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Melissa Pinfield-Wells : Equine Physiotherapist & Coach

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Melissa Pinfield-Wells : Equine Physiotherapist & Coach

I provide range of Equine services to suit all needs island wide. I have a keen interest in horses with behavioral problems and last chance horses.

I am a qualified and insured equine physiotherapist and coach. Which allows me to take a holistic approach. I pride myself in providing friendly reliable service whilst maintaining the high standards everyone wants for their horse! If you would like to know more about me or how I might be able to help you and your horses please feel free to get into contact. Tel; 07521729091

13/06/2026

🦄 FULL LIVERY & SCHOOLING LIVERY AVAILABLE 🦄

Whether you're looking for ridden, non-ridden, backing, rehabilitation or schooling livery, we currently have a rare space available on our small, friendly and supportive yard.

Following the sale of several horses, a full livery space has become available. We are in no rush to fill it, as finding the right horse and owner is far more important to us than simply filling a stable.

At less than £20 per day, our full livery package offers excellent value, combining high-quality care with professional support and coaching opportunities.

The Facilities

🐴 Large, airy stables with rubber matting in an American-style barn

🐴 Year-round turnout with electric fencing

🐴 20m x 40m floodlit arena

🐴 Show jumps and poles available for use

🐴 CCTV coverage

🐴 Someone living on-site overnight

🐴 Toilet and tea-making facilities

Professional Support On Site

🦄 Qualified and insured Centre 10 Coach

🦄 Qualified and insured Veterinary Physiotherapist

🦄 Additional support available from an experienced trainer and equine coach with a particular interest in rider mindset, confidence, communication and equine behaviour

🦄 Coaching available for riders looking to improve their partnership, understanding and performance, both in and out of the saddle

Our aim is to provide a calm, professional and supportive environment where both horses and owners can thrive. Whether your goals are competition, confidence-building, rehabilitation, education, backing a young horse or simply enjoying your horse more, we are happy to tailor support to suit your individual needs.

We pride ourselves on treating every horse as an individual and building positive relationships with both horses and owners.

For further information or to arrange a viewing, please feel free to get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.

08/06/2026

Remember Blossom who we had in to sell a while back?

She found a fantastic home and is out living her best life now 🥰 so nice to receive messages like this, selling is always hard for me so it's nice to know when you've found a good match 😁

19/05/2026

Loading problems are quite common and something I am often asked to advise on.

The funny thing is almost everyone tells me what they have tried - lunge lines around them, feeding them in the lorry, getting up behind them. But no one ever tells me WHAT the problem is, and when asked the answer is usually "I don't know, he just won't go"

So my question is why are we using the same techniques on EVERY horse? Especially without looking at the root of the issue.
Surely every horse with a loading issue doesn't have the same problem?

Here are 3 short case studies of recent loading issues I have worked with, firstly looking at WHY the horses wouldn't load then how I managed this.

CASE 1
A big young horse who hasn't loaded since he was a yearling. Will quite happily walk up in the box but panics when in there and shoots out.
Initially I thought maybe he was feeling claustraphobic but after spending some time observing his behaviour patterns I quickly realised I was wrong - the issue was the noises the lorry made. The noises would cause him to either raise his head and because he is a giant this would lead to his ears hitting the roof OR it would make him jump leading to more noises.

So how did we fix this? I stopped asking him to go in the lorry. I simply spent a few sessions standing him on the bottom of the ramp listening to the noises, as he relaxed I moved partitions rocked the lorry all with him stood at the bottom of the ramp. NOT ONCE DID I ASK HIM TO COME INTO THE BOX. On session 3 we were doing the same thing when he suddenly marched into the box with no additional encouragement, he then stood in there happily and relaxed. We will do this a few more times before taking him for a drive.

