Helen Thornton - Equine Sports & PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapy

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Helen Thornton - Equine Sports & PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapy

Helen Thornton: Equine Sports Therapist, Equine Osteopath EDO stu. Reg AHPR, IAAT. PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapist horse, rider & pets. www.helenthornton.com
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Thornton Equine Academy: Workshops & courses for horse owners & therapists. Register https://helenthornton.com/contact

11/12/2024

🎉 WE HIT 7,000 FOLLOWERS! 🎉

To our incredible equine-loving community: THANK YOU! We've officially reached 7,000 followers, and we couldn’t have done it without your passion for equine health, posture, and well-being. 🐴💙

Every like, comment, and share helps spread awareness about how we can make life better for our equine companions. Together, we’re making a difference—one horse at a time! One THORNTON EQUINE ACADEMY by Helen Thornton student at a time!

We’d love to hear from you:
💬 What’s the most valuable tip or insight you’ve learned here?
📸 Got a favorite success story or photo of your horse thriving? Share it in the comments!

Your feedback and stories inspire me to keep growing and sharing. Let’s continue this journey together toward healthier, happier horses!

Stay tuned for some exciting resources and events I have in store. 🐎

Here’s to the next milestone—let’s gallop forward together!

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06/12/2024

A great small group for today's

Musculoskeletal First Aid Body Check-ups Workshop - Dec 6th 2024- Helen Thornton Equine Academy

Lots of great questions and very good ponies 🥰 and lovely to see some re-attendees.
Humbled people from all over the UK travel to learn from me. Bristol to wales to Lincolnshire all covered ☺️

Thanks for attending folks.
2025 schedule will be available this weekend so keep a look out.

05/12/2024

🌟 Successes with head shaking! 🌟

This week, I've had the privilege of revisiting & working with two amazing horses experiencing head shaking – a condition that can be so challenging for both the horse and their owner. After just one session, both cases have shown an incredible 90% improvement! 🐴💆‍♀️

Equine osteopathy helps address underlying physical imbalances, tension, or misalignments that can cause discomfort and trigger symptoms like head shaking. Seeing these transformations reaffirms the importance of treating the whole horse for long-lasting results.

If your horse struggles with head shaking or other issues, let’s work together to help them feel their best. 💙

You can also Learn a set of must have skills at workshops such as Musculoskeletal First Aid Body Check-ups Workshop - Dec 6th 2024- Helen Thornton Equine Academy

2025 schedule will be out tomorrow for courses and workshops for horse owners * therapists.

30/11/2024

🎄 CHRISTMAS Vouchers 🎄
I've been asked, so would others like vouchers to be available for Xmas presents?
This will be vouchers of varying ££ available towards the cost of a workshop/course.
I guess it's ideal if you know someone who wants to attend in 2025.

These can also be for online physical therapy prescription exercises for those around the 🌎 if wanted.

Never have before, but after a few asks, I thought potentially I could make them available on my website.

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26/11/2024

Yesterday, I saw a horse who the owner reported was clearly unhappy in his head as soon as any bridle went on.

What was interesting and kinda cool tbh, as soon as I tested the cranial sacral system and had my hand on the S2 area of the sacrum, he started to shake his head, just how the owner said he does when the bridle goes on.

So, I thought I'd explain how this could be. Why is a horse displaying this from the sacrum area?

Tensions in the psoas muscle and sacrum can have far-reaching effects on a horse’s body, including the development of pain in the skull. This phenomenon is rooted in the interconnectedness of the craniosacral system, which links the head and the base of the spine through a network of connective tissues, nerves, and fascial structures.

Understanding how tensions in the psoas and sacrum translate to discomfort in the skull involves exploring the anatomy and physiology of these regions and their connections.

1. Understanding the Craniosacral System in Horses

The craniosacral system encompasses the cranium (skull), the sacrum (base of the spine), and the dura mater (a protective membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord). In horses, this system plays a crucial role in maintaining spinal integrity, proprioception (awareness of body position), and overall neurological health. The dura mater extends from the brain down through the spinal column, anchoring at the sacrum via structures like the filum terminale.

