Performance Animal Physiotherapy

14/12/2024

What is Equine Physiotherapy?

Equine physiotherapy is a specialised branch of physiotherapy focused on assessing, treating, and rehabilitating horses to optimise their physical health, performance, and well-being.

It uses techniques and therapies similar to those applied in human physiotherapy but adapted to the unique anatomy and movement patterns of horses.

The key aspects of equine physiotherapy include:

✨ Assessment - we evaluate the horse’s posture, movement, and muscle condition to identify issues such as stiffness, pain, or asymmetry.

✨ Treatment Techniques - we offer specific treatment and advice based in the individual horse including manual therapy, electrotherapy and exercise programmes.

✨ Conditions Treated - our treatments can help and improve soft tissue injuries, joint problems, post-surgical rehabilitation, performance issues and chronic conditions.

✨Prevention and Maintenance - we often work proactively to ensure horses remain in top condition, particularly for those in demanding roles, such as racehorses, eventing horses, or show jumpers.

✨Collaboration - we work alongside veterinarians, farriers, and trainers to provide comprehensive care.

Overall, equine physiotherapy plays a vital role in enhancing a horse’s quality of life and maintaining its performance through non-invasive, evidence-based methods.

📞 07850 929275
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.performance-animal-physiotherapy.co.uk

12/12/2024

📅 AVAILABILITY - DECEMBER

With holidays and Christmas coming up, our availability for the rest of the month is limited.

If you need to book an appointment this side of the new year, then get in touch as soon as you can.

📞 07850 929275
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.performance-animal-physiotherapy.co.uk

10/12/2024

Introducing Maddy 👋

Maddy is a newly qualified vet physio graduating this year with an integrated masters from Writtle University. She has been shadowing me for several months and many of you will have met her already. Maddy brings with her many years of equine experience and I am delighted to have her as part of my team.

Maddy has also done her Indiba training, so will be able to cover any treatments while I’m away ensuring that treatment plans can be continued in my absence - a relief to me and my clients.

Although I hope to be able to answer any messages and communications in Brazil, for urgent cases please contact Maddy directly on - 07922 822187.

Drop a message below and welcome Maddy to the team 👇

09/12/2024

OUT OF OFFICE ON… soon 🛫

I’m escaping this hideous weather and am heading off on holiday.

From Thursday 12th to Tuesday 24th December, I’ll be in Brazil celebrating the wedding of wonderful clients and friends - hopefully in warmer weather and glorious sunshine!

I’ll then be taking a few days off over Christmas before returning to work in the New Year ready for 2025.

Don’t worry - I’m leaving you in safe hands for those who need an appointment whilst I’m away. Which leads me on to the next part of our news… but you’ll have to check back tomorrow to find out what it is.

08/12/2024

Hello everybody, it’s been a while!

New year, new me and all that - but I’m finishing the year the way I mean to start the next one.

Here’s to me showing up on social media, keeping in touch with past and present clients, and continuing to deliver the best possible service.

There’s some exciting things in the pipeline so keep your eyes peeled over the coming weeks.

I hope you’re all staying sheltered and safe in Storm Darragh… oh wait, we have horses!

02/12/2024

FOR CAROLINE

Through wind, rain, and snow, Team Cycle4Caroline triumphed over an epic 1,100-kilometer journey, undertaken in loving memory of Caroline March.

Over the course of 10 days, this extraordinary team faced every challenge and conquered every terrain with unshakable resolve, all in pursuit of their ambitious goal: raising £500,000 for Spinal Research and the British Eventing Support Trust.

The journey began at the historic Blair Castle in Perthshire, with the team cycling south through iconic eventing venues such as Belsay, Bramham, Chatsworth, Burghley, Blenheim Palace, and Badminton. The final leg of this incredible feat saw riders travelling from Windsor, through the heart of London, to The Savoy Hotel, the venue for the British Eventing Support Trust Charity Ball.

