If you prefer watching or listening, please click on the video above. If you like reading, please keep scrolling. Please subscribe to The Horse Physio newsletter, and follow, like and share me on the social media channels that you enjoy the most (you can find links to each channel at the bottom of this page). Your support is important to me and enables me to continue producing content to help you and your horse.

What could I do to make this more valuable to you?

An Irish proverb says, “If you want an audience, start a fight”.

I was researching how to start this ‘behind the scenes’ blog, to grab your interest in the first couple of sentences. I didn’t find anything particularly helpful, but my attention was grabbed by the Irish proverb, “If you want an audience, start a fight”. I have stopped looking at my personal social media because for me, personally, it wasn’t helpful to my well-being. I reckon this proverb pretty much sums up why! Thankfully, I use an app to post on my Facebook and Instagram pages. I’ve played around with posts a bit in the past, and sure enough, the aggressive and controversial posts get the most coverage. But that’s not how I’m wired; I’m uncomfortable with those posts. I’m a recovering people-pleaser and don’t like to cause upset. My current in-car listening is to Rhea Freeman’s podcast, Small and Supercharged. I’m looking for tips to make my offerings more valuable to you, whether that’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or my newsletter. Feel free to send me an email with any suggestions!

Core strength exercises for your horse

One client this week was referred to me for physiotherapy following surgery. The vets have specifically asked me to focus on the horse’s core strength. I took a video of the exercises for the owner, and I’m grateful she’s allowed me to share them with you in a 20-minute video. If you’d like some core strength and postural stability exercises for your horse, you’ll find some in my short e-book, “How to Maintain Core Stability in 10 Easy Steps: Maintaining Core Stability in Your Horse When He Can’t Be Ridden” (affiliate link), which you can get on Kindle for just £1.99. This book is rated 4.8/5 on Amazon, with 5* reviews, including this one from an anonymous Amazon-verified purchaser: “This book has been a lifesaver for an elderly pony that has been on long-term box rest. The changes are noticed very quickly and you increase the bond with your pony at the same time. It’s easy to follow, with clear instructions and no jargon. Everyone would benefit from this book.” If you’ve got Kindle Unlimited, that’s even better, as this book is included. Don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle. You can get the Kindle app for free on your phone or tablet and read the book there! If you haven’t yet bought the book, here’s an excerpt with three exercises to get you started.

An online coaching session

I was grateful to be able to support a client online this week in making decisions about what the next steps could be for her horse. After six months of enjoying ridden work with no complications, her handsome Thoroughbred gelding has spent the past several months displaying difficult and confusing behaviour. This includes occasionally bucking her off for no obvious reason. I’ve seen the videos. He has a lot of power, and the behaviour really does appear to come out of nowhere! Of course, there has to be something triggering these behaviours. A horse doesn’t wake up one day and decide he’s going to behave completely out of character. The owner contacted her vet, who did a lameness workup and found no cause for concern. He was also declared sound at a clinic where a different vet was doing lameness workups using a gait analysis machine. He has regular dentistry, farriery, physical therapy, and saddle fit checks, and she manages his diet and environment with care. So where does she go next? We spent time discussing the options, and she came up with a plan. It’s so good to be able to help people who are too far away for me to get to in person. If you’re interested in booking a coaching session either online or over the phone, click here to find out more, or send me an email for more information or to arrange a time for a free 15-minute enquiry call. 

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.

For news, views, and exclusive deals, please subscribe to our free newsletter. Your support is important to us, and helps us to continue to create content to help you and your horse.

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

Thank you for your interest in this post; I appreciate your time and am grateful you chose to spend it with me. If you found value in this article, please support me by liking, subscribing, following, and sharing it on your favourite social media platform, and turn on the relevant notifications for future content from The Horse Physio. Please also take a moment to subscribe to my newsletter. Your support means the world to me, and it helps me continue creating content that matters to you.