2. Role of the Psoas Muscle and Sacrum

Psoas Muscle:

The psoas is a deep-seated core muscle that extends from the lumbar spine to the femur. In horses, it is essential for movements such as flexion of the hip and stabilization of the spine.

The psoas is closely associated with the lumbar vertebrae and can influence spinal alignment and tension.
It's also sharing fascia with the diaphragm! Another super important structure to be evaluated in horses due to its global reach in the body.

Sacrum:

The sacrum is a triangular bone at the base of the spine, connecting the spine to the pelvis. It consists of fused vertebrae that provide stability and support for the horse’s hindquarters.

The sacrum plays a vital role in proprioception, helping the horse sense its body position and movement.

3. How Tensions in Psoas and Sacrum Affect the Skull

Fascial Continuity:

Fascia is a continuous network of connective tissue that envelops muscles, bones, nerves, and organs. Tension in the psoas and sacrum can create a ripple effect through the fascial network, extending all the way to the cranial region.

Tightness in the psoas can alter the alignment of the lumbar spine, which in turn affects the sacrum’s position and tension. This imbalance can propagate upward through the spinal column, influencing the dural membranes connected to the skull.

Neural Pathways:

The nervous system is highly interconnected. Tensions in the sacrum can impinge on spinal nerves or affect the flow of cerebrospinal fluid within the dura mater.

Disruptions in neural signalling can lead to compensatory tensions in the cranial area as the body attempts to maintain balance and function, resulting in pain or discomfort in the skull. Tension in muscles in the head region can be very painful.

Biomechanical Stress:

Imbalances in the psoas and sacrum can lead to improper posture and movement patterns. For example, a tight psoas can cause hyperlordosis (excessive inward curvature) of the spine, placing additional stress on the sacrum.

This altered biomechanics can affect how the head and neck are held, potentially leading to tension in the muscles and connective tissues of the skull.

4. Physiological Implications

Proprioceptive Feedback:

The sacrum’s role in proprioception means that tensions here can disrupt the horse’s sense of balance and spatial orientation. The body may respond by adjusting the cranial structures to compensate, inadvertently causing pain or tension in the skull and vice versa.

Cranial Dural Membranes:

The dura mater connects the cranial and sacral regions. Tensions in the sacrum can create stress on these membranes, leading to restrictions or misalignments that manifest as cranial pain.

5. Manifestation of Symptoms

When tensions in the psoas and sacrum lead to cranial pain, horses may exhibit a range of symptoms, including:

Behavioural Signs:

Reluctance to move, changes in gait, or resistance to being ridden. Snatching at the reins.
Obvious contempt and the bridle going on.

Physical Indicators:

Stiffness in the neck and head, uneven muscle development, or sensitivity to touch around the skull and lower back.

Performance Issues:

Decreased athletic performance, difficulty in executing movements, or inconsistent responses to training.

6. Addressing the Issue

Proper Training and Conditioning:

Ensuring that the horse’s training regimen supports balanced muscle development and spinal health.

To alleviate cranial pain stemming from tensions in the psoas and sacrum, a comprehensive approach is necessary:

Cranial sacral & Myofascial Release:

Techniques targeting the psoas and sacral regions can help release tension and restore fascial continuity.

Osteopathic Adjustments & cranial sacral:

Manual adjustments can realign the spine and sacrum, reducing undue stress on the craniosacral system.

Integration of the Craniosacral System explained:

The dura mater anchors at the cranium (foramen magnum) and continues as the spinal dura along the vertebral column, tethering to the sacrum via the filum terminale

This dural membrane system connects the brain and sacrum physically and functionally, forming the core of the craniosacral system.

Conclusion:

Tensions in the psoas muscle and sacrum can indeed cause pain in the skull of a horse through the intricate connections of the craniosacral system. By understanding the anatomical and physiological pathways that link these regions, horse owners and veterinarians can better diagnose and treat issues that manifest as cranial discomfort, ultimately promoting the horse’s overall well-being and performance.

