J Varley Veterinary Chiropractor and Massage Therapist, Chorley (2025)

06/12/2025

Honestly my clients are unreal 🤍 Amy & Rachael you really are such thoughtful friends.
Some fabulous pictures of my clients!!
I was literally speechless🥺🩵

05/12/2025

Equestrian business awards with my best mate 🩵

04/12/2025

Hey guys, just letting you know that I really can’t fit anyone else in December and I’m working as late as I possibly can to get everyone in before the big man comes 🎅🏽(I appreciate this so much!) as I’m having some time off (fully off from 25th-back in work 2nd)

I’m nearly booked fully for January. I have a few people that I’ve noted to re book but if I’ve missed you please will you send me a message?

As always thankyou so much. Appreciate you all so much for keeping me so busy❤️

30/11/2025

Wonderful night at the Equestrian Business Awards celebrating hard working people and their thriving businesses! 😎

Unfortunately didn’t take “Equine Therapist of the Year” home this year, but I’m not one to give up! 🤞🏽
Well done to all the finalists- 850 nominations and we were in the top 4 🤯

Thankyou to all my clients old and new that voted and entrust me with your gorgeous 4 legged besties I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t do this job! 🩵

Thankyou to my mum for coming down with me. Also lovely to see another fellow northerner Alison Calvert as an Instructor Finalist!!

I just thought I would share some of the anonymous comments you lovely peeps have left for me to read- They actually made me feel proud of myself 🩵

- Jade is ambitious, reliable and very knowledgeable. She helped me and my horse through a stifle issue and created a fantastic Rehabilitation plan for us which has proven itself successful. She takes the whole situation into consideration and not just the horse and its physical presence. She also collaborates with a saddle fitter to share information to help the horses wellbeing as best as she can. She is also always there if there is questions or support needed. I really believe she would deserve this recognition!

- Jade takes a personal approach with each of the horses. She is thorough, professional, caring and provides as excellent service. She cares so much and provides excellent therapy and chiropractic services to all the horses she sees.

- Jade is amazing and calm and our horses absolutely love her, she is extremely knowledgeable and really cares. My 23 year old Irish draught x TB has improved his movement from only 1 treatment from Jade.

- Jade has all of the time in the world for her clients, horses and humans alike. She cares for our animals as she would her own.
She cheers for and shares in all of our successes.
She has high expectations for herself and she executes them all perfectly and consistently.
She really is one in a million.

- Jade goes above and beyond when treating our horses and is professional but friendly. She treats each horse like her own. Has kept our 6 year old in work with her massages.

- Jade is so professional, personable and dedicated to her role as an equine chiropractor and therapist. Her attention to detail from initial assessments to reports/work ups/exercise regimes is second to none. Also such a calming effect on the most nervous of ponies.

- Jade has been treating my horses for 2 years now and is by far the most knowledgable and caring Equine therapist I’ve ever used. She is consistently improving her buissness with new technology and expertise via courses she completes. Since finishing her masters in Equine Chiro she has upped her ability to diagnose and treat to a new level. I cannot recommend enough. No one is more deserving of this award.

- I am nominating Jade for equine therapist of the year because of her exceptional dedication and profound impact on both her clients and their horses. Jades unique approach combines deep empathy, extensive knowledge and innovative techniques resulting in remarkable improvements in the physical and emotional well-being of the horses she treats. Her unwavering commitment to her clients coupled with her ability to foster trust and healing set her apart as a truly outstanding equine therapist. Jade‘s passion for her work and her continuous pursuit of excellence makes her THE deserving candidate for this award.

- Jade is the most dedicated and caring person you could hope to find to help care for and maintain your horse. She is meticulous in her care for our horses and ponies and is always on hand to offer advice and support if needed. She genuinely is a credit to the industry and I can think of no one more fitting to nominate

- Jade is not only talented and knowledgeable at delivering the treatment and advice aspects of her work she’s also great at developing a great rapport with her patients (equine or otherwise) and their owners which is shines through in the customer reviews Jade receives.

