Lucy Makepeace Equine Osteopathic & Rehabilitation Practitioner.

25/07/2025

**General Osteopathic Technique**
Osteopathy is built upon a set of principles and as such, all techniques used within Osteopathy are based upon principles.

Appropriate techniques are used to achieve the following for your horse:

* Improve Mobility, Motility and Neural Reflexes
* Improve Fluid Flow (The rule of the artery is supreme)
* Improve Vascular and Lymphatic Function
* Improve Co-Ordination and Stability
* Improve Vitality and reduce Stasis
* Improve Articular Integrity (Improve joint function)

The list goes on, but it all comes down to the assessment process and understanding what we are trying to achieve as opposed to just throwing some techniques at a horse and hoping for the best!

24/07/2025

Currently booking into last week of August and into September and October now so please try and be as organised as possible if you are looking to book your horses in as I hate letting people down 🤗

23/07/2025

As an Osteopathic Practitioner, alongside an indepth assessment process leaving no stone unturned, I have a huge variety of techniques that will be used appropriately on the patient dependant on clinical findings. This goes for Maintenance Performance or Remedial treatments.

My toolbox 👐 includes:
*Soft Tissue / Massage Work
*Myofascial Release
*Myofascial Unwinding
*Functional Inhibition
*Spinal Mobilisations
*Joint Mobilisations
*Oscillations
*Joint Articulations
*Balanced Ligamentous Tension
*Stretching
*Prescription Exercises

So your horse really will get the treatment they NEED to reset and leave them Balanced which is the most important thing.

21/07/2025

🐎Caring for the Older Equine 🐎

Many older horses when they have finished their 'working' life or 'usefulness' get popped out in the field to live a happy retirement. This is fine and mostly nice for them, however please do not forget about them. Many older horses have age related problems and diseases that still need you to be as proactive about. Such as:

** Nutritional needs - usually much more important to provide a correct and balanced diet appropriate to their weight and any clinical conditions. Some older horses may not manage long stem fibre as well as they used to, so please monitor their droppings for long particles of undigested forage and any signs of quidding and act or adjust their fibre ration appropriately.

** Dental Care - Horses teeth may often become a problem as they age and we must be mindful of diseases such as EOTRH. Routine dental check ups as advised by your BAEDT are of paramount importance.

** Veterinary Care - Just because their working life is over, please do not cut back on this. A lot of older horses suffer with arthritic joints, PPID, poor dentition and as such will need ongoing appropriate Veterinary Care and medication. Do not let them get stiff and in pain and expect them to just cope, and continue to do worm egg counts and treat with Anthelmintics appropriately

** Rugging - Older horses with clinical conditions such as PPID may need clipping and rugging to better manage their thermostat or may need a rug to aid and maintain weight through the winter. Please ensure you rug appropriately for the horse, and never over rug just because you are cold!!!

** Osteopathic Treatment - I treat a lot of older Equines to aid and maintain comfort with Veterinary Consent as appropriate to ensure that we continue to understand and notice any changes within the Musculoskeletal or Visceral system. Treatments are not just for horses in work.

The older horse population and their Care has always been a significant passion of mine and I always try to do my best with those in my care professionally and my two oldies!!! If you are ever in any doubt, then a lot of Vets now will be more than happy to do a health check for your horse and advise on appropriate management and I am always happy to use my professional knowledge and extensive experience to help alongside.

Picture of my fabulous OAP Quest 🫶

20/07/2025

Working alongside a phenomenal Vet, its always a privilege to recieve reviews like this and achive such positive gains for a horse and owner.

19/07/2025

I will be Out of Office from
Friday 1st August until Monday 11th August.
I never take time off, but I will be unavailable for the above time frame.
Thank you for your continued support 🙏

17/07/2025

As a migraine took me out last night, I didn't manage to post, but had a long day travelling from Lincoln across the Wolds and ending up at friend and colleague LC Farm and Equine Vets in Caistor.
It's always a privilege to work alongside like minded professionals especially when they are at the top of their game.
As you can see after treating new boy I couldn't resist a cuddle with Cindy, Shetland ruler of the world!!!!