If you'd like to learn techniques to do valuable body check ups the next workshop is

Musculoskeletal First Aid Body Check-ups Workshop - Dec 6th 2024- Helen Thornton Equine Academy

Image: Google

20/11/2024

Work takes me to some amazing views
Heck of a road trip completed. And met some lovely new horses in need of my help.
Some amazing changes in the ones I saw last time.
And got to use my PEMF for a fractured leg and a check ligament injury.
So many were in need of cranial sacral the most.
Such a varied week.

16/11/2024

The spine and also the relationship to the kidneys.
The mechanical relationship of the kidneys within the body is vast and includes:
The diaphragm, the spleen, Psoas, and adrenals, to name a few.
In the image, the yellow circle shows the immediate SPINAL correlation Th17,18 (thoracics) right under the edge of the saddle,

The 2 kidneys also sit slightly differently and are of a differing shape, as shown in the image. The right kidney is securely held surrounded by other organs, but the left has the spleen coming off it via a ligament

The kidneys are a major part of your horse’s urinary system, responsible for the extraction and removal of waste products from the blood.
Each kidney weighs on average around 680g, but the right kidney is shaped like the heart on a playing card, whereas the left is a more conventional kidney shape. The left kidney sits slightly further back than the right, and due to its vascular connections with the spleen also hanging from it/pulling, this is often the one found to be under tension and in restriction. Creating a pull on the thoraco-lumbar region often when riding pushing the saddle off to the right. Add to this the psoas relationship, and you will eventually have a restricted left hind limb.
During respiration, the diaphragm moves caudal, so the kidney needs to move also.

So maybe you ride a lot of horses with the same feeling in the saddle, like your left stirrup feels shorter?the saddle moves off to the right? so presume it's you, or maybe actually you are riding a few horses with this common restriction!

Take home message: the WHOLE horse approach is invaluable when dealing with ridden horses!

More to come 😊

05/11/2024

Devastated to hear of all the suffering animals 💔

Absolutely hate the devastation this idiotic event causes that really is needless.

04/11/2024

Cheshire visit 26th November

01/11/2024

Thank you so much to another bunch of amazing women, all coming together for the good of the horse 🐎 ❤️

An amazing 2 days, lots of great questions and some amazing responses from my horses.

A shout out to how proud I am of my horses for being amazing teachers to these students on the Equine Structural Balance Therapy Course (2-Days) For owners and therapists.

See you all soon.

01/11/2024

One of our many discussions yesterday, so I thought I'd share here for everyone.

To help all friends who are not from Italy we have translated the last post into English:

One of the most common mistakes made when riding, and that makes horses assume bad postures, concerns the use of hands. Actually, the hand acts on the whole back of the horse and can modify its shape and functions. As a reference point we should start from the natural movement of the horse’s neck which is just the extension of the dorsal, lumbar and hip movements. As we all know, in the gaits characterized by head and neck in a slight up and down pattern the neck moves in such a way as to make the horse walk as Nature has decided it had to, while obviously respecting its health and well-being. The undulations produced by the movement of the legs propagate up to the horse’s neck, head and mouth.

But let’s see what happens if we interfere with this natural movement. If the rider keeps his hands still - we are talking about walk and gallop- the horse can do two things: 1) either it keeps its instinctive and physiological movement, thus touching (going against) the bit regularly (twice every four beats when walking and once every gallop stride); 2) or, as most horses do, it stops and blocks the neck following the movement of the rider’s hand, so as not to suffer the useless pressures in its mouth. This block of the neck, however, has some consequences. To do so, in fact, the horse must stiffen all the muscles of this part and this will lead fatally to the reversal of the cervical spine, followed by the dorsal column among other things, until it gets to the hips, which will move away inexorably from the centre of the horse.

