being put into position • Not standing still at the mounting block Please note these lists are not exhaustive but give a few examples of common behaviours seen in ridden horses with musculoskeletal pain and/or tension. A lot of behaviours which are taught to be ‘naughty’ or ‘dominant’ behaviours are examples of the horse trying to communicate with their rider/handler. If your horse suddenly changes their attitude towards their tack and ridden work it is a good idea to seek the advice of a professional to help work out what might be causing this. To enquire about booking a veterinary physiotherapy, massage therapy or MagnaWave PEMF session for your horse, contact me through: 💻 www.equivp.co.uk 📧 [email protected] 📞 07450 616297 📷 @maiapaigevisual #equinevetphysio #vetphysio #vetphysiotherapy #veterinaryphysiotherapy #vetphysiouk #equinebodywork #equinemassagetherapy #equinesportstherapy #equinemassage

MagnaWave PEMF ⚡

MagnaWave PEMF ⚡ MagnaWave is a form of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy which has a range of benefits including: ✔️ Decreases inflammation ✔️ Increases circulation & lymph flow ✔️ Increases oxygen uptake ✔️ Decreases pain ✔️ Decreases tension ✔️ Increases ATP (energy) production ✔️ Improves intercellular communication therefore improving tissue function ✔️ Enhances muscle, tendon, ligament, nerve & bone repair Due to its wide range of benefits MagnaWave PEMF can be used to improve the outcome in a range of cases including: 🔺 Osteoarthritis 🔺 Muscle, tendon, ligament, bone & nerve injuries 🔺 Soft tissue tension 🔺 Sacroiliac joint pain 🔺 Laminitis 🔺 Abscesses 🔺 Kissing spines 🔺 + much more If you are interested in booking a full body MagnaWave PEMF session or a veterinary physiotherapy session with targeted MagnaWave PEMF for your horse, get in touch with me to book an appointment: 💻 www.equivp.co.uk 📧 [email protected] 📞 07450 616297 📷 by Maia Paige Visual #magnawave #magnawavepemf #electrotherapy #veterinaryphysiotherapy #pemf #pemftherapy #equinebodywork

This transitional weather in the not quite autumn, not quite winter period is prime for hacking out 🍂 Whether you’ve got a horse that you’re slowly building up for next year, have particular muscle groups you want to strengthen over the winter season or are winding your horse down before their winter break, hacking out can be a great way to introduce variety into your horse’s exercise program. The best part? Contrary to popular belief you don’t have to be riding to hack out your horse - there are in hand alternatives including leading them out & long lining. So if you have a youngster, a horse slowly returning from a break or a horse following a rehabilitation plan there are lots of ways you can incorporate hacking into your horse’s routine 🌾 💻 www.equivp.co.uk 📧 [email protected] Videography by @maiapaigevisual #vetphysiouk #vetphysio #veterinaryphysiotherapy #horseriding #instahorse #equestrian #equine #equinephotography

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