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A chat with a Western Saddler

It’s good to talk, and when I get to talk with like-minded professionals, time can run away with itself! The opportunity to chat with Western Saddler Maria Score was both thought-provoking and refreshing. Maria explained how the broader spread of pressure through the Western tree can work to relieve saddle fit problems. Importantly, we both agreed on a whole team approach, and the importance of communication within the team. Each of us speaks our own ‘language’; sometimes, the message can get lost in a game of Chinese whispers. The physio believes they’ve said one thing, but the owner has heard something different. The owner thinks they’ve explained it to the saddle fitter, but what the saddle fitter hears sometimes differs from what the owner tried to explain. After every physio visit, I email a report to the owner, which they are free to share with their saddle fitter, coach, farrier, vet, best friend, or anyone else on their horse’s team. Maria is teaching some new courses next year, and I hope to persuade her to write a blog on her saddle-fitting experiences for me to share with you soon.

The Unproductivity Challenge, from Oliver Burkeman

“And behind all that is generally a self-worth issue: the feeling that until you get it done, you aren’t a fully adequate human, and haven’t quite earned your right to exist.” This is a sentence picked out by my good friend Kelly Marks, taken from an email from Oliver Burkeman’s email, The Imperfectionist. Oliver is the author of the excellent book 4000 Weeks, which I highly recommend if you haven’t read it already!

Kelly knows me well, and so, of course, that sentence hit home. Oliver’s email suggests what he calls an ‘Unproductivity Challenge’. The basic idea is to set aside a period of time when you know you’ve got time for yourself and do nothing productive during that time—no work, but also no housework, shopping, etc. What counts or doesn’t count will be different for each individual. He suggests a couple of hours.

I’ve decided I’m going to accept his challenge. Something I miss is just relaxing with a book, so perhaps that’s what I’ll do when I’m unproductive. Yet as I write this, my brain immediately says, ‘OK, there’s a couple of books related to work that you need to read’. Clearly, that doesn’t count as unproductive. Next, my brain says, ‘Well, you can’t do that challenge because you’ve just had a totally unproductive weekend. On Sunday, you were so poorly that you were asleep on the sofa the entire day.’ And so it goes on… No wonder the sentence hit home with me! However, I’m pretty good with grit and determination, and I think this is something worth giving a go. So I will start thirty minutes, from 7 pm to 7.30 pm, because a couple of hours seems unachievable. It makes sense that I need to ’train’ my brain to allow myself to be unproductive. When I think about it like that, perhaps I’ll start it like the ‘Couch to 5K’, where I work on it for 30 minutes, three times a week. I recently completed the Couch to 5K, despite being someone who has always hated running. Although I haven’t yet reached the point where I actually enjoy running, I have reached the point where I tolerate it, and even look forward to it, sometimes. 

Troubleshooting Checklist for Walkers and Runners, from Helen Hall

Continuing the running theme, I was hugely excited to come across Helen Hall’s online course, Troubleshooting Checklist for Walkers and Runners. I’ve listened to each of the three episodes of the Feel Better, Live More podcast, in which Helen chatted with Dr Rangan Chatterjee. This course was mentioned in the latest of these episodes. Oh my gosh, I’m so excited to include the exercises from this course in my daily routine! As a physio, my work encourages and allows the body’s innate ability to self-heal.

I look for what’s stiff, sore, tight, or restricted, and I work to release those areas. I aim to release restrictions through the spine and ribcage using manual therapy, exercises, and education. This allows the body to begin to self-correct, meaning that soreness can settle, stiffness can free up, tightness can release, and restrictions can disappear. In six easy-to-follow modules, Helen uses video to demonstrate simple exercises to get your whole body moving. If you suffer from chronic pain, then I recommend that you sign up for this course. It’s not only for those who want to be able to walk or run with more joy! My rope and mat are on their way (sign up for the course if you’re not sure what I’m talking about!), and I know that not only my feet, but my whole body, will thank me!

Sue Palmer MCSP, aka The Horse Physio, is an award-winning author, educator, and Chartered Physiotherapist. Sue specialises in understanding the links between equine pain and behaviour, focusing on prevention, partnership and performance. She promotes the kind and fair treatment of horses through empathetic education, and is registered with the RAMP, the ACPAT, the IHA, the CSP and the HCPC.

To arrange a phone call or online coaching session with Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, click here.

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You can find The Horse Physio on the web, on Facebook, on Instagram, and on YouTube, book an online consultation, or take a look at Sue’s online courses.

Horse Health Check: The 10-Point Plan for Physical Wellness

Head to Hoof: An Introduction to Horse Massage

Horse Massage for Horse Owners

Stretching Your Horse: A Guide to Keeping Your Equine Friend Happy and Healthy

Kissing Spines In Horses: Preventive Measures and Long-Term Management Solutions

Harmonious Horsemanship, co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson

Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training?

Horse Massage for Horse Owners

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