Let's take a real fact as example. If a horse is trained and used to move its neck in a natural way, it would be enough that the rider, who is following that movement with his hand, slows down and stops his movements, thus slowing down and stopping those of the horse’s neck, to see it stop instantly, willingly and in balance, almost without realizing it. The case of the horse who has been deprived of the use of its neck is different: without being able to move it, the horse would have stood still, but the rider on its back insisted on moving and so it did, but in that blocked and harmful way we have just observed. The only thing to do in order to stop will be just pulling the reins... thus worsening the whole situation, of course.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/9zDLsZpgQvNXXC4g/

30/10/2024

All set up for the next Equine Structural Balance Therapy Course (2-Days) For owners and therapists tomorrow. I am looking forward to teaching another group of horse owners/therapists how they can achieve this.

The 2 days always consist of some theory, body check-ups demonstrated, and how to also utilise those checks into gentle mobilisations in key areas such as the thoracic sling and pelvis. This is followed by my key listening sections and plenty of hands-on practice with discussion.

We end the 2 days with an introduction into my prescription exercises and which horses would benefit most from that approach.

Next year will include a day 3 of hoof mapping, which is very exciting.

27/10/2024

Beverley/ Hull 15th Nov
Limited am 🐎 appointments
Dm or call 📞

23/10/2024

For my clients this is an app I'm trialling so what you need to do is Download the app.
* complete your horses details
* your details including YARD address

Then when I need it to make an appointment everything is there.

Please you must complete your sections.
😆

fans Equigate

I'm trialing it to see how it works

To make an appointment with Helen please download Equigate from one of these links

For Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.equigate.client

For iPhone
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/equigate/id1661330034

Sign up as a client and then follow the instructions below

1️⃣Click “Practitioners” button on home screen
2️⃣Click the “connect” button in the top right corner
3️⃣Type code Y88982 into the box and click "connect"
4️⃣Helen will appear in your practitioners list
5️⃣Click on “Send message” to send them a message and book your first appointment

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Videos

Changes not always captured on camera are a missed opportunity because often our eyes can't keep up with such changes #thorntonequineacademy #posturematters #horseownership #equinehealth #allforthegoodofthehorse #horsesforcourses

Simple palpation &don't let anyone tell you this is normal. (Horses do talk) #equinecranialsacral #helenthorntonequinesportstherapy #equineheadshaking #equineosteopathy #thorntonequineacademy #horsecourses #horseowners

Remember this guy from the last reel If your horse stands like this, there is a dysfunction that includes the elbows in the body. Exorotation of the elbows means chest pain, rib n sternum pain!!

Simple palpation often shows the extent of how much a horse is In trouble in their body. This showjumper is coming in for a few sessions. I'll post how we get on. Don't let your horses suffer when you get even not such extremes to simple palpation. Nothing should feel like a brick or in spam ! #showjumpinghorse #helenthorntonequinesportstherapy

All set up for the next Equine Structural Balance Therapy Course (2-Days) For owners and therapists tomorrow. I am looking forward to teaching another group of horse owners/therapists how they can achieve this. The 2 days always consist of some theory, body check-ups demonstrated, and how to also utilise those checks into gentle mobilisations in key areas such as the thoracic sling and pelvis. This is followed by my key listening sections and plenty of hands-on practice with discussion. We end the 2 days with an introduction into my prescription exercises and which horses would benefit most from that approach. Next year will include a day 3 of hoof mapping, which is very exciting.

Sometimes they just feel such a a deep release a somatic stretch ensues Epic #equinetherapy #equinecranialsacral ##equinecranialsacraltherapy #equinecranialsacraltherapist

Wait for it Huge duo TMJ n hyoid release #equinecranialsacral #jawrelease #hyoidbone #equinecraniosacraltherapy

