Zoe Smith Equine Therapist The osteopathic approach

19/04/2025

17/04/2025

17/04/2025

👉 As a Bodyworker, how often do you ask about a horse's living arrangements?
👉 As an owner, how often do you consider living arrangements to be part of the problem of soreness with your horse?
💁‍♀️ Let's Discuss....

🚩 Common Issues with Horses in Limited Movement Living Situations:

🔸 Back Pain/Tension
🔸 Poor Hoof Growth
🔸 Clubby Front Feet
🔸 Thrush
🔸 Poor Digestion/Hind Gut Issues
🔸 Poor Muscle & Hair Coat
🔸 Obsessive or Manic Behaviors
🔸 Stimulation Seeking Behaviors

👉 These are my observations through working with client horses... I'm not saying every horse will have issues, but many performance complaints can be traced back to lack of movement.

In today's horse industry fewer horses are out running in big pastures. The demand of showing requires protection of the coat, mane, and tail. Owners worry about their best horse getting injured out in a big pasture. The cost of land results in owners having to use small pens or stalls or to board their horse.

▪️30 minutes of riding won't fix it.
▪️30 minutes on a walker won't fix it.

I don't think people realize just how important turnout time is for horses. I've been to some boarding places where horses go days without ever being turned out of a small pen.
And I'm not talking about just getting them out to ride or work. I'm talking about turning them out and encouraging them to move freely. I always turn mine out for 30 minutes of movement before I ever start exercising them.

In Arizona my horses went from living in a 3 acre pasture to living in smaller paddocks at a boarding farm. Even with being turned out daily, I noticed big changes in their muscle quality. I'm lucky that where I am there's miles of trails over all types of terrain and I still do cavaletti work. But I'll be honest, it's twice the work to keep them feeling good as it was when they lived out on pasture. I can't skip bodywork and stretching when I come in off the road, because honestly they just need it more.

I notice a big difference in my customer horses too. The ones that stand around in pens or stalls just have more restriction in the body. Now, I'm not condemning anyone for how they house their horse. I never dreamed I'd be living in an RV and bouncing my last horse between Arizona, Oklahoma, and Kentucky... but here I am.

👉 The point I'm trying to make is.... Your horse's living arrangement plays a big factor in how well they hold fitness, what fitness you need to do for the best performance, and how sound they will be. If they can be out on acreage as nature intended, then you have to be willing to put in more work to create healthy movement in their day. Or you may need to do more bodywork and stretching. Especially if you expect that horse to perform an event.

Fun Fact: I also see more hind gut issues with horses kept up in stalls and pens than those that live out in a pasture. This is because movement is an important part of the digestive process in the body. People that sit around have more digestive problems than active people as well.

It's like asking a person that stays trapped at a desk 5 days a week to go run a 5K on the weekends. If you aren't spending a few hours a day preparing after work then you will just exhaust your body. You might make it through a race or two just on natural talent, but you can't sustain sitting all week and then running all weekend. Eventually your body will break down with injury.

When we ran our rehab facility, even our horses on stall rest were outside in the aisles, being hand walked during the day. When we couldn't do any exercise, we relied more on our bodywork, PEMF, and Theraplate to keep circulation moving through the body. We fed an ulcer-prevention diet, but we had to work harder to prevent ulcers when the option for movement was taken away.

The Creator may have designed our horses to run, but it's up to us to honor our horse by keeping their bodies fit and prepared to compete. Is your horse getting enough movement for the demand of work expected of them? As a rider, are you getting enough movement to do your horse justice during competition?

27/03/2025

Lets talk a bit about teeth....

Dental problems can cause a whole host of issues in the body it can affect the way a horse holds themselves and moves and uses its body causing compensation patterns to develop which can lead to a whole host of other problems, it can reduce performance, and their demeanour. It may not always be our first port of call when performance or behavioural issues strike but It should be on our list of top things to check when investigating.

You can check for horse for signs such as -
* Look at their face is it obviously asymmetrical, do they seem to be holding tension on one side or both
* Are the muscles on their forehead overdeveloped or developed unequally
* You can part the lip and have a look at the incisors at the front, are they uneven, have they sharp points on them, do they line up? The horse in the picture below shows teeth that do not line up, he had issues and avoided using one side of his jaw.

Some general signs a dental check might be needed are -
* Dropping food
* Loss of body condition
* Large food particles in their manure
* Head tilting or tossing
* Foul odour from their mouth
* Food packing ( can give them hamster pouches)
* Bit issues
* Manual therapies not lasting
* Movement and performance issues

The horse can develop pain signs as well some of which can be
* Ears back
* Wrinkles above the eyes
* Muzzle tense

The horse teeth can be affected in several ways here are just a few -

* Diminished inclination in the body of the tooth which is where the tooth has been over filed and they are to smooth this can cause issues such as -
* TMJ sensitivity ( the jaw joints)
* Head shy/ head tossing
* General moodiness, stiffness and pain signs

Lateral restrictions this is the one most people are familiar with this is where the sharp points develop on the edges of the teeth, issues here can lead to ulcers in the mouth which will contribute to the issues below, some signs for lateral restrictions can be -
* Difficulty turning and changing direction
* Lateral flexion in the neck difficult
* Disliking the bit
* Overdevelopment of the temporal muscles on the horses forehead

Finally Anterior and Posterior restrictions, some signs to look out for here are -
* Tight in the poll
* Poor hind end performance
* Difficulty with transitions and lead changes
* Weak impulsion
* Shortening of the strides

24/03/2025

The nervous system plays a most important role in coordinating movement and overall health of the horse. Misalignment or tension in the musculoskeletal system can compress the nerves which causes pain and discomfort and can reduce function.
Osteopaths work to alleviate these restrictions and enhance neurological function which allows clear communication between the brain and body. Helping your equine friend to feel their best.