- Jade work ethic is impeccable, nothing is to much trouble, she is super professional & at the same time caring & so knowledgeable in her profession - a truly outstanding individual

- Jade is excellent at what she does and is quiet, kind, and patient with my lovely old horse, she talks me through everything she does so I fully understand she checks in between visits, she's reliable and just the best

- Jade is amazing at her job and she is brilliant the animals. My horse injured himself last week and I messaged Jade to see if she could come urgently. Jade got back to me straight away and relieved my horse from pain in just one session ! She is extremely professional and she always goes the extra mile ! She deserves this award

- Jade is a hard working individual who goes above and beyond for her clients. Having made the leap from an equine massage therapist to an equine chiropractor she has proved that she is driven and passionate about provided high end care to her clients

- Jade treats mine and my daughters horse like he is her own. Her professional approach is second to none. Jade explains everything to us what her treatment involves and leaves us with clear instructions to carry on with until her next visit. Jade is very passionate about all her patients and I would always recommend her to fellow horse owners

- Jade is a great therapist has assisted with my two mares for 18 months. One who is 17 and recently had some issues, Jade has been so helpful and supportive with her care. 100% has helped my mares with regular visits

- Jade has been treating my horses and is so professional and has picked up on so many things other therapists have not noticed. Always gives me a full written report at the end of the session. My horses also love her nothing is rushed she works so hard a lovely person.

- Jade has treated my horses quite a number of times. She is kind, patient and very knowledgeable in her field. She is always striving to keep up with new theories and techniques and technologies. I would recommend her to anyone. My horse is so much more supple and his performance has improved.

- Jade is absolutely with every horse she attends, always gives thorough examination, gives advice on everything and has amazing communication. Bonus my pony absolutely adores her!!

- Jade is a professional through and through, she is amazing with the horses she explains everything she is doing and has done and then sends you a fully detailed report afterwards which is amazing.

- Not only is Jade an absolute pleasure to have on our yard due to being just so down to earth and friendly, she is also incredibly knowledgeable. Jade gives her all to caring for our animals, and is thorough throughout the whole process and afterwards. I would never trust anyone more with my beloved animals more than I trust Jade. She is a true animal lover, and deserved this award!

- It is with great admiration that I nominate jade for this prestigious award. Her dedication, expertise and compassionate approach makes such a profound difference not only to the animals she treats but also their owners. Jade exemplifies what it means to be an equine therapist. She constantly demonstrates exceptional skill and knowledge in her field and is continually expanding her knowledge through ongoing education and training.
She has earned the trust of her clients and the reviews she receives are a reflection of how well she is thought of within the industry.
Jade approaches each of her clients with empathy and a determination to make a positive difference. She embodies the values and excellence that this award seeks to celebrate.

- Jade has helped me and my pony so much on our rehab journey, understanding is very sympathetic, very in depth reports and is amazing with both me and my pony.

- Jade consistently goes above and beyond for all of her customers (animal and human), nothing is too much trouble and you can just see she really genuinely cares for each and every animal she treats. She’s so extremely knowledgeable and constantly sharing this information with me to help me understand.

- Very professional attitude, with attention to detail in her work. Great knowledge and treats the horses with kindness. A though report issued with exercises and explanations on how to carry them out and most importantly always available to answer questions. I would highly recommend to anyone.

- Jade is a beautifully dedicated young lady, who genuinely loves the animal. She has helped not only my own horse but many others within the area. I have nothing but the utmost praise and respect for her and what she strives to achieve within the equine industry. She’s a breath of fresh air.

- Jade has treated my veteran mate for the past 3 years. She started to show signs of stiffness through her shoulders and hind end. With the help of jade she is feeling better and is completely sound enjoying life as if she was a youngster

- Jade is amazing in what she does she has just qualified as a chiropractor and did my pony last week she’s so much better after it can’t thank
Jade enough. She’s treated our horses for the last few years now doing sports massage and ten change after is unbelievable one of our ponies has a lot of problems which Jade treats. She also provides great follow up info and instructions with videos and a pdf file.

- Jade is the hardest working person I know, she deserves this award due to the immense passion and dedication she puts into her work, day in and day out. She should be extremely proud of herself. Her clients recommendations and outstanding reviews say it all!

- Jade is amazing and gives all owners a full programme of rehab for horses in her care.

THANKYOU SO MUCH 🩵

28/11/2025

Warming up and cooling down after exercise 🩸🧊

Guys the weather has taken a turn, it’s cold, wet, windy and for most people- your horses are stood in for longer periods of time 🧊 ⚙️

Which means we need to adapt to that. It’s not like in summer when they’ve just come from the field- moving, foraging and taking them for a ride with fairly warmed up muscles ☀️

It’s something that can be forgotten but It’s a key aspect to keeping your horses performance and soundness all year round🫵🏼

I know I always base this on what I would do (even though I don’t ride as much as i would like to anymore😢) , but this is because I love the training aspect of riding horses. It’s so rewarding, but also EVERYTHING is marginal gains - a supple, happy horse is everything ❤️

So this is how I break down a schooling session

✨Be prepared for my OCD ✨

🩸Warm up - 15 minutes

5 minutes in hand walk
5 minutes ridden walk - I like to practice my free walk on a long rein- getting that nose out and stretching over the back
5 minutes loose rein off the back in trot and finishing off with a canter off their back

😮‍💨Training - 20/25minutes - this can be whatever you are working on

🧊Cool down- 15 minutes

5 minutes - stretchy trot
10 minutes - in hand walk

That’s only 35 minutes of ridden work and you’ve warmed your horse up properly, had a productive ridden session and then cooled down appropriately.

