Pampashire Animal Manual Therapies

27/08/2025

Dear clients, an unfortunate situation has left me out of game for a couple of weeks, I’m gutted I’ll now need to cancel our appointments!!

Your horses are my number 1 priority, I’ll let you know when cast is out so we can reschedule 🩵

Anyway, it seems I’ve been doing quite well to be fair, as this is my very first cast in 30 years!! How good is that!! 😂

- Lara

21/08/2025

This 👇🏼

The Body Doesn’t Lie

I’m a little (a lot) increasingly worried and frustrated about the postures I am seeing horses worked in. I saw a post yesterday of a horse being worked in side reins comparing day one of using them to day two; day one — bracing; day two — horse sucking behind the side reins, opening mouth, compressing the wither (and everything else) to avoid pressure.

The day before that, one professional rider riding a 4 year old hyperflexed with draw reins in one clip and a tight martingale in another.

The day before that, a client told me that another therapist had told them to just shut their horses mouth with a flash to stop contact evasions… when in fact this horse is experiencing significant discomfort.

Today, a video saying if your horse leans on the contact to just give them a sharp upward motion of the rein to get them to sit back… because there surely isn’t a physical or rider issue why they do that!?

IF you DON’T think what you are doing is wrong, LOOK and FEEL your horse.

If you’re ignoring their signals in every other way, their body won’t lie. If you’re doing everything right, they’ll look right.

If you’re constantly battling with the same issues, if your physio keeps noticing a tight poll/lacking muscle/stiffness, if you can see your horses ligament clicking and flicking over the top of their neck every time you change bend, please please widen the gaze and realise — this is not right, this is not normal for their body, what is going wrong?

There is no shame in breaking away from a trainer you’ve used for years; or changing from a saddle you once loved to a new one; or giving your horse a little while off whilst you sort your body out and make sure you’re not hindering them. This is the part of the “sport” (I hate that word in this context) that has been so massively overlooked of late.

Even if you’re a professional rider only riding a horse for 30 mins a week, we are our horses GUARDIANS on this planet. Every interaction means we should care for every part of them whole heartedly. If something isn’t right, they will try and tell us however they can — big or small.

Speech and panic over… resume your day 🙃

17/08/2025

✨ What a fantastic day at the MS Charity Show! ✨

We were so proud to be part of this wonderful event, bringing along our stand and meeting so many lovely people. A big thank you to everyone who stopped by to have a chat with us and shared their horses’ stories — it was a real pleasure to connect with you all. 🐴💙

We were also delighted to sponsor two categories:
🏆 Small Breeds – congratulations to the winner, pictured here!
🏆 M&M Ridden – another huge well done to the winner, also in the photos below!

A heartfelt thank you to the organisers, competitors, and supporters who made today so special. We’re honoured to support such a meaningful cause and to be part of a community that cares so deeply about both people and animals. 💜

A special shoutout goes to Lollie and Popsy, who came bright and early to help us set up and support us from the very beginning. And an extra thank you to Linda and Lee, who helped us share and transmit the true Pampashire message and values with everyone throughout the day. We couldn’t have done it without you! 🙌🩵

And of course, to Will — thank you for always being there for Pampashire, no matter the weather or the time. You are such an important pillar of our journey, and we couldn’t do what we do without your constant support. 🌟

09/08/2025

Doesn’t surprise me at all, 😓

06/08/2025

For my clients who flatter me with the nice feedback “they never let me touch their ears before”, here is why!:

🐎 I’ve said it many times — HORSES DO GET HEADACHES!!

And I’ll keep saying it, because too many still ignore the signs.

It is NOT normal if your horse hates to have ONE or BOTH ears touched 🚩
Let’s talk about WHY ⬇️

The general term head shyness refers to a horse that moves its head away when touched in certain areas — especially the ears, poll, face, or upper neck.

Yes, rough handling can create this behaviour. But I’m talking about the horses that give a clear pain response — and we MUST pay attention to the 🚩 red flags 🚩

Let’s break it down with some anatomy — including cranial nerves — and real-life examples:

🔺 If you have to take your bridle apart to get it on — this is NOT normal.
🚩 It’s a pain response! Likely involving the poll, the occipital bone, or surrounding soft tissues like the nuchal ligament and suboccipital muscles.

🔺 Soreness around C1 and the upper neck? 🚩
The atlas (C1) supports the skull and sits in close proximity to the brainstem — where cranial nerves originate. If there’s tension, compression, or trauma in this area, horses can experience headaches, vision changes, coordination issues, and hypersensitivity.

🔺 Ear shyness – Behind the ears lies a complex neural and muscular region. Structures here include:

CN VII (Facial Nerve) – controls facial expression; dysfunction can lead to twitching or hypersensitivity.

