Emma Barber Veterinary Physiotherapy

Emma Barber Veterinary Physiotherapy Professional Veterinary Physiotherapy services, Remedial Groundwork, In-hand and Ridden Coaching.

Putting your horses physical and emotional wellbeing first, while empowering the horse-human relationship. Emma provides Veterinary Physiotherapy, Biomechanical and Rehabilitation training to Equine patients in the Midlands and surrounding areas. As an experienced horsewoman Emma has worked professionally in the equine industry for more than 20years, initially as a freelance groom and qualified riding instructor, going on to qualify as a McTimoney Animal Manipulation therapist and Veterinary Physiotherapist. Emma combines her academic knowledge and practical experience to provide owners with a highly tailored service. Giving owners the skills and knowledge to help their own horses stay in the best possible health. Emma is passionate about improving the well being of all horses, from happy hackers to top competition horses and all those in between.

Turn out is a must for ALL horses!
28/03/2026

Turn out is a must for ALL horses!

I’ve been a bit quiet on the social media front these last couple of weeks as I’ve been busy with some training. I’m cur...
28/03/2026

I’ve been a bit quiet on the social media front these last couple of weeks as I’ve been busy with some training.

I’m currently training to become a mindfulness facilitator with Breathworks, which will allow me to help teach clients mindfulness techniques that will most definitely help with their horse human relationships 🧘‍♀️🐴

Since starting practicing mindfulness techniques myself, I’ve noticed how much my relationship with my horses and all the horses I meet day to day has changed.

I’m so much more aware of what they are experiencing, and it’s changed how I interact with them for the better! Allowing me to provide much more effective treatments and training to help their physical and mental wellbeing.

I hope to be able to offer these techniques to anyone interested in improving their relationship with their horses in the coming months.

Stay tuned!

22/03/2026

I’m going to be a little blunt today—

A horse yawning during your session does not mean you “released” anything.

I don’t know when this became the standard, but somewhere along the way we decided:

Horse yawns = good bodywork.

And now it’s everywhere.

Videos. Reels. Marketing.
People pointing to a yawn like it’s proof something meaningful happened.

It’s not.

Yawning is a neurologically driven behavior, regulated by the brain—not the muscle, not the fascia, not the joint (Baenninger, 1997; Walusinski, 2006).

Yes, you might see a shift in state—a nervous system shift from sympathetic (fight or flight) to parasympathetic (rest and digest). So yes, the horse might drop into a more parasympathetic moment.

But let’s not confuse that with actual change.

Because a horse can yawn and still:
• move the same
• compensate the same
• load the same
• feel exactly the same on palpation

So what, exactly, did we “release”?

Horses also yawn with fatigue, transitions, anticipation, arousal, and discomfort. It’s not a clean or specific signal—and it’s definitely not a measurement tool (Fureix et al., 2011).

And this is where I’m going to push a little—

Using a yawn as proof your work was effective isn’t clinical reasoning.

That’s not assessment—that’s filling in the gaps with what you want to believe happened.

We’ve leaned into it because it’s visible.
Because clients recognize it.
Because it feels like something happened.

But visible does not equal meaningful—even if it feels good to witness and seems more “tangible.”

And don’t get me wrong—nervous system shifts matter. They shouldn’t be dismissed.

But they also shouldn’t be used as standalone proof of tissue change.

If you actually want to know if your work did something, you have to look deeper:
• tissue quality
• range of motion
• posture and load
• movement
• and what that horse looks like 24–72
hours later

If a horse yawns—fine. Note it.

But building your entire interpretation around it?

That’s storytelling.

Back it up by feeling real changes—and then seeing how the horse holds those changes over time.

In a nutshell, not everything that looks like a release… is one.

I’ll follow this up with what I actually consider a “release” and how to recognize it in a way that holds up clinically.

What are you using to actually measure change in your sessions—beyond visible reactions?

References

Baenninger, R. (1997). On yawning and its functions.
Walusinski, O. (2006). Yawning and arousal mechanisms.
Fureix, C., et al. (2011). Animal model of depression in horses.
Schleip, R., et al. (2012). Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body.

Today is Eve’s 3rd birthday! 🎉🐴But what does this actually mean for her in terms of maturity?At this stage, Eve will now...
15/03/2026

Today is Eve’s 3rd birthday! 🎉🐴

But what does this actually mean for her in terms of maturity?

