Understanding Horse People - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer

Tag: Understanding Horse People

What are your values?

By Sue Palmer on November 14, 2024

Several years ago, I was asked to imagine my ideal life 20 years into the future. I couldn’t do it—perhaps I’m too much of a realist! That challenge, however, led me down a path of exploring self-development and discovering what truly matters to me. One day, everything clicked: my core values are connection, curiosity, and commitment. Understanding this has helped me appreciate why certain people are so special to me and has guided my interactions, like asking for honest feedback and valuing the effort given. Recognizing these values has enriched my life, and I hope they’ll guide my future decisions. What do you value most?

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.

10.12.2021 How To Fix Fear Of The Farrier

By Sue Palmer on December 10, 2021

How To… Fix Fear Of The Farrier… In 10 Easy Steps Conclusion Farriery or trimming is essential for the well being of our horses. Therefore, if it is something that our horse struggles with, it is our responsibility to help him overcome the issue. That might be with a behavioural approach, a pain management approach, […]

9.12.2021 Fit For Welfare

By Sue Palmer on December 9, 2021

Fit For Welfare: An International Conference from The Society Of Master Saddlers On 6th November 2021, I was delighted to be part of the innovative virtual event, ‘Fit For Welfare’, hosted by the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS). Today I’m sharing with you some of my learning from the day. In a twist that I […]

4.12.2021 Fit For Welfare

By Sue Palmer on December 4, 2021

Fit For Welfare: An International Conference from The Society Of Master Saddlers On 6th November 2021, I was delighted to be part of the innovative virtual event, ‘Fit For Welfare’, hosted by the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS). Today I’m sharing with you some of my learning from the day. In a twist that I […]

3.12.2021 Jan and Rebel: Chapter 11

By Sue Palmer on December 3, 2021

A Guest Blog by Jan Daley While harness and tack was difficult to source, I was finding it impossible to get my hands on a cart small enough, but robust enough to maximise safety. After a year of searching online and phoning strange men, I was becoming concerned that I was going to have to […]

2.11.2021 Sharing The Science

By Sue Palmer on December 2, 2021

Enhanced Understanding of Horse-Human Interactions to Optimize Welfare How does your horse see the world? How does he see you? Does he know how you feel? This scientific review looks at how horses read humans, with a view to helping us understand how we can make our horses’ lives better. Simple Summary Horses are used […]

1.12.2021 Thank you

By Sue Palmer on December 1, 2021

“I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better. I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” Elon Musk I feel so lucky to […]

29.11.2021 Finding The Right Help

By Sue Palmer on November 29, 2021

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” Ralph Waldo Emerson It can be a minefield trying to find the right help for you and your horse, and I’ve written […]

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.

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