Olympus Equine

10/02/2026

Listening early makes all the difference 🐴

Horses rarely go from “fine” to injured overnight.

Most of the time, they tell us early — through subtle changes in movement, attitude, or how their body feels under saddle or on the ground. Those signs are easy to miss or dismiss, especially when we’re keen to get back into work.

A little stiffness.
A change in behaviour.
Less willingness.
Unevenness that comes and goes.

These are often the body’s first way of asking for support.

Listening early allows us to adjust the workload, reassess the plan, and support the horse before small issues become bigger problems. Waiting until things are obvious usually means there’s more to undo.

A thoughtful return to work isn’t about holding your horse back — it’s about setting them up to move well, stay comfortable, and do their job confidently.

True horsemanship is paying attention before things fall apart.

— Hannah
Olympus Equine

05/02/2026

Sometimes the best thing you can do… is pause 🐴🤍

It can be hard to reschedule, postpone, or stop altogether — especially when you’ve been looking forward to getting back into work or ticking boxes off the list.

But rest, reassessment, and patience are not steps backwards.
They’re often the most responsible part of the process.

When a horse is showing discomfort, changes in movement, or something just doesn’t feel right, giving space for:
• Veterinary assessment
• Time to settle or respond to treatment
• A clear plan moving forward
…sets them up for a better outcome long-term.

There will always be time for bodywork, rehab, strengthening, and return-to-work programs.

Those things work best after we understand what the body needs — not before.

Listening to your horse, trusting your gut, and leaning on your support team is never the wrong choice.

Slow decisions today create sounder horses tomorrow 🤍

04/02/2026

Lately I’ve been feeling really grateful, and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you.

Olympus Equine wouldn’t be what it is without the people who support it — those who trust me with their horses, who recommend my work to others, and who share or tag me without ever being asked.

Last week in particular, a few of you tagged me in posts and conversations, and from that I welcomed two new clients. That might seem small on paper, but to me it speaks volumes. It tells me the work I’m doing is making a difference, and that the care, time, and intention I put into each horse is being felt.

I never take it lightly when someone recommends me. Horses are family, and trust like that is earned through consistency, honesty, and genuine care.

So thank you — for supporting Olympus Equine, for sharing my work, and for being part of this growing community. If you’ve found value in what I do and feel comfortable passing it on, please know how deeply appreciated that support is. I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful to be on this journey with you 🤍

03/02/2026

There is no one-size-fits-all approach 🐴

One of the biggest mistakes I see when bringing horses back into work is following a generic plan — or doing what worked for another horse and expecting the same outcome.

Every horse is different. And every return to work should be too.

How a horse is brought back into work depends on many factors, including:
• How long they’ve been off work
• Their fitness level prior to time off
• Age and maturity
• Previous injuries or areas of weakness
• The job they’re being asked to do

All of these variables determine how gradual, conservative, or structured a return to work needs to be.

Two horses can come out of the paddock looking exactly the same… but their bodies may be in very different places.

This is why comparison doesn’t belong in horsemanship. What matters is how your horse is coping — not how quickly someone else is progressing.

Taking the time to work with the horse in front of you builds confidence, soundness, and longevity.

There is no rush.
There is only the right pace for that horse.
— Hannah
Olympus Equine

01/02/2026

A great post from JAMES EQUESTRIAN I couldn't have said it better....

The modern quick fix, and why it sucks...

The modern “quick fix” idea assumes three things that are usually false:

1. It treats symptoms, not causes
Quick fixes go after what’s loud and painful right now—not what’s actually generating the problem.

Crash diets fix weight, not metabolism or habits

Productivity hacks fix output, not burnout or meaning

Motivational quotes fix mood, not direction

So the problem disappears briefly… then comes back wearing a different outfit.

2. Most problems are nonlinear
Life isn’t “do X → get Y.” It’s feedback loops.

Stress affects sleep → sleep affects decisions → decisions create more stress

Culture shapes behavior → behavior reinforces culture

Quick fixes assume straight lines. Reality is messy spirals.

