horse physio - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer

Tag: horse physio

Don’t wait until your horse is in pain to check their comfort levels!

By Sue Palmer on April 28, 2024

I’m frustrated at horses being labelled as naughty when they’re actually lame or in pain. How else is a horse supposed to tell you that he’s hurting other than through his behaviour? Since you’re reading this, I know you share my frustration. We know that just about everyone loves their horse and wants the best for him. You’d be devastated if he was in pain and you didn’t know about it. So, to help owners and riders be more confident that their horse is comfortable, I’ve put together this short video and blog, which I’d appreciate it if you would share widely on your favourite social media channel. Here are three simple exercises you can do on a daily basis to check that your horse is comfortable.

Finding the Right Time: A Guide to Stretching Your Horse

By Sue Palmer on April 4, 2024

Determining when to stretch your horse depends on your goals. Stretching may improve flexibility, reduce injury risk, help monitor neuromusculoskeletal health (meaning relating to nerve, muscle and bone), and enhance your horse's overall comfort. There are no hard and fast rules, and here are some examples of when to stretch, based on the stretches that I share in my online course, “Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy.”

How do I do fascial stretches with my horse?

By Sue Palmer on March 6, 2024

To stretch the fascia, we need to be slow and gentle. That’s one reason I’ve chosen to share fascial stretches in the course "Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy". I think that slow and gentle works well with horses. A blog by Amanda Oswald on the Pain Care Clinic website states, “We know that trying to force fascia to stretch is not going to get us anywhere. However, the viscoelastic properties of fascia also mean that it responds well to heat and gentle sustained pressure. This combination creates a physical change in the tissue, making it more fluid, in the same way that the combination of heating and stirring treacle makes it more runny.”. Allow the soft tissues of the body time to release tension. Think of how your body feels when doing a stretch (for example, a calf stretch or a hamstring stretch), and imagine that perhaps your horse is feeling similar sensations. With these stretches, slow and steady wins the race.

What is a stretch?

By Sue Palmer on February 21, 2024

The word "stretch" can function as both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it refers to something soft or elastic that is capable of being made longer or wider without tearing or breaking. For example, "my sweater stretched in the wash." It can also mean straightening or extending one's body or a part of one's body to its full length, typically to tighten one's muscles or reach something. For instance, "the cat yawned and stretched." As a noun, it can refer to an act of stretching one's limbs or body, such as "I got up and had a stretch," or a continuous area or expanse of land or water, like "a treacherous stretch of road."

Help me to help 100 horses (or more)

By Sue Palmer on February 8, 2024

Do you live in an area where it's challenging to get access to physio for your horse? Does the cost of physio mean that you can't have your horse treated as often as you'd like? Would you like to be able to do more for your horse? Would you happen to know someone who any of the above applies to? Please help me reach these people and their horses by sharing this blog. I'd love to help 100 horses this month; perhaps it's your horse I can help? If not your horse, wouldn't it feel wonderful knowing that you have made a difference by passing on the information someone needs to support their horse? I'm on a mission to help those who can't get the horse physio assessment and treatment they would like to offer their horse. I've carefully and lovingly created an online course, "Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy". There are ten stretching exercises (video included) and lots of information about how, where, when, why and what to stretch.

The role of stretching

By Sue Palmer on December 2, 2023

In conclusion, stretching is a valuable practice for both humans and horses. Incorporating regular stretches into your equine's routine can promote flexibility, prevent injuries, and enhance overall performance. Whether you choose static, dynamic, or a combination of both, doing stretches with your horse will not only benefit their physical well-being but also deepen your bond and partnership with them. So, let's embrace the power of stretching and unlock the full potential of our equine companions.