Here are the benefits below - I’ve kept them short as I could talk on this topic for so long 😂 ⬇️

🐎 Why Warm Up Before Exercise?

🩸 Increases blood flow to muscles
Gradually raising the heart rate delivers more oxygen to the muscles, preparing them for harder work.

⚙️ Loosens joints and soft tissues
Walking and gentle trotting warm the tendons, ligaments and joints- making them more flexible and less prone to strains or tears.

💪🏽Improves performance
A properly warmed-up horse moves more freely, responds better, and can work more efficiently.

🫣Prevents injury
Cold muscles and tight connective tissues are at a much higher risk of damage.

🧐Helps the horse focus
The warm-up transitions the horse mentally from rest to work, improving attention and rideability.

🐴 Why Cool Down After Exercise?

❤️ Gradually lowers heart rate and breathing
Cooling down allows the cardiovascular system to return to normal safely.

💪🏽Prevents muscle stiffness and soreness
Light movement after work clears lactic acid and reduces the chance of next-day stiffness. AKA - DOMS - if you’ve been to the gym yourself you’ll understand this 🙈

🥵Reduces the risk of overheating
Walking helps dissipate heat, especially after intense or sweaty work.

🦵🏽Protects tendons and ligaments
A progressive return to resting state prevents sudden tightening of tissues.

👏🏽Supports overall recovery
A good cool-down prepares the horse’s body for the next training session.

✅ Warm-up = prepare the body and mind, boost performance, prevent injury
✅Cool-down = aid recovery, avoid stiffness, stabilize body systems

This may vary based on your aims, stages in ridden work. But not the warm up & cool down- you need that no matter what.

To conclude, don’t forget about how important this is, your horse will thank you.

27/11/2025

⬇️ 👀

25/11/2025

Long reining/long-lining is important for horses because it develops balance, communication, and confidence without the weight of a rider ⚖️

I tend to recommend long reining a lot to my clients so I thought I would expand on why it is so beneficial to your horse!
This isn’t just an exercise to do while rehabilitating your horse, it should be a key aspect in your training 🐎

Everyone has different views on what is hard, medium and light work - this is why I always ask you to specify what hard/medium and light work means to you 🙂😮‍💨🥵

This is my take on what I believe is hard/medium/light work- and this is how many times per week I would incorporate long reining/lining into my week depending on the intensity ⬇️

Your horse does not need to be ridden 6x per week to see benefits of training - in fact, if your training is quality 5x per week is PLENTY- as long as your horses stays active on their days off and their diet is monitored a little more on rest days 📅

🌟Remember 🌟 - Rest days are crucial for recovery, muscle growth, injury prevention and mental recovery

Hard work: (5/6x per week) - 2x per week long reining
Medium work: 3/4x per week) - 2x per week long reining
Light work: 1/2x per week- 1x per week long reining

🌟Here are the key benefits 🌟

💪🏽Builds correct muscle and posture
* Encourages the horse to work in a relaxed, correct frame.
* Strengthens the topline, hindquarters, and core.
* Helps develop straightness and symmetry.

👣Improves balance and coordination
* The horse learns to carry itself without depending on a rider.
* Great for young or unbalanced horses who need to learn how to move properly.

🗣️Enhances communication and responsiveness
* You can use reins, voice, and body language to teach cues clearly.
* Helps improve steering, halts, transitions, and lateral movements.

🐴Prepares young horses for riding- teaching the basics at the start of education!

* Teaches the basics—turns, stopping, bending, rein contact—before you get on
* Makes starting under saddle smoother and safer.

🥰Builds confidence
* Horses learn to go forward independently.
* Helps nervous or green horses become more confident away from the handler.

🦾Useful for rehabilitation
* Allows horses recovering from injury to rebuild strength and correct movement gently, without a rider’s weight.

🧐Helps with problem-solving
* Can fix issues like bracing, rushing, poor steering, or lack of engagement.
* Gives the trainer a better view of how the horse uses its body- are there any discrepancies in their way of moving, has this changed? And why?

