Head To Tail Equine Therapy

19/04/2025

I have been very slack at taking pictures lately! Here we have JJ, well and truly in the zone today!

30/01/2025

Day 2 working on some horses for Cradle Country Adventures yesterday! Jerry, Choccy, and Nav were among the group receiving some bodywork. These guys do a fabulous job keeping their horses feeling their best ❤️

27/01/2025

This little baby poppet has to be one of my cutest “patients” to date!! Miss Willow you will melt hearts wherever you go!! 🥰❤️🐴

24/12/2024

Merry Christmas to all my clients both old and new!! Thank you all for trusting me with your horses’ bodies this year 😊 I wish you all a very joyful, restful and happy Christmas season. I am looking forward to an even bigger 2025!! 🎄🐴

19/12/2024

Some of today’s subjects 😊❤️ it was all about the zen 🧘👌🥱☀️

08/11/2024

A huge congratulations to Sponsored Rider Shannon Goss and Junior on their fantastic results at Horse of The Year last weekend!!!
They placed 3rd in Newcomer Hack and WON Intermediate Hack of the year. They have worked quietly and consistently all year to make this happen. Shannon, I am so proud of you and all you have done with JJ, what a beautiful team you make ❤️🐴

05/11/2024

Just another day at the office….a few horses feeling better today for sponsored rider Lucinda Alexander 😊

05/11/2024

You know you’re making some changes when this is one of MANY head toss yawns!!

04/11/2024

It’s not very often I get to work on a butt like this one!! This absolutely stunning Reining horse Finn, has made his way to Tassie to live a life filled with love and pampering!! Thank you Tania for trusting me with your beautiful boy!!

13/10/2024

I have some very exciting new to share!! Head To Tail Equine Therapy is now able to offer human bodywork!!! ✋🤚😃💆‍♀️🐴
This is not just a service for riders, because bodies whether they be human or animal, need some help to stay in balance. We spend our lives going about our daily activities, often not ever noticing the compensations our bodies make to keep us doing what we do. So whether you ride or not, you deserve to feel as good as your horse does after bodywork 😀
Feel free to book yourself in for a session when booking your horse in!!

23/09/2024

Some great advice as we head into foaling season!!

Are you expecting a foal this season? These are quick checks on your foal that should be performed at least once a day to ensure that any abnormality is picked up promptly.

Foal's first week of life
🌱 Did your foal obtain sufficient amounts of colostrum? Colostrum is vital for newborns as it contains maternal antibodies that protects the foal while its immune system is developing. Colostrum has to be ingested within 24 hours of birth to be of any benefit. Foals that do not receive adequate colostrum or poor quality colostrum may succumb to infection and become septic. There is a simple in-field blood test that can be performed to determine if your foal has adequate levels of antibodies (IgG). This test is usually performed after 12-24 hours of birth. Foals that should have this test include (but not limited to) foals that are slow to nurse, foals born to mares that may have poor quality colostrum (maidens), or mares that have dripped milk days leading up to foaling.
🌱 Is foal nursing appropriately? Observe and get up close on the other side of the mare to determine if the foal is latched onto the teat properly and making drinking noises. Take note if there is milk coming out through the nostrils which may indicate a cleft palate. If the foal will allow you, place a hand just along the underside of the neck and you will feel the milk going down the oesophagus. Failing to find the teat or not latching on appropriately are the first indications of a "dummy foal" and require immediate veterinary attention. Foals will become weak and dehydrated very quickly if they fail to nurse adequately every couple of hours. A "dummy foal" or a "septic foal" may take up to 48 hours after birth to be apparent, so it is important to monitor them closely in the first few days of life.
🌱 Is foal getting up, laying down and ambulating well? Observe your foal walking, trotting, cantering around for any sign of lameness. Have a feel of all the joints in his limbs (all four) and familiarise yourself with their size and how they feel. Take notice if there is any heat or swelling in any joint which may indicate an infection. Joint sepsis in foals are not uncommon and requires immediate treatment.
🌱 Have you noticed your foal urinating and defecating? Newborn foals may not produce urine in the first 12 hours of life. Foals usually urinate after they have had a drink or after they get up from a sleep. Their urine should be straw coloured and flow freely. Any darkening of colour or thick syrupy urine is abnormal. The first pile of faeces a newborn should pass within the first 24 hours is called meconium. They appear as dark brown/black pellets and should be a cupful in volume in total. Milk faeces that follow after that is usually a lighter brown and more paste like in consistency. Failure to pass meconium ie meconium impaction can lead to more serious issues.
🌱 Check the umbilicus. The umbilicus of a foal is located further back along the belly than you would expect. Is it dry? Or is it wet/moist, enlarged or has a constant wet patch around it? Some foals may have a patent umbilicus, which means that the duct connecting the urinary bladder and the umbilical cord is still open. Urine can be seen dripping from the umbilicus when they urinate, or there may be a constantly wet patch of hair around it. A patent umbilicus may sometimes indicate an infection (sepsis) and resolve once the infection is treated, or may require surgical intervention.

If you have any concerns about your foal or need more advice on your foal's health and well being, reach out to your vet. Addressing concerns and issues promptly may save your foal's life!