Equi VP

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Equi VP

Equine Veterinary Physiotherapist, Certified MagnaWave Practitioner & Rider based in Devon + Cornwall
(4)

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]

📸

12/01/2024

With this very cold, wintery weather please allow a little extra time when warming up & cooling down your horses during exercise.

Colder temperatures increase the risk of soft tissue injury as it makes them vulnerable to overstretch, and even tearing injuries, due to being stiffer and less flexible when cold.

Also, the fluid found in joints becomes tougher in lower temperatures resulting in reduced joint mobility & a reduction in the efficiency of the dispersion of concussive forces through the limb when the hoof contacts the ground.

An additional few laps of the arena in walk at the start and end of an exercise session could make a huge difference to your horse, especially if they have a chronic condition such as osteoarthritis, are an older horse, or they have previously had a tendon and/or ligament pathology 🐴

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

📸 by

Lush day out in the winter sunshine treating new & familiar faces in West Cornwall yesterday 🐴💻 www.equivp.co.uk📧 equivp...

08/01/2024

Lush day out in the winter sunshine treating new & familiar faces in West Cornwall yesterday 🐴

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

30/12/2023

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

23/12/2023

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 🎄

18/12/2023

Identifying good dynamic posture 🐴

There is more than one type of outline that a horse can work in. These include numerous head & neck positions ranging from a long and low posture to a neutral position to an advanced collected posture, with several variations in between.

The dynamic postures you adopt in your horse’s training should be suitable for their age, discipline, conformation & level of training. Please ask your veterinary and/or teaching professionals for advice if you are unsure.

To increase topline strength & muscle mass, using a combination of suitable outlines is recommended as this variety increases suppleness & helps to prevent tension accumulation.

The foundation for a good dynamic posture is when the rider feels the horse reaching into a symmetrical, elastic contact, engaging their hindquarters and lifting over their back (seen in photos 1/2 & 5/6). In this posture the horse has optimal ability to carry their rider whilst remaining supple, engaged & balanced.

A couple of things to look out for that are characteristics of good ridden posture:

✔️U-shape between the head & neck not a V-shape – V-shape is a sign of tension and has been linked to impaired respiration (shown in pics 3/4 & 7/8)

✔️Parallel forelimb forearm & diagonal hindlimb cannon bone in trot – sign of symmetry between the spinal muscle chains. Deficit of this characteristic is seen in pics 3/4 & 7/8

✔️Visible outline of the abdominal muscles showing their engagement (pic 1/2)

✔️Lumbar angle tending to the horizontal – shows lifting through the back, a steep slope behind the saddle is a sign of a hollow or weak back (seen in pic 3/4)

The last slide shows some examples of good dynamic posture in a range of outlines with and without tack – see if you can pick out the postural characteristics in these horses which identify them as having good posture.

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

23/11/2023

Is your horse showing signs of back pain?

Do they react negatively to their saddle and/or girth?
Do they try to bite when you brush their back?
Do they pin their ears & throw their head up when you put a rug on them?
Do they refuse to stand still at the mounting block?
Have they recently become resistant to turn left or right or accept a rein contact?

If the answer to one or more of the above questions is yes then please pop me a message or email to enquire about booking a veterinary physiotherapy session 🐴

www.equivp.co.uk
[email protected]

Photo by

10/09/2023

Travelled up to North Devon today to see the lovely Phoebe & Sasha who have been receiving regular veterinary physiotherapy with MagnaWave PEMF sessions since May 🐴

If you are interested in finding out more about MagnaWave PEMF or would like to enquire about booking an appointment for your horse please don’t hesitate to get in contact:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450616297

21/08/2023

JJ enjoying his poll release massage this morning 🐴

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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

Just a PSA to all drivers out there: how you pass a horse will shape how they react to vehicles in the future so treating horses with a bit of respect will make it so so much easier for us, as riders, to make space for you to move on past us in the future as we will have a relaxed & confident horse responding to what we ask of them. I feel very lucky to experience super respectful drivers on the lanes I ride around in multiple different locations - your patience and ability to respond instantly if I ask you to slow down, stop, turn off your engine etc does not go unnoticed and helps the horses I ride to become much more confident out on the roads and thus make the roads a safer place all round. In case anyone isn’t already aware: if you pass a horse whilst driving in your car please slow down to 10mph, leave a 2m gap between your vehicle and the horse, and pay attention to any instructions the rider might give. I’m very grateful to have never experienced any major difficulties with drivers whilst out on a horse but I’m well aware I might be in the minority on this so always remember - 10mph MAX, 2 meters space & treat horses with respect Thank you #ridingroadsafety #equestrian #equestrianlifestyle #equine #roadsafety #horseriding

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