Equine Release

08/03/2026

🛑 Dissapointed 🛑

Feel free to share to help others

I have to say I’m really disappointed in a post I saw yesterday from a feed company that I used to respect
I will no longer be recommending any of their products. I don’t trust them anymore.

They are promoting that clover in your horses pasture has subtle benefits.

Please 🙏 even the subtlist amount of clover can have huge negative consequences for a sensitive horse

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
🍀Clover in your horse’s paddock 🍀 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀

Clover (Trifolium spp) is often promoted as “nutritious” or “beneficial,” but in reality, it can cause more harm than good, especially for horses with sensitivities.

I have one of these horses!
And I also have clients that have horses that are highly sensitive.

Horses showing any of these signs may be affected by clover in their pasture:

Headshaking or flicking of the head.
Constant snorting or runny nose
Respiratory issues
Digestive upset
Sore, scabby legs or nose (photosensitivity)
Metabolic problems.
Muscle issues
Hormonal or reproductive issues ( not just mares but geldings showing stallion like behavior)

Why it can be harmful ( please do your own research)
Red clover (especially fungus-infected) may cause slobbers (excessive salivation)

The more common clover I have this in my paddock! ( Alsike ) is linked to photosensitivity and liver problems. My horse is currently on L94 from Trinity Consultants.

Phytoestrogens and coumarins in clover can affect hormones and metabolism

Clover rich pastures are high in protein, sugars, potassium which can worsen metabolic or hormonal issues

Please do your own research
And don’t always believe what you read on fb.
And that includes what I post.
I do my own research before I post anything but as always I like to encourage curiosity & self learning

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎

06/03/2026

Using …

"He's had all the checks

As a justification to put a horse through high-stress training until they comply is unethical and any "result" is simply a shut down horse, perhaps a success story for the humans involved, but the horse continues to suffer silently.

I cannot tell you the amount of times I have gone out to see horses who have been seen by multiple professionals and
"cleared" for pain who later get diagnosed with significant pathology. If it quacks like a duck it’s probably a duck.
If a horse is telling you they are struggling and in pain, believe them”

Absolutely 100% and I couldn’t have said it better myself 🙌

This is part of a well written post from LS Horsemanship .. to read the rest please have a look on their page.

Build the right team 🙌

When your therapist refers your horse to your vet it’s because they have spotted a red flag that is beyond their scope.

03/03/2026

‼️‼️ Why we need to rethink stretching horses legs ‼️‼️

🛑Educational purposes only: No horse was harmed in the making of this video. What may look like a ‘tight’ horse, in this instance it’s actually a protective bracing. When the movement goes past his threshold, you see him guard. Once the leg is lowered, his posture changes.🛑

Many owners may presume or have been told the horse just need to ‘ stretch it out’

I don’t like to use generic passive muscle stretching routines for horses, because simply moving a leg ( or neck or belly) for them creates only temporary changes in the tissue and does little to improve motor control of their movement patterns.

Traditional stretching focuses on trying to lengthen individual muscles.

‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️
But muscles don’t work in isolation ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

Every muscle is surrounded and interconnected by fascia which is a continuous connective tissue network that transmits force, supports posture, and links the entire body together.

What feels like a ‘tight muscle’ is often poor fascial glide, dehydration or densification of the tissue, or the nervous system creating protection.

Through research the biomechanics of the horse shows that fascia plays an important role in force transmission, elastic recoil, and coordination between body segments. Importantly, fascia is also richly supplied with sensory nerves that tell the brain what’s happening in the body.

These nerve receptors provide constant feedback to the brain about position, tension, and movement.

This is why I harp on to my clients about the nervous system.

When fascial layers lose mobility both movement efficiency and sensory feedback are affected. That can lead to compensations, altered posture, and reduced body awareness even when the muscle itself is fully capable.

Rather than forcing a limb through a stretch, we should facilitate the horse to initiate and control the movement, engaging the neuromuscular system first.

By doing gentle, controlled input through the fascia which stimulates those sensory receptors, improving proprioception, coordination, and motor control. That nervous system response is what creates more lasting change. Which is what we need.

For this reason, I don’t routinely prescribe passive stretching exercises for owners to do at home. Instead, I teach simple, active mobilisation work that encourages the horse to move themselves and improves how their brain and body communicate.

