Kate Thornton Equine Sports & Remedial Bodywork Norfolk

14/06/2026

Good luck today to my supported rider Izzy and her boy Rocky at Epworth BE ODE 💪 great to see Rocky yesterday for a pre-sport massage to help prep him for the big day 🥰 🐎

12/05/2026

Looking forward to another LyNK course this week 😀 🐎 at Equicode in Toftrees, Fakenham

And our supermodel Da Vinci is getting ready for another appearance ♥️ 🎨 💪

We have a couple of spots left for dates this year, but we are also operating a waiting/cancellation list so please do message us if you would like to come but your preferred dates are full (either myself or via the Equicode page. Details in the comments 👇👇👇👇🫶

01/05/2026

A massive thanks to Howard and the team at Fakenham Farm and Equine Vets for their care of Banksy ❤🐎

As many of you know, I've had him since the start of March and have in the main, just let him decompress and grow accustomed to his new life. During this time I've been watching him move, at will, and whilst I knew that he had some hock arthritis which had previously received steroid injections, the urge to find out exactly what, exactly where was great. Following x-rays, it became clear that especially in the LH, specifically the TMT joint (tarsometatarsal) the changes were quite advanced 😩 However, the positive news was that at this stage, there was still enough intra-articular space to inject Arthramid.

Why did I want to go this route?

Key evidence on Arthramid includes a review in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science reports that polyacrylamide hydrogel:
Integrates into the synovial membrane, improves joint elasticity and reduces stiffness. It can provides long-lasting effects, with around 82.5% of horses lameness-free at 2 years (clearly this is based on the sample of the study and wouldn't apply to every horse) (Tnibar, 2022)

A 24-month study found that it significantly improved clinical signs of osteoarthritis with sustained effects over time. (Tnibar, A., Schougaard, H., Camitz, L. et al. 2015)

In my work, I have met many horses who have done well on arthramid, although I appreciate that everything is subjective. I felt I just wanted to give the best chance of aiding joint integrity where possible, although obviously arthritis can't be 'undone'. I will also support the process with a course of INDIBA in a couple of months which I'm hugely grateful to be able to use thanks to the loan from

30/04/2026

🐴What if the thing you’re trying to fix… isn’t actually the problem?

Does your horse perhaps struggle with lateral flexion?
Is there a hind limb that doesn’t track straight?
Do they have tension that keeps coming back no matter what you do?

Sometimes it’s not a training issue (sometimes it is)
Sometimes it’s not the horse (yep, sometimes it is)

It can also be the biomechanics of the rider–horse relationship—
how the two bodies interact, compensate, and influence each other.
That’s exactly what we explore on our LyNK courses (whilst also exploring other avenues, as mentioned, the training, your horse’s body etc)

So, not just what to do…
…but how to see, feel, and understand what’s really going on underneath.

✔️ Learn to recognise subtle signs of discomfort and compensation
✔️ Understand how rider posture and movement affect your horse
✔️ Explore equine biomechanics in a practical, accessible way
✔️ Develop simple, hands-on techniques to support your horse's body

We’d love to welcome you if you’re:

– A horse owner who feels something isn’t quite right
– Someone who wants to understand why, not just manage symptoms
– Ready to look deeper at your horse and your own influence

📍 Fakenham, Norfolk
(Within easy reach of Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire & Cambridgeshire)

Our courses are limited to 6 horse/rider pairs, in order to make the experience as bespoke as possible during your stay 😊

To find out more, including an example timetable and to book, visit the Equicode website (link in comments)

29/04/2026

We are really lucky this year to be able to welcome Kate from Equiweigh, independent weigh bridge consultant to our courses.

Kate is providing a talk at each course on nutrition as well as weighing and talking to people individually.

A couple of shots of her in our feed room outlining the importance and reading the feed bags 💪

We also laid out our normal range of water buffet goodies 🌿 🌱 💧 for self selection.

More courses upcoming-

🐎 May 2.5 days (1 space)
🐎 June 3.5 days (1space)
🐎 July 2.5 days (1 space)
August and September currently booked but we would be happy to add you to our cancellation list 😀

19/04/2026

Day 3 of our course yesterday and we welcomed lovely Kate from Equiweigh who gave us a fabulous nutrition talk - so many take aways, (no pun intended!!)
Kate is an independent weighbridge consultant so shares her insights without bias, based on what may be right for your individual horse or pony.
All the boys had their weigh in, my first weigh for Banksy at 525kg so we have our baseline 🐎
Kate will be joining us at all of our courses this year 🥳 ⚖️

16/04/2026

And 2026 LyNK Biomechanics for Horse & Rider courses kicks off today 🥰🥳🥳🤩

We are so excited for our third year and can’t wait to welcome more lovely people and their horses and help them - wherever they are on their journey.