Tom March, joined by his wife, two-time five-star and European gold medal eventing champion Piggy March, led a core group of seven cyclists: BE Support Trust Chair of the Board of Trustees and three-time Olympian Ian Stark OBE, Support Trust Patron Alastair Wilson, and multi-medallist Holly Woodhead. Piggy’s sister Nini French, herself a top-level eventing rider, Brett Bullimore, husband of European Bronze medal winner Sarah Bullimore, and Racesafe’s Tommy How.

Catriona Williams MNZM, the founder of The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Research Trust, made the long trip from New Zealand to join the challenge and served as a true inspiration on this epic journey.

Along the way, guest riders joined in for various sections, including around 50 additional participants—including William Fox-Pitt, Zara Tindall, Tina Cook and showjumpers Joe Stockdale and Jack Whitaker—who cycled the final stretch from Windsor to London.

The journey was inspired by the memory of Caroline March, a talented eventer from Colchester, Essex. In 2022, Caroline’s life was irrevocably changed when a cross-country accident at Burnham Market Horse Trials left her paralysed from the waist down.

Despite undergoing surgery and extensive rehabilitation, Caroline struggled to come to terms with the loss of the active, physical lifestyle she had built around her passion for eventing. Heartbreakingly, she shared with her family that she was making plans to end her life at a clinic in Switzerland.

This remarkable endeavour by Team Cycle4Caroline stands as a testament to Caroline’s legacy and serves as a powerful call to action to support spinal injury research and those facing similar life-altering challenges.

With gratitude and special thanks to
SIGMA SPORTS
DEFENDER
Alan Rayner from Eco-Voltz, the team travelling bike mechanic

NOW IT'S OVER TO YOU!

Our team is relying on your support for the final push to reach their goal of £500,000. Your donations can make all the difference.

As members of the eventing community, we deeply understand the vital work these two charities do, and it’s crucial that we stand behind them.

You don’t have to be an eventer to make an impact—spinal injuries can affect anyone, at any time.

In 2003, a car accident changed my life. It left me unable to ride and compete regularly, and I continue to face the challenges of painful lower back trauma. It's not just the physical injury that takes a toll—it’s also the mental and emotional hurdles you carry with you every day.

Please give what you can to help support those who need it.

https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/4699/cycle4caroline/

Katie
Editor Eventing Times

Defender Blair Castle International Horse Trials Belsay International Horse Trials Defender Bramham Horse Trials Chatsworth International Horse Trials Badminton Horse Trials Agria Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials

30/09/2024

Lots of clients in the last few weeks have been trying out the latest edition to my Physiotherapy assessments .. objective gait analysis.

New AI gait monitoring recorded through your iPhone measures any asymmetries at trot for both straight lines and on the lunge.

This data is invaluable for assessing your horses normal gait patterns, monitoring for any changes, measuring the effects of treatments and adapting rehab programs.

All the data and videos are easily shared between interested parties and you can even record videos for analysis yourself through the app for remote monitoring as often as you’d like.

Interested? Get in touch to book your horses physio assessment now 📞

24/09/2024

14/08/2024

Good luck to Bruno and Aurora heading up to the British TREC champs in Scotland this weekend!

27/07/2024

Wishing everyone the best of luck at the Paris Olympics as it gets underway today but especially to my two clients Sofia Sjoborg Eventing and Rafa Losano R&A equestrian representing their countries in eventing. Good luck to the whole Swedish 🇸🇪 and Brazilian 🇧🇷 teams!

Sad not to be out in Paris this time supporting them but I've been working with both these riders for many years now and prep started months (years!) ago in anticipation for this event. Sending off these two horses in the best condition possible is something I'm very proud of! What ever the result, just getting there is a huge achievement in itself!

