Cumberland Equine Body Therapy and Services

26/06/2025

When our horse feels off, we call in the professional. Maybe a saddle fitter, farrier, vet, or bodyworker hoping for that magical fix or at the very least answers. We want our horses to feel better, quickly so we can get back to riding

What we need to understand is that one practitioner may not be able to fix everything, because horses don’t work that way.

A horses body is a complex, interconnected system. Compensation patterns can be time consuming to reverse and long term wellness requires a holistic, team-based approach.

Corrective trimming, a new saddle, joint injections, massage therapy, each of these might bring improvement, but none of them work in isolation.

If you change one area it can affect the whole system - a ripple effect. A horse who receives a different trim or a dental adjustment for example, may also need bodywork to address tension patterns, time to adjust to postural changes, and exercises that help them move in alignment again.
Behaviours can be red flags, not diagnoses. They are signals that something might be wrong, and it’s our job to investigate, not make assumptions.

To support your horse’s well-being, you need a group of professionals who communicate, share values, and have the horse’s best interest at heart

The team should include:
A passionate , patient vet who takes time to explore root causes.
A hoof care professional who invites your questions and explains their decisions.
A trainer/coach with knowledge of horse and rider biomechanics and emotional welfare
One or two bodyworkers, who use a gentle modalities to support physical release and healing.
A saddle fitter who understands the biomechanics of horse and rider, and respects the bigger picture of horse health
Most of all you, the owner, as a committed and informed advocate for your horse.
Choose professionals who are continuously learning, questioning, and evolving with their field. Not one who is narrow minded or “set in their ways”
Don’t be tempted expect one appointment, one product, or one modality to “fix” the issue. healing takes time and patience - there are no shortcuts.
When you build a strong, aligned team, you’re laying the foundation for long-term health and soundness.

Who is in your horse's care team?

26/06/2025

There’s this old, tired idea that riding is about control. That dressage is about making the horse submit. Taming the wild. Forcing precision.

But here’s the truth:

You don’t ride to break the horse. You ride so 𝑦𝑜𝑢 don’t break.

Because the horse isn’t the chaos. You are.

Your fear. Your tension. Your ego. Your overthinking.
Every crooked thought runs straight down the reins.
And the horse? He doesn’t care about your excuses. He shows you exactly who you are.

So you learn to breathe. To feel. To listen more than you speak.
You learn to hold your position in the storm.
You learn to ride into the fire, not to dominate it, but to survive it.

Dressage doesn’t make you perfect.
Done right, it makes you unbreakable.

Not because you control everything. But because you learn to hold your seat when everything falls apart.

It’s not about who you are when the ride begins, it’s who you are when you dismount.

25/06/2025

Love the work these ladies do….

Some findings are more easily and obviously linked than others 🧐 More on this SUPER interesting scoliosis case soon!!

25/06/2025

I regularly see lots of body issues in ex- racehorses, Thoroughbred and Standardbred ... including those that “only” trialled .Add the potential genetic and emotional issues it can be a long journey for new owners to get the horse more comfortable and able to be ridden in a new discipline. Thanks for sharing and the link Equine Healthworks

24/06/2025

Some interesting information on “hays”

24/06/2025

Always explore the cause….

Saddle Slip Isn’t Just a Saddle Problem 🐎💡
If your saddle keeps slipping to one side, don’t just blame the rider or the saddle balance, it could be the horse.
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🔬 Research by Dr. Sue Dyson & Dr Line Greve shows that hind limb lameness is a major cause of consistent saddle slip.

Results found in studies from 2013-2014:
🔹 The saddle consistently slipped to one side in horses with hindlimb lameness. The association between saddle slip and hindlimb lameness was significant.
🔹Diagnostic analgesia abolishing the hindlimb lameness eliminated the saddle slip in almost all the horses.
🔹The saddle slipped to the side of the lamer hindlimb in most horses
🔹 Stiff or stilted canter results in more slip.

Link to Study Abstracts: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23360352/ + https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24372949/
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✨ So what can you do?
🔹 👩‍⚕️ Vet – Assess for hindlimb issues and treat as necessary
🔹 🐎 Bodyworker – Facilitate muscular tension release and better symmetry
🔹 🏇🏿 Farrier - Ensure balanced trimming/shoeing to support even loading
🔹 🏋️ Trainer & Owner– Focus on straightness and improving hind-end strength (think poles, hill work, correct transitions)
🔹 📏 Saddle Fitter – Adjust saddle through girthing and shims as needed to support saddle position during rehab, this may need adjusting frequently as the horse improves in balance.

💬 As a saddle-fitter I find hind-limb issues are common in saddle slips, in my experience: other factors that contribute to slip can include: saddle gullet angle and tree mismatch, muscular asymmetry - saddle falling to the hollow/ weaker side, needing a pad with more grip, needing shim to support hollow/ weak side, loose girths, saddle in the wrong position and billet/ rigging placement. Rider balance and asymmetries may also be a factor.
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💬 A slipping saddle is often a *symptom* if it always slides the same way, get curious—your horse may be asking for help.
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20/06/2025

What a beautiful day and evening!
I had the privilege of spending the morning with some delightful client horses and the afternoon with Louie - a play date with Delfina and a delicious sunset

20/06/2025

What are SURE FOOT Pads?
SURE FOOT Equine Pads are specialised memory foam developed for use with horses to help improve balance, posture, proprioception, confidence and calmness
How are they used?
The pads are placed under the horse’s hooves to bring about a new awareness and make him conscious of his habitual patterns of standing and moving.
How do they work?
The pads offer “novelty” that challenges the nervous system subtly and can cause a release of neurochemicals which can be seen in breathing changes, head lowering, blinking and softening of the facial muscles
What do they do?
The pads help the horse become aware of how he is standing, offers him comfort and allows him the opportunity to explore new ways and/or rediscover more efficient patterns of standing, generating calmness and greater confidence.
More information is available at the Sure Foot website

18/06/2025

16/06/2025

It’s a real issue!