Whether you…

🐎 want to take the next step on your riding levels
🐎 are feeling a lack of confidence
🐎 are struggling with behaviour
🐎 feeling that your horse has performance issues
🐎 want to understand the biomechanics between horse and rider and their effects
🐎 have an interest in what’s happening in your horses body (and/or yours!)
🐎 are wanting around like minded people
🐎 seeking friendly support

Or anything else! Your time with us is tailored to your individual hopes and aims 💫

Check out the remaining available spaces in our 2026 courses (link in first comment)

We’re on! 💪 🐎

06/04/2026

It’s another “take your dog to work day “ on this beautiful bank holiday 😊 Thank you Claire and Graham (and Seamus) for making her a part of the session 🥰

01/02/2026

Well I know who my vote goes to….. 🥰🐎 Nicky Donohue
All categories are free to nominate and only take 5 minutes to show your appreciation to professionals who have positively contributed

No limit on how many people you can vote for across the categories 😊

Instructor of the Year – in association with Equinnect

Great instructors are often the reason people stay riding or build a bond with their horse. They build confidence, put safety and horse welfare first, and support riders through every stage, from nervous first lessons to long-term goals, be it in or out the saddle.

This award is about recognising those instructors who make a real difference. The freelance coaches, the riding school instructors, the quiet one-person operations, and the people who show up week after week with patience, knowledge, and genuine care.

If you know an instructor who goes the extra mile, someone who explains, encourages, challenges, and truly supports you, we’d love to hear about them.

Nominations are now open for Instructor of the Year, in association with Equinnect.

Whether they teach full-time, part-time, or independently, this is your chance to recognise their impact.

👉 Please share this post, tag your instructor in the comments and nominate someone who deserves recognition via our website

01/02/2026

I couldn’t agree more with this excellent post 🙌 🐎

I’m aware that this is probably an unpopular opinion but….knowing me as many of you do, I’m going to press ahead with it anyway! 🤷‍♀️😂

Horses Do Not EVER ‘Just Try It On’.

There, I said it.

And it’s a hill I will die on.

Horses are neurologically incapable of ‘trying it on’, their brain structure doesn’t give them the neural connections that would be needed to do it.

Please stop listening to your yard neighbour/owner/resident ‘expert’/FB keyboard warrior who tells you that your horse is taking you for a ride and that you just need to ‘push them through it’.

Any equine professional who tells you to simply ‘push them through it’ should raise a red flag to you.

YOU know YOUR horse better than anyone.

Some common behaviours that are often cited as the horse ‘just trying it on’:

* Napping
* Spooking
* Bucking
* Broncing
* Rearing
* Spinning
* Biting
* Kicking
* Struggling with canter leads
* Falling in or out on a circle
* Yanking on the reins
* Leaning on the bit
* Putting the tongue over the bit
* Opening the mouth against the bridle
* Head shaking
* Planting
* Reversing
* Refusing jumps
* Running out at jumps
* Rushing at jumps/poles
* Running off/bolting

There’s probably a lot more to add but the point is, these are sadly common behaviours that are so often written off as the horse ‘trying it on’, and the rider just needs to push them through it (or ‘show them who’s boss’ - oooh, my favourite phrase, NOT!!! 🤦‍♀️)

If the horse isn’t doing as they are asked, it’s because in THAT moment they CAN’T (not because they won’t) and it’s up to us to figure out why.

It might be due to pain/fear/confusion/fatigue/lack of confidence/misunderstanding/discomfort.

What it is NOT due to is this ridiculous myth that the horse is simply ‘trying it on’ with the rider, to see what they can get away with.

If you think it might be pain/discomfort related, speak to your vet/farrier/dentist/bodyworker/saddle fitter/bridle fitter.

If you think it’s a confidence/learning issue, get help from a reputable source (who doesn’t tell you the horse is ‘just trying it on’!!!)

Don’t do your horse the injustice of presuming they are doing something that they are just not built to do.