E.L Animal Sports Massage & Rehabilitation

03/11/2025

✨ November Availability ✨

Appointments available this month - a variety of slots available on the Mondays and Thursdays. Only evening slots available on Tuesdays

📲 Drop me a message to secure your appointment and get your horse feeling their best for the winter 🫶🏻

27/10/2025

Massage alone won’t make you’re horse stronger 👇🏼

Manual therapies and massage are powerful tools in relieving tension, restoring comfort and improving mobility - but on their own they’re not enough to fix weaknesses and ensure long-term soundness.

Regular treatments absolutely help your horse feel and move better
👉🏼 but true strength and performance come from correct consistent movement

This means retraining correct movement patterns and introducing carefully selected exercises that strengthen and stabilise the body - not just riding more, but working smarter with purposeful groundwork and structured conditioning

When hands on therapy and functional exercise work together, you don’t just get a horse that feels better for a few days, you build a horse that stays strong, supple and capable for the long run 💪🏼

🏇this is exactly what I help owners achieve- combining evidence-based treatments with targeted strength and conditioning to support comfort, performance and longevity.

✨If your goal is a stronger, more balanced and resilient horse - this is where to start

📲 slots available for treatments and strength and conditioning programs, drop me a message to get started

23/10/2025

🥕 Do’s and Don’ts of Carrot Stretches 🥕

When done correctly, carrot stretches are a brilliant addition to your horse’s routine - improving flexibility, body awareness and symmetry.
But when done wrong - they can actually do more harm than good.

Here are a few key do’s and don’ts to help you get the most from your stretching session 👇🏼

❌ Don’t stretch cold muscles
Cold muscles are less elastic and more rigid, which increases the risk of strains and tears
✅ Do stretch after a ride or light exercise
Warm muscles are more pliable and stretching post-exercise can help support recovery and suppleness

❌ Don’t overstretch (especially when using food)
Most horses will do anything for a treat! Making it easy to push too far without realising. This can lead to micro-tears or discomfort
✅ Do start small and build gradually
Begin with simple, easy stretches and only progress once your horse performs them comfortably and evenly. Watch for signs of struggle like head tilting, shifting stance, bending a knee or grunting - these mean it’s time to pause

❌ Don’t stretch on uneven or slippery surfaces
Poor footing makes it harder for your horse to balance, which can lead to slips or overcompensation
✅ Do stretch on a flat, non-slip surface (like rubber matting)
Good footing allows safe, accurate movement.
💡Tip - when teaching side stretches, stand your horse close to a wall to prevent turning and encourage a true lateral stretch

⚠️if you horse has an existing injury or you’re unsure where to start, always check with your vet or qualified therapist first

Regular correct stretching can be one of the simplest and most effective way to improve your horses comfort, mobility and performance - it just needs to be done with care.

➡️ let me know if you want help or advice on stretching your horse

17/10/2025

DOMS in Horses: Understanding Muscle Soreness & Recovery

After hard or unusual work—like hill work, collection, jumping or competition—horses may experience muscle soreness that develops hours later and lasts for a few days. This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

🔬 What happens in the muscles:

• Intense or eccentric work creates tiny micro-tears in muscle fibers.

• The repair process triggers inflammation, swelling, and stiffness.

• Glycogen (the muscle’s energy store) is depleted and refills more slowly after this type of work, delaying full recovery.

• This can leave horses with reduced power, stiffness, or altered movement for 24–72 hours post-exercise.

🐴 How we can support recovery:

• Ensure good nutrition: adequate forage, plus carbohydrates and protein to replenish muscle fuel and aid repair.

• Massage therapy helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation, ease stiffness, and support muscle recovery.

• Provide active recovery: light movement, turnout, and gentle exercise encourage circulation and reduce stiffness.

• Adequate hydration and rest are essential for tissue repair.

👉 Takeaway: DOMS isn’t just about sore muscles—it’s about energy (to perform, to heal, etc), inflammation, and tissue healing.

Incorporating massage and smart recovery practices helps horses more comfortable, balanced, and ready to perform at their best.

https://koperequine.com/how-inflammation-in-muscles-and-fascia-affects-energy-restoration/

17/10/2025

09/10/2025

3 Reasons to Book a Sports Massage for your Horse this Autumn ⬇️⬇️

1️⃣ Changes In Workload 🏇
Whether your horse has had a busy summer and is winding down, or you’re gearing up for the hunting season, this is the ideal time to check for any hidden tension or discomfort. A sports massage helps maintain suppleness and balance so your horse can feel their best heading into the next phase of work.

2️⃣ Changes in Weather 🌦️
Wet, windy conditions can lead to slips, spooks and muscle strains. If your horse is spending more time stabled, reduced movement can also cause stiffness and tightness. Massage therapy helps ease these effects by improving flexibility, comfort and overall movement quality.

3️⃣ Injury Prevention & Wellbeing 🥰
Regular treatments support muscle recovery, promote circulation and encourage relaxation - key factors in reducing the risk of injury and keeping your horse performing and feeling their best.

Seasonal changes can have a big impact on your horses muscles, performance and comfort. A tailored treatment helps address tension early, improving flexibility and preventing injury.

➡️ I have limited appointments available this month, but taking bookings for November and December - message to book or to find out how I can help your horse 😊

02/10/2025

🎃 October Availability 🎃

A lot of you will be changing your horses routine now so why not make sure they’re still feeling good by booking a treatment 😍

Limited slots left, DM now to secure yours 📲

06/09/2025

Did you know? Backing up is now scientifically proven to build strength & mobility in your horse thanks to a new study by Eldridge et al., (2025)

This brand new study confirms what many equine therapists already suspected: Backwards walking is more than just a control exercise -> it’s a powerful conditioning and rehab tool

✨Key Benfits✨
✅ Activates hindquarter “power” muscles:
- backing up significantly increases activity in the gluteus medius and bicep femoris, building strength and stability

✅ Improves joint mobility:
- greater stifle and hock flexion during the stride helps with range of motion (ideal in rehab and prevention of joint stiffness)

✅ Shifts muscle demands:
- reduced activity in hip flexors means backing up uniquely targets hindlimb mechanics compared to walking forward

✅ Boosts proprioception & core stability:
- challenging balance and coordination while engaging postural muscles, supporting topline development

💡Why this matters:
- a stronger, more stable hind end and better joint mobility means improved ability to carry rider weight, lift through the back and build that all important topline

➡️ top tip - add this exercise to your horses routine. Start with a 2-3 steps backwards and progress from there keeping posture correct, and remember quality over quantity.

28/08/2025

✨September Availability✨

Have you had a busy summer with your horse? Worried about the effects of the hard ground? Now is the perfect time to get them checked and treated 🙌🏻

Plenty of spaces still available for September but these will soon fill up!

Don’t miss out, message me now to book 📲

18/08/2025

Another string to my bow ⭐️

Always expanding my knowledge and improving my service

I’ll be posting a lot more content related to rehab and performance on my other instagram page: .l.equinestrengthco so be sure to give that a follow for advice, top tips and useful exercises 😊

17/08/2025

11/08/2025

✨I’m back✨

After a lovely two week break, I’m now back to it with limited appointments remaining for August. I will also be taking bookings for September onwards 🙌🏻

Drop me a message to book or to discuss further 📲