Equuifey - Equine Therapy

01/07/2024

Can you guys believe that the picture on the left was Miss T’s preferred way to stand 4 months ago?

Some major improvements here with only and a couple targeted in-hand exercises. She will be ready to be ridden again in the next couple weeks 💪🏻

27/06/2024

Day 2 of Caithness visit and we have the ☀️👏🏻

I just love coming back here 🥰

21/06/2024

North of Scotland

CAITHNESS 26-27th June FULL
ABERDEEN - 28th June 1-2 horse/human spaces left

18/06/2024

GLASGOW/AYR - JULY

I have a couple dates lined up in July, so if anybody else would like to book in, please message the page.

18/06/2024

What a fantastic post and research paper to show that EMS can be largely influenced by looking at the gut biome of the horse and feeding the correct natural diet. While EMS has mainly a genetic basis, it can be very easily controlled, without the need to starve your horse.

Metformin is used in horses with diagnosed EMS and/or in horses with chronic or recurrent laminitis. It inhibits gluconeogenesis, decreases hepatic glucose production, and increases glucose transporter type 4 on the cell membranes of skeletal muscle cells.
But, the oral bioavailability of Metformin in horses is poor (3.9-7.1%).

Metformin changes the gut microbiome composition in humans by increasing levels of Akkermansia spp. which significantly improves glucose tolerance and decreases adipose tissue.

We haven't noticed a similar increase in horses with EMS (from our population database of thousands of horses) but we have seen an increase in Akkermansia in horses by using a natural plant compound called ecdysterone.

An increase in Akkermansia muciniphila and other beneficial bacteria of the gut boosts the production of short-chain fatty acids which are positively correlated to the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 and decreased systemic inflammation in horses.

Buy EMS Gut Bacteria Analysis at www.equibiome.org

Von Münchow, A., Torp Yttergren, S., Jakobsen, R. R., Luthersson, N., Hansen, A. K., & Lindenberg, F. (2023). Oligosaccharide feed supplementation reduces plasma insulin in geldings with Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Frontiers in Microbiomes, 2, 1194705

07/06/2024

*correction!* Out and about in the borders and Midlothian on Tuesday 18th and Thursday 20th June, some spaces available!

03/06/2024

🐴 Why SRSR is the most important thing you can EVER do for your horse🐴

SRSR (search, reaction, stay, release) encompasses acupressure, trigger points, fascia and tight muscles. When you stay on the point that your horse reacts to, you are giving them the space to analyse whether they are able and READY to release the source of discomfort or not. If not, this may be because their body and safety mechanisms need a different point or issue to be released first or for any other safety reason that the body finds, including pain. If your horse will find it beneficial to do so, the fascia around organs and muscles associated with this point will start to go back to its healthy state.

This also helps build a deeper bond with your horse and guide them to exit their fight/flight/freeze mode. It helps regulate their hormone levels and become the horses that they ACTUALLY are.

🐴 What is the benefit of leaving the horses to do it by themselves rather than applying physical techniques? 🐴

🐎 you stay below their fight or flight mode, so engaging both their conscious and unconscious, so that the horse makes a DECISION to release through their own choice, thus creating a deeper release by involving all parts of the nervous system

28/05/2024

💆🏼‍♀️💆🏼‍♀️Kinetic Chain Release/Masterson Method🐴🐴

The table below is a presentation of the effectiveness of KCR in comparison to other therapies. On average, about 2 sessions of KCR had the same effect for a variety of conditions, as 10 sessions of traditional therapy would.
Both KCR and MM work on re-aligning the whole body, giving it the space to go back to its normal, natural balance. We are starting to recognise more and more that the body can heal itself if given the right conditions and I truly believe that this kind of therapy will take over completely in a few years time.
I found KCR when I knew my hips were out of alignment, causing a strain on my right leg. Because I knew the mind-blowing effects MM had on the horses I treat, I was looking for something similar for myself and knew that I wasn’t going to take the risk of going for traditional therapies.
Fingers crossed they will do similar research and table for MM one day!