Yes please Just there Have you a horse whose 1st reaction to being approached is head up and brace? Maybe they rear when being clipped only on their neck/getting nearer to ears. Probably their go-to under the smallest amount of pressure is to rear. All classic signs of probable cranial sacral issues. Add in a pelvis that needs constant realignment, a horse that bucks into canter. I'd say 99 % will have a cranial sacral system problem. This boy used to be extremely reactive. Didn't want to be caught. No one could get their hand up to the ears, top of head , major twitching throughout the withers. Also, a misaligned pelvis and generally aversion to any touch. 1 session and all that changed 😊🦄🐎 Here, he is having his 3 month check up. And has a lovely mobile pelvis to boot 🌷🦄🐎🐴 #equinetherapy #EquineWellness #equinesofttissuetherapy #helenthorntonequinesportstherapy #equinecranialsacraltherapy #equineosteopathy #horsebackriding

The importance of diaphragm work can not be under estimated EVEEYhorse needs this #equinetherapy #helenthorntonequinesportstherapy #thorntonequineacademy #cellularhealth

The concept of a horse's diaphragm being connected to the shoulders and jaw refers to the interrelationship of muscle chains and fascia (connective tissue) that run throughout the horse's body. This is often discussed in the context of equine biomechanics, myofascial connections, and how tension or movement in one area of the body affects others. 1. Diaphragm The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle that plays a crucial role in breathing. It separates the thoracic cavity (where the lungs and heart are) from the abdominal cavity. The diaphragm is connected to the lumbar vertebrae, ribs, and sternum, influencing the movement of the ribcage and spine. 2. Shoulder Connection The muscles and fascia of the diaphragm are connected to the shoulder area through a chain of muscles, including the serratus ventralis, which supports the weight of the horse's trunk between the shoulders The fascia also links to the latissimus dors and pectorals, which play a role in moving and stabilizing the shoulders. 3. Jaw Connection The fascial network and muscular chains continue to extend upwards from the shoulders through the neck. Muscles like the brachiocephalicus and sternocephalicus link the shoulders to the head and jaw. The jaw itself, via the masseter muscle and other associated muscles, can influence or be influenced by tension in the neck and shoulder muscles. 🐎The Interconnection: When the horse moves or carries tension in one part of this chain (such as in the jaw due to bit pressure or stress), it can create compensatory tension throughout the entire system. For instance: If the horse is tense in the jaw, it may restrict the natural movement of the neck muscles, which in turn can limit the movement of the shoulders. Limited shoulder movement affects the horse’s ability to use the diaphragm effectively, thereby impacting breathing and overall performance. 🦄Understanding this connection helps riders, trainers, and therapists address the horse

Regular sessions needed for competition horses. Although my treatments hold for quite a number of weeks usually. #showjumpinghorse showjump

Struggling with canter leads ? Change in protraction after tack on? Lack of movement forward or to one direction? #helenthorntonequinetherapist Helen Thornton Sports Therapy & PEMF Musculoskeletal Therapist UK & Europe

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Our Story

I provide Equine Sports therapy and Magna wave PEMF for horses, people and pets. Treating horse and rider is invaluable as one affects the others movement, posture, tensions within fascia lines and centre of gravity. Thus our injuries and pains do effect the horses way of going, so intrinsically even the way we clench our jaw will carry through to the horse.

I have a weekly human clinic at Snitterby for any person not just riders. Common complaints treated are; back/neck pain, shoulder & knee injuries, arthritis management, sciatica, headaches/migraines, auto immune conditions, CFS/ME, sports injuries and much more. Because PEMF is a natural non invasive complimentary therapy that boosts cellular recovery it will target inflammation and damaged cells anywhere in the body. I am a registered PEMF practitioner also after completing training for people, horses and pets in USA.

I take horses in for treatment and I also travel. I provide rehabilitation livery and treatment packages with magna wave PEMF for injuries such as suspensory ligament inflammation or lesions, tendon injuries, fractures, sacro-iliac disease and most other common disorders in the ridden horse.

My CPD is continuous human and equine, I am insured with Balens and work alongside your vet, farrier, saddle fitter, instructor for a happier healthier horse. I am a registered member of IAAT, the International Association of Animal Therapists. I am happy to provide paper work and invoices for veterinary insurance claims.