Pampashire Animal Manual Therapies

21/11/2025

17/11/2025

16/11/2025

It’s incredible, a bit terrifying and amazing at the same time to see how much can be going on inside a Horse’s body while we have no a clue what’s going on with them
I can’t stop imagining all the odd behaviours those horses must have had, and also wondering what people used to do with them back in the 1900?
I normally see horses being labelled as dangerous, and then those horses being put down just because they are “too dangerous”… which just a few of them then go through a necropsy to find out all these kind of things and more
To me this post it isn’t just about how magnificent nature can be, but also to remind owners to be more kind to their horses, and also more empathetic with them

04/11/2025

Exactly this! 👇🏼 an hour treatment can’t sort out things that have been carried for a while and at the same time a treatment shouldn’t be considered just like putting a plaster 🩹 on every time there is a wound

Integral/holistic care is also about reducing risks, so you can offer your horse the conditions to meet his needs, if that happens then you shouldn’t worry much about him being tense or having dysfunctions

Quality of life, living conditions and proper care don’t apply to humans only!

Your horses physiotherapy appointment is only as effective as how your horse lives in between treatments.

If your horse has reoccurring poll tension, feeding from haynets, having a disharmonious contact, riding a horse overbent etc in between treatments will still mean your horse has tension in their poll when it comes around to their next appointment.

If your physiotherapist provides stretches to do and you don’t do them, the problem will continue to bubble.

If your horse is uncomfortable, and your physiotherapist recommends that they see a vet to investigate further, don’t continue to ride your horse.

If you only ride straight lines, rarely hack, and your horse is constantly sharp and spooky so they’re lunged more often than not in a training aid, your horse is going to have reoccurring rib, neck and back pain.

If your horse is stabled for most of the day, or equally spends most of the day in fetlock deep mud, they’re going to be braced and they’re not always going to feel the full benefits of a treatment as treatments will focus on alleviating the “brace” and not on improving performance.

If you’re riding in a saddle that doesn’t fit, hooves that are unbalanced, or an arena with too deep a footing… changes need to happen so that your horse is able to thrive and develop and not just survive in between treatments.

The quality of a veterinary physiotherapy treatment is arguably just as important as the life your horse leads in between treatments.

As horse riders and guardians, we should be seeing the body under the skin; the nerves, the fascia, the muscles and really envisioning caring for this in everything we do 🤍

31/10/2025

Being a therapist is one of the hardest jobs on the planet.

It’s like being wedged between a rock and a hard place—trying to help within the limits of a system few people truly understand.

On one hand, evidence-based therapy exists because research validates its efficacy. But here’s the catch: no therapist is a doctor. We can’t diagnose conditions. We can only evaluate, interpret, and form a working hypothesis based on years of study, experience, and evidence.

On the other hand, most doctors aren’t trained in soft-tissue dysfunction from a manual therapy perspective. They may not see what we see—or approach it the way your own massage therapist or osteopath would.

A skilled therapist assesses, evaluates, and treats within the scope of their license. In human therapy, we’re legally required to assess and treat—but also legally forbidden to diagnose what we’re treating.

Do you see the conundrum?

Now add the layer of working with animals. No verbal feedback. Limited data. Owners who mean well but often filter observations through emotion and bias.

We read patterns, posture, movement, tone, and expression—and somehow form a coherent clinical picture from that.

And while we do all that, we’re asked for answers. For immediate results. For certainty.

It’s hard enough to find the root cause in a human who can talk to us—never mind a horse who can’t.

So please, be kind to your therapists.

Most of us are burning the candle at both ends—researching late at night, reviewing notes, refining treatment plans, and making ethical, evidence-informed decisions for you and your horse.

This isn’t an easy job. It’s an act of service that demands intellect, intuition, and an enormous heart.

If it was easy, everyone would be a licensed therapist. But the reality is—it’s not.

I’ve been in school and practice for over 25 years and I’m still learning and growing.

