Equine Sports Therapy

Equine Sports Therapy is a holistic approach to the treatment of the horse, involving massage techniques, stretches and prescriptive exercises. Although titled 'Sports Therapy', patients are not just limited to performance horses; any horse can benefit from a treatment!

External factors which may affect the horse will be considered initially, including saddle fit, farriery, horse and rider biomechanics, nutrition and individual behaviours.

But, a horse is more than just a sum of these parts. A horse is a unique, emotive and intelligent animal. Freddie’s ability to understand, empathise and assess the “whole” horse is what sets her apart, making her more than your average Sports Therapist.

RockTape®

RockTape® Kinesiology Tape is an athletic tape, originally used to improve performance and aid recovery in human athletes. In more recent times, equine therapists and trainers alike have begun applying RockTape® to their horses, hoping to reap the same benefits.

More sticky and stretchy (up to 180% stretch) than other brands, RockTape® is applied to horses to improve muscle function, joint range of motion and general functionality, help with muscle stiffness, strains and post-treatment inflammation and to prolong the effects of myofascial release. Freddie has also found great success in using RockTape® improve proprioception and bodily awareness in her patients, aiding in the development of correct muscle groups. RockTape® may be utilised as part of a treatment if appropriate, free of charge, and Freddie also carries a small selection of RockTape® products, available for purchase.

For more information, please visit RockTape® Equine.

Cold Laser Therapy

Cold Laser, also referred to as Low Level Laser, involves the use of different frequencies of light energy to stimulate and improve cellular mechanisms involved in the healing of damaged tissue. Freddie sometimes uses this as a complementary therapy alongside her hands-on approach at no extra charge, but it is also highly effective in improving the healing of severe wounds/injuries. If you’d like to read more about the laser we use in appointments, please visit the website of the manufacturers, Omega Laser.

Equine Osteopathy * Coming Soon *

The General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and the Institute for Osteopathy definies Osteopathy as the following;

‘Osteopathy is a primary care profession, focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders, and the effects of these conditions on patients’ general health. Osteopathy is based on the principle that the body has the ability to heal, and osteopathic care focuses on strengthening the musculoskeletal systems to treat existing conditions and to prevent illness.’

After the success of Osteopathy in the human world, the application of the techniques applied to animals began in the 1980’s, with Stuart McGregor at the forefront and animal osteopathy is now the fastest growing profession in animal healthcare. Practitioners will work on both the joints and the muscles to improve blood flow and regulate nerve supply, in order to restore function and rebalance the body’s structures. Osteopathy can be a crucial component in both injury prevention and aiding rehabilitation.