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The things I couldn’t live without

Well, ok, ‘couldn’t live without’ is a bit extreme, but there’s a couple of items that are really, really important in keeping me going, and since it’s Black Friday week on Amazon until 2nd December, I thought now would be a good time to share them, in case they’re helpful to you. Just to be clear, the links in the description are affiliate links, so if you buy through these links, I get a few pennies (literally!) for recommending them, at no extra cost to you.

The first is one that several clients have asked about, my Ororo heated gilet. When I’m working outdoors in the cold, I wear a T-shirt, then my heated gilet, then whatever layers I need over the top of that. I bought myself a second battery, because when I have it on the hottest setting, I need two batteries to get me through my working day.

The second is my massage gun. I bought this several years ago, and I use it to focus on whichever bit of me is most sore at the time, or to treat my neck, shoulders, arms, legs, hands and feet. I’m lucky that my back doesn’t generally get sore, but if it does, I persuade my son to use it to massage my back! Anyone I’ve used this on has been impressed with how effective it is. Obviously, as a physio, I did my research into which I felt was the best massage gun! Earlier this year I overstretched my hip trying to be an overachiever in yoga, and that took several months to settle. The massage gun was invaluable in settling the pain so I could get to sleep. At the moment I have heel pain, likely plantar fasciitis, from pushing off too hard in the ‘kids versus parents’ rounders match at the school end of year celebrations. Out of all the exercises and pain relief options I’ve come across, the two I find most helpful are the massage gun, and the rope exercise from Helen Hall’s short online course, Troubleshooting Checklist for Walker and Runners.

Bit fitting

I was asked for my thoughts on choosing a bit fitter. That’s not my area of expertise, so I’m unable to offer advice. However, I know someone who can! Bit and bridle fit consultant James Cooling, who is a GP as well as an Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Trainer, has this to say on the matter:

“I started bitting horses by a chance opportunity after seeking help with Velvet. I enjoy learning and undertook lorinery training and worked with a Horse Bit Fitter initially. During this time I developed the consultation model, trained a number of colleagues around the country and co- wrote and examined on a LANTRA accredited Bit and Bridle Fitting course. This evolved over a number of years and during lockdown myself and my colleagues formed the Association of Professional Bit and Bridle Fitters.

The APBBF are an independent not-for-profit organisation with the aim of setting a standard and professional approach to bit and bridle fitting. We are independent of any brand or manufacturer and do not sell anything. We take a whole horse approach to bitting and promote welfare of the horse as priority in every consultation. We are also keen to improve education around bitting and bridle fit and frequently provide lecture/demos to other equine professionals and organisations. We undergo annual CPD to ensure we remain up to date with the information we provide.”

You can find James’s top bit fitting advice in the Intelligent Horsemanship article, Meet Bit and Bridle Fitting Expert and IH Member – James Cooling.

Travelling to treat horses

Recently, I travelled to Northamptonshire to assess and treat a beautiful 18yr old mare. She has only been in this home for a couple of months, but her astute owner thought she had recognised some of the behaviours from the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram. Whilst video footage and discussion over the phone can be very helpful, there’s nothing quite like putting my hands on a horse to feel what’s going on. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m based in Stafford in the UK, but I’m willing to travel up to two and a half hours for a one-off visit to assess and treat a horse. Since I live in the Midlands, this enables me to cover quite a bit of England and Wales. 

I won’t go into the history of this mare, other than to say that it seems likely that the level and intensity of her work has been varied over the past three years. As would be expected from most 18-year-old horses, she had areas of stiffness and soreness. She shows no overt lameness, including following flexion tests from the veterinarian, who assessed the mare a month before I saw her. There’s no doubt, though, that she is less happy trotting in the arena than she is trotting on the hard ground. This is especially obvious on a circle, as evidenced by her behaviour. Video footage of her in ridden work shows that she is less happy being ridden in the arena on the right rein than on the left rein, and her owner reports that she seems more willing and forward out hacking.

Normally, in a case like this, the first port of call would be the veterinarian. Using the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram, combined with my physio findings, we know that this mare likely has musculoskeletal pain somewhere. However, the veterinarian has already assessed this mare in hand, and noted that there is no obvious lameness. She is happy to observe her ridden and investigate further. 

So unusually, taking into account the mare’s age and history, I have recommended initially focusing on gradually introducing a low level of consistent work, and monitoring her behaviour over the next three to six months. This is alongside regular physiotherapy, and a now regular, consistent and good level of care from her support team, including the coach, farrier, equine dental technician, saddle fitter and nutritionist.

If this mare was a human, not a horse, we would definitely work on strength and conditioning before going down the medical route. I am suggesting that her ridden work focuses on hacking, where she appears comfortable, with a gentle 30 minute lesson in the school perhaps once a forthnight to reassess her ridden behaviour. I’ve also recommended in hand exercises to build core strength, postural stability, and spinal mobility. As long as the number of pain behaviours decreases over time, which is what I would expect as she mobilises and strengthens, then I believe this is a sensible and ethical approach for this individual. At any point in this time, the decision can be made to contact the veterinarian for further assessment. If veterinarian support is needed, then the fact that she is in consistent work will make it easier to carry out any investigations.

Now that I have seen the mare in person, her owner and I will keep in touch – thank goodness for the ease of sending videos on WhatsApp! If necessary, we can set up a group WhatsApp with the team of professionals supporting her. I’m sure you can tell from this story how much I love my work. If you’d like to find out more about assessing the ridden behaviour of your horse, to be confident that they are comfortable, get yourself a copy of the book, Harmonious Horsemanship, with I co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson. Happy horsing!

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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