Equetouch

29/01/2026

I share this notification every year so fingers crossed that this year, it could be me! Please vote.

Equine Therapist of the Year sponsored by Equicantis

Behind many happy, comfortable horses is a skilled equine therapist quietly doing the work, improving movement, supporting recovery, and helping horses feel and perform at their best.

This award is about recognising those equine therapists who put horse welfare first. They take the time to really understand each horse, work alongside vets and owners, and make a genuine difference through their hands-on care.

Whether they work independently, run a one-person practice, or support yards and riding schools across the country, equine therapists play a vital role in keeping horses healthy and comfortable.

If you know an equine therapist who goes above and beyond, someone you trust with your horse, who explains what they’re doing and why, and who truly cares, we’d love to hear about them.
Nominations are now open for Equine Therapist of the Year, sponsored by Equicantis.

👉 Please share this post, tag an equine therapist in the comments and nominate someone who deserves recognition via our website

21/01/2026

🚀 Introducing BE Prepared: learn, connect, grow with British Eventing!

British Eventing is thrilled to launch BE Prepared, a brand-new learning and development programme for riders at BE100 level and below – whether you’re new to eventing, returning after a break, or aiming for a championship.

With a new online Learning Hub packed with expert videos, checklists, and articles, and fun two-day camps across the country, BE Prepared helps riders – both members and non-members – build confidence, improve skills, and strengthen connections with their horses and the eventing community.

🌟 Key pillars:
• BE Partners: understanding your horse
• BE Ready: rider fitness, mindset, and wellness
• BE Skilled: technical knowledge across all phases

Read the full story and find out more here: https://news.britisheventing.com/be-prepared-a-new-way-to-learn-connect-and-grow-with-british-eventing/

📅 Upcoming Camps: Feb–Mar 2026 in Northumberland, Chelmsford, and Worcestershire. Check them out here https://www.britisheventing.com/search-courses?period=all_coming

💻 Explore the Learning Hub and book your camp today: https://beprepared.britisheventing.com/

15/01/2026

Had a busy start to the year and next week is fully booked working around Stowe, Brackley, Edgcott, Wantage, Great Barford, Thame, Beaconsfield, Rotherfield Peppard, and Stewkley.

Taking bookings for the end of February onwards.

14/01/2026

The science is proof! Don’t bother with sports drinks and electrolytes, chocolate milk helps better with recovery from exercise!

Most runners reach for expensive sports drinks after hard workouts. Your refrigerator might already contain a recovery option that works just as well for a fraction of the cost.

Chocolate milk has gained traction as a post-workout recovery drink, and the science actually supports this practice. Research from Dr. Joel Stager at Indiana University shows that chocolate milk's approximately 3:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio effectively restores glycogen while supporting muscle protein synthesis.

Here's what makes this compelling: traditional sports drinks provide carbohydrates and electrolytes but lack protein entirely, missing a critical component of recovery. Energy drinks are even worse - loaded with caffeine and sugar that can actually interfere with the recovery process.

Simply put: chocolate milk delivers carbs to replenish glycogen stores, protein to repair muscle damage, and fluid plus electrolytes to restore hydration status. Studies from Dr. Michael Saunders show recovery markers comparable to commercial recovery beverages at significantly lower cost.

The good news? This works best within the 30-60 minute post-exercise window when your muscles are most receptive to nutrient uptake.

Unfortunately, not all chocolate milk is created equal. The claim in this post about choosing "sugar-free" options misses the point - you actually need those carbohydrates for glycogen restoration. The key is avoiding unnecessarily high sugar versions while still getting adequate carbs for recovery.

The bottom line? Low-fat chocolate milk provides effective, affordable recovery nutrition for runs lasting 60+ minutes or intense workouts. Skip it after easy 30-minute jogs where plain water suffices.
📷

05/01/2026

Back to work today. January is already almost full (apart from a day off tomorrow due to cancellations), so please get in touch for appointments in February. 👍🏇🏃🏻‍♀️

04/12/2025

This is a really important part of treatment with all the machine modalities out there.

I use my laser a lot but often on different frequencies, strengths and density. One size does not fit all when it comes to muscle tears or tendon damage or ligament strain.

I was revisiting some notes on photobiomodulation the other day, and it struck me how far we’ve come in understanding something that used to feel a bit like “magic light therapy.”

Over the years, the research has become clearer: the dose matters, the wavelength matters, and the tissue target matters even more. And yet, in the clinic, it can still feel surprisingly easy to slip into old habits - grabbing the laser because “it usually helps” without pausing to ask whether we’re using the right parameters for the specific tissue and condition in front of us.

Reading this weeks blog, this line stands out: Photobiomodulation isn’t just about turning light on; it’s about delivering energy in a way the cell can actually use. That reminder alone shifts the focus from the machine to the physiology - from “doing laser” to supporting mitochondrial function, modulating inflammation, and influencing pain pathways in a meaningful, evidence-informed way.

It also made me think about how often we underestimate the importance of calibration, treatment distance, or even the pigment and density of the tissue we’re treating. These tiny details add up, and they’re exactly what separate a protocol that “sort of works” from one that consistently delivers results.

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for those small refinements, the tweaks in technique or reasoning that make a modality more intentional, more effective, and more aligned with the science we keep learning.

If you’d like to read the full blog that inspired this reflection, drop BLOG in the comments and I’ll send you the link.

02/12/2025

Wow!

27/11/2025

Many modalities of physical therapy are accepted by the NHS and in the human sporting world, so it makes sense to include us with the equine world.

🐾 Why Every Veterinary Practice Needs a Rehabilitation Therapist

Here’s a question worth sitting with:
If physiotherapy is considered essential in every human hospital - from orthopaedics to neurology, ICU to geriatrics - why is it still considered optional in veterinary practice?

More and more clinics are starting to ask this, and the answer is transforming patient outcomes.

Adding an in-house veterinary rehabilitation therapist doesn’t just mean “more services.” It means better pain control, faster recoveries, happier clients, and a healthier practice - in every sense of the word.

Think about what happens when rehab becomes part of the daily workflow:

⚡️ Pain is managed proactively, not reactively.
🦴 Degenerative conditions are supported long-term, improving both quality and length of life.