CASE 2
A young pony owned by novice owners became a little confused and hesitent. The owners were managing this well themselves baiting the pony in, but the timings of giving rewards weren't always 100% leading to an unsure pony. No big deal at this point, pony just needed someone experienced to give him some confidence BUT in the mean time at a show a helpful passer by saw this taking some time and used a lunge line behind the pony in order to assist. After this the pony became completely dispondent and switched off entirely - instead of confused, this was now a pony who shut down entirely and just leaned back against any pressure, treats were no longer enough to entice him. What was once a simple issue to fix became much tricker simply because a "one size fits all" approach was taken.

This pony was tricker for me personally as the first thing I needed to do was stop the pony shutting down at the sight of the ramp. Unfortunately, in this case we did have to resort to someone waving behind him (note I said waving, not whipping just encouraging forward movement), this did lead to some rearing as he felt stuck and frustrated. But he quickly realised that foward was ok and he wasn't going to be trapped. We took him in and out of the lorry a few times getting him thinking foward into the box and made a game out of it. Problem solved.

CASE 3
An experienced horse who had previously loaded well suddenly refused to load. This was a tricky one as there was no obvious cause
no bad experiences, no obvious struggle when travelling. I tried many different method with no luck. In fact at one point a mainland hospital trip was required (yes this one is about Tilly 🙈) and despite a large amount of sedation on this ocassion we were left with no choice but to basically lift her on with the help of the vet to get her the care she needed. Now Tilly is not a horse to fight pressure so it was a real shock she was so adamant even when sedated.

After lots of deliberation I decided to bite the bullet and ger survery x-rays of her hind end, just to rule out any discomfort that travelling may have caused.
X-rays showed a mild negative angle in her hind pedal bones, with the help of my farrier and vet this was corrected with x-rays to confirm.

Following the correction we tried loading again, on this ocassion I did use a lunge line to help keep her straight as she was stepping sideways away from the ramp. Once straight was the only option she walked straight up. Clearly what seemed a mild problem that was causing no obvious lameness was making travel difficult for her so she just said no. After a few journeys she was back to old Tilly happy to load and travel.

The WHY is such an important step and too often forgotten. When you establish the reason behind an issue it becomes so much easier to find the right solution for each horse.

Sometimes with loading we are forced to resort to methods we wouldn't necessarily want to; such as when Tilly needed her surgery. But when we have the oppertunity to look deeper we should do just that. Horses will always have a reason for their behaviour even if it takes us a whole to understand it!

15/05/2026

🦄 𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 🦄

Ridden, non-ridden or backing/schooling livery available.

Due to sale of a few horses I now have space available for full or schooling livery on a small friendly yard, I am in absolutely no rush to fill this space as the right person is very important to us.

THE ESSENTIALS

🐴 Large airy stables, rubber mats in American style barn

🐴 All year turn out, with electric fencing

🐴 20x40m floodlit arena

🐴 Poles and showjumps ɓavailable for use

🐴 CCTV

🐴 Someone on-site overnight

🐴 Toilet

🐴 Tea making facilities

EXTRA PERKS

🦄 Qualified & insured centre 10 coach on-site

🦄 Qualified & insured veterinary physiotherapist on-site

🦄 Additional support where required from experienced trainer with a keen interest in rider mindset and equine behaviour

For more information or to view the yard please feel free to get in contact 😊e

14/05/2026

Are your nerves getting the better of you?

Don't suffer in silence.

🐴 It can be really difficult when you find your anxiety getting the better of you with your horse, particularly when it is something you feel should be simple.

It could be that picking your horses feet out seems like something to much. Or mounting your horse give you butterflies.

It's the worst feeling in the world when you love your horse so much but you just can't shift those thoughts and feelings that are stopping you do it.

But do you know what ITS OK!
It doesn't mean you are a failure, it might just mean you need some help along the way.

Here are my top tips for battling those anxieties.

🦄 Don't push yourself too far. The way to build confidence is to increase your positive experiences until they outweight the negatives. If you push yourself to do something you aren't ready for you might end up having a negative experience. This doesn't mean avoid everything but for now I think it's ok to be kind to yourself and not ask too much.