15/07/2025

**Laminitis Warning**
The East Coast finally had some longer spells of rain today, which is most welcome, HOWEVER please be vigilant, this rain is falling on very stressed grass and this may have some negative impact on those horses that are overweight, Metabolic or those with PPID. Please be one step ahead of a problem and try and limit the risks associated with these conditions and pre disposition to Laminitis ;)

13/07/2025

If we don't try to find the cause of the problem, you will only be treating the symptom. Therefore no surprise when the problem comes back!!!

Choose a well trained professional that will look beyond the horses back. Who knew they had legs as well 🤣

A full assessment undertaken correctly can highlight many factors that will be contributing to a potential poor performance or intermittent lameness. A working hypothesis will be formulated and an appropriate plan of action will be taken. This may include a treatment, appropriate rehabilitation exercises OR may include referral to your Vet.

Are you currently stuck and getting nowhere fast and looking for answers?

12/07/2025

Equine Osteopathy is a collaborative practice — between practitioner, horse, and often the owner or trainer. At its core, it’s about listening to the horse's body: its movement patterns, tension, compensations, and subtle cues.

Ego can interfere with that process. When a practitioner approaches treatment with a fixed mindset or the need to "be right," they risk missing what the horse is truly communicating.

Here’s why it matters:

** No two horses are the same — what worked before may not work again.

** Progress depends on observation, not assumption.

** The horse’s nervous system responds best to calm, grounded intention — not force or frustration.

** True osteopathic work honors the horse’s self-healing capacity, not the practitioner’s ability to “fix” it.

Being effective means being present, curious, and respectful to the horse in front of us, working towards functionality and longevity, not attached to ego-driven outcomes.

One size does not fit all and yet too often we see rinse and repeat.

11/07/2025

Wise words. No need to scrape your horses either, just aggressive water cooling with buckets or the hose if they are too hot!!!! Come on peeps, think for your horses!!!

Heat Stress in Horses: Know the Risks!

With the high temperature coming tomorrow and over the weekend....

Exercising or transporting your horse in high temperatures can be dangerous—leading to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke. Horses can’t cool down as efficiently as humans, making hot weather a serious health risk.

🚨 Warning Signs of Heat Stress:
⚠️ Excessive sweating
⚠️ Rapid breathing or heart rate
⚠️ Lethargy or unresponsiveness
⚠️ Elevated body temperature

✅ Tips for Exercising in Hot Weather:
🌅 Ride early in the morning or late evening
💧 Provide constant access to cool, clean water
🧊 Cool your horse with cold hosing or sponge baths
🍃 Ensure shade and airflow during rest periods
🚫 Consider skipping exercising during extreme heat
🧂 Use electrolytes if recommended by your vet

🚛 Traveling in Hot Weather: What to Know:

Avoid travelling during peak heat hours (travel early or late)

Ensure good ventilation in your trailer/lorry

If you break down, call 101 straight away and state its an animal welfare emergency.

Don’t leave horses unattended in trailers/lorry in the sun

Monitor your horse closely after arrival for signs of heat stress

👉 Whether riding or travelling, if it’s too hot for you—it’s definitely too hot for your horse. Plan ahead, stay cool, and put your horse’s safety first.

09/07/2025

Stay True to the Right Values — Because They Depend on You

In a world full of trends, gadgets, shortcuts, and conflicting advice, your horse counts on YOU to stay grounded in what truly matters — their health, safety, and happiness.

Equine welfare isn’t just a fad — it’s a commitment.

It means putting your horse’s needs before convenience.

It means learning, growing, and sometimes saying no to outdated traditions.

It means speaking up, even when it's hard, for what’s right for the horse.

Whether you're at the yard, the arena, or at a show — let compassion, knowledge, and respect guide every decision.

Horses don’t have a voice. But you do. Use it for them.