Join Dr Sue Dyson on a webinar with Intelligent Horsemanship on Wednesday 7th April at 7.30pm. It’s free for members of the Intelligent Horsemanship Association, or £7.50 if you’re not a member. To get your tickets, head to www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk.

I’ve followed Sue Dyson’s work for many years. I was lucky enough to shadow her at the Animal Health Trust for a few days about ten years ago. It was freezing cold, with snow on the ground. Not great for standing around watching horses trot up and down all day long! But Sue’s passion for her work endures whatever the weather. She’s been generous and kind to me, offering advice whenever I’ve asked.

A few years ago I was listening to her lecture at the Horses Inside Out conference. The lecture was titled something along the lines of ‘Pain or Training?’. Since my book ‘Brain, Pain or Training’ had just been published, I gave her a copy. I was amazed to get an email a few days later saying how much she liked the book – I didn’t think she’d even take the time to read it!

One of my favourite take-aways from a lecture by Sue Dyson was the definition of lameness that she gave at one of the Saddle Research Trust conferences. As I remember it, she said that lameness was asymmetry that could be changed with pain relief. That, to me, was a revelation. It’s an ongoing question – what is ‘lame’? To recognise it as an unevenness that changes when the pain is taken away makes so much sense to me. Plenty of horses are uneven. But unlevelness isn’t always pain related, and remembering what Sue said helps me to distinguish between horses who need to see the vet, and horses who are best helped by physio.

I’m absolutely delighted that Sue has agreed to write for my blog once a month. She’ll be sharing some of the latest equine science, and especially the stuff around brain, pain or training. Watch this space! And in the meantime, head over to www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk and book your ticket for tomorrow’s webinar!

© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2021

Treating your horse with care, connection, curiosity and compassion