🦄 Don't worry what others have to say. Easier said than done, but I have seen it myself when out and about people have good intentions but telling you its easy isn't as helpful as they think! Remember we aren't all the same, what one person finds easy can be incredibly difficult for others.

🦄 Speak to a professional. They should have the experience to help you battle your demons and gain confidence in a controlled way - find a professional you can work well with and then trust the process.

🦄 Remember why you love your horse. It can be easy to end up resenting your 4 legged friend because they have made you feel like this, I know I have been there, but even if it means looking at countless photos videos or just watching him in the field remember why you want it to go right.

🦄 Find something you can enjoy together. If you don't feel able to ride, hand graze or groom your horse. Just spend time together, building positive experiences.

🦄 Don't take it personally, this is probably THE most important point. So many times I hear people say "my horse just hates me", and again I've been there i know just how powerful this thought can be! But I promise you your horse doesn't hate you, they are just pushing the boundaries. Children can be little terrors but they still love their parents, pushing the boundaries is how they learn. That is no different for horses.

So for now, give yourself a break. Talk to people, be honest about it, we can't help if we don't know just how much those nerves are getting to you!

05/05/2026

This week is maternal mental health week 🤰

So I thought i'd share a bit about my experience as a self employed equestrian.
Because I feel that having horses adds an extra layer of expectation and pressure when you are expecting, whether you are working in the industry or not.

The truth is when I saw that positive pregnancy test this time round, despite it being a planned pregnancy I was instantly filled with dread and anxiety. Not because I didn't want another baby; I remembered comments made in my last pregnancy, the pressure I felt, the judgement.
In fact I was so filled with this overwhelming anxiety that I decided not to tell anybody outside of our families until I was 20 weeks (and if I thought I would have gotten away with it longer I would have done!!). And even then I had heard the rumour mill was in fine form suggesting another pregnancy!

My second pregnancy has been very different, much more relaxed, much easier - that is
right up until I told people and once again I have felt overwhelmed and judged.

Being self employed in a service based industry there is always the worry of if your business will survive you having a break, will there be clients to come back to? Can I afford to take a step back?

Then on top of that there are the clients asking what will happen to my horse? Or I don't want a break from lessons.
Like there is an expectation that because I choose to work with horses my personal life should just be put on hold.

Then we come into the struggles that are faced by many equestrians professionals or not..... the big one is it safe to ride?

In my opinion this is personal preference, only the person carrying thw child can decide what horses they feel safe on of any at all.

BUT I see so many posts on facebook people feeling judged for stepping back. When I was pregnant with Arthur I had to pretty much stop riding because of my blood pressure. The amount of people who told me this was ridiculous and I should carry on regardless was INSANE! I was made to feel that I was being pathetic for putting my unborn baby's needs first. And thats before I consider the guilt I felt that I wasn't able to do enough with my own horses.

On the flip side I also had people dictating to me what I could and couldn't do and what was safe for me. I felt like I was being totally deskilled, and while I understood people were trying to protect me and keep me safe I felt that I was essentially being told I wasn't capable of deternining for myself what I could and couldn't safely do.

I literally had people telling me I just needed to crack on as if nothing was happening and the others telling me I shouldn't even be near a horse, very few were telling me that it was MY decision to make.

We know that in pregnancy our hormones as well as the huge life changes make us far more suceptible to mental health problems.
We also know that mental health problems arw prevelant in the horse community.

Put those two things together and for me a perfect storm was created leaving me in a permanant state of fight or flight with no time to prepare and enjoy my pregnancy.

So if you've got this far please if you know anyone who is pregnant try not to tell them what they should or shouldn't be doing.
Have conversations if you are concerned; are they not riding because they feel that is best for them or are they becoming depressed? If it is the later then maybe they need to seek some additional support - the former however should be respected.