😌Versatile training tool
* Works for any discipline—dressage, driving,eventing, jumping and hacking
* Can be done in an arena, on a circle, or even on trails and fields
* Poles can be incorporated to increase ROM & proprioception

To conclude, get both of those lunge lines out and give it a go. If you are unsure, there are plenty of trainers/instructors that will happily give you a lesson and how to do this properly- it’s not easy so if you’re new to this, seek help. An exercise done wrong is not worth doing 🥰

22/11/2025

❄️🐴 Winter Doesn’t Mean You Have to Slow Down!

Here are easy, safe exercises to keep your horse active, supple, and mentally stimulated during the colder months:

(Of course if it’s icy/dangerous to do so… it goes without saying this a no go) 🧊 ✋

⛄️ Some Winter-Friendly Exercises:

• Pole work at the walk/trot – Great for building core strength and warming up tight muscles.

• In-hand lateral work – Shoulder-in, leg-yield, and gentle bending keep your horse flexible without strenuous effort.

• Hill walking – If the ground is safe, this low-impact workout builds topline and stamina.

• Liberty or groundwork sessions – Perfect for bonding and keeping your horse’s brain engaged when riding isn’t ideal.

• Short, focused rides – Quality over quantity! Warm up gradually and cool down carefully.

✨ Winter exercise helps maintain fitness, prevent stiffness, and support your horse’s overall wellbeing.

Stay warm, stay safe, and keep them moving where you can!

Thankyou Mildred for being a top model… she is 19 years old and her main exercises are hacking and ground work 🙌🏽

14/11/2025

The benefits of the water treadmill 💦

Quite a different post to normal but I just wanted to give an explanation as to why I am always recommending the water treadmill and of course HLS Equine Therapy in particular!

This video below highlights the importance of the walk and how it provides a greater lateral movement of the spine & pelvis and takes the joints and tissues through a greater range of motion.
Hydrotherapy offers a low- impact yet a highly effective way to improve fitness, recovery and performance 🫁

I spent the afternoon with Jodie, Manager at HLS, to assess a range of horses and how much impact the treadmill has on a variety of horses, of all disciplines, and those in the stages of rehabilitation. You can see from the video, of this dressage horse, how when the water is increased the lateral movement through the spine and pelvic region it is taken through a greater range of motion and encourages her to use her body correctly and aid suppleness

Of course, not all horses achieve this movement straight away, and the water must be built accordingly to the horses needs, especially if under vet recommendation. This is a strenuous exercise and because of this, must be tailored to the individual.
…..

This is why I love the words “I take my horse to the treadmill regularly as well” 🙌🏽

It supports horses both in training and rehabilitation. Here’s why it’s so important:

- Supports Recovery and Rehabilitation
- Improves Muscular Strength and Endurance
- Enhances Joint Health and Flexibility
- Promotes Mental Wellbeing
- Aids in Injury Prevention
- Suitable for Horses at All Stages

But if we go a little deeper and focus on the movement of the body as whole as seen this video the benefits really are eye opening…

🩵 Encourages Correct Spinal Movement

* Water supports the horse’s body weight, reducing concussion and allowing the spine to move more freely.
* When walking or trotting in water (such as on a water treadmill), horses naturally lift through their core and engage their topline muscles—the long back muscles, abdominal muscles, and those surrounding the pelvis.
* This encourages a rounded, lifted posture rather than a hollow back, which is ideal for spinal health and correct biomechanics.

🐎 Improves Core Strength and Stability

* The resistance of water activates deep stabilising muscles along the spine, including the multifidus and abdominal muscles.
* A stronger core supports the vertebrae and helps protect against strain or misalignment during ridden work.
* This is particularly valuable for horses recovering from back pain, kissing spines, or poor posture caused by incorrect training or saddle fit.

💧 Enhances Flexibility and Range of Motion

* The buoyancy and resistance of water encourage greater flexion through the joints and spinal column.
* Horses tend to lengthen their stride and stretch their topline when moving through water, gently improving flexibility and spinal mobility without force.

⚖️ Supports Symmetrical Muscle Development

* Water work encourages balanced use of both sides of the body, as the resistance is uniform.
* This helps address asymmetries that can lead to uneven loading of the spine, improving overall posture and movement quality.

To summarise, hydrotherapy supports the horse’s spine by promoting core engagement, flexibility, correct posture, and relaxation, all without the high-impact stress of ridden or ground work. Over time, this helps improve the horse’s overall back strength, suppleness, and spinal health…KEY foundations for performance and long-term soundness.

09/11/2025

Remembering the Soldiers, animals and civilians who lost their lives for our freedom

We will never forget ❤️💜

J Varley Veterinary Chiropractor and Massage Therapist

06/12/2025

05/12/2025

04/12/2025

30/11/2025

28/11/2025

27/11/2025

25/11/2025

22/11/2025

14/11/2025

09/11/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category