Cheshire Equine Therapy - physical therapy, rehab, coaching, & training

08/12/2025

Everyone knows how much I love integrating fascia work into my treatments as it can have such a massive effect on the whole body, here's why, much more eloquently put than I can write 😆

Fascia, the Prime Vascular System and Massage’s Effects on Them (The Body’s Hidden Highway)

The concept of fascia and the prime vascular system as an integrated communication network is a fascinating area of study, blending biomechanics, biophysics, and traditional medicine.

Fascia as a Communication Network

Fascia is a continuous web of connective tissue made primarily of collagen, elastin, and a gel-like extracellular matrix. It surrounds and integrates every muscle, bone, organ, nerve, and blood vessel in the body, connecting all parts into a unified whole. Recent studies show that fascia:

• Transmits mechanical forces: It plays a critical role in force transmission across muscles and structures, supporting movement and stability.

• Facilitates biochemical signaling: The fascia contains mechanoreceptors and sensory nerve endings that respond to stretch, pressure, and vibration, influencing the nervous system.
Prime Vascular System

The prime vascular system (PVS) is a more recently described anatomical structure, first identified in animal studies. It consists of microtubules that appear to be filled with structured fluid. Its functions are still under investigation, but it is hypothesized to:

• Facilitate communication via bioelectric and biochemical signals.

• Serve as a physical substrate for the flow of energy or “qi,” as described in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

• Contain stem cells, potentially playing a role in regeneration and healing.

Light, Sound, and Frequency Transmission

Both fascia and the prime vascular system are thought to have piezoelectric properties, meaning they can generate electrical charges when mechanically deformed (e.g., by movement or pressure). This property allows them to:

• Transmit bioelectric signals throughout the body.

• Influence cellular communication and tissue repair.

Structured water, which lines the fascia and PVS, may amplify these signals. Structured water is water that is organized in a hexagonal lattice at biological interfaces. It is theorized to facilitate energy flow and information transfer at a quantum level.

Connection to the Meridian System

The meridian system, central to TCM, describes pathways through which “qi” flows. Modern research suggests that the prime vascular system aligns closely with these pathways. Furthermore:

• The alignment of meridians with fascia and PVS suggests they may be anatomical
correlates of energy flow described in TCM.

• Acupuncture points, often located along meridians, show distinct bioelectric properties, further linking these systems.
Implications

This integration of fascia and the PVS as a communication network provides a possible bridge between Western anatomical science and Eastern energy medicine. If confirmed, it could explain:

• How information (mechanical, biochemical, or energetic) is transmitted across the body.

• The effects of modalities like acupuncture, myofascial release, or vibration therapy on health and healing.

Research in this area is ongoing, and while much is theoretical, the findings could revolutionize our understanding of the body’s interconnected systems.

The Relationship Between Fascia, the Prime Vascular System and Massage

The relationship between fascia, the prime vascular system, and massage is profound, as these structures and their functions help explain the therapeutic effects of manual therapies like massage. Here’s how:

1. Enhancing Fascial Communication
Massage directly influences the fascia, which acts as a communication network in the body. By applying pressure, stretch, and movement:

• Mechanical Stimuli: Massage deforms the fascia, triggering piezoelectric effects that generate bioelectric signals. These signals can improve cellular communication and tissue repair.

• Hydration of Fascia: Massage helps redistribute structured water within the fascial layers, improving glide between tissues and optimizing the network’s ability to transmit information.

• Release of Adhesions: By releasing fascial restrictions, massage restores the continuous, integrated communication pathways of the body.

2. Facilitating Prime Vascular System Function
If the prime vascular system (PVS) serves as a conduit for bioelectric and energetic signals:

• Massage may enhance the flow of these signals by stimulating the PVS, particularly around acupuncture points and meridians that align with it.

• Techniques like acupressure or myofascial release may influence “qi” flow, aligning with traditional Chinese medicine principles.

3. Resonance and Frequency Effects
Massage techniques often involve rhythmic, wave-like movements or targeted vibrations.

These may: https://koperequine.com/fascia-the-primo-vascular-system-and-massages-effects-on-them-the-bodys-hidden-highway/

07/12/2025

If involved with Young horses please 🙏🏼🙏🏼 read 😔

07/12/2025

Hope you and your horses are enjoying the festive season🎄
I am having some days off over Christmas & new year but working some of the days in between. Availability on these days is limited so please contact me to book asap:

🎅Sat 27th Dec - Fully booked
🤶Sun 28th Dec - limited availability
🎅Mon 29th Dec - limited availability
🤶Tues 30th Dec - am full pm availability

01/12/2025

😢💔

Sleep well Blueberry and Uti, two of the greatest horses of our generation.