But mostly what they probably want right now is a cold drink and to moan about the heat..... I know that's what I need 😂

04/05/2026

Today was the first show of the year for Arthur and Taboo 🥰

We started off getting her groomed and plaited, Arthur did a super job brushing but left the plaiting to me!

Taboo travelled like a pro - something which normally she is quite unsettled by, but is getting much happier with 😊

I wasn't sure how the first class would go as it was a fair which meant Arthur was going to be on board for a while. I didn't need to worry, both him and Taboo were on fine form, he smiled and waved at the judge and Taboo did her best impression of the perfect childs pony.

Between classes Arthur had plenty of time for a nap and re-charge as well as the obligitory show day cheesy chips (something he missed out on last year due to dairy allergy).

While he was doing this Taboo stood on the lorry like she was a regular on the show circuit.

With an even bigger class for his second class I thought I may be pushing my luck! But yet again both Arthur and Taboo put their best foot forward, charming the judges with his best smiles and patting his pony when she did well.

Despite starting to flag at this point after a long day, Arthur still finished the day with a carrot and a kiss for Taboo as always 🥰

Spending time with him and his pony really reminds me what this is all about. Having fun, enjoying out ponies (and cheesy chips of course!!)

As proud as I am of Arthur I really cannot describe the pride I feel in Taboo. People tend assume that the fact I trust her with my toddler means she must be super sage - but the truth is she's really quite green and inexperienced having spent most of her life being a pet/companion. Although we have played about with some schooling in her time she has never been in consitent work. And as far as outings, she did one in-hand show a few years ago but her second show, which was her first "ridden" show was with Arthur last year!! She has really come into her own and looks after him so so well, and for a pony that can have big opinions I am just so pleased she loves being a childs pony enough to keep them to herself and give Arthur these fantastic days out 🥰🥰

Huge thanks to Faith and Emily for heloing us get ready and keeping me organised!
And of course to the Pony Club for running such a friendly show 😁

Looking forward to the next one!

04/05/2026

Show day for Arthur and Taboo 🥰

03/05/2026

Hay delivery this morning, luckily Arthur was on hand ready to help jack unload 💪

01/05/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧?

A lot of people don't know what to expect during a physiotherapy session, so here is a quick run down of what we do and why

HISTORY

I start by taking an in depth history of your horse. This includes what you do with your horse currently, what they have done in the past and even what your intentions for the future are.
Any injuries your horse has had in the past is also good to know as it may change the course of the treatment. Even if you think it is irrelevant please do mention it as it may be relevant to us!

STATIC ASSESSMENT

Next I look at you horse standing, I will try to ask him to stand as square as possible. This helps me start to gain a bigger picture of your horse. Looking at a horses posture can tell us as therapists a lot about him, including where there may be potential 'problem areas' As well as posture and overall condition, I am looking for any asymmetries in the way your horse is muscled.

DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT

This is where I watch your horse move. Again I am looking for any asymmetries, any indication of discomfort in movement and anywhere where they may be holding tension.
This is usually done as a trot up, but in some cases it may be useful to see the horse on the lunge or even under saddle.

PALPATION

Palpation is a vital part of the assessment, h this is where we feel all over the horses body to assess the state of the muscles looking for any tension, atrophy or dysfunction. I again check for any asymmetry and mentally compare what I have seen in the static and dynamic assessments. I can now piece together in my head what will be most beneficial to the horse both during treatment and in the future.

TREATMENT

Next comes the treatment. I use a combination of manual manipulations and electrotherapies all of which are tailored to your horses needs based on what was found during assessment.

EXERCISE PERSCRIPTION

Following treatment we will discuss any exercises that may be beneficial to your horse. If you would like ongoing support I also offer therapeutic coaching sessions which tailor your riding lessons to conditioning your horse for their specific job.

Address

Islandwide
Newport
PO332ND

Telephone

+447521729091

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