Zoe Smith Equine Therapist The osteopathic approach

Zoe Smith Equine Therapist The osteopathic approach Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Zoe Smith Equine Therapist The osteopathic approach, Horse Trainer, Fordingbridge.

PGDip Equine Osteopathy
Cert Equine sports and rehabilitation massage
Fully insured
Member of International association of animal therapists
I provide assessment and treatment for your horse using a combination of osteopathy and massage.

Good morning everyone! I hope you are enjoying the sunshine 🌞
09/04/2026

Good morning everyone! I hope you are enjoying the sunshine 🌞

High low heels and the affects ...."The horse has to twist his head and neck to keep the eyes level, horses therefore of...
24/03/2026

High low heels and the affects ....

"The horse has to twist his head and neck to keep the eyes level, horses therefore often exhibit muscle pain, stiffness and spasm at the base of the neck. Moreover, because of dural torque ( the tube in which the spinal cord is suspended and anchored), vertebral dysfunction and fixation occurs at the base of the neck. This then accounts for the muscle tension and pain around sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae. It also causes dural torque ( twisting) at the level of the poll and at the lumbo-sacral connection. Chiropratic issues are therefore common at all three levels as a result of the High/Low Heel" Ridgway (2016)

Any imbalance or distortion at the hoof has to then be organised for throughout the entire body, , the limbs, the trunk and the nervous system have to adapt to accommodate. Sharpe (2026)

If the limbs are loaded differently then the trunk will stabilise differently , the nervous system will find a solution that allows the horse to continue to function, in time it starts to preserve that solution.

The horse will develop compensation patterns to cope, the horse isn't interested in symmetry they want to remain functional under constraints.

Compensations are the body's way of self organising a response to the problem to the conditions the body is placed under.

Removing compensatory patterns without removing the underlying cause and simply treating what you see so often fails because the root cause hasn't been found and so the pattern will return.

As an osteopath we are taught to look at the horse as a whole, looking at them physiologically, psychologically, their environment, lifestyle and history to help determine the root cause of the problem to try to ensure longevity in their wellbeing.

Its all in the breath!! 🐴 Here is a simple method to test if the diaphragm is in restriction. 🐴 Stand in front of your h...
23/03/2026

Its all in the breath!!

🐴 Here is a simple method to test if the diaphragm is in restriction.

🐴 Stand in front of your horse and watch for the inhale, look low to mid ribcage.....

🐴 Is one leg out behind....now walk the horse forwards straight after the breath

🐴 Does one shoulder drop?
🐴 Is one hind shorter ?
🐴 Feel along the lumbar does it feel rigid?

🐴 If the dome of the diaphragm is not descending well the loads in the body shift, hence the walk forward immediately as the breathing asymmetry shows up in the strides straight away.

🐴 So next time you have a minute, do this simple test and check your horses diaphragm.

23/03/2026

How they roll 🏇🐎

Ever watch your horse roll?

What can it tell you?

Next time you watch your horse take a close look 👀

🐴 Do they roll on both sides? Or do they have to get up and change sides?
🐴 Can they roll right over on both sides?
🐴 When they get up and shake, does they shake go all the way through their body or does it stop part way?

If your horse does not roll on both sides consistently or doesn't seem to be able to roll right over this can indicate an area of discomfort and stopping the shake part way through the body can indicate that they are guarding an area that may be sore.

See if there are patterns to their rolling, if if their rolling patterns change or even stop can indicate that the horse is guarding a sore area.

Check out this girlie any thoughts?

🐎Osteopathic principles 🐎Andrew Taylor Still was the founder of osteopathy born August 6th 1828.When Still was a young b...
23/02/2026

🐎Osteopathic principles 🐎

Andrew Taylor Still was the founder of osteopathy born August 6th 1828.