It is with immense sadness that we have said goodbye to Valegro and Uthopia and without question, this is a loss that just feels hard to comprehend.

Trying to write a tribute to these two horses feels harder than I imagined. The yard just doesn’t feel the same without them, there’s an emptiness in the air.

Valegro and Uthopia did more than win medals and write history, they gave our sport a golden era. They both showed that greatness can be gentle, sensitive and harmonious and they made a nation proud and inspired so many.

Being part of their journey will always remain one of my proudest achievements and the whole team and myself are deeply grateful for the joy they gave to us at home but also to their fans around the world.

Their entire lives ran in parallel; they travelled to the shows side by side, lived in neighbouring stables, grazed in the same fields and retired together. Their bond and companionship were absolute.

As life as old boys advanced, so too did the health challenges, so allowing them to leave this world together was the final act of loyalty and dignity I felt I could give them, honouring a partnership that had never been separated in life.

They leave behind a huge void, and the yard has changed forever and so have we. They were our family and I will love and miss them always. The impact they had will remain but sadly, we don’t get to keep horses forever.
We only get to carry what they leave inside us. And these two left us so much.

Carl x

Photo credit: Rose Lewis

25/11/2025

Yes 💯 about time!

Have a good read of both these papers as they clearly show that 1 injection in a joint, when required due to acute joint inflammation, can be beneficial, but more than 1 injection in the same joint WILL cause cartilage damage & degeneration of the joint.

Definitely food for thought when you get people injecting for "regular joint maintenance" or injecting multiple joints without a clear diagnostics 🙄

Two recent papers in the EVE Journal were punlished on the effects of corticosteroid injection sin joints. They were meta-analysis, meaning they took information from over 600 papers about this topic into account. This means the outcome of a meta-analysis is more reliable as an "overall opinion of scientists" than a single paper. Both papers show clearly that 1 injection in a joint (when needed, because acute joint inflammation is present) might be beneficial, but that more than 1 injection in the same joint will cause cartilage damage and degeneration of the joint. Think about that when you do "regular joint maintainance" or inject multiple joints without a clear indication.

Your vet should know this information!

24/11/2025

Ever seen these faint lines on your horse after I have worked on them & wondered what they are? They are a really valuable piece of information, Lymphatic drainage lines

⁉️What are lymphatic drainage lines?
- After physical therapy, massage, myofascial release, or even certain exercise, you may sometimes see them as raised or indented, wavy or linear patterns under the skin. These are lymphatic drainage lines, lymph lines, release lines
- Movement of lymph fluid being mobilized & drained through the superficial lymphatic vessels
- Because horse’s skin is thin & tightly stretched over muscle, you can occasionally see these drainage patterns, especially after stagnation (fluid build-up, inflammation, or fascial restriction) & it is clearing

What do they mean?
✅Positive sign: bodywork or exercise has stimulated lymphatic flow & the body is clearing waste products, metabolic debris, etc
🙏Healing indicator: They don’t mean anything harmful — a sign that the horse’s body is responding well & clearing congestion
⚪️Transient: They disappear within a few hours once the fluid has moved on

🐴Where are the lymph nodes & where do the lines drain to?
Horses have several major clusters of lymph nodes. The drainage lines after therapy are usually directing towards:
➡️Mandibular lymph nodes (under the jaw) Easily palpable, small chains under the mandible. Drain the face, lips, gums, nasal passages.
➡️Parotid lymph nodes near base of the ear/throat latch area - Drain parts of the head & throat.
➡️Superficial cervical nodes - in front of shoulder, base of the neck, largest & most clinically significant in the horse. Drain neck, withers, forelimb areas.
➡️Axillary lymph nodes-armpit- Very deep, not palpable in normal horses
➡️Inguinal lymph nodes (groin area) Drain the hind limbs, belly, sheath
➡️ Popliteal - stifle area
👀 What do drainage lines look like?
Thin, raised, slightly puffy lines in curves or straight paths along the body, look like someone traced a path under the skin with a finger often down the side of the neck or along the belly towards the inguinals. Like on the video, typically its really difficult to get a decent picture this is as good as I could get🙄