3. Speed skips integration
Change only sticks when it’s integrated into identity, environment, and routines.

A fast solution:

doesn’t rewire habits

doesn’t change incentives

doesn’t reshape self-image

So your brain goes: cool trick, but we’re going back to default settings now.

4. They ignore time as a feature, not a bug
Some things only work because they take time:

trust

skill

health

clarity

confidence

Time allows friction, mistakes, reflection, and adjustment. Quick fixes try to delete that—and end up deleting durability.

5. They sell relief, not responsibility
Quick fixes feel good because they promise:

“You don’t need to change much.”

But lasting solutions usually say:

“You’ll need to change how you think, act, and choose—repeatedly.”

That’s harder to market. So we get hacks instead of frameworks.

The uncomfortable truth
Quick fixes do work…
👉 for simple, mechanical problems

They fail for:

human behavior

complex systems

emotional patterns

meaning and purpose

Basically: the stuff that actually matters

01/02/2026

Sunday reminder 🤍🐴

As many of us start preparing our horses to come back into work, I want to offer a gentle reminder:
Preparation isn’t about rushing towards the next goal — it’s about listening.

Before the saddle goes back on and the workload increases, there’s a small but important window where your horse’s body tells a story.

The stiffness that wasn’t there last season.
Muscle patterns that haven’t quite switched back on yet.

Subtle changes that don’t look dramatic, but matter long-term.

This is where good horsemanship lives.
Not in pushing through discomfort, but in checking in early.

Sometimes that means involving your vet.
Sometimes it means bringing in your bodyworker.
And sometimes it simply means allowing more time.

Our horses don’t understand timelines or expectations — they only know how their body feels in this moment.

Setting them up now often makes the entire season smoother, more comfortable, and more enjoyable for both horse and rider 🤍

If you’d like help assessing where your horse is at before increasing work, I’m always happy to have a conversation or book in a pre-season body check.

29/01/2026

When to call an Equine Sports Therapist… and when to call your Vet 🐴🩺

Recently I’ve had a few clients reschedule or postpone sessions due to upcoming or recent vet visits — and I want to say this clearly: that is absolutely the right call.

An equine sports therapist and a vet play very different (but equally important) roles in your horse’s care, and knowing who to call and when is a huge part of responsible horsemanship.

Call your vet first when:
• There is acute lameness
• Sudden swelling, heat, or pain
• Wounds, illness, fever, or behavioural changes
• Anything that feels “not quite right” or has come on quickly

Diagnosis always comes first. Massage and bodywork should support a plan — not replace medical investigation.

Call an equine sports therapist when:
• Your horse is stiff, tight, or uneven without acute pain
• You’re noticing reduced performance or resistance under saddle
• Your horse is returning to work after time off
• You want to support recovery, maintenance, and long-term soundness

Bodywork is about optimising movement, comfort, and function — working with the body once we know it’s safe to do so.

The best outcomes happen when we take a whole horse approach 🧠🐴

That means keeping your horse’s team involved and communicating:
Vet • Bodyworker • Farrier • Dentist • Physio • Chiro • Trainer
Every professional plays an important role, and none of us work in isolation.

Supporting your horse properly isn’t about choosing one — it’s about knowing when to use each.

Your horse doesn’t need shortcuts.
They need a team 🤍

27/01/2026

Time off changes the body — even when your horse looks “fine”

One of the biggest misconceptions I see when bringing horses back into work is assuming that time off hasn’t changed much… especially if the horse still looks good.

Time off affects more than just fitness.
Muscle tone decreases.

Joint range of motion can reduce.
Posture and movement patterns change.
Compensations can quietly develop without obvious signs.

These changes aren’t a bad thing — they’re normal. But they do matter when we start asking the body to work again.

This is why a gradual return to work is so important. The tissues need time to adapt, strengthen, and relearn how to move efficiently under load.

Just because a horse can do the work, doesn’t always mean their body is ready to do it well… or sustainably.

