Kirsty Rawden Veterinary Physiotherapy

25/11/2025

Horses don’t wake up with a diary full of performance goals. They’re not standing at the gate thinking, “I hope she schools me in a perfect 20-metre circle today.”

Their world is simpler and more honest. Safety. Predictability. Comfort. Herd. Food. Space. Rhythm. That’s the entire ecosystem of their wellbeing.

When we choose not to ride, we are not depriving them of something vital.
We are actually honouring their natural priorities.

Most days, what your horse wants is for you to show up with steady energy and a soft nervous system. They read the tension in your jaw, the rush in your footsteps, the way you hold your breath when you’re stressed. They know. And they respond.

A horse would rather stand with you quietly than carry you while you’re wound tight.

A horse would rather have a peaceful grooming session than be pushed through 45 minutes of schooling with winter wind rattling the arena boards.

A horse would rather feel you regulate beside them than feel you compensate on their back.

We often forget that riding is a human invention, not a horse requirement. What horses seek is harmony. A safe companion. Someone predictable enough that their bodies can settle next to ours.

When you decide not to ride because you’re tired, or the ground is frozen, or your brain is doing that loud static thing, you’re not failing. You’re speaking the horse’s language.

A regulated human is more valuable to them than a mounted one.

They don’t judge you for walking them to the field instead of tacking up. They don’t measure your worth by hours ridden. They care that you’re safe company. That you don’t bring storms into their space. That when you do ask something of them, it comes from clarity rather than pressure.

Some horses genuinely thrive when riding takes a step back for a little while. Their bodies get a breather. Their minds get space. Their relationship with you gets to be about connection rather than task.

If you’re showing up kindly, you’re doing enough.
If your horse is eating well, moving freely, living in a routine that makes sense to them, you’re doing enough.

And in the quiet seasons, the bond often grows deeper. Because horses remember who sits with them in the stillness.

23/11/2025

🐎 They were made to move 🐎

Horses have evolved to move across sparse landscapes. Their long, athletic legs speak of endurance and speed, but the interior is no less finely tuned.

A gut system designed for gentle, constant motion.
A metabolism that conserves energy for flight and distance.
A respiratory system that bellows at full speed.
A circulation system that depends on movement to cleanse and nourish.
A nervous system wired for safety in numbers, primed to flee at the hint of danger.

Every stride conditions muscle, bone, and spirit.
Every mouthful of rough forage shapes teeth and nurtures the delicate balance of hindgut bacteria.
Every bond formed is as vital as breath.

Bodies sculpted through endurance and play.
Feet hardened by terrain.
A musculoskeletal system strengthened with every footfall.

A finely tuned machine, perfected by Mother Nature. If one system falters, the rest follow.

For over 55 million years, horses have survived ice ages, meteors, droughts, floods, wars, and climate shifts. Yet the average lifespan of the domestic horse is declining.

Domestication often ignores these truths, with consequences we can no longer overlook. The leading causes of death in domestic horses are lameness and colic — conditions rooted in restricted movement and disrupted digestion. It is not the act of movement alone that sustains health, but what that movement represents on a cellular level.

Horses don’t need us to survive. They need us to listen.

18/11/2025

A fabulous episode. As you know I'm a huge fan of LM, the way they fit and their theory behind that (They're the ones who build the horse rainbows - see previous posts) . If you're intrigued to know what all the fuss is about and why LM differ from traditional saddles and fitting methods take a listen!

*This is not a paid ad, I am a full paying customer because i whole heartedly believe in them, why wouldn't i pay for that!? And if you know me, i don't plug anything unless I am fully convinced!

💜 Episode 37 - LM saddles - A holistic approach to saddle fitting 💜

This is a goody! Kirsty chats to Jemma about LM saddles. How they came about, their principles of fitting and how they differ from traditional saddle fitting protocol by taking a more holistic approach. A must listen for owners and professionals , even if you have no intention of changing your saddle!

https://open.spotify.com/show/1r9cRQzPLpe4JO58KjZ0MT?si=bawzL4mpQXy_fchIeUn6Mw

17/11/2025

I am taking some much needed R&R, I will return to work on 1st December.

All enquiries and messages will be picked up on the 1st. Please respect my time away.

Please direct all messages to whatsapp where possible to keep everything in one place and off my socials.

14/11/2025

It takes a team 💪🏼 look at the beautiful peachy profile 😍🍑

13/11/2025

Less than 20 appointments available between now and 2026! Please message me if you would like one!

11/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BuKZ9z4T3/

A little bit Woo · Episode

05/11/2025

Should we be allowing Bitless in competition❓

Although I personally choose to ride bitless, I'm not anti- bit.

I think any equipment in strong hands can be damaging and coercive whether that puts pressure on the nose, poll or in the mouth.

The reason I am bringing awareness to the possibilities of bitless in competition is I think we should have more options for what our horse prefers.

Elmo is a funny character, i always joke that he just doesn't like anything that doesn't belong on him. Put shoes on him, he removed them. Put rugs on, he removes them, put a bit in his mouth and he spends the whole session working out how to spit it out. He speaks loud and clear about what he likes and dislikes.

This meant schooling sessions were never that successful. If the tongue is moving, the pelvis cannot truely engage.

