24/05/2026
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𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 "𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗽" 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽!
When I'm called to a yard as an equine therapist, it is very often because something is not working. Often I can see lameness, biomechanical compensation, suboptimal management, or the nutritional gaps, for example, that have been dismissed as "normal". ... but sometimes, the moment I suggest that a "naughty" horse could actually be in pain, or that the current management could possibly be fueling the very problem they want me to "fix," the mood can shift 😔 It can be an awkward, isolating spot to be in! 😔🫣
However, I'm not there to be liked; I am there to advocate for the horse, no matter how exhausting it can be when the people who hired me for my professional input suddenly don't want to hear it, because it challenges the very way they’ve always done things!
It can be very frustrating to watch people reach for a band-aid ~ a stronger bit, a pair of draw reins, punishing behavioural reactions instead of considering physical or emotional stress, a quick-fix, when I know there’s a root cause beneath the surface that needs to be addressed ... but the thing is ~ I simply cannot un-see it! 🫣🧐👀
Once you look at the scientific evidence, at the actual biology and physiology of the horse, you can’t just ignore the obvious. I know without a doubt that if we don't address the root cause, nothing actually changes for that horse, except maybe temporarily. And if I don’t speak up, then who will? The horse certainly can't! 🤷♀️😔
It can be a lonely path being the one who refuses to play along with "tradition" when it is in fact, failing the animal 😔 Science allows us to move beyond assumption, habit and anecdotal evidence, and instead lets us to make decisions based on what is objectively shown to improve the horse’s quality of life. Following the evidence base does not mean abandoning experience; it means combining experience with critical thinking, curiosity and a willingness to evolve when new information emerges. I fully intend to keep educating myself and to keep following the scientific evidence, because that is the only way we can truly progress.
I know that change can be hard and it can be uncomfortable. Nobody likes it and almost everyone tries to avoid it, often clinging to the old status-quo because it definitely feels safer and dare I say easier! Sometimes, we cling to these 'old ways' because they were taught to us by our mentors who we deeply respected and challenging them can feel like a personal attack on our history, or our teachers. But time and time again, I see that the changes we fear are the very ones that lead us to a better, healthier life for the horse. It isn't easy to challenge how things are done, but growth is rarely comfortable 😱
I believe that the equine industry will only move forward when we stop being afraid of making people uncomfortable. When we start thinking deeper and stay open-minded. When we question ourselves and always ask ourselves "why"! ... Because for our beloved horses, it’s the only way forward!! ❤️🐎❤️
