All Creatures Physiotherapy

13/12/2024

As summer temperatures rise consideration regarding training tools such as boots and bandages should be thought through. Various tendon boots have been shown to markedly increase skin temperature and as such may contribute to the possibility of tendon injury. Here is a little summary to hopefully aid in better tendon management, particularly in the heat!

25/11/2024

There are many training scales used in equestrian sport from the Spanish ORBIT scale, to the French and German scales. Typically these comprise of Rhythm, Relaxation, Connection, Impulsion, Straightness and Collection or some variation thereof. Thank you Centaur Biomechanics for yet another super lecture. Here is a brief summary of rhythm during walk, trot and canter and a few training suggestions.

RHYTHM
WALK
~ A four-beat rhythm where each footfall should occur independently of one another and in lateral sequence.

~ There are four types of walk- collected, medium, extended and free.

~ There is no moment of suspension at walk.

TROT
~ a two beat gait in diagonal pairs- or is this so? Research has shown this is not always the case. The right hind may land fractionally before the left fore (this is desirable due to hindlimb push off, lower vertical forces and energy expenditure, but consider the soft tissue strain), if the forelimb lands first this is undesirable as it acts more as a breaking mechanism.

~ There are four types of trot: collected, working, medium and extended

~ There is a moment of suspension during trot, if a horse does not have a moment of suspension there is a locomotor dysfunction.

~ Suspension in medium and extended trot is 2 times that of collected and working trot. Consider this affect on your horse’s soft tissue structures when riding- there is far more strain with medium and extended trot, perhaps do these in short bursts.

CANTER
~ An asymmetrical three-beat gait.

~ Four types of canter: collected, working, medium and extended.

~ Did you know during collected canter there is NOT a moment of suspension? There is some belief that this is due to ‘modern dressage’ however due to new technology the analysis of old classical dressage video footage shows the same! So dare I say it but collected canter may be 4 beat!

FROM A TRAINING PERSPECTIVE
How can you use your horse’s gait purposefully for training?
There is more rotational movement during both walk and canter which is great for suppling horses HOWEVER a minimum TEN minutes walk warm up is required for every horse (every ride!!) to increase joint lubrication, thereby minimising injury.
Trot is great for strengthening horses and stabilising the upper body as it has the least axial rotation.

Also consider- if your horse starts to go behind the vertical (behind the bit) during training is this simply fatigue of the dorsal (topline) musculature and pole muscles?
Altering rein length throughout your ride will train muscles in various lengths, this will aid in enhanced strength, reduce fatigue and a better self carriage.

There are so many ways we can use our horse’s natural movement to aid in their training and we as riders need to be specific about what our goals are.
All Creatures Physiotherapy

15/11/2024

As clinicians the diagnosis of equine back pain is complex and multifaceted. This is a brilliant paper led by fellow Vet Physio, Lynne Harrison summarising the current literature surrounding the challenges of functional and interventional assessments of equine back pain whilst also highlighting challenges faced by clinicians. Worth a read by all horse owners!!

15/10/2024

An excellent lecture on the use of ground and raised poles by . When using poles consider why you are using them- what are you wanting to achieve, be specific. Poles require increased fetlock, carpal (knee) and elbow flexion in the forelimb and increased fetlock, tarsal (hock) and stifle flexion in the hindlimb, however the trunk remains relatively stable. Consider the impact of repetitive poles on these joints and subsequently issues of muscle fatigue. Fatigue leads to compensatory gait patterns and may induce injury. Poles are an excellent training tool however they should be used more frequently and for a shorter duration to alter motor patterns and build muscles specifically. If using poles listen for repetitive tapping as this possibly indicates locomotor fatigue.

05/10/2024

What an incredible lecture by Jo Paul, UK Vet Physio, discussing many aspects of assessing static and dynamic equine movement patterns, identifying functional dysfunctions and applying appropriate rehabilitation exercises for various equine types. What is functional dysfunction?
This presents in horses who have an inability to execute a particular movement ie. picking up the correct canter lead or difficulty with pirouettes one way. It is often a functional movement issue (ie. weakness or structural cause) which has been present for some time. These horses may also present with behavioural issues and if not addressed by the team (veterinarian, farrier, body worker etc) could result in an injury. Sadly vets are usually only contacted once a pathology presents.

The ability to identify weaknesses in movement patterns is imperative for a tailored rehabilitation program to be applied, therefore avoiding pathologies and enhancing performance. There is no quick fix to building strength and altering motor pathways but when rehabilitation is done correctly long term results will pay off.

15/09/2024

New bridle-horse interaction research, three great papers!

11/09/2024

For those interested in the cervical vertebral malformation topic these are interesting findings- open access paper so free to all!

New paper with interesting results especially in light of the current discussions on the anatomic variations found on dissection. Bones in the spinal column, examined post-mortem often have a wide range of different 'lumps and bumps' to that expected in comparison to the text-books. However linking to pain or behaviour signs when that horse was alive is not commonly possible, or reliable even with a history. This paper explores clinical signs AND bony variation.
It is open access, so available to read without needing to pay/be registered with an academic institution: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/evj.14127

19/07/2024

Canine leg amputations are often seen and we presume the dogs are fine because they cope- but are they really ok? Surely it’s more a survival mechanism. This is a great summary of some of the challenges these dogs face…..

01/07/2024

I am very excited to announce Heather Halstead will be joining the All Creatures Physiotherapy team. Heather is an experienced physiotherapist who has also completed her post-graduate studies in Veterinary Physiotherapy through Liverpool University in the UK. Heather will be servicing between Coldstream and the Mornington Peninsular. For any enquires/bookings please contact Fiona .24

17/05/2024

Super lovely to catch up with Heather from ! Two minds are greater than one!!!

14/05/2024

A month late as it’s been very busy but looking forward to listening to this lecture

06/05/2024

So lovely catching up with Anushka von Oppen from CORE Equine Biomechanics over lunch today. Of course it was all about horses including equine performance, the horse rider interface and interaction, rider biomechanics, differential diagnostics and rehabilitation, plus lots more!!

The need for vets and physios to work together is vital to ensure our horse’s are kept in top condition enabling peak performance.

Collaboration is key to help lift the welfare and health of our horses.

Today Fi and I sat down and discussed some of the issues which we find are clinically challenging and how when we work collaboratively as vets and physios, we can tackle problems from different angles, knowledge and perspectives 🫶🏼

We also talked about the horse rider interaction and how the performance of our horses is affected by so many different facets of their overall care and management. Here in lies the importance of a holistic approach especially when wanting to take performance up to that next level!

If you want to be on the front foot in terms of managing your horse, or have any questions regarding sports health, drop us a message below! 👇🏼 🙌🏼