10/03/2025

When you just hit that sweet spot 🐴

09/03/2025

Is that snacks I smell in your pockets.... I love snacks I do... I really really do............

09/03/2025

ASSESSING THE WHOLE HORSE

Why as an osteopath do I assess the whole horse...
Well otherwise I may miss something that is the root cause of the horses problem, without identifying this the issues will come back.

During an assessment I am feeling for
🐎 Areas of tightness and tension.
🐎Changes in muscle tone or asymmetry
🐎Signs of discomfort, sensitivity, and reduced range of mobility.

Lets look at the lumbar spine as this is a common area for discomfort -

The lumbar spine connects the hindquarters to the rest of the body, it transfers and stabilises all that power generated from the hindquarters when galloping, jumping, dressage etc and for playing in the field 🐎.

Dysfunctions in this area can be caused by numerous things including -

🏇Poor saddle fit, causing uneven pressure points.
🏇Compensatory strain can begin to appear including hindlimb, pelvic issues and this can impact the back
🏇Overuse and fatigue without correct recovery periods.
🏇 Structural imbalances such as conformation which affect the horses movement.
🏇Uneven rider weight.... how straight are you in the saddle we to carry dysfunctions in our bodies

Does it really matter.....

Dysfunction in this area can lead to discomfort, pain , restricted movement, reduced performance, saddle slips, behavioural changes, and can lead to lameness.

Regular or early assessment if you think your horse is in discomfort will help to keep them happy, moving well , and perform better.

Please get in touch if you would like an assessment.
Assessment and treatment is
£ 55

11/02/2025

🌟 Stop Sarcoids in Their Tracks Before Spring! 🐎
Sarcoids might seem quiet over winter, but don’t be fooled—spring is when they spread! 🌿 Flies are a key factor in transmitting sarcoids, and as the weather warms up, so does the risk.
💡 Why February Matters:
✔️ Early intervention helps reduce the size and number of sarcoids before fly season.
✔️ Treating now means fewer complications later when the growth rate accelerates.
✔️ Protect your horse from discomfort and potential treatment delays in the busier spring months.
Don’t wait until it’s too late—get ahead of sarcoids now and enjoy a stress-free spring!
📞 Contact de Boer & Taylor Equine Vets to book your sarcoid consultation today!

11/02/2025

The role of fascia

Fascia is a connective tissue surrounding muscles and organs and plays a crucial role in animal osteopathy.

Restrictions in the fascia can lead to pain and reduced mobility.
Osteopaths use specific techniques to release fascial tension improving overall function and aiding recovery.

11/02/2025

How does your horse sleep ?

😴 Horses have a unique approach to sleep, reflecting their instincts as prey animals.
😴 Horses can sleep standing up thanks to their stay apparatus in their limbs which allows them to stand up using very little muscle action.
😴 However this doesn't allow for REM sleep (Rapid eye movement). This type of sleep is essential for metal and physical recovery, whilst in REM sleep the brain processes memories and the body repairs itself.
😴 Horses need about 2-3 hours of REM sleep per day and they achieve this in short bursts often of about 20 to 30 minutes at a time.

🥱 Factors that affect sleep are -
😴Environment - Horses need to feel safe to lie down as a prey animal . A stressful or noisy environment can lead to sleep deprivation.
😴 Herd dynamics can have an affect, horses in herds often take it in turns to lie down whilst others stand guard.
😴 Pain or discomfort and joint problems can make lying down and getting up again difficult.

😴🥱 Signs of sleep deprivation -
The horse may seem drowsy in the day, and or stumble when standing, they may lay down more than usual.

😴 Rest is just as important for our horses as it is for us, if you are concerned its always worth investigating their environment, routine or health.

22/01/2025

Whatever you do with your horse no matter how big or small always set them up for success , small achievements turn into big ones 🥰

21/01/2025

Such an important topic for horses functionality
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/12ESg7VSSgh/

08/01/2025

"The tool box"
As an equine osteopath I have a variety of techniques that I can use when treating when appropriate and depending on clinical findings.

Tool box includes
* Soft tissue work
* Myofascial release
* Myofascial unwinding
* Functional inhibition
* Spinal mobilisations
* Joint mobilisations and articulations
* Balanced ligamentous tension
* Stretching
* Home exercises

Each treatment is tailored to each individual horse and their needs to restore function, mobility and body balance. 🐎🏇

06/01/2025

What is covered in an osteopathic treatment?
1. Muscles
2. Tendons and ligaments
3. Skeletal system
4. Viscera ( internal system)
5. Lifestyle
6. Environment
7. Nutrition

If we do not look into all aspects then we may miss a vital link to the symptoms that are presented and the underlying cause. Bit like a detective really!! 🐎🕵️

If you would like to know more pleas get in touch. O7772310307
Price £ 55.