27/05/2024

‘Naughty’ horses are a fairytale 😑

21/05/2024

Apologies to my North of Scotland clients! I will be organising my diary for this weekend either today or tomorrow! 🙏🏻

17/05/2024

Some basics with Momo and the wonderful Julia Duncan 🥰 can highly recommend if anybody is looking for a natural horsemanship guru 👌

13/05/2024

GLASGOW/AYR

Last minutes spaces for Wednesday 15th and Saturday 18th May. Advanced therapy for horse and rider

01/05/2024

23rd - 25th MAY
The North of Scotland tour (including Aberdeen)

I have had a few requests for Caithness and the Highlands, so if anybody else would like to add themselves onto the trip, please message the page

29/04/2024

Can’t believe the difference in Miss T!
I didn’t really take any before or after pictures as I really didn’t think she would improve. But she started to put muscle on in the hind end, lumbar area and neck. And she’s actually moving better 👌
Miss T presented with an old injury (my guess a fracture either in p***c bone or femur), protective of her inner right hind leg and just general tension all over her body. The first time I worked on her, I did the mistake of mainly focusing on trying to fix the problem: I adjusted the hind end and a bit on her back. The result was the same as with her regular physio: she would get better and then just go right back when I came out to see her again. Her spine was even too uncomfortable for me to start suggesting any in-hand exercises…
So I went back to the ‘less is more’ Masterson philosophy and what a result! I focused on her front end more (combining fascia and sacro-cranial part of the training) and the body just started to heal itself! Can’t wait to see what she will be like in the next few months!
Just another lesson that working directly on the nervous system is the key. Bone cracking and massage have their place, but if you want deeper results, choose .

30/11/2023

Now FULL

Last minute space for Aberdeen this Saturday 2nd!

26/11/2023

2024 is going to be exciting!

I have been looking for a human equivalent to Masterson Method for years and I finally found it!

KINETIC CHAIN RELEASE THERAPY

Tired of living with chronic pain?

Kinetic Chain Release Therapy is a revolutionary approach to chronic pain relief that addresses the root cause of pain, not just the symptoms.
It works by releasing tension and correcting imbalances in the body's kinetic chain, which is the series of interconnected joints, muscles, and bones that work together to move the body.
This therapy is gentle, non-invasive, and can be used to treat a wide range of conditions, including back pain, neck pain, joint pain, and even headaches.

There are so many benefits of Kinetic Chain Release Therapy including:

🩻Improved mobility and flexibility:
By releasing tension in the kinetic chain, the body is able to move more freely and with greater ease.

🩻Reduced pain and discomfort:
This therapy can help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with chronic conditions, allowing a better quality of life.

🩻 Improved posture:
Kinetic Chain Release Therapy can also help improve posture, which can reduce strain on muscles and joints and prevent future injuries.

🩻 Increased energy and vitality:
By correcting imbalances in the body's kinetic chain, energy and vitality is boosted, allowing day-to-day activities to be tackled with greater ease.

From the end of January, I will be qualified in KCR, so will be able to help the horse, as well as the rider. As I will only be just qualified, I will be offering human sessions at a very discounted rate for a limited period of time.

This is a perfect opportunity, if you’re anything like me and prefer to spend money on your horse and not on yourself 😂

20/11/2023

Looks familiar?

Elephants are not much different from horses in this case. Even after all these years of domestication, their spines are still not adapted to carry a human.
Physical therapy is not just a bit of massage and a pat and a scratch to treat your horse. It is absolutely essential, regardless of whether you’re a happy hacker or an Olympic superstar. Physical therapy should go in hand with teeth and feet, it is not a last resort. The body dictates the shape of feet and the state of your horse’s teeth 🤷🏼‍♀️

"An elephant's skeletal structure is not designed to carry weight at its back. They have bony protrusions, extending upwards from the spine. Both the protrusions and the surrounding tissues get damaged from weight and pressure. Many elephants end up with deformed and broken backs as a result of years of long hours spent carrying tourists around." 🌿🌿

(text/image credit: Harsha Madushanka/Weird And Fantastic Things)

18/11/2023

One of my lovely clients’ page!
Kirsty really knows her stuff when it comes to natural horsemanship and is taking on new horses and their humans!
Highly recommended 😉

08/11/2023

Aberdeen 11th instead of 10th this week 🙈 couple more spaces left!

06/11/2023

🐎 Field ornaments and why we sometimes SHOULD feel guilty for not riding them 🐎

This is something that does not apply to every horse and should be analysed on a case-by case basis. In my experience, it especially applies to heavier breeds, cobs and horses with suspicion of, or presence of arthritis. Too many times I see horses that either do not have the correct types of exercises in their work or are not exercised at all, with owner believing that as long as they have turnout, they will be fine.

Very often, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Here’s why:

🐴 your horse will likely plod or bomb about rather than walk actively in the field, using their joints in a healthy way

🐴This won’t be true for everyone, but for a lot of my clients in UK, it is: When in the field, your horse will often have either only a small area to graze on or will mostly stand at hay stations, so this already does not give them enough opportunity for proper movement

🐴 In biology, the phrase ‘What you don’t use, you lose’ carries an important message! In bodywork, this will especially apply to your horse’s joints, when they do not get a chance to go through their whole range of motion on a regular basis

Here’s some tips, to keep your horse’s joints happy and keep your horse going for longer:

- poles, poles, poles! Raised, flat, walking your horse with the pole between their legs, anything to get them to pick up their legs and challenge their brain at the same time

- Hills can occasionally be more detrimental than you might think. Again, check with your therapist!