Getting a license is just the first step. Dedicating oneself fully to evolving research and practice is a lifelong pursuit—one many of us have sacrificed homes, holidays, and sleep for.

This is our passion. Please, treat us with kindness.

23/10/2025

Come with me while I treat my horse!

As I work through different areas of his body, you’ll see how he naturally adjusts his posture — a subtle way of showing where he feels tension or relief.

Can you spot the moment he tells me which area feels tight or sore? 👀
Drop your guess in the comments! ⬇️

🩵This is a great reminder of how expressive horses can be when we truly listen to their bodies.

www.pampashireanimaltherapies.com

21/10/2025

✈️ In exactly 15 days, at this same time, I’ll be sat on the plane watching a film, having chicken or pasta, on my wayhome 🇦🇷!
I won’t be back till the 28th of November and I’ll be taking new appointments as from the 1st of December 🎅🏼 🎄

So don’t leave it for the last minute and let me know if you want me to come and see your horse next week! It’s the last chance and then I won’t be here for 4 weeks!

🚨 Chop chop book your appointment!! 📞

📞 07769253767

🔗 www.pampashireanimaltherapies.com

19/10/2025

Because everyone has been doing it for ages, it doesn’t mean it’s right or correct

This one is for anyone who has the audacity to hang off their horse's head and call it "training".

You know the ones - plus or minus a rope halter, flailing the end of the longline - the horse is spinning circles around them.

"Disrespectful"

"Dangerous"

Frantic.

Terrified.

Waiting for the moment a human is going to haul on the rope, dragging them to a stop.

Only to send them in the other direction.

"Asserting their dominance"

"Moving their feet"

Abuse under the guise of "horsemanship"

Rinse and repeat until the horse complies.

To "teach them a lesson"

"Be the boss"

You're not actually doing the thing you think you are doing.

(Not that you would have the insight to recognise this.)

Want to know what you are achieving, though?

Pain. Think like whiplash -

Generalised deep muscle ache around their neck, back and hindquarters. Which is magnified every time you hang on the rope. Provoked with the centrifugal force of the circle and the increasing cranial pressure.

A chronic headache. Referred TMJ pain.

That beautiful region where the fascial system meets the central nervous system, the myodural bridge, rich with mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors, ragged around like a tuggy toy. Lit on fire.

Hurting the horse.

Traumatising the horse.

Teaching the horse that humans are not safe.

Defending your actions with the horse is "dangerous"

Thinly veiled abuse justified as "If I don't fix them, they'll be put down."

Here is your invitation to do better.

https://www.yasminstuartequinephysio.com/the-horse-posture-blueprint

15/10/2025

🇦🇷 I’ll be heading home to Argentina for 4 weeks to work and see my family! I’ll be away from the 4th to the 28th of November.

If your horse needs a session before I go, make sure to book now — otherwise, I’ll be taking new bookings once I’m back! 🐴 🙌🏼

📞 07769253767
🔗 www.pampashireanimaltherapies.com

🐴

13/10/2025

🐴 What is Manual Therapy and How Does It Benefit Horses?

Manual therapy isn’t just about “massaging” your horse — it’s a hands-on approach that works on a much deeper level: the neuromusculoskeletal system.

That means we’re working with the nerves, muscles, fascia, and joints to help the body move and function the way it’s meant to.

When there’s tension, restriction, or imbalance in these structures, your horse can start compensating — which often leads to pain, stiffness, or even changes in behaviour. Manual therapy helps to release that tension, improve joint mobility, and restore proper communication between the nervous system and the body.

Some of the results or benefits are:
•Better movement and performance
•Improved posture and flexibility
• A calmer, more balanced horse
• Faster recovery and injury prevention

It’s all about helping your horse feel good from the inside out — because when they move better, they live better!

📆 if you’d like to book an appointment or make an enquire, contact us today!

📞 07768253767

www.pampashireanimaltherapies.com

📍 covering Dorset and Hampshire