Kirsty Bolderston Veterinary Physiotherapist MSc MRAMP

30/10/2025

Taking a long weekend “off”
I’ll be back in office on Monday 3rd November and will answer any messages then 😊
Have a good weekend everyone 👋🏽

28/10/2025

🎃 Heads up, everyone! 🎃

Express Equine are hosting their Halloween Open Evening this Thursday (5 pm – 9 pm) at their shop on Chestnut Drive, Wymondham (Unit 9 - opposite the gym) — and I happen to know there are some serious bargains to be had! 🛍️

They’re discounting loads of LeMieux saddle pads, including some discontinued and rare colours. There’s also ladies’ and children’s wear, plus plenty of other great deals across the shop. These prices are exclusive to the open evening only — RRPs will go back up after the event.

There’ll be food, sweet treats, fizzy drinks for the grown-ups, and soft drinks for everyone else. The kids can enjoy a sweet trail and colouring activities to keep them entertained while we shop and chat — so it’s a win-win for half term!

It’s also a lovely chance for a bit of a social catch-up — I always enjoy seeing familiar faces at these events. And, as you’ve all heard me moaning this week… it’s freezing! 🥶 So I’ll definitely be there hunting for some new layers.

Don’t forget, you can also pick up your Aviform supplements there with 35% off, which is a huge saving.

All in all — bargains, bubbles, and a bit of half-term fun!
Hopefully I’ll see some of you there. 🧡

22/10/2025

FILLED - Will post on here if anything else crops up.

Would any existing client like an appointment on Thursday 6th November, late morning? Must be between Thetford and North Walsham route (so along A11, A47 (Postwick gang? Around that area) and then up the NDR and along to Coltishall, Skeyton etc) I have cancelled canine clinics that day and opened up the diary for the horses due to demand but have a gap in the day around 11-11.30ish. Last remaining appointment for 2025! I’m otherwise full until the new year.

15/10/2025

The lovely Logi. What an absolute pleasure he is! 😴 🫶🏼

30/09/2025

✨ A little note for my lovely regulars ✨

For those of you who like to keep your horses and dogs on a routine schedule — whether that’s monthly, six-weekly, eight-weekly and so on — my mobile diary for equine and canine clients is now very nearly full right through to Christmas. I also have a waiting list of new clients hoping to book in.

I’d really love to make sure my loyal, regular clients don’t miss out on their preferred sessions. ❤️ As much as I’d like to, it’s just not possible for me to reach out to everyone individually, so if you would like an appointment in November or December and you haven’t yet booked in, please do drop me a message by Friday 4th / Saturday 5th October.

👉 November is already almost full (I may be able to squeeze in one or two more), and December is filling quickly too. After the 5th, I’ll need to open up any remaining spaces to those on my waitlist.

Just to add — this only applies to my mobile equine and canine services. I still have canine appointments available at the Small Animal Clinic on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and human appointments on Saturdays in Wymondham.

Thank you all so much for keeping me so busy — I truly appreciate your loyalty and trust, and I want to make sure you get the slots you need. Please pop me a message if you’d like to get booked in. 🐴🐶💛

29/09/2025

✨ Ollie update ✨

My boy is home 💛. He’s recovering well after his surgery today, and I can’t thank Steph (and Hannah) at Wood Farm enough for taking such good care of him. He really was in the best hands.

It’s been an emotional day — made even more so hearing the sad news about Lewis Hamilton’s beloved Roscoe. This morning, as I left Ollie at the vets and headed off to work, a kind friend and fellow equine therapist said to me: “I hope you can find some distraction helping others’ loved ones, while someone else helps yours.” That thought carried me through the day.

Ollie is a huge part of the reason I do what I do. Our animals bring us endless joy and unconditional love, but also worry and heartbreak when they’re unwell, or when it’s time to let them go. It’s a privilege to work in a role where I can help others give their animals the comfort, care, and support they deserve — because I know firsthand what they mean to us.