- Choose a therapist trained in a modality that has a large focus on joints and their range of motion, ie Masterson Method, osteopathy. Also, for your horse to benefit from exercises, they need to be correctly realigned and not just stretched out.

- But most importantly, check with your therapist if the exercises you’re doing are actually suitable for your horse!

So why should we exercise our horses and not just let them plod in the field?
Because joints actually have to be used to stay healthy.

What you don’t use, you lose.

06/11/2023

Please note, I will be taking some time off for when baby Clova arrives in December, as I have been sooo packed with bodywork recently. I will resume as normal from mid January, so if anybody needs their horse seen before 11th December, please let me know ASAP. ***my kissing spine cases will still be seen to, if required***

Thank you
S x

01/11/2023

ABERDEEN: horse needing seen in the area Friday 10th November. More spaces available for that day so please message if you would like to book in.

30/10/2023

AREA DAYS:

GLASGOW/AYR - 17th-18th November
ABERDEEN - 1st-2nd December

28/10/2023

Something I don’t see everyday!

Can you see the steam coming off Dave’s right tuber coxae??? It’s not uncommon for some heat to come up when working on acupressure points, but this was quite extreme! For comparison, I moved the camera to his back as well to show that no heat was coming from the rest of the body, just the hip point! I was asked to have a look at him, as owner noticed him holding his tail to the left.

25/10/2023

Finally got my bum in gear and registered with the IAAT 💪🏻
This gives my clients a peace of mind that I am a fully qualified and insured professional therapist 👌🐎🐎🐎

23/10/2023

MEDIAL LEG STRETCH

What does it mean when your horse holds their hind leg close to the midline? As in Holly’s case, if you feel your horse pull both legs towards themselves (ie medially) this indicates tension in the ventral fascia. Holly is a young horse, who is pretty even on left and right with no major previous trauma and the only issue she has is hind gut imbalance. She has recently been on antibiotics for a short time and it’s likely that this affected her whole gut and not only the caecum on the right side, hence why both legs are involved.

Other possibilities why your horse may want to hold their hind legs (one or both) medially:

🐎 gelding scar
🐎 sarcoids on inner thigh
🐎 arthritis
🐎 weak spine
🐎 dental issues

21/10/2023

That’s me back on the mainland 😮‍💨

I do hope that all my clients and followers are staying safe in these weather conditions, but especially Aberdeen and Perth! You guys always seem to get it worse! I will hopefully see you all next week as planned 🤞🏻

Simona ❤️🐎

20/10/2023

STUCK IN FENCE/DEGLOVING INJURIES

These are one of the most detrimental injuries I often see, as they cause major dysfunction in the spine and pelvis of a horse. Even after the leg has healed, the imbalance further up the leg usually remains and if left untreated, leaves a horse very crooked and unable to use the leg correctly. This also often causes the cartilage in the joints of the affected leg to start deteriorating and often resulting in arthritis, especially in the hock.

If you imagine this situation in the wild, it is very similar to a predator getting a hold of its prey by the leg, especially if there is degloving or damage to the skin or connective tissue present. Your horse would have entered the fight-flight-freeze response, due to expecting to be eaten. Simply healing the injury does not get them out of the response and nervous system reset is required to remove the ‘I’m about to die’ programming that leaves the horse stuck in dysfunction of the pelvis and spine. Because why would you need a well functioning pelvis if you’re about to be eaten anyway? All of the body’s focus is on making the experience as painless as possible, so it will numb the nerves in the area, by constricting the fascia.

Combination of acupressure and spinal/pelvic alignment always does the trick! The longer you leave the horse post injury, the longer it will take to re-align the body, so I suggest asking your vet for permission for physical therapy, as soon as, or just before the injury has healed.

19/10/2023

Dear Perth and Aberdeen clients

I am currently stuck on the Isle of Lewis, due to high winds. I am hoping they will resume sailings on Saturday the lastest, but this is still to be confirmed. As a result, I will need to move all appointments to next week Friday 27th and Saturday 28th. All appointment times would be the same. Please let me know if this is ok for all of you.

Sorry for any inconvenience!
S x

17/10/2023

GLASGOW/AYR/DUNOON

My next dates for the area are 3rd/4th November. Very limited spaces left, please message to book! 🐎