Passive stretching may create short term increases in range of motion , but active, controlled movement is more likely to influence how the horse actually uses their body.

The aim shouldn’t be to stretch muscles 👎

The aim should be to restore tissue glide, improve sensory feedback, and support efficient, whole body movement through the myofascial system 💪

🙌 Lasting change comes from movements the horse controls, not movements done to them 🙌

As always … Do your own research

01/03/2026

Observing & treating the whole horse 🙌

Everything is connected

𝐄𝐂𝐕𝐌
& Dentistry

𝐄quine 𝐂omplex 𝐕ertebral 𝐌alformation

This is a disorder that was named by Sharon May Davis. This disorder affects the vertebrae and tissue in the neck (base of neck and sometimes upper thoracic). Generally, the shape, symmetry, size differs from a "normal" vertebrae. This can happen to one or more vertebrae and hinder function. Depending on where and how the malformation exists (each horse is different) creates different signs and symptoms. Some horses get along just fine while others are severely affected.

An osteopathic perspective:
Each situation is extremely individual. As an Osteopath, it is imperative to understand restrictions in the WHOLE body, not just the known pathology. This way, relief can be provided by increasing mobility (inside and out) to the entire body. This may take off additional pressure to the pathology, allowing the horse much more ease and comfort.

Patterns of the teeth (that have not been shaped cosmetically, made symmetrical when the horse is not, or too much tooth taken away) are generally a reflection of the mobility of the entire body. When dentistry is done, which the individual horse is not understood, will have repercussions on the horses comfort. This in itself can exacerbate symptoms of ECVM or any pathology or restriction.

Going "against" a mobility pattern of a horse will create additional discomfort, which will lead to a breakdown of more function, mobility, anatomy, and physiology. Common signs being:
•Sensativity to touch
•tripping
•cross catering
•bucking
•bit issues
•headshaking
•excessive drooling
•trouble eating
•weight loss or gain
•anxiety or aggressiveness
•hormone issues or imbalance
•vision loss
•proprioception issues
•unexplained lameness
•difficult to train
•behavior issues & more

We assess the mobility from nose, to tail to hoof prior to any work to ensure we are working in your horses best interest. Our job is to increase the well-being and comfort of your horse!

Beautiful photo of the equine upper thoracic and cervical spine.

Photo cred: Pferdepraxis Dr. Dorian Bindler FVH AG

28/02/2026

‼️Horses, racing & is society at a tipping point‼️

“Scandal after scandal” and yet horse welfare is still moving painfully slowly.

Problem horses reveal the hidden pain many don’t see. Is society finally starting to rethink how humans use animals for entertainment?

In this passionate podcast, Becks Nairn please give her educational page a follow.

Shares her insights on horse welfare, education, and how the keeping of horses needs to change.

I’m curious, if you could change one thing about how horses are cared for what would it be?

My change (I’ve got soooo many!) is in the comments.
I’d love to hear yours.

I hope you enjoy this podcast 🙏

Podcast Episode · HORSE, FIRST - with Lockie Phillips · 25 February · 2h 2m

27/02/2026

Masking

Is basically putting a sticking plaster over a problem

Sometimes it’s done because it feels easier.
Sometimes it’s advice people have always followed.
Sometimes people just arnt aware.

But it doesn’t fix anything.

It just hides it.

Just because you can’t see the issue as clearly doesn’t mean it’s gone.
It’s still there quietly bubbling away underneath, compensating, shifting strain somewhere else and silently waiting.

And one day it can’t cope anymore.

By then the damage is usually bigger and harder to undo.

A shoe on a ‘ not quite right’ horse ( im not anti shoe Iv just seen them used to mask a serious issue) a training gadget because the horse keeps throwing its head in the air, a stronger bit because the horse won’t stop, a tighter noseband because the horse keeps opening its mouth & evading these can all become sticking plasters.

They make things look better on the outside but they often just cover the real cause.

To a trained eye, the signs are still there.

By slowly & gently peeling the layers away to get to the core.

Sometimes a horse looks worse after because we have gently removed the mask the truth is then revealed.

That’s not because your therapist has done anything wrong it’s because the masking has gone and the truth shows up.

Masking might feel like progress, but it’s usually just delay.

