brain pain or training - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer

Tag: brain pain or training

Bravery in British Horse Riders

By Sue Palmer on August 29, 2024

Have you felt judged for your desire to investigate the physical reasons for your horse's behaviour or performance? Have you felt ridiculed, as though you aren't brave enough to ride your horse through it? Have you been told to 'just kick on', or that you 'just need to be tougher'? Here are some wise words from Dr Rosie Jones-McVey, taken from her contribution to the book 'Harmonious Horsemanship', which I co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson.

How Pain Affects Your Horse

By Sue Palmer on April 7, 2024

In any subject, there are key areas to consider. In this lesson, ‘How Pain Affects Your Horse’, I’ll discuss the ‘5W’s’ of pain, the what, why, when, where, and who. I’ll also include the ‘H’ of ‘how’. What is ‘pain’? The International Association for the Study of Pain (ISAP) defines pain as "An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.” Short-term pain is called ‘acute pain’, and long-term pain is called ‘persistent’ or ‘chronic’ pain. Pain that comes and goes is called ‘recurrent’ or ‘intermittent’. Pain is a complex phenomenon involving our whole body, and the experience of pain can change from one day to the next.

’Brain, Pain, or Training?’ Chapter 1: How To Use This Book

By Sue Palmer on March 30, 2023

You know your horse better than anyone else. You are his strongest advocate, his ‘best expert’. This book is about helping you to make the most of your time with your horse, as opposed to making your horse do the most. To achieve success with a horse in any sphere you need to understand him and he needs to understand you, because good communication is key in any successful relationship. Understanding horses comes through education and experience, and leads to improved welfare, safety, and enjoyment.

What Do Horse Owners Really Think About Supplements?

By Sue Palmer on November 28, 2021

A fascinating study looked into the supplements used by dressage and eventing horse owners, and their reasons for using them. Through an online survey shared via British Eventing and Dressage websites, researchers gathered insights from 599 owners—441 dressage and 158 eventing. Owners had an average of 26 years of riding experience and typically used two supplements for their highest-performing horse. The reasons? In dressage, the focus was on joint mobility and behaviour, while eventers prioritised electrolytes and joint support. The key challenges identified were revealing. For dressage, energy/behaviour, lameness, and back or muscle issues topped the list. In eventing, stamina and fitness were the biggest concerns, followed by lameness and behaviour. Interestingly, there was a mismatch between the issues owners highlighted and their choice of supplements. While lameness was a major worry in both disciplines, it wasn’t always addressed with their supplement choices. This study highlights the need for a deeper understanding of how supplements align with specific health and performance concerns. It’s a reminder to all of us in the equestrian world to consider not just what we give our horses, but why—and whether it’s truly addressing their needs.