18/11/2025

Today I took Flossy out for a lovely ride around Apedale — it’s one of my favourite places because the hills are brilliant for conditioning but it's also so peaceful.
Hill work is one of the most effective, natural ways to strengthen a horse’s musculoskeletal system: it engages the hindquarters, supports the core, improves cardiovascular fitness, & encourages better balance & proprioception.
But… only when it’s done progressively.
Because Flossy is just building her fitness back up & hasn’t tackled any big hills for a while, I made a conscious plan to avoid the steepest inclines today. Instead, I chose a route with gentle slopes & shorter rises so I could gradually reintroduce that load to her body without overstressing her soft tissues, joints, or back.
From a physiological point of view, hill work increases demand on:
🧡The gluteals and hamstrings (for powering uphill)
🧡The thoracolumbar fascia and core musculature (for stabilising)
🧡The forelimb flexor/extensor units (for controlled downhill movement)
🧡The cardiovascular system, which needs time to adapt to increased intensity
Introducing steep gradients too soon can overload these tissues, leading to fatigue, compensation patterns, or even injury. Horses need time for their muscles, tendons, ligaments, & fascia to recalibrate to new demands.
So today was all about steady, sensible progression — letting Flossy feel successful, comfortable, & confident while still getting the benefits of mild hill engagement.
Hill work is fantastic… but only when we build it up slowly.
👂🏼Listen to your horse, choose your gradients intentionally & let fitness develop safely over time ❤️🐴

15/11/2025

When I come to treat your horse its a common conversation for owners to say "I pay a fortune for my horse to have the best, regular treatment etc. but I never get any treatment, can't afford the gym, don't do any other exercise, looking after the horses is my gym/exercise!" But it is so important that you are fit enough to ride, strong enough, supple enough, are uninjured, are as straight and symmetrical as possible as this will have a massive effect on your effectiveness in the saddle, can even hinder and block your horses movement which over time will completely null and void the treatment I have given them, the follow up prescription exercise I have given you (especially if ridden work) your horse can't make up for your insufficiencies and it can even cause lameness. As we are all naturally slightly one sided (left / right handed) not to mention the numerous injuries we pick up over the years, but our horses are the same, we are compensating for them and they are compensating for us, we all need physical therapy to help us. They need you to be the best you can be so that they can be the best they can be. This was one of the reasons that many many years ago I became a UKCC2 BHSAPC coach too, as there is no point in me getting your horse feeling at their best, moving biomechanically at their best, working correctly and symmetrically, but then I need you to continue to improve yourself, your knowledge and ability in the correct way to carry on these improvements long after I have left the yard. Not all coaches are looking at your horse the way Iook at your horse, I'm concerned with getting the best biomechanical balanced movement from you and your horse, in the correct way with the right exercises for your horse at that time, for you to understand why and how to be able to continue.

14/11/2025

All of these sessions have been fully booked so far and really well received 😁
There are only 2 sessions left on this introductory offer this weds 19th Nov and sat 22nd Nov. The Saturday session is fully booked and due to rider injuries there are now a couple of spaces available on the weds 19th session. If you would like to book one of these slots contact me asap 🤳🏼

⭐⭐ Racewood Introductory Offer ⭐⭐

A coaching session with myself on the eventing simulator at the Racewood training centre, Tarporley. This offer is just for the first three months while I'm still becoming acustomed to the complexity of the machines. These sessions should cost £62 I'm offering a 20% discount making them £49 until November. Below or a list of the dates and times I currently have left available at the centre, lots have gone already, so please contact me to book quickly. I maybe able to add some other dates if these get filled up but this isn't guaranteed so be sure to get your spot. I'm trying to do 2 per month; 1 weekday, 1 weekend day with some weekday slots for after work times to be accommodating for those that need post 5pm.
We can use these sessions to work on whatever you or I feel you need to work on, be it position, balance, rider alignment, posture, biomechanics, confidence, independent seat, core recruitment, confidence, post injury stamina, jumping position and rhythm. Just because it's the eventing simulator you don't have to jump, so don't worry if you don't want to, that's fine we have lots of other stuff to work on. Beginner or elite, show jumper or happy hacker, there's always lots of take away pointers, something for everyone.
£30 deposit is required at the time of booking, an invoice will be sent, your space will not be confirmed until this deposit is received. Sessions last approx 50 mins, please arrive 15mins early. A form will also be sent for you to complete prior to your appointment and message will be sent the day before with any other information you require. Tea and coffee facilities are available. 

💢Mon 22nd sept 2025  3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm

💢Sun 28th sept 2025 10am 1pm

💢Thurs 23rd Oct 2025 5pm

💢Sat 25th Oct 2025 1pm

💢Weds 19th Nov 2025 4pm 5pm 6pm

💢Sat 22nd Nov 2025 3pm 4pm

I look forward to seeing you 😊

14/11/2025