I tried a whole range of bits, it blows my mind how many options are out there now. All claiming to act on different areas of the mouth, but what if my horse doesnt like mouth pressure? Why is there not another 101 options outside of the mouth we can use in competition?

At this point I was doing a lot of bridless riding. It became more enjoyable as we weren't having this constant distraction of a bit. He was soft, he was relaxed, his body moved better.

So I started exploring options of bitless. It soon became apparent he didn't like poll pressure. He's ok with nose pressure but most responsive to chin pressure. So that's what we stuck with.

I currently ride in a Transcend Bitless double which has both a side pull (nose pressure) and a second rein (chin pressure). The combination of the two work nicely on him, but may not work for another horse.

In 2024 British working equitation made it legal to ride in competition in a bitless bridle. Working equitation consists of a dressage phase, Ease of handling (obstacles marked on finesse) and speed (obstacles completed at speed). We have completed the whole season bitless against people in bits.

Does that give anyone an advantage?

I wouldn't say so, if that is what your horse prefers then so be it. I think by everybody being made to compete in the same thing is where the disadvantage lies.

If the reins are being used only as a line of communication and not a force of control then it shouldn't matter whether they are attached to the nose or mouth. It should be wherever the horse wants to carry that connection.

This weekend we came 3rd in a very tricky Inter B class at the nationals. It not only confirmed that bitless and bitted horses can compete equally against each other but it confirmed what I am doing is right for my horse.

I came out of the ring to numerous comments of how soft, relaxed and happy he looked. The judge's who have judged me in both a bit and bitless have also passed similar comments.

Connection over control.

Surely that's what we should all be striving for whether it be bitted, bitless or even bridless?




Photo courtesy of Happy Hoof Pics

04/11/2025

Did you know?
Digestion Starts With the Nervous System: How Massage Supports the Gut–Brain Connection in Horses

Most people think digestion begins in the mouth — when a horse takes the first bite of hay or grass.
But true digestion begins before a single chew.

It begins in the nervous system.

For the gut to function, the body must shift into the parasympathetic state — the “rest-and-digest” mode where physiology turns toward nourishment, repair, and balance.

The Gut–Brain Connection

Horses have one of the most sensitive nervous systems in the animal world. As prey animals, they constantly scan for safety — even when life appears calm.

If they sense tension, pain, insecurity, or discomfort, the nervous system transitions into sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) mode, where survival takes priority over digestion.

In this state:
• Digestive motility slows
• Blood moves to muscles, not the GI tract
• Nutrient absorption decreases
• Microbiome balance may shift
• The body prepares to react, not digest

This is why horses who are:
• Tight through the poll and jaw
• Braced through the sternum and ribs
• Holding abdominal tension
• Managing chronic soreness or ulcers
• Anxious, watchful, or reactive

often show digestive challenges, fluctuating stool, gas, mild colic tendencies, or difficulty maintaining weight and topline.

Their systems are not failing — they are protecting.
But protection mode and digestion mode cannot run together.

When Calm Arrives, Digestion Activates

When a horse feels safe, supported, and able to soften into their body, the nervous system shifts.
Relaxation is the signal that unlocks the digestive system.

From there, the brain communicates through the vagus nerve and enteric nervous system to:
• Activate digestive enzymes
• Initiate peristalsis (gut movement)
• Increase blood flow to digestive organs
• Support hydration and nutrient exchange
• Prepare the body to heal and replenish

Digestion is not a mechanical event — it is a neurological permission state.

How Massage Supports Digestive Health

Massage and myofascial bodywork don’t “treat” digestion directly.
They create the internal environment digestion requires to function well.

Skilled touch influences:
• 🧠 Autonomic nervous system balance
• 🌬️ Breathing and rib mobility
• 🩸 Circulation and lymph flow
• 🪢 Fascial mobility and abdominal motion
• 🌱 Vagal tone and parasympathetic activation

When the nervous system feels safe, the body says:

“You can rest. You can digest. You can heal.”

Signs of Neuro-Digestive Release During Bodywork

Owners often notice:
• Gut gurgling
• Soft chewing and licking
• Yawning and stretching
• Deeper, slower breathing
• Passing gas
• Softening of topline and ribs
• A calmer, more connected demeanor afterward

These responses are the body shifting back into a physiologic state where digestion and repair can resume.

Why This Matters

Digestive health isn’t just about what goes into the bucket.
It is deeply tied to:
• Nervous system safety
• Comfort and movement
• Fascial freedom
• Breath and diaphragm function
• Emotional regulation

Massage is one of the few modalities that can influence all of these at once.

When a horse regularly accesses parasympathetic balance, we often see:
• Better nutrient absorption
• Improved weight and topline
• More consistent stool and gut comfort
• Softer behavior and focus
• Better immune function and recovery capacity

A relaxed horse digests better, learns better, and lives better.

The Takeaway

Digestion doesn’t start in the stomach — it starts in the brain and nervous system.

Through mindful touch and nervous-system-aware bodywork, we help horses:
• Release tension
• Breathe fully
• Settle their mind and body
• Enter the “rest-and-digest” mode
• Support natural digestive function

When a horse can digest life with ease,
they move better, feel better, behave better, and heal better.