IRVAP Indiba Animal Health Animal Therapy Magazine

05/07/2024

Getting this asked a lot recently as new hay has been made. If in doubt ask the farmer the dry matter percentage and get it tested yourself.
We as horse owners often worry about grams of ingredients in the bags of food we feed but who tests their hay/haylage and grass to find out the nutrients and levels if contains? Bearing in mind this usually makes up the majority of your horses diet!

WHEN IS NEW HAY AND HAYLAGE SAFE TO FEED?

Q: I’ve been told I can’t feed this year’s hay until the winter, and also I’d like to know how long I need to leave haylage before it’s safe to feed?

A: New hay is ready to feed almost straight away IF it is dry enough (dry matter of over 88%) when made. Hay is traditionally left for a few weeks to 'cure' especially in the UK due to unreliable weather often resulting in a less than ideal dry matter i.e. too high a moisture content. This moisture content can lead to some microbial activity after baling, making it unsafe to feed straight away. If in doubt, leave new hay for 4-6 weeks.

Haylage is wilted and wrapped when it has a higher moisture content than hay, which leads to a fermentation of the carbohydrates in the grass. This process makes the pH (acid/alkaline balance) of the grass drop a little, which eventually causes the fermentation to cease. Once this fermentation has finished, the haylage is safe to feed. How long that process takes will vary according to the carbs and moisture content of the grass, but a safe guide is 6 weeks. Never feed haylage whist it is still fermenting.

Feel free to share!
🐴🍏🟨🎋

29/05/2024

The performance of top equine athletes is the number one concern of any vet, especially during the most important events of the season! 🏇

INDIBA is your most trusted partner to help see your horse patients through a tough year, giving you a vital rehabilitation solution that uses radiofrequency to stimulate healing, reduce pain and inflammation as well as promote faster return to training.

The precise frequency of 448kHz is both biostimulating, enhancing cellular metabolism, and it has thermal plus sub-thermal effects to help improve tissue repair, pain management and circulation. With over 400 in vitro and clinical publications on the Indiba radiofrequency devices, no other medical device comes close to the level of safety and clinical evidence. In addition to this, it can also be used with most other therapies without any limitation on the number of treatments.

Enhance your rehabilitation services with INDIBA radiofrequency today! 🔗https://bit.ly/INDIBA_Radiofrequency

08/05/2024

It's Badminton week!
In my opinion one of the most exciting weeks of the year.
Having attended as a spectator nearly every year as far back as I can remember, to be able to work 'behind the scenes' was merely a dream. To now call that dream a reality 5 times over is still surreal.

My first taste of working at Badminton was actually on the HorseHealth trade stand, hard work but great fun. I went in to do a full season with the HorseHeath/Le Mieux team doing all the major events in the UK and Ireland.

Whilst freelance grooming when studying to be an equine physio and establishing my business I was lucky enough to be asked to groom several times looking after the lovely Fernando and Hugo.

Then came the first time solely as a physiotherapist supporting my clients, Dwight in the 5* and Puzzle contesting the grassroots championship.
I can safely say it's super nerve-racking watching your clients pride and joy heading out the start box knowing how much it has taken to get a horse to this level, but the relief seeing them come safely back over that finish line is worth it.

No horses this year at Badminton, with clients preparing for another big event this year just across the pond 🇫🇷🏅 but wishing the best of luck to each and every rider and horse competing, and to the whole support team cheering them on every step of the way. 🍀🤞🏆

.en
.mallett

07/05/2024

17/04/2024

IRVAP membership renewed for another year 🎉

When choosing a physiotherapist for your animal it's so important to check they are appropriately qualified and insured. If the therapist is registered with a governing body such as IRVAP, NAVP, or ACPAT, you can be assured that they are.

As an IRVAP member you can be assured that we:

✅ Have qualified via a recognised accredited training programme at degree level.
✅ Carry appropriate professional and public liability insurance.
✅ Work in accordance with current legislation alongside your veterinary surgeon.
✅ Work within a professional code of conduct and ethics.
✅ Continually maintain and enhance our skills and knowledge by completing regular CPD.