It’s 8.30pm, and I’m still at my computer. I’ve been up since 5.45am, and I’ve driven to a yard an hour and a half away to treat five horses. I’ve written three blogs, filled in a form from RAMP (the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners), a form from ACPAT (the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy), and a form from the CSP (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy). I’ve done my emails, and almost finished putting today’s notes into my database. I’ve eaten (healthily – well done me!), but I’ve not done any jobs around the house, and I’ve not packed for my week away or loaded the car, both of which need to be done before I go to bed.
I’ve been listening on my journeys to the ‘Feel Better, Live More’ podcast by Dr Rangan Chatterjee, with a focus on the four pillars of health – sleep, movement, diet, and relaxation. Sometimes I need an extra nudge to help me remember what’s important, and I think that’s what our gorgeous cat JJ is doing here. She’s jumped up on the side, lay down between me and my laptop, and put her paws on my arm while I’m typing. It’s like she’s saying, “That’s enough now, it’s time to switch off.”
I have a rule of no screens after 7pm (except my kindle for reading), which I’m pretty bad at sticking to (as any of my clients who have received a text message at 9pm when I’m still trying to catch up on admin will tell you!). I am ‘early to bed, early to rise’ person, and normally, it would be lights off any time now. But I’ve got an evening to myself, and as usual, I’ve become engrossed in my work. When you love what you do as much as I do, it can be hard to know when to stop.
However, JJ says it’s time to go. I hope you have someone who cares this much for you, who gives you a nudge when they know you could be looking after yourself just a little better, and who holds your hand to help you do so.
With love and hugs, goodnight for now.
Keep an eye out for my next book, ‘Recognising Pain in Ridden Horses: Performance, Partnership and Potential’, co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson, published by J A Allen, due 2023. Sign up at www.recognisingpaininriddenhorses.co.uk to be kept up to date with new information as it comes available. Watch a FREE 30-minute documentary on recognising pain in ridden horses here.
Here’s a FREE 30-minute presentation by Sue Palmer on how to recognise pain in your horse.
Other books by Sue Palmer M.Sc. MCSP:
‘Horse Massage for Horse Owners’
‘Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training?’
© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2022
