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Equine Release, Somerford, Congleton (2026)

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, 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.

Some will chew wood, be mouthy on objects like gates, lick your hand excessively.

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

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 🙌

🌺 Edited to say : The cat has only wanted to drink it once. He no longer has any interest in it 🌺

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.

14/02/2026

The lovely Ted

Who I went out to see when his new owner was in a complete panic.

He was very discombobulated, misaligned, with exceptionally high heels and very short toes.

When the feet can’t provide accurate sensory feedback, the nervous system struggles with spatial awareness. Horses often present as stumbly, anxious, and resistant because they literally don’t feel safe in their own body.

His whole nervous system was shot!!

He was tripping, bucking, and starting to refuse to go forward, and his little rider was losing confidence.

An osteopathic approach was needed to realign, rebalance, and re regulate his body, alongside a change of diet.

But most importantly, removing his shoes ( I’m not anti shoe they do have their place in certain situations) and correctly balancing his feet was the only way to achieve complete whole body balance.

He was in a state of mechanical imbalance due to his unbalanced feet.

Four weeks later, he has new, balanced feet. And the bull nose is no more 🙌

We don’t want a bulge on the front of the hoof wall👎

He’s happy, relaxed, and being ridden away with no more issues.

I’m looking forward to seeing him next week for his final treatment with me before moving him onto maintenance appointments.

Quick pictures of how the front & hind feet have better angles.
It’s not just the outside of the hoof we take into consideration. The underneath is important. It’s a slow but consistent process.

12/02/2026

💝 Valentines Day 💝

Is nearly here & what better way to receive some unconditional love 💝

This beautiful mare first attempt at regulating her own nervous system.

This is the end and a lovely way for her to show me her appreciation 💝

10/02/2026

🫣 You’ve seen it before
( rider telling the horse) 🫣

🤦🏻‍♀️ Stop being stupid 🤦🏻‍♀️
( rider telling the horse)

How many times have you heard this being said to horses by the rider.

You take your horse past something one way and there’s no reaction,
come the other way and all hell breaks loose. Suddenly your horse is acting like a raving lunatic!

We think they’re being dramatic.
But to them, the world looks very different to how we perceive it.

Each eye sends most of what it sees to the opposite side of the brain, and each side does slightly different jobs.

That’s why the same object can feel completely different depending on which way they see it first.
Some horses prefer one side, some the other, and reactions change as they get used to something.

But then it got me thinking about the state of the horse’s nervous system even before theyve reacted.

If the horse is already in fight or flight mode sometimes because of pain or discomfort even a small, unfamiliar object can trigger a big reaction, and the fear is reinforced faster than it would in a calm, regulated, confident horse.

Sometimes we see spooky or “uncontrollable” horses being lunged really hard and fast until they appear to calm down.

But fast, pressured lunging actually stimulates the flight response. It raises adrenaline and tells the horse to move, not relax.

What looks like calm is often just fatigue, they’re actually exhausted.

Add small, tight circles at speed and you’re also loading the hocks and joints far more than they’re designed for.

So instead of regulating the nervous system, we can end up reinforcing stress and putting strain on the body at the same time.

This is why I’m a massive fan of working on their nervous system because it governs everything.

So they’re not being the lunatics we think they are. Their brain just hasn’t absorbed the experience from both sides.

09/02/2026

🤔 Sometimes I wonder if my posts come across as being preachy, opinionated or critical 🤔

That’s never my intention.

My work is centred around welfare, education, and helping horses feel and move better.

And sometimes I’m there for the owners.

That naturally means asking questions and looking closely at the ‘ Why’ behind what we do.

I don’t believe in following tradition or advice blindly. If something doesn’t make sense, it’s reasonable to question it and look for better answers. That’s how we improve standards and move forward.

We all have different approaches. I tend to be direct and honest, and if I share something that challenges the norm, it’s not about criticising people it’s about encouraging thought, discussion, and learning.

Horses benefit when we stay open and curious.

Anyway… something lighter to make you smile 😊

I woke up to a lovely video from a client of her mare dreaming, her legs moving as if she were cantering ☺️

Have a great day 🙏

07/02/2026

Ulcers, colic, dysbiosis, diarrhea, faecal water…

These problems seem to be on the rise in horses.

Many horses are still not being fed a small amount of fibre before any kind of work whether that’s in hand, ridden, traveling, or even before turnout. This is a basic need.

Many are still being left without hay overnight.

Some people worry that feeding a small bucket of fibre will make their horse gain weight. Fibre is a gut protector, it provides nutrition for a healthy microbiome, and even generates warmth through fermentation.

Did you know the digestive tract has its own built in nerve network running through the stomach and intestines? This is called the enteric nervous system, often referred to as the ‘second brain’

It controls:
Gut movements
Barrier integrity (keeping toxins and bacteria out of the bloodstream)
Immune function
Blood supply to the stomach lining
Pain signalling
Microbiome balance
and much more.

When this system is working well, the stomach and hindgut can protect and repair themselves naturally 👍

When it isn’t, the gut becomes vulnerable, often leading to ulcers, dysbiosis, and colic. You may also see body tension, girthiness, bolting, napping, stopping, visceral pain, nervous system dysregulation, and behavioral changes 👎

Feeding quality supplements either from your vet or holistically can help, but supporting the nervous system itself is equally as important.