Thank you so much to everyone who’s sent messages, asked after him, and kept us in your thoughts today. It means the world. From one animal lover to a whole bunch of animal lovers: Ollie is home, he’s okay, and we’re so grateful for your kindness. 🐾

24/09/2025

✨ Little Update from Me ✨

I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but I’m now fully booked until November for my mobile equine and canine appointments. Wasn’t it just the summer holidays yesterday? 😱

If anyone has been thinking about starting a course of INDIBA before Christmas, now’s the time to get in touch. By a course, I mean using INDIBA to really target those tricky things like suspensory desmitis, tendinitis, arthritic changes, sacroiliac dysfunction, kissing spines, scar tissue… all the conditions where a structured block of sessions is needed to get the best results. Because I usually take a two-week break over Christmas, we’d need to get the loading dose in beforehand – and with November and December already filling up fast, there aren’t many spaces left.

I do still have availability for canine appointments at The Small Animal Clinic, and I can also offer human appointments on Saturdays in Wymondham.

A little sorry if I’ve been slower on messages lately, I’m very aware it’s taking me a bit longer to get through my admin tasks including messages and emails – it’s been hectic, and my sweet old boy Ollie is heading in for another surgery next week. 💕 I’m hoping it won’t affect appointments (I’ve tried to plan carefully around it), but of course that depends on everything going smoothly. He’s in the best hands with Steph and Hannah at Wood Farm, so please keep your fingers crossed for him.

Thank you all for keeping me so busy and for being so patient with me – I honestly appreciate it more than you’ll ever know. 💛

16/09/2025

⚡️ Why rest alone isn’t enough for healing ⚡️

When our horses or dogs are injured, a wound may look healed in just 10–14 days (if there was a wound to the skin). But deeper tissues like muscle, tendon, ligament and bone all heal at very different rates – and go through predictable stages of healing. In fact, we’d do well to remember that these rules also apply to ourselves! Healing takes time.

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🔄 Stages of Healing

Inflammatory (days): vascular and cellular responses clear debris, form a clot, and initiate repair.
👉 For owners: this is when you’ll often see swelling, heat and pain – it’s the body’s natural “clean-up crew.”

Proliferation (weeks to months): fibroblasts lay down immature type III collagen, with new blood vessels forming. This tissue is weak and disorganised.
👉 For owners: the wound may look better on the outside, but inside the new tissue is fragile and easily damaged.

Remodelling (months to 12+ months): collagen transitions to type I, fibres realign under mechanical stress, and tensile strength increases. Complete restoration to pre-injury strength is rare.
👉 For owners: this is the long-haul stage – the tissue is stronger but still needs careful, guided loading to stop re-injury.

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⏳ Typical Healing Times by Tissue

• Muscle: 2–12 weeks depending on severity. Satellite cells support repair in mild injuries; fibrosis is common in severe tears.
👉 For owners: small strains can heal quickly, but major tears may leave lasting weakness without the right rehab.

• Tendon: 6–9 months. Risk of adhesions and poor fibre alignment if unmanaged.
👉 For owners: even if your horse/dog seems comfortable after a few months, the tendon won’t be anywhere near full strength yet.

• Ligament: 9–12 months or longer. Limited blood supply makes healing slow and often incomplete.
👉 For owners: ligament injuries are frustrating because progress feels so slow – but cutting corners risks re-injury.

• Bone: 6–12 weeks for uncomplicated fractures, but full load-bearing strength takes longer.
👉 For owners: fractures may “knit” quickly, but careful rehab ensures proper strength and prevents future issues.

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🏋️ Why Diagnosis + Rehab Matter

• Vets provide accurate diagnosis so we know which tissue is involved – essential, as each heals differently.
• Physiotherapists prescribe exercise that matches both the tissue type and the healing stage.
• Too much exercise too early = risk of tearing again.
• Too little for too long = weak, haphazard scar tissue.

👉 For owners: it’s all about balance. Correctly timed, progressive exercise helps tissues heal stronger and function better.