Taking the time to rebuild correctly helps prevent small issues from becoming bigger problems later on.

This is where patience pays off.
— Hannah
Olympus Equine

26/01/2026

Unboxing day with Huds and T**e 🐶🐴🖤

Huds & t**e treats landed and it turned into a full household taste test real quick 😂

Millie, Duke and Drogba handled the dog treats…
Missus stepped in to represent the horse treats 🐴✨
Different species, same verdict — huge fans all round.

I love brands like that actually cater for both dogs and horses (because let’s be real, they all think everything is for them anyway).

Thanks for spoiling the whole crew 🐾🐴

Which one do you reckon was the most impressed?

PS: I used the Late To Bloom Cowgirl discount code if anyone wants to try them too 🤍

**e

20/01/2026

Slow is the only way to go fast 🐴

Following Nuggie’s pre-season check, I want to touch on something I see time and time again — bringing horses back into work without preparing their bodies for the job we want them to do.

We wouldn’t wake up one morning and decide to run a marathon without training first. We wouldn’t walk into the gym after months off and load the bar like nothing’s changed. Our horses are no different.

Before pulling your horse out of the paddock after time off and jumping straight back on, it’s worth pausing and asking:
Is my horse actually ready for this?

Preparing a horse for work isn’t just about saddle time — it’s about conditioning their muscles, joints, tendons, and nervous system to cope with increasing demands. When this step is rushed, the body finds ways to compensate… and that’s often where soreness, resistance, or injury begins.

There are many variables that determine how a horse should be brought back into work, including:
• How long the horse has been spelling or off work
• Their fitness level prior to time off
• Age, workload, and discipline
• Previous injuries or weaknesses
• How their body is coping right now

All of these factors shape how gradual (or conservative) the return to work should be. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Going slow doesn’t mean going backwards. It means building a foundation that allows your horse to stay sound, confident, and capable of doing their job well — not just now, but long-term.

Slow is the only way to go fast.
Do the prep. Build the base.
Your horse will thank you for it 🤍

— Hannah
Olympus Equine

19/01/2026

Today’s pre-season session with Nuggie 🐴

Nuggie is Late To Bloom Cowgirl horse, and as you all know, Lani is my 2026 sponsored rider with Olympus Equine.

Today was our pre-season check-up — a chance to get a baseline of where he’s at before the season begins.

There was a slight flag on the play — Nuggie presented with a mild lameness — and that’s exactly why these early checks are so important.

During the session, a few subtle areas of tension and restriction showed up that could easily be overlooked or brushed off as “nothing serious yet.” But most issues don’t appear overnight — they build quietly until one day the horse tells us louder… usually through soreness, resistance, or injury.

This is why I never look at just one isolated area in a horse’s body:
• A tight shoulder is rarely just a shoulder.
• A stiff back is often a response, not the cause.

Every session I assess the whole horse — how their body is coping with the work they’re being asked to do, how they’re compensating, and where small restrictions could become big problems if left untreated.

Early intervention with an equine sports therapist isn’t about pampering your horse — and it’s definitely not a spa day.
It’s about:
• Preventing injuries before they happen
• Keeping your horse comfortable and sound
• Supporting longevity and consistency in their work
• Making sure their body can actually cope with what we’re asking of it

A little reminder to all riders: always go at the horse’s pace, not your own. What feels like “only a short session” or “not much work” to us can be physically demanding for a horse if their body isn’t ready. Rushing, pushing, or ignoring early signs never leads to long-term success.

True partnership means listening early — not waiting until things fall apart.

Nuggie showed us today there was something wrong. Even while nibbling at anything in reach, he showed signs of release — lip quivers, softer eyes, and increased gut activity (passing gas) — all signs that tension was letting go. Because of that, we can support his body now… not later when it’s harder to unwind.

This is the work I believe in.
No shortcuts.
No band-aid fixes.
Just doing right by the horse 🤍

— Hannah
Olympus Equine

13/01/2026

Please help share this and to stop this awful abuse happening 😭