At this stage, Eve will now have fully fused and closed growth plates (epiphyseal plates) in her distal limbs. This means the plates below the knee and hock are now developed and closed.

Growth plates are lines of cartilage found throughout the bones of the body that allow for growth. Once these plates fuse, the cartilage gradually turns into bone through a process called ossification.

Eve is now in the process of fusing the upper limb bones of her legs (so hopefully she won’t get any taller!).

However, the bones in the rest of her body will not be fully fused and mature until at least around six years of age, any excessive stress or strain on these open growth plates before then can increase the risk of structural damage to the bone.

In theory, a 3-year-old horse is often compared to a 16–18-year-old human in terms of development. Of course, this is only an estimate, as every horse matures mentally at their own rate.

So while Eve may now officially be three, she is still very much growing and developing. This stage is all about giving her the time she needs to strengthen, mature, and continue developing both physically and mentally. Every horse progresses at their own pace, so for now it’s about supporting her growth, building her confidence, and enjoying the journey together. Here’s to another year of learning, growing, and plenty of adventures ahead for Eve! 🎉🐴

12/03/2026

Simba did not want to give up his bed in Eve’s stable!

11/03/2026

I find things can get overly complicated in Facebook posts. A lot of the time I find I'm reading explanations about physical issues that do more to confuse than create understanding of problems. It's like a pathwork quilt of text lifted from anatomy books. I do wonder what kind of explanation the writers request when they go to the doctors with their own problems - one they can easily understand, or one in the doctor's own technical language?
Anyhow... grumble over! Here's an illustration I put together to try to generate some clear understanding of a common set-up that I see when working on horses!

- Dr Jane Clothier

📖 MANAGING THE MIRACLE FOAL - The Essential Handbook for Owners of Premature and Dysmature Foals - by Dr Jane Clothier. Now available on Amazon, Apple Books, and your favourite platform. Just search Miracle Foal! 📖

Part 3 The dysregulated system A dysregulated nervous system in the horse (and in humans) can significantly affect healt...
11/03/2026

Part 3 The dysregulated system

A dysregulated nervous system in the horse (and in humans) can significantly affect health and wellbeing, yet it is something that can easily be overlooked.

Certain behaviours may be dismissed as “they’ve always done that” or labelled as “bad behaviour.” For example, a horse that refuses to allow a rider to mount, one that works in an inverted posture or paws at the floor when tied may simply be brushed off as rude or difficult. In reality, these behaviours can be signs of a highly aroused and anxious horse.

However, nervous system dysregulation does not always present as obvious reactivity. It can also appear as a shutdown of behaviour. Examples include the horse that stands blankly at the back of the stable during long-term box rest or restricted turnout, the so-called “bombproof” horse that no longer reacts to outside stimuli because it has shut down, or the horse labelled as “lazy.”

This dysregulated state occurs when the nervous system loses homeostasis, or balance. It may develop following acute stress, trauma, or prolonged periods of chronic stress. As a result, the body can become stuck in a “fight, flight, freeze, or fawn” state, characterised by elevated cortisol and adrenaline and a dominance of the sympathetic nervous system. When this happens, the parasympathetic “rest and digest” system becomes suppressed.

An anxious, reactive horse is often operating in a fight-or-flight state.

A shutdown horse is more likely operating in a freeze-or-fawn state.

Helping a horse regulate its nervous system can be challenging. It often requires careful assessment not only of the horse’s environment and management, but also of our own nervous system state as handlers and riders.

It’s been a naked pony day today! Show me what your horses got up to on this lovely sunny day ☀️
05/03/2026

It’s been a naked pony day today!

Show me what your horses got up to on this lovely sunny day ☀️

02/03/2026

What is happening in a horse’s brain when they experience separation anxiety? Knowing the science can help us formulate a plan to help them through this common issue.

