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THERAPY

SYMPTOMS THAT MAY REQUIRE THERAPY

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  • Head shaking.

  • Napping / bucking or rearing

  • Sensitivity when being groomed

  • Unbalanced or one sided when schooling

  • Not tracking up properly or intermittent lameness

  • Tripping/ Toe dragging

  • unusual changes in behaviour when ridden or at rest

  • Lameness caused by strain / sprain / spasm / tension / fatigue / over-use of a muscle, tendon or ligament

  • Feeling uneven / asymmetrical / wonky

  • Irregular gait / movement

  • Not going forwards

  • Lack of push / power / energy / movement from one / both hindlimbs

  • Becoming disunited in canter / gallop

  • Struggling with canter lead/s strike-off or maintaining canter

  • Difficulty achieving trot / canter

  • Inability to weight bear or sit evenly on hindlimbs

  • Reluctance to bring hindlimbs underneath body

  • Leaning on the forehand

  • Shortness of stride

  • Not tracking up correctly

  • Difficulty walking up or down hill

  • Running into transitions

  • Lifting head during transitions

  • Rushing

  • Refusing

  • Laziness

  • Inability to stand still or stand square

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  • Inability to achieve correct outline

  • Losing outline / connection / tempo

  • Head up, ears back

  • Hollowing of the back

  • Cold-backed

  • General stiffness

  • Restricted range of movement at joint/s

  • Difficulty achieving or maintaining flexion or bend on one / both reins

  • Asymmetrical flexion of front / hind limbs over a fence - knocking a pole with one / both front hind limbs

  • Hard / heavy / uneven rein contact

  • Head tilting / shaking / grinding teeth / signs of tension and distress

  • Lack of power / acceleration / strength / stamina / agility

  • Lack, loss or plateau in fitness and performance

  • Early onset of fatigue in work

  • Looking / feeling stiff after work

  • Taking a long time to warm up

  • Taking a longer time than normal to recover from work

  • Lack of harmony between horse and rider

  • Horse generally unhappy or unhappy in work

  • Out of character behaviour

  • Difficult to shoe

  • Hyper-sensitive to touch, brush or tack up

  • Bucking

  • Napping / avoiding work

  • Rearing

  • Bolting

BENEFITS OF THERAPY

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  • To reduce inflammation and swelling in joints thereby alleviating pain.

  • Enhances muscle tone 

  • Stimulates circulation and releases endorphins ( natural pain killers)

  • Promotes healing increasing the flow of nutrients to the muscles and releases tension to allow muscles to relax.

  • Helps maintain the whole body in better physical condition.

  • Release muscle tension 

  • Improves circulation  

  • Increase range of motion

  • Helps reduce risk of injury

  • Can reduce probloematic behaviour

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