You can’t fix what you’re hiding.

The truth will always prevail

25/02/2026

Do Your Own Research

This is probably the most used phrase I say.

I am always transparent in my posts. I’m not a farrier, barefoot trimmer, dentist, nutritionist, saddle fitter.

And I’ve never claimed to be.

If I’m unsure about something that may be affecting your horse, I will always refer you to that relevant professional.

I’ve gained my knowledge through my training and 45 years of not simply following textbook methods. I keep an open, curious mind, researching myself, attending CPDs, and speaking with experts across different fields. I am always seeking answers. I am always questioning.

I tell my clients the same thing

Go and do your own research when I offer advice.

Because if someone is genuinely interested in a topic, they will take the time to explore it themselves, read, learn, and understand. Putting in the effort is what creates true knowledge.

It’s far more valuable and empowering to question everything and be curious.

If you don’t agree, that’s fine because it leaves the conversation open for a discussion to be had.

I just think that’s how we learn. That’s how we grow. And that’s why I will always say

Do your own research.

And I don’t mean just Google. I’m not saying Google is not good. It has its uses, I’m saying expand your search by
looking beyond the generic search engines.

Seek out people who aren’t closed minded or stuck in the medieval mindset from their university days. New research is always emerging, and if people don’t update what they’ve learned, they’re not moving forward with current information

Look beyond the mainstream learning platforms.

Science may not have caught up yet, but that doesn’t mean the observations and knowledge we gain through experience are wrong.

I’ve reached this conclusion even more since attending the full horse dissection in Ireland. Many of the patterns and observations we discussed were consistent across multiple horses, but theres little or no scientific research documenting them only the findings from a very experienced & knowledgeable lady who has performed hundreds upon hundreds of dissections. Is she wrong? I doubt it!

If something works, and is safe with no harm done, why should it be dismissed just because it doesn’t fit someone else narrative?

BE the advocate for YOUR horse 🙌

23/02/2026

Have you ever …. As a therapist…

Turned up at a yard with the intention of treating a horse

But

Ended up treating another one!

The beautiful Shire mare didn’t need me.

Sadly we have a headshaker with the lovely Barney. And his owner feels he’s exhausted all of his options.

It’s going to be a very big process of elimination.

Looking at his grazing ( his paddock is full of clover) environment etc in conjunction with hands on work.

Sometimes the horse you didn’t plan to treat is the one who needed you most

The universe works in mysterious way 💫

22/02/2026

🌺 A gentle reminder as the spring grass starts coming through 🌺

As always do your own research

Please make sure your horse is actually getting enough salt.

A salt lick is not enough to meet their daily requirements.

It’s useful as an enrichment but most horses simply cannot consume enough salt from a block alone. The same is said for a mineral block.

So they end up under supplemented without anyone realising.

Normal intake would be 10g per 100 kg body weight for a healthy horse.

Always make sure your horse has plenty of plain fresh water aswell. Never just give salt water.

Salt helps to encourage more drinking & balances out the high potassium that’s in the Spring grass. And they need salt all year round.

It’s essential for proper muscle and nerve function. Without enough, horses can experience weakness, lethargy, stiffness, muscle spasms, sensitivity, spooky behavior, head flicking.

Some will chew wood, be mouthy on objects like gates, lick your hand excessively, lick the bodies of other horses,

We do have to look at other potential causes of chewing wood etc as it could be stress related, pain, lack of fibre, teething .. this post is predominantly about the importance of salt in the diet.

One of my clients new youngster was very bitey & was chewing wood. So I advised to feed salt straight away. In fact we got some salt to offer him from my hand and he eagerly licked it.

Rachel messaged me letting me know it’s working for him 🙌

21/02/2026

Reality

We see it all the time in plain site in the competition world.
Whether it’s at local shows or affiliated level

It’s hard to understand how horses can perform at all under harsh hands, whipping, or forceful training methods.

What looks like skill from a rider or obedience from a horse is often a horse coping & a rider that may not realise the harm they are doing due to a lack of awareness, education and a mind set of ‘we’ve always done it like this’

Horses are naturally resilient animals and humans take advantage of this resilience, pushing the horse until it eventually breaks and can no longer perform.