When Still was a young boy he experienced severe headaches, One day when experiencing one of these headaches he went to sit in a rope swing his father ad hung up for him from a tree. Feeling ill he removed the the board from the swing and lay on the ground with the back of his neck resting against a blanket he threw over the rope. The pain eased and he fell asleep, when he woke the headache was gone. He did this many times when he had a headache and noted equal success.
This observation contributed to later ideas relative to the involvement of the nervous system in the body mechanics, eventually contributing to the development of osteopathy.
DiGiovanna,E, L, (2005) 'History of Osteopathy'

Osteopathy is based on 5 principles
1. The body is a unit.
2. Structure and function are interrelated.
3. The body possess self regulatory and self healing mechanisms.
4. The body Rational treatment is based on the above principles.
5 The rule of the artery is supreme.

Today I thought I would look a little closer to principle 3 -

The body possess self healing and self regulatory mechanisms
🐎The horses body as is ours is designed to repair, adapt and maintain balance......with the right conditions.
🐎As the body heals itself new collagen forms, muscles repair micro-tears. The nervous system recalibrates.
Circulation brings fresh oxygen and nutrients and clears away toxins where it is needed.

🐎Osteopathic treatment does not fix the body it facilitates the process but the inherent capacity of the body to repair itself brings about the actual healing, the osteopath removes the barriers, reduces restrictions, eases tension and improves the quality of movement, which helps the body to access its natural ability to heal an repair itself.

🐎When the system can regulate itself the body moves better, copes better and feels better which in turn leads to less strain on the bodies structures and longer term resilience.

🐎Regular treatment and assessment aid in small consistent changes which is better than large large dramatic ones, and helps support the body's built in healing mechanisms.

A bit of rib mobilisation today with this pretty lady 🐎
21/01/2026

A bit of rib mobilisation today with this pretty lady 🐎

21/01/2026

💪💪 The Quadriceps !!

🐎The quadriceps group of muscles consists of 4 parts and plays a large role in stifle extension, hindlimb protraction and overall pelvic balance.

🐎There is the re**us femoris which extends and stabilises the stifle joint, it also helps to flex the hip joint.
When shortened the horse may have trouble flexing the stifle and a reduced range of motion when the limb is in the air.

🐎 Vastus intermedius extends the stifle and tenses the femoropatellar capsule during extension of the joint. Problems in this muscle can show as a limited range of motion when flexing the joint.

🐎Vastus medialis extends the stifle joint, problems with this muscle can be shown as difficulty flexing the stifle.

🐎 Vastus lateralis extends and stabilises the stifle. Issues with this muscle show as a difficulty flexing the stifle, with a reduced range of movement and gait asymmetry.

🐎 If this group of muscles become tight as well as the above the horse can have difficulty stepping under, have a shortened stride and stiffness with transitions.

🐎By stretching this muscle group in a controlled way I am reducing tension through the front of the thigh, supporting stifle comfort and mobility, improving hindlimb stride length and enhancing symmetry through the transitions.

🐎 Done gently and correctly this stretch will encourage smoother more relaxed transitions, reduce compensatory tension in the hip and lumbar spine and help the horse to be able step under himself.

Osteopathy isn't just for when something isn't right its for maintenance and supporting the horses musculoskeletal healt...
01/01/2026

Osteopathy isn't just for when something isn't right its for maintenance and supporting the horses musculoskeletal health.

By addressing minor asymmetries, areas of tension or a reduced range of motion in the early stages, we can help prevent compensatory patterns forming and potential injuries from developing.

Taking a proactive approach helps maintain optimal movement and supports a consistent performance from your horse.

10/11/2025

How adorable is she, falling asleep with her head on my lap 😍 💕

Love that post treatment yawn!🐎Why do horses yawn during and after treatment? 🐎Yawning is a great sign it can mean;🐎They...
30/10/2025

Love that post treatment yawn!

🐎Why do horses yawn during and after treatment?

🐎Yawning is a great sign it can mean;
🐎They are relaxing deeply as tension releases
🐎Their nervous system is calming down
🐎Their body is responding to gentle adjustments and beginning to reset.

🐎Yawning is such a positive response, showing they feel more comfortable and healing has begun!

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Fordingbridge
SP61NG

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