Harmonious Horsemanship - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer

Tag: Harmonious Horsemanship

Wishing You a Warm and Joyful Christmas Season

By Sue Palmer on December 19, 2024

This blog shares warm Christmas wishes from Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, highlights a 50% discount on the Horse Massage for Horse Owners course, and reflects on evidence-based horse care. From seasonal inspirations to advocating for compassionate equestrian practices, it's a reminder to cherish both our horses and ourselves this holiday season.

28.11.2024 Behind the Scenes with Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio

By Sue Palmer on November 28, 2024

Essential Tools, Expert Guidance, and a Horse’s Journey Two Things I Couldn’t Live Without Alright, “couldn’t live without” might be an exaggeration, but there are two items I rely on heavily, especially during the colder months. First is my Ororo heated gilet, a lifesaver when I’m working outdoors. I wear it under my layers, and it keeps me warm all day long. I even bought a second battery because I use it on the hottest setting! Second is my massage gun, which I’ve had for years. It’s my go-to for relieving tight muscles, whether it’s my neck, shoulders, or legs. It’s been a huge help with everything from yoga strains to heel pain. As a physio, I researched thoroughly to find the best one—and it’s worth every penny. If you’re curious, I’ve shared affiliate links to these items. They don’t cost you extra, but they help me continue recommending tools I believe in. Curious about recognising pain in horses or bit fitting? I also touch on those topics and share how the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram helped me assess an 18-year-old mare recently. She’s on a tailored program now, focused on gentle hacking and strengthening exercises to address subtle signs of discomfort. These tools and techniques make my work more rewarding—and if you’d like to learn more about assessing your own horse’s comfort, check out my book, Harmonious Horsemanship, co-authored with Dr. Sue Dyson. Happy horsing! 🐴

21.11.2024 Behind the scenes with Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio

By Sue Palmer on November 21, 2024

Expanding the reach of equestrian science and Harmonious Horsemanship... A free webinar and a free conference… Put your headphones on while you’re out walking the dog, or curl up on the sofa with a blanket, and enjoy!

Understanding the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram and the Journey Behind Harmonious Horsemanship

By Sue Palmer on November 21, 2024

Dr Sue Dyson’s Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram identifies 24 behavioural markers that can indicate discomfort. Our book, Harmonious Horsemanship, makes this science accessible, helping riders recognise pain and improve horse welfare. We’re committed to sharing this knowledge through education and welcome collaboration to make a difference for horses everywhere.

Behind the scenes with Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 3.10.24

By Sue Palmer on October 3, 2024

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...

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.

An Apology To My Horse

By Sue Palmer on July 23, 2024

Dear P, I'm sorry. I regret ... I now understand that you were in pain and doing your best. I apologise. I have been around horses for nearly 50 years, and I could go on and on with my apologies. I have made many mistakes, often due to ignorance. I am sending this sincere apology into the universe, hoping it reaches those who need to hear it from me. From now on, I am putting my energy and focus into making amends where possible. I am committed to learning how to recognise pain in horses, both ridden and non-ridden, and sharing this learning with those who are interested.

“Please listen to me”

By Sue Palmer on July 18, 2024

I don’t want to buck you off. There’s a sharp pain every time I go into canter when you’re riding me, and I can’t help but react to it. I don’t understand it, it doesn’t happen if I canter in the field. Please listen to me. I know you love me and want the best for me. I don’t know how else to tell you I’m hurting.

Horses In Pain: The Link With Behaviour

By Sue Palmer on May 9, 2024

What got you interested in the links between pain and behaviour in horses? Perhaps there is a particular horse that has come into your life, or a past situation that you would like to understand better? Maybe you wish that you'd known then what you know now, so that you could do things differently? Here, in an extract from the preface, I explain how and why I came to write Harmonious Horsemanship with Dr Sue Dyson. In this informative book, we explain how the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram is essential in recognising pain in ridden horses.

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.

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