But this resilience has a cost. Over time, the repeated bracing, tension, and compensations lead to chronic issues, often showing as rearing, head in the air, spooking, crossing the jaw, refusing to jump, difficulty turning, head tilts, and other protective behaviours.

Then the restrictive gadgets come out. The draw reins, tight nosebands, stronger bits, spurs blah blah blah 🙄

Horses often peak early and break down at a much younger age than they would under kind, correct, and balanced training.

Longevity, soundness, and wellbeing are often compromised in the world of competitive sport.

Surely something has to change?

Will competitive equine sport adapt or slowly disappear?

16/02/2026

Babies

Most people wait until a horse is broken, sore, or ‘behaving badly’ before they consider bodywork.

But by that point, the problem has usually been there for years.

So I was delighted to spend 15 minutes with this sweet baby introducing myself to him.
Along with checking his gelding scar. Once he has settled into his new home I will be starting some cranial sacral & start building a strong thorasic sling 💪

Bodywork is most effective when started early ideally when they’re still foals.

Birth itself is a significant traumatic event on the whole body.

During delivery, a foals head, neck, ribs, pelvis and sacrum are all compressed, rotated and expelled or sometimes pulled through the birth canal. Even in a straightforward foaling, this can create minor strains throughout the body.

Just like human babies torque & tension on the body especially the head is a real thing.

If those restrictions aren’t resolved early, the body simply adapts.

Then it’s a slippery slope of those adaptations become compensations.

Compensation becomes asymmetry.

And asymmetry becomes a normal thing then unwanted behavioural issues start. Then that behavior is labeled as normal 🤦🏻‍♀️

It’s impossible to create a symmetrical 100% balanced body.

It’s not about forcing symmetry it’s about keeping the body mobile and adaptable, so small imbalances don’t become fixed compensations as they grow.

Let’s look at how they stand, walk etc because correcting an imbalance at such an early age is important so we can help build a strong, confident happy adult horse.

It’s far easier to guide a young body into balance than to correct years of compensation in an adult.

We routinely check teeth in youngsters.
We worm them etc

Yet they are rarely checked how their body is doing.

Soundness starts long before training begins.

The best time to treat a horse is before they ever need fixing

15/02/2026

Ulcers & your horses mind & body.

Bodywork, ulcers & why timing matters before you ride your horse again.

I am based near Somerford Park in Cheshire ( please DM with your Postcode )

If you are needing genuine support to get your horse feeling confident to go under saddle again.

I understand the frustration, sadness & desperation to get your horse feeling comfortable again.

Iv witnessed so many that are struggling. The ones that are quick to do so can sometimes reinforce the very problem you’re trying to fix.

But please remember it’s not a quick fix. It’s a slow process that needs your commitment.

If you’ve got a horse with a history of gastric ulcers or hind gut dysfunction. I want to explain a little bit about what’s going on from an osteopathic point of view.

Chronic pain changes the whole mind & body.

A horse dealing with ongoing gut discomfort will brace, tighten and redistribute tension just to cope and keep moving. Muscles start pulling in different directions, fascia shortens, visceral tension increases and compensations become the new normal. The body isn’t relaxed enough to accept or maintain change, just yet.

Pain also leaves a neurological imprint.

These horses often develop muscle memory and protective patterns, especially around tacking up or ridden work, because they associate those moments with discomfort.

This is why timing is important when riding commences.

If we go in with hands on work too early, while the horse is still inflamed or guarding, the body simply won’t release. You can treat the muscles all you like but the nervous system will keep holding onto that excess tension.

Waiting until medication or gut treatment has started working when pain levels have reduced is when real change can happen. That’s when we can begin releasing excess tension, decompressing the system, and helping the horse rebuild trust in its own body.

Ridden work shouldn’t really start before osteopathic bodywork has been done.

An osteopath can feel subtle restrictions, muscle guarding, fascial & visceral tension and areas that are still compensating. From there, i can guide you with appropriate in hand groundwork and gentle movement exercises to prepare the body safely before any rider weight is added.

We have to remember most horses have had ulcers or gut dysfunction for a long time ( even from birth) before symptoms become obvious. The body has often been coping for months, sometimes years.

And healing takes time.

Don’t rush back into ridden work before the mind and body are genuinely ready.

Prepare the system first, then build strength and confidence gradually.









Always consult your Vet if you suspect ulcers.