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💡 How Modalities Help

Adjunctive therapies such as INDIBA radiofrequency, Class IV laser, PEMFT, and hydrotherapy can:
• Enhance circulation and angiogenesis.
• Reduce inflammation and pain.
• Improve collagen alignment and scar tissue quality.
• Support safe mobility while reducing compensatory strain.

👉 For owners: these tools speed up healing and help the new tissue form in the right way, so recovery is quicker and more robust.

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✅ With the right diagnosis, targeted treatment, and carefully staged exercise, we can accelerate healing, improve long-term tissue integrity, and reduce the risk of re-injury.

05/09/2025

✨ Winston’s Story ✨

When I first met Winston, a 22-year-old KWPN who had previously competed at medium level dressage, he had recently been diagnosed with suspensory branch desmitis in his left hind. At that point he had already received four sessions of extracorporeal shockwave therapy with the vets, but was still showing clear lameness (you can see this in the first video of him trotting up for me).

The advice given to Winston’s family at that stage was simply to get back on and ride him. Thankfully, they reached out to me to explore whether Indiba radiofrequency therapy could offer a more targeted route to healing.

From the outset, we knew this would be a slow process. Winston is older, and ligaments can take 12 months or more to heal even in younger horses. Steroid injections were offered as an option, but his family made the brave decision to avoid medicating and masking the problem. They wanted to see genuine, measurable healing — not just symptom relief.

Session by session, Winston’s comfort and gait began to improve. His Indiba treatments stimulated blood flow, oxygenation and cellular repair directly within the injured tissue, helping the ligament fibres to remodel and strengthening the surrounding structures. Over time, the frequency of his treatments has reduced, and Winston is now back in ridden work, with his workload being gradually built up.

He’s not at the end of his journey yet — but his improvement is remarkable. Winston has his sparkle back, he’s enjoying his work again, and the videos tell the story of his progress better than words ever could.

This is not the first time I’ve seen Indiba outperform shockwave therapy in suspensory injuries. For those who are curious, I can share scans and further examples. What I will say is this: Winston’s progress is not only a testament to the technology, but also to his family’s patience and commitment. They have followed every step of his rehab plan carefully and always acted in his best interests.

Their dedication, paired with Indiba’s ability to support true tissue healing, has given Winston the best chance of a comfortable, happy future — and I feel very lucky to be part of that journey.

04/09/2025

Proud auntie moment! 💛⚽ My nephew is looking smart in his brand new Hockering FC kit – and he’s rather chuffed to have auntie’s logo on there too. It looks pretty cool if I do say so myself!

A big thank you to my sister for her contribution that made sponsoring possible – supporting me and supporting him at the same time.

Go Hockering! 🙌

03/09/2025

Today I met Margot for the first time in the clinic, she came to see me for some physio following her swimmers syndrome diagnosis.

What a cutie!! Absolutely smitten! 😍

🐾 Today we welcomed 7-week-old English Bulldog puppy Margot to the clinic for some physio with Kirsty 🐶💛

Margot has been diagnosed with Swimmer’s Syndrome – a condition where young puppies struggle to support themselves, with their legs splaying out to the sides instead of tucking underneath the body. This makes it very difficult for them to stand or walk, and without help can lead to long-term problems.

From a physiotherapy perspective, we’re working on:
✨ Correct positioning and posture support
✨ Gentle taping to bring her limbs into a more natural stance
✨ Short, regular exercise sessions to build strength, coordination, and motor control

Puppies with Swimmer’s Syndrome can make fantastic progress with the right plan in place, and early intervention is key.

Margot was an absolute superstar today – she worked so hard she actually nodded off while standing supported! 🥹💤 We can’t wait to see her again in a few weeks’ time, hopefully a lot more mobile.

If your puppy has been diagnosed with Swimmer’s Syndrome or another neuromuscular condition, get in touch – we’d love to chat about how physiotherapy could help. 💬🐕