Combining internal support (supplements, fibre ) with hands on oab osteopathy helps to

Release excess tension
Improve blood flow
Free the visceral organs
Calm the nervous system

This lovely pony is stuck in his sympathetic nervous system. And he really struggles to ‘let go’

His owner makes sure his stress levels are as low as possible along with a good species appropriate diet.

There’s a very direct link between the sympathetic nervous system (fightor flight) and the enteric nervous system in horses.

The work I’m doing here is one of the many important things i can do to support gut function

Always consult your vet first with any concerns over gut issues.

05/02/2026

Hooks

Part of every assessment I do is to check the range of motion through the poll and jaw.

While I’m lifting or rotating the head, it gives me an indication what’s going on in the body parts that help make that movement.

If the horse resists, feels heavy, uneven side to side, or they try to step away or open their mouth It usually means something mechanical isn’t moving as it should.

At that point, I’ll look in their mouth.

I’m not a dentist, and Im happy to stay in my own lane as a bodyworker.

But I do need a basic understanding of teeth, because the mouth directly affects how the whole body & feet function.

It’s all part of the same system. If something doesn’t feel right in my hands, I have to try & piece the puzzles together so I can adapt my treatment and refer to the right professional when needed.

I did some really interesting training with Tomas G. Teskey Veterinary Insights
from Arizona who is a holistic vet known for his amazing work on the relationship between teeth, posture and the feet, which has really shaped how I assess the whole horse rather than isolated parts.

When I see hooks like the ones in the photo, they can physically interfere with the glide of the lower jaw. If the jaw can’t move freely, the rest of the body has to compensate.

Forward/backward glide is a normal, necessary, built-in part of equine jaw mechanics

That restriction can negatively influence head carriage, chewing, digestion, TMJ strain, head, hyoid, neck and back tension, kinetic lines, feet angles, gait etc etc

Everything is connected through mechanics & fascia

The hook itself isn’t the issue.
The loss of function it causes for the horse is the issue.

We are often told that hooks are ‘normal’ and to leave them alone. But why leave something alone if it’s creating a problem & the horse has to alter its posture to be able to still function 🤷‍♀️

What is normal?

‘Normal’ usually just means common or frequently seen.

Not healthy or functioning well.

Every horse is an individual.
And my job is to follow what the body is telling me.

If the jaw can’t move backwards & forwards like it should because the hook is stopping this glide then isn’t that going to affect the whole horse?
Without the hook the jaw should glide freely. Unless there’s a restriction elsewhere.

Can hooks like this affect movement and comfort?

In my humble opinion I would say they’re a huge contributing factor.

We have domesticated the horse.

We restricted their movement.
Weve changed their diet.
Weve softened their terrain.
We alter their posture with tack.
We shoe/trim them.
We stable them.
We ask them to perform artificial movements.

Then we say… but
‘Wild horses cope.’

It’s not the same though is it.

Less movement means different muscle development
Different diet means different teeth wear & gut health
Flat, soft ground means different feet
Artificial work means different strain on joints and back

So of course they need more support.

Teeth need balancing.
Feet need managing.
Bodies need help.
Guts definitely need help!

Because once we domesticated them, we removed the natural system that used to do that job for free.

Check your horses teeth for hooks.
Question everything.
Do your own research.

I’m looking at this from a whole horse / biomechanics perspective

31/01/2026

Coughing when going into a trot

It’s a video that iv been wanting to post for a while now. Along with my personal thoughts on it.

In the video I’m showing you a really important junction in the body.

From an osteopathic perspective
Could this restriction contribute to a cough especially when going into a trot?

It’s roughly where the diaphragm attaches to the lumbar vertebrae. These attachments are called the crura, which are strong fascial muscular bands that descend along the spine and blend with the psoas fascia and thoracolumbar fascia which are the fascia’s that links the spine, ribs, psoas and core muscles.

The crura helps the diaphragm to stabilise the spine, connect to the core, and transfer movement between the hindquarters and ribs.

So you’ve got breathing, core stability, and spinal support all meeting in one spot.

When I press into that area I’m not just touching muscle. I’m having contact with the crus of the diaphragm, muscles between the ribs and the surrounding tissues that connect to the psoas, the back fascia, and the nerves that help control breathing.

If that area is tight or restricted, there will be limited rib, spine, and pelvic movement, which then has a domino effect on the rest of the body.

But If the diaphragm, rib, psoas, and thoracolumbar area is tight, the tissues can’t move properly so could this trigger a cough 🤔

Could this be why some horses cough when first being ridden, when going into trot. When the rider rises & comes back down, on the saddle near that junction 🤔

It’s a useful clue. It may tell me that the diaphragm, rib, psoas complex is stuck and needs freeing up.

My ‘Why, how, what if’ brain is looking at the relationship between structure and function, looking at how muscles, fascia, bones, and nerves interact to affect movement, breathing, and overall health.

🛑ALWAYS contact your vet at the first signs of a cough. No bodywork whether it’s Physio, Chiropractor or Osteo is a replacement for your vet 🛑

Treating the whole horse 🙌

Equine Release

23/02/2026

22/02/2026

21/02/2026

16/02/2026

15/02/2026

14/02/2026

12/02/2026

10/02/2026

09/02/2026

07/02/2026

05/02/2026

31/01/2026

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