CN V (Trigeminal Nerve) – especially its mandibular and ophthalmic branches, which are often involved in facial pain and head-shyness.

CN VIII (Vestibulocochlear Nerve) – important for balance; tension near the inner ear can affect proprioception and make head movement uncomfortable.

🔺 Horse is poor to catch?
Many are not trying to be 'difficult’ — they’re avoiding the discomfort of the halter going on, which may stimulate the trigeminal nerve or cause tension in the TMJ area. 🚩

🔺 Can be brushed on one side but not the other? 🚩
Could be unilateral cranial nerve irritation, often stemming from fascial pulls, past trauma, or misalignment.

🔺 Foaming at the mouth under bit pressure? 🚩
This isn’t always “submission.” Bit pressure can impact:

the mandibular branch of CN V (trigeminal nerve)

the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII) — which controls tongue movement

the glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX) — associated with the throat and swallowing
All of these nerves can be compromised by poor dental balance, bitting, or cranial dysfunction.

Summary

Refusal to touch the ears, poll, or head is NOT just “bad behaviour.”
It’s communication.

Horses with myofascial pain, C1 restrictions, cranial nerve irritation, or TMJ dysfunction will naturally protect themselves — pulling away, raising the head, tensing the jaw, or shutting down altogether.

💡 Signs of stress you may see when touching the head area:

Elevated heart rate or subtle sweating

Holding the head unnaturally high

Tight nostrils or pinched expression

Squinting or avoiding eye contact

Rushing to the back of the stable when a rug is taken from the door almost in a panic

Don’t ignore these changes. Don’t write them off as “just being difficult.”
Think about pull-back injuries, rope accidents, or even long-standing bridle or bit pressure. These can have lasting effects on the cranial nerves, cervical vertebrae, fascia, and overall comfort.

Not to forget the cranial sacral connections, got a a horse with SI joint issues ? Could be related all the way to the skull!

🧠 Pain is real.
🐴 Headaches are real.
🎯 And your horse is telling you — are you listening?

Reposting because it’s THAT important.
Let’s do better for them.

31/07/2025

Choosing a OTTB isn’t an easy choice, it could lead to big frustrations, specially when we realise maybe we weren’t that ready to take such a big challenge.
But… what a rewarding journey is!

Yes, thoroughbreds aren’t for just “anyone” yet they are great teachers and they will be a mirror reflecting the work you need to do on yourself first.

No, it isn’t a matter of just getting one and end up having a 5* eventer. But it can actually give you bigger achievements that you may not be expecting

Thoroughbreds are my favourite for a reason, and if you haven’t loved one yet… I encourage you to try it out

An Open Letter to Those Who Wish to Help the Off-the-Track Racehorses 🐎💌

I’m writing this letter because, just like you, I want to help racehorses who retire sound from racing. I want to ensure they go on to live lives where they are well cared for.

Sadly, many of these horses end up neglected — or worse.

While there are many factors that contribute to these welfare issues, I want to share what I’ve learned about these beautiful animals. My hope is that it helps you give them a life where they are loved, respected, and valued for their big hearts, enormous try, and incredible athleticism.

1️⃣ First and foremost: they were trained to race.

That’s not just a fun fact — it’s the foundation of how they think and behave. These horses have been taught to do a very specific job: run fast, go forward, and react to movement with speed and power. That’s what they anticipate. That’s what they expect. That’s what their body and brain have been conditioned for.

So your first job is to teach them their new role as a pleasure or performance horse.
And just as importantly, you’ll need to un-train their old one.

This takes time, patience, strategy, and skill. They’re not being ‘difficult’ — they’re doing their job until they understand their new one.

2️⃣ Their body has been shaped by their career.

From diet and metabolism to feet, joints, and gut health — everything about their body has been impacted by the demands of racing.

Transitioning to a new lifestyle isn’t just about retraining — it’s rehab.

You’ll need to:

- Adjust their diet gradually and mindfully
- Support hoof health (because thoroughbred feet are, well… notoriously dodgy)
- Treat or manage gastric ulcers, if present
- Build their physical condition in a way that supports comfort and soundness

Equine Anatomist Sharon May-Davis has studied the musculoskeletal system of Thoroughbreds extensively. Her research reveals how factors like the camber (slope) of city vs country tracks, and the direction horses race (clockwise or anti-clockwise), lead to skeletal asymmetries and imbalances.

So these horses don’t just need training — they need physiotherapy through training.

And often some veterinary expertise or bodywork therapy is necessary to help them function with comfort and symmetry, especially in the early stages.

