Equi VP

04/07/2025

Tacking Up Behaviours – What can they tell us?

There are a variety of behaviours that horses may display whilst being tacked up which are possible indicators of discomfort. These include:
- Walking to the back of the stable when they see their tack
- Refusing to open their mouth to accept the bit
- Moving around when the saddle is placed on their back
- Dipping their back away from the saddle (sometimes described as being cold-backed)
- Head tossing, ear pinning, tail swishing, kicking out when the saddle is adjusted and/or the girth is done up

Unfortunately, many of these behaviours have been described as ‘normal’ in the equine industry but could be indicators of a range of different dysfunctions/pathologies including:
- Pain in the mouth
- Back tension/pain
- Myofascial restriction behind the elbow joint
- Sub-optimal saddle fit
- Back pathology
- Compensatory patterns for hidden lameness
- Ulcers etc.

If you think your horse may be displaying discomfort behaviours during tacking up, get in touch to book them a physiotherapy session to help pinpoint the possible cause to help your horse to become more relaxed and comfortable during the tacking up process to make it a more positive experience for both you and your horse:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450616297

27/06/2025

Hill Work ↗️

As a veterinary physiotherapist I frequently recommend the inclusion of walking up and down hills into your horse’s exercise routine due to the number of benefits. Here’s a few:

Walking up hills: ↗️

Limb retraction provides the power to drive the horse uphill. In the forelimb the retractors are part of the flexor chain & in the hindlimb they form part of the extensor chain. The engagement of both of these chains is increased compared to working on the flat when resistance to the forward movement of the horse is lower.

Increased propulsion from the hindquarters due to increased weight bearing up a hill = strengthens: gluteals (hip and lumbosacral extension), hamstrings (hip, stifle & hock extension) and digital extensors

In the non-weight bearing phase of the stride (also known as the swing phase), joint flexion is increased due to the higher arc of flight required to clear the gradient. This also encourages lifting of the back & core engagement, particularly when the poll is below the level of the withers.

Walking down hills: ↘️

Walking downhill at a good pace that is forward & confident without rushing challenges their balance as horses naturally carry more weight on their forehand due to the weight of their head and neck. More effort is therefore demanded of their stabilising musculature to control the speed and descent.

The thoracic sling (TS) muscles which help to raise the forehand are working against a greater resistance down hills, providing the horse is walking down hill with good quality. Signs of lack of TS engagement downhill include rushing, leaning on the bit, or taking very small, stumbly steps.

Increased lumbosacral and hip flexion occurs when the horse ‘sits’ on their haunches to balance down a hill. This helps to strengthen the abdominals, quadriceps and iliopsoas muscle groups as well as the back muscles.

If you think your horse is showing signs of difficulty walking up and/or down hills mentioned in the last slide they may benefit from a veterinary physiotherapy session. To enquire, contact me on:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450616297

23/06/2025

Did you know that in addition to achieving improved tissue function, MagnaWave PEMF can also be used as a tension detection tool?

‘Pulsing’ or ‘Reverberations’ seen in the soft tissues can indicate regions of lactic acid build up, inflammation and/or muscle tension

As MagnaWave PEMF can reach up to 16 inches (~40cm) into the body, it can pick up areas of musculoskeletal dysfunction that might not be detectable during manual palpation
This is especially useful in cases of:
• SI dysfunction
• Deep back pain
• Thoracic sling restriction

Even when the ‘pulses’ are absent, behavioural reactions of pain relief and tension release may be displayed by the horse to indicate relief being provided by the MagnaWave PEMF device
These behaviours may be seen during treatment of a range of locations throughout the musculoskeletal system but may pick up regions of sensitivity in harder to access areas including:
• Within the hoof capsule
• In the hock joint
• Around the hip joint
• In the deep tissues around the pelvis (including the SI region)
• + many more locations

If you think your horse may benefit from a physiotherapy session with MagnaWave PEMF, please get in contact to arrange a session:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450616297
Or, alternatively, pop me a message on my social media pages

Sessions are offered throughout Devon & Cornwall. Travel charges may apply for yards more than 10miles from North Plymouth. If there is sufficient demand, sessions may be offered outside of Devon & Cornwall.

03/06/2025

Utilising MagnaWave PEMF therapy to target deeper structures in the back and top of the hindquarters which can be more difficult to target with manual therapy alone.

Swipe to see a very relaxed Billy ➡️

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

06/05/2025

As I often get asked the following questions I thought it’d be useful to pop them into a post for you all:

1 How soon can you ride your horse after physiotherapy?

Generally, one day off is recommended after physio but it depends on the horse, the areas I worked on during the session, their level of training etc.
Advice on this will be given during the session

2 What’s involved in a trot up?

I’ll usually ask you to walk your horse away from me & back first, then do the same thing in trot. After that turning your horse in a tight circle and backing them up a few steps usually concludes the dynamic assessment. In some cases it may be useful to also see your horse on the lunge & ridden.