When a horse experiences the stress of separation, the brain shifts from a state of social connection to one of high-alert survival. This process is deeply rooted in the equine amygdala, which acts as the brain's alarm system. For a horse that has undergone past trauma, this part of the brain becomes hyper-reactive. Instead of processing a friend walking away as a temporary event, the amygdala floods the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

This neurobiological reaction is often linked to the panic and grief system located in the subcortical regions of the brain. When horses are separated from their herd or a specific bonded partner, they don't just feel lonely; they experience a form of emotional pain that is physically taxing. The frantic pacing, whinnying, and sweating often seen in these cases are outward manifestations of a brain that is literally screaming for social safety. Because horses are prey animals, being alone is historically synonymous with being vulnerable to predators, making the drive to reunite an biological imperative.

Trauma further complicates this by impacting the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory and context. In a healthy horse, the hippocampus helps the animal remember that they were alone for ten minutes yesterday and remained safe. However, chronic stress and high levels of cortisol can impair hippocampal function. This means a traumatized horse may lose the ability to put the current separation into a safe context, causing them to react to every departure with the same intensity as the original traumatic event.

Another significant factor is the concept of allostatic load, which refers to the cumulative wear and tear on the body and brain due to chronic stress. A horse with unresolved separation trauma lives in a state of constant vigilance. Their nervous system is often stuck in a sympathetic state, also known as fight-or-flight. Over time, this makes it harder for the horse to return to a calm, parasympathetic state. This internal physiological exhaustion can lead to more extreme behavioral outbursts because the horse has very little emotional or physical resilience left to handle minor changes.

This is why the "scream it out" method with the intention of helping horses to learn coping skills about separation anxiety almost always backfires. And this proves to be another reason why we always want to look at the science behind why our horses do the things they do.

The horse may also experience a sense of hyper-attachment as a survival strategy. Once they find a companion that makes them feel safe, they may cling to that individual with an intensity that seems irrational to us. This is because that companion has become the horse's external regulator for their nervous system. Without that presence, the horse's internal systems dysregulate, leading to the high-energy, reactive behaviors that characterize severe separation anxiety.

Addressing this issue requires a focus on rewiring these neural pathways rather than simply managing the behavior. READ THAT AGAIN. By using methods that prioritize the horse's emotional comfort and choice, it is possible to teach the brain that separation does not equal danger. This involves very slowly building the horse's confidence in short increments, allowing the prefrontal cortex to remain engaged so the horse can actually learn and process new, safe experiences. Over time, this structured approach helps your horse move out of a survival mindset and into a state of relaxed engagement.

When thoughtfully done, we as humans also become a source of comfort due to the classical conditioning we have established through positive reinforcement training alongside them.

March, we have high expectations! We want some “Blue-sky thinking” (in other words we want some blue sky please!) We wan...
01/03/2026

March, we have high expectations!

We want some “Blue-sky thinking” (in other words we want some blue sky please!)

We want some “Out of the box thinking” (in other words we want to be able to turn the horses out please!)

“Moving forwards” we think it’s about time it stopped raining (pretty please!)

You have been warned, this month needs to be a “Game-changer” ! 🌷🌸🤞🏼🙏🏼

28/02/2026

Follow up video in comments!

27/02/2026

Eve learning about life on the farm!

One thing that is great about being on livery on a working farm is all the desensitisation training that Eve gets every day!

She’s meets cows, tractors, cars, flappy plastic on the silage, bits of machinery that seem to be in a new place every other day, dogs, cats and kids on trikes to name just a few 🐄🐕🚜🚗🚲🐈

She’s going to be spook proof 🤞🏼

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Derby
DE243

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Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 1pm

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+447815935599

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Who is Emma?

Emma Barber - MSc, PgDip, BSc (Hons), EEBW, BHSAI

Emma is a highly qualified and fully insured Veterinary Physiotherapist working in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire boarders.

A Veterinary Physiotherapist and McTimoney Animal Practitioner, Emma offers a combination of manual therapies, electrotherapies and remedial exercise to address musculoskeletal issues in your horse, giving the best chance for your horse to achieve and maintain peak health and well being.

Having worked in the equestrian industry for over 20 years, Emma is uniquely qualified to offer a vast experience of horses and equine management to back up her academic training and knowledge. Not only trained to the level of BHSAI, she also trained with Kelly Marks and the Intelligent Horsemanship Association utilising the methods of Monty Roberts to increase her understanding of horse psychology and behaviour, allowing Emma to work skilfully with even the most nervous or sensitive horse.