3️⃣ Conformation matters — and many are built to run, not collect.

Selective breeding for racing performance has shaped racehorse conformation. While some are naturally well-proportioned for riding disciplines, others have anatomical features that make certain movements — like collection — more physically challenging.

This doesn’t mean they can’t learn new skills. It just means we need to be mindful of what we’re asking, and whether they have the build and strength to do it easily or comfortably.

So when selecting a horse, consider whether their conformation suits the job you have in mind. You’ll set both of you up for success.

4️⃣ Most OTTBs aren’t ‘difficult’ — they’re misunderstood.

No horse is more misunderstood than the retired racehorse.

They get labelled as anxious, unpredictable, difficult, even dangerous. But the reality is, they often become reactive because they’re:

- Confused
- Uncomfortable
- Overwhelmed

They’ve been trained to do one thing and suddenly expected to do something else with no translator.

But when you strip away the confusion, give them time to learn, support their physical needs, and show them how to succeed — you’ll see who they really are: kind, willing, sensitive, and full of heart.

5️⃣ Retraining an OTTB is not easier than starting a young horse.

In fact, it’s often more complex.

You’re not starting from a clean slate — you’re reshaping existing patterns, responses, and associations. It’s a journey, not a quick fix.

And if you are re-starting a Standardbred, many haven't even been backed yet!

Start simple. Help them navigate easy tasks before adding complexity. Let them build confidence, physically and mentally.

Unfortunately, many people don’t know what’s really involved. Horses are thrown in the deep end, confused and underprepared, and when something goes wrong, they get labelled ‘problem horses’.

And from there, their future becomes uncertain.
Because a horse seen as difficult or dangerous has little to no value — and that’s when their welfare is at greatest risk.

6️⃣ Their new value is built through training.
At the start of their career, racehorses are valued for their racing potential — sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When they retire, their value lies in their education.

A retrained horse has value as a riding partner — in pony club, dressage, show jumping, trail riding, or just being someone’s much-loved companion.

So when I retrain an off-the-track Thoroughbred or Standardbred, I know I’m doing more than just teaching them new skills. I’m giving them value. I’m securing their future. And to me, that’s deeply important — and incredibly rewarding.

❤🙏Please help share this.

Please share this letter, talk about these horses, and help others understand what’s truly involved.

Because the more people who understand their needs, the better we can support them — and the fewer horses end up confused, cast aside, or at risk.

Their future doesn’t just rest with the racing industry or government programs — it rests with all of us.

If you care about horses, you can help. And if you’re one of the special people who gives a Thoroughbred their second chance — thank you.

They deserve it.

➡️CHECK OUT THE FIRST COMMENT: Isabelle Chandler & I have a webinar this week, you are invited ❤ It is focused on how to select an OTTB if you are considering giving one a home ✅

IMPORTANT‼ Hit the SHARE BUTTON - Do not copy & paste, as it is not cool. If you would like to publish this in a magazine or newsletter please DM me.

29/07/2025

If you think having your horse “on the vertical” is what you should always aim for, and think that that’s the only situation when they are “on the contact”, please read this post:

P.D: no, for a horse to be “on the contact”
Not necessarily mean the head has to be “on the vertical”. This actually doesn’t follow the natural movement and natural position of the neck and head. This only causes tension, stress and discomfort

Yes, the head on the vertical is importantly, but it’s only a reflection of what happens in the body, not something we should ask for

Research conducted by Kienapfel and colleagues (2025) set out to investigate the relationship between head–neck position (HNP) and behavioural indicators of welfare in elite dressage horses.

Their goal was to provide an objective, evidence-based threshold at which flexion during riding becomes problematic for equine welfare, and to clarify the respective roles of vertical and poll angles in this context.

Concurrently, the occurrence of conflict behaviours—such as tail swishing, abnormal oral behaviours, headshaking, and gait irregularities—were quantified by trained observers.

The study used linear mixed-effects models to show that greater head–neck flexion—especially more negative vertical and poll angles—is clearly linked to increased conflict behaviour in dressage horses, with other factors like age, breed, or bit type not significant, though stallions did show more conflict than mares or geldings.

The authors identified that a -7.5° vertical angle (nasal plane behind the vertical) was an evidence-based limit: positions less flexed than -4° can be considered safe, -4° to -7.5° require caution, and beyond -7.5° pose a welfare risk.

Notably, more than 90% of horses examined were ridden behind the vertical, with half of these exceeding the -7.5° threshold, despite regulations.

📖: Kienapfel K, Hartmann E, Preiss B, Bachmann I. Head–Neck Positions in Ridden Horses: Defining Degrees of Flexion and Their Impact on Equine Behavior and Welfare. Int J Equine Sci 2025;4(2):107–124

25/07/2025

✨ Free Tip Friday 🎁 – let’s talk about something super simple that might be affecting your horse more than you think:

💤 Make sure your horse has a comfy place to rest and sleep.

Have you ever woken up with shoulder, neck or back pain and you’re like… where did that come from? Or felt dizzy, grumpy, or had a headache for no real reason?

Most of the time, it’s the mattress or the pillow. If it’s not right, your whole day can go wrong.

Well—guess what—horses go through the same thing 😉

They might not tell you with words, but if they’re not sleeping properly, it shows: They get stiff, they move funny, they get moody and even start resisting things they normally do just fine.

In al honesty, most of the beds I see out there look more like a poor cat litter tray than an actual bed 😅, as in they are just a Thin layer of shavings, barely any straw—just enough to cover the floor and catch the wee… But a bed is not just a toilet!

🛌 A proper bed should be chunky, soft, dry, and supportive—especially for their heavy bodies.
They need to feel safe and comfortable enough to lie down, because that’s when they get their proper, deep sleep (the REM kind that truly restores them).

👉🏻Now here’s the thing—when horses don’t lie down and don’t get that proper rest, it’s not just about them being a little moody.

Over time, this can cause:
😩Chronic fatigue – they’re always tired but can’t recover
😩Muscle tightness and soreness – especially in the back and hind end
😩Increased risk of injury – tired horses make mistakes
😩Behavioural changes – grumpiness, anxiety, even aggression in some cases
😩Poor performance – they just won’t feel or move their best

💁🏻‍♀️As a therapist, of course I can happily come and treat your horse once or twice a week—that’s never an issue.
But my goal is always long-term. I want to help your horse, not have them depend on constant treatment because they’re not getting proper rest or living in a stressful environment.

That’s why you’ll definitely hear me ask you:
👉 Where do they sleep?🤔

Because yes, bodywork helps—but the real change happens when their environment supports them too.

So if your horse is always moody, gets irritated, you never see stains from lying down, or they’re just feeling stiff…

Ask yourself first:
👉 Do I provide him with a good mattress where to sleep?😉

Now you know🩵

• Lara Munoz, Cert ESMT, Cert ELR, Natural horsemanship, horse trainer, IAAT

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💬 comment: did you know about this? How’s your horse bed?
📥Save it for the future!

18/07/2025

To my clients: please read this post! This explains a little bit more of why I always talk about Fascia and how I focus on this part during the sessions ☺️🫶🏻

15/07/2025

🌟 Proud Therapist Moment: My Client Won Big at Cricklands! 🌟

I couldn’t be more proud of one of my lovely clients who absolutely smashed it at the Cricklands Summer Show in Wales, taking home 5 prizes across different categories! 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

When I first met Candi just 4 months ago, she was struggling to stand still, showed signs of discomfort, had an unbalanced posture, and her behaviour made it clear something wasn’t quite right. But wow… what a transformation. 💫

We started working together intensively — twice a week for three weeks — focusing on improving her musculoskeletal health, posture, and overall balance. Slowly but surely, she started feeling better in her body:
✔️ Standing square
✔️ Moving with ease
✔️ Behaving calmly
✔️ And showing off the champion she truly is.

Now I continue supporting her through maintenance sessions to keep her feeling and performing at her best. And what a difference it makes.

✨ I’m genuinely so happy for Candi and her wonderful owner Beaux. I honestly couldn’t ask for more — if my clients are happy and their horses are thriving, I’ve done my job. Moments like these bring so much joy and remind me why I love what I do. ✨

Congratulations again to this amazing team – your hard work, love and dedication truly paid off. Thank you for letting me be a small part of this big win! 🐴🩵

👉🏻 would you like the same for your horse? Book your appointment today!

• Lara Munoz, Cert ESMT, Cert ELR, IAAT, Natural horsemanship, Horse Trainer

www.pampashireanimaltherapies.com

10/02/2025

🫶 Do more of what makes them happy✨

✨ Musculoskeletal therapy focuses on improving your pet’s movement, flexibility, and comfort by treating the muscles, joints, and soft tissues of the body. It’s a holistic, hands-on approach designed to enhance the musculoskeletal system’s function and relieve pain.
This is more than just pampering—it’s about addressing the root cause of discomfort, promoting healing, and ensuring your pet’s long-term health and mobility.

☎️ Book your appointment today and take their wellbeing to the next level

☎️ 07769253767

📍 Based in Ringwood, covering Dorset, Hampshire and South Wilsh*te

💻 www.pampashireanimaltherapies.com

Lara Munoz, Cert ESMT, IAAT Member