3 Why might I want to see the tack you use?

Saddle and bridle fit are huge contributors to a horse’s musculoskeletal condition, therefore it is useful to assess basic fit of the saddle and/or the bridle during the session. If I believe the saddle and/or bridle fit could be better, I will recommend the relevant checks/changes.


4 What forms of payment do I accept?

Cash, card & bank transfer. Bank transfer is usually preferred but I’m happy to accept any of these forms of payment.

5 How often do I recommend physiotherapy?

This is a bit of a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question as it depends on a huge range of factors and can range from a few times a week to once every 12 weeks.


6 How do I know when my horse needs physiotherapy?

There are some simple questions you can ask yourself to answer this question:

a Has it been over 12 weeks since they last saw a physio?

b Are they displaying any changes in movement or behaviour e.g. difficulty mounting or tacking up?

c Have they had any significant changes to their management routine or training programme e.g. change of saddle, starting ridden work, stepping up a competition level?

If you can answer yes to just one of these questions then your horse may benefit from a physiotherapy session.

To book in check out the appointment request form on my website or get in contact:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]
📞 07450616297

09/04/2025

Please note that I will be on annual leave from the 10-17th April and may have limited signal at times so although I will be keeping an eye on my inboxes when I get the opportunity, please allow extra time for responses during this period

28/03/2025

Bit of a blast from the past - I had the joy of seeing the lovely Princess for her veterinary physiotherapy session today. Princess has hock osteoarthritis and had compensatory tension around her lumbar back & gluteals which were addressed with a combination of manual techniques & MagnaWave PEMF

Princess is almost 26 years old and I knew her from the riding school I learnt to ride at many years ago. When she left the riding school I visited her a few times - one of these visits was spring of 2016, where these pictures are from.

It was great to catch up with Sarah, her owner, and see Princess again after all these years. I look forward to seeing them again at Princess’s next physiotherapy session 🐴

18/03/2025

Identifying Musculoskeletal Imbalances - The Hoof as an Indicator

I often get asked about how owners can identify imbalances in their horses so here’s a few examples of how the hooves can be used as potential indicators - attached are some common asymmetries with explanations followed by photo examples

To be able to effectively identify any changes or asymmetries developing in your horse you must first be familiar with their ‘normal’. For example it may be normal for your horse to have mildly asymmetrical heel bulbs if they have pigeon toed conformation. The key is to be able to spot any changes or be able to identify when an asymmetry is not within a normal baseline range and has the potential to cause dysfunction.

I’d recommend becoming familiar with how your horse’s hooves look individually & as pairs. To do this it may be helpful to take photos so that you can make comparisons over time and see changes over weeks, months and even years. By doing this you’ll be able to quickly spot any abnormalities or asymmetries beginning to develop and therefore can work to identify and address potential causes, possibly even before a lameness has a chance to develop.

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

05/03/2025

As the Spring/Summer competition season is just beginning, are you looking for something to help boost progression in your horse’s training?

Or have you noticed patterns of tension behaviour in your horse such as reluctance to bend the neck in one direction, tail swishing in transitions, becoming fidgety at the mounting block, inconsistency in the rein contact etc.?

If so, your horse might benefit from Veterinary Physiotherapy with MagnaWave PEMF therapy.

What is MagnaWave PEMF?

An FEI compliant form of electrotherapy utilising pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) to help regulate the potential difference across cell membranes to increase circulation, cell function, intercellular communication, inflammation reduction, pain reduction and contributing towards optimal healing.

What makes MagnaWave PEMF unique?
✔️ Can pe*****te up to 16 inches into tissue to target deep structures like the SI joint, deep hindquarter musculature & neck-shoulder junction
✔️ Very widely accepted electrotherapy – very comfortable for horses
✔️ Huge range of applications including muscle tension, myofascial restriction, hoof abscesses, kissing spines, SI pain, tendon injuries, osteoarthritis & much more

If you are interested in booking in a Veterinary Physiotherapy with MagnaWave PEMF session for your horse, feel free to pop me a message or email or fill in the appointment request form on my website:
💻 www.equivp.co.uk
📧 [email protected]

Ts & Cs:
• If your horse is being treated for an injury by a vet, please note that vet consent will be required prior to MagnaWave PEMF therapy
• Yards must have either mains electricity or a generator to run the MagnaWave PEMF machine

Equine Veterinary Physiotherapist based in Devon and Cornwall EquiVP is a mobile equine veterinary physiotherapy & exercising service applying science-based research to the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal dysfunction and a holistic approach to training to promote optimal function in equi...