Performance Veterinary Physiotherapy

01/09/2025

✨ Last week I spoke with a final-year vet student.
She told me that across her entire 6-year degree, she had just one, two-hour lecture on physiotherapy and rehabilitation across ALL species. One.

❌ No formal guidance on which register to use when recommending a physio.
❌ No clarity on what vets should be looking for.

And when she asked me the simple question:
👉 “What should I look for when recommending a physiotherapist?”
…I honestly didn’t know what to say.

Because here’s the truth:
Most registers are based on a single piece of paper — a qualification. That’s it. They don’t reflect the actual competence of the individual. Some courses even pass students with marks as low as 30%! 📉

A “qualified and registered” professional is not always a competent one.

💭 Imagine instead:
✔️ A register with entrance exams
✔️ Years of experience documented
✔️ Transparent records of CPD and postgraduate learning

That would be a system vets — and pet owners — could truly trust.

But until then?
The best advice I can give is this: look at results.
Ask your clients who already use a physiotherapist. The animal’s progress should speak louder than any register. 🐕 🐈 🐎✨

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🔖 Save this post if you’re a vet or vet student.
💬 Comment below: Do you think the system needs reform?

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24/08/2025

Does anyone want 2.5L of power phaser?

I’m doing an order tomorrow from the wholesaler - it works out at £62/bottle

This is the collected price (or happy to deliver to my clients in person when I see you). Not sure on P&P cost but happy to post out if you want to get a quote.

18/07/2025

📚 BOOK LOVERS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! 🤓✨

Everyone knows I’m obsessed with books — so much so that I’ve kept every single one since my very first degree (and yes, I still use them 20+ years later for fact-checking!). 🤭

I never understand why students sell their textbooks when they graduate — your bookshelf is your secret superpower! 💪

I’m always asked, “What books do you recommend?” Well, the stack next to my computer is about to get its moment in the spotlight.

✨ New Series Alert: Every week, I’ll be doing a totally honest review of one of the books from my personal collection — all purchased by me, all well-thumbed and trusted.

Don’t worry, you won’t be buried under my entire library — just the gems I reach for most.

📖 So, tell me: Which one should I start with? Drop your pick below! ⬇️

04/07/2025

✨ Spotlight Muscle: The Flexor Digitorum Superficialis! 🐎💪

Did you know your horse’s Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (FDS) plays a HUGE role every time they move?
Let’s break it down:

📍 Origin: The FDS starts at the medial epicondyle of the humerus (inside part of the elbow).
📍 Insertion: It runs down the leg and inserts onto the middle phalanx (P2) of each digit — wrapping around the deep digital flexor tendon like a supportive sleeve!

⚙️ Function:
This powerhouse flexes the carpus (knee) and flexes the proximal interphalangeal (pastern) joint. It’s key for shock absorption and efficient movement — whether your horse is cantering through a field or clearing a jump!

🔑 Why it matters:
The FDS is under huge strain during high-speed work, tight turns and landing from jumps. Keeping this muscle and its tendon healthy is vital to prevent tendon injuries, maintain performance and support your horse’s overall soundness.

✅ Top Tip:
Regular physiotherapy, good warm-ups, and balanced training loads help protect this crucial structure!

💬 Did you know this muscle had such an important job? Drop a 🐴 if you learned something new! What muscle should we look at next?

01/07/2025

A rare space at an amazing yard in the outskirts of Ipswich - I cannot express just how special this yard is, with individual care and attention given to each horse/pony as if they are part of the family.

As a livery, you also have access to vastly discounted rates for physiotherapy from PVP due to Alice being our sponsored rider. I visit the yard at least once per month.

Full Livery
We currently have a space as one of our long standing owners is hanging up her boots.
We are a very friendly BHS approved yard with a full range of horse/ponies doing various different jobs.
We offer
Excellent off road hacking
Well maintained school,lunge pen,SJ and various xc jumps.
Schooling/training/riding if required from a BE accredited level 3 coach.
Experienced 24hr care from a great team
Livery can be tailored to suit the individual horse/pony
Please contact
Alice 07511 864662
Mike 07908 006959

30/06/2025

Several people have asked me recently what the difference is between Hofmag and Indiba. I’ve also been made aware that there are some very skeptical claims being made comparing the two, so, here is a summary;

⌨️ Indiba is a brand name for radio frequency treatment - this brand operates specifically at 448KHz, which has over 40 years of trials to show optimal stimulation/healing.

🧲 Hofmag is a brand name for pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMFT) - most Equine/Canine therapists will have a PEMFT device and include it in your regular treatment sessions.

⌨️ Indiba works on a closed circuit - a base-plate attached to the patient and an active electrode which is moved over the target area - the current travels through the body to the base-plate, giving you full pe*******on.

🧲 Hofmag uses a copper coil and an electrical current to introduce magnetic waves into the body - the depth of field varies depending on intensity, but generally it would only be effective to approximately 10-20cm depth.

⌨️ Indiba has a wide range of applications; collagen production, pain modulation, muscle relaxation, osteoblast stimulation, stem cell proliferation…. It can be used to treat everything from damaged soft tissue and bone, through to working as pain relief for arthritis, laminitis and both localised and systemic issues.

🧲 Hofmag is a very useful tool for inflammation reduction, mild pain relief, osteoblast stimulation and muscle relaxation. However, it needs to be used multiple times a day, on a daily basis for acute conditions to see a measurable effect.

🎓Qualifications - Indiba will only sell to qualified professionals (physio’s, osteo’s, chiro’s etc) whereas PEMFT is available to all. Be VERY cautious when utilising one of these machines as a stand-alone treatment, that the operator is a fully trained and Qualified - DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR PROOF!

29/06/2025

🦴✨ Equine Check Ligaments — Small but Mighty! ✨🦴

Did you know your horse’s legs have built-in “safety straps” called check ligaments? These tiny but powerful structures help protect the tendons that flex the lower limb.

🐎 What are check ligaments?
Horses have two main ones in each front leg:
✔️ The proximal check ligament connects the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) to the radius.
✔️ The distal check ligament connects the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) to the back of the knee (carpus).

🧩 How do they work?
Check ligaments act like tensioners — they help limit how far the tendons can stretch when the horse puts weight on the leg. This support reduces strain, saves energy, and keeps the limb stable during motion.

💥 When things go wrong…
Overstretching, slips, or heavy work can injure a check ligament. Signs include swelling, heat, and lameness. Injury needs careful diagnosis, rest, and controlled rehab.

🩺 Early treatment and good rehab can help most horses recover well and get back to work!

27/06/2025

📚 What is OCD? 📚

OCD stands for Osteochondritis Dissecans - a musculoskeletal condition in horses, often diagnosed in young horses, characterised by joint swelling, lameness and compensatory issues.

🔎 What is it?

It is a developmental disorder of the cartilage and bone in a horse’s joints. Horse’s skeletons do not calcify until they are 5/6yo and sometimes even 8/9yo in heavy horses. The torque and strain that the ligament/tendons place on the skeleton around joints can lead to separation of the anchoring points from the underlying bone. This can form loose flaps or fragments of cartilage inside the joint - the joint surface becomes irregular, and the shards continue to calcify, now lodged in the ligament/tendon and become bone chips.

Why does it happen?

🏃‍♀️ Doing too much too young!! Placing too much strain on the anchoring points before the skeleton calcifies and strengthens.
🍱 Nutrition - feeding too much protein whilst a horse is growing - this leads to rapid skeletal growth, with soft tissue struggling to keep up, slowly peeling away cartilage at their anchoring points.
🌱 Mineral imbalance - for example, feeding bran without supporting with calcium can create a bone leaching effect due to the high phosphorus content.
👶 Genetic - some horses are more predisposed to the condition, particularly prevalent in warmbloods.

🩻 How is it diagnosed?

Usually through CT scans and/or investigative arthroscopy. In the early stages, it will not be clear on X-rays. Often there is some swelling and restriction around the joint. There can be compensatory patterns present, and lameness in more advanced cases.

💉 Can it be treated?

There are surgeries that can be carried out, although the outcome will largely depend on the diagnosis being made early enough and the rehabilitation following any treatment.

Prevention is better than cure!

❌ Stop riding young horses
❌ Stop feeding inappropriate diets
❌ Stop breeding from broken/injured horses just because they have a uterus

22/06/2025

✨ How Do You Know When Enough Is Enough? ✨
🐴💔

The Hardest Part of Loving Horses

Sometimes, despite all the vet visits, rehab plans, supplements, scans, and second opinions… they don’t get better.
Sometimes, they get worse.
And sometimes, we don’t even get clear answers.

As horse owners, carers, and professionals, we are wired to fix, to help, to do something. We hold on because we love them. We try everything because giving up feels like failure. But there’s a difference between giving up and letting go.

👉 Enough is when their pain outweighs their comfort.
👉 Enough is when they no longer enjoy what they once loved.
👉 Enough is when you’ve explored every safe and ethical option, and they are still not okay.

It’s not weakness to say “enough.” It’s compassion. It’s choosing their peace over our hope. It’s loving them enough to stop chasing what cannot be fixed.

To anyone facing this right now: you are not alone. Your heartbreak is real. And your courage—whether to keep trying or to say goodbye—is valid.

This picture is two of my horses; one is sadly no longer with us. Ben (in the foreground) is now 34 years old, and every single day I will assess whether he is happy and enjoying life.

Hold them close. Listen carefully. And when they tell you they’ve had enough… believe them. 💜

19/06/2025