New Service: Osteopathic Care & Training
I'm excited to introduce a service that brings together the two areas of my work that I am most passionate about — equine osteopathy and riding.
Alongside my work as an equine osteopath, I have spent more than 10 years working with horses across a wide range of disciplines and have experience riding everything from young horses during their early education through to established competition horses.
My new Osteopathic Care & Training package allows me to combine these two areas of experience to provide a more joined-up approach to your horse's physical care and exercise.
Why Combine Osteopathy and Training?
What we find during an osteopathic assessment doesn't exist separately from what happens when the horse is being exercised.
A horse's strength, balance, fitness, coordination, workload and way of going all influence the physical demands being placed on their body.
Equally, changes in mobility, muscular tension or compensation can influence how easily a horse performs the exercises we ask of them.
Having experience in both areas means I can consider the horse from two perspectives — on the ground as an osteopath and practically through their exercise and training.
Rather than treatment ending when I leave the yard, the findings from your horse's assessment can help inform the way their exercise programme is structured.
How Does the Package Work?
The package begins with an assessment of your horse and a discussion about their current workload, training, history and what you would like to achieve.
From there, I can create an individual osteopathic treatment and exercise plan based around your horse's needs.
I can then come and exercise your horse as frequently as required.
Depending on the individual, sessions might incorporate:
ridden schooling
hacking and fitness work
polework
groundwork
strengthening and conditioning exercises
exercises to develop balance and coordination
progressive return-to-work sessions
The programme isn't fixed. As your horse becomes fitter, stronger or more established in their work, their exercise can progress with them.
Who Could This Service Suit?
I created this package because I know that sometimes owners know what they would like to achieve with their horse, but finding enough time to consistently provide the work required can be difficult.
It could be particularly useful for a horse that needs additional exercise to develop fitness and condition while their owner has limited time available.
It may also suit:
horses returning to work
young horses developing their strength and education
horses needing greater variety within their exercise
competition horses requiring additional fitness work
horses rebuilding strength following time off
owners who would like additional support with their horse's conditioning and way of going
Where rehabilitation follows an injury or veterinary diagnosis, exercise will always remain within the guidance provided by the horse's veterinary team.
More Than Simply Exercising Your Horse
The part of this service I particularly value is being able to observe how the horse feels and moves during their actual work.
As a rider, I can feel things that aren't always as apparent during an assessment on the ground — perhaps one rein feels different, an exercise is unexpectedly difficult or the horse struggles to maintain balance in a particular situation.
My osteopathic knowledge then gives me another perspective from which to consider those observations.
It doesn't mean every training difficulty has a physical explanation, and equally not every physical finding requires a change in training. The benefit is being able to consider both sides of the picture.
Ultimately, my aim is to help develop a horse that is not simply fitter, but appropriately prepared for the work being asked of them.
Bespoke to You and Your Horse
There isn't a set package because the amount of support required will be very different for every horse and owner.
You may need occasional additional exercise alongside osteopathic care, or you may be looking for more regular ridden support over a period of several weeks.
Pricing is therefore bespoke, depending on your horse's needs, your goals, location and how frequently you would like me to exercise them.
If you're interested in the Osteopathic Care & Training package, get in touch and we can discuss your horse, what you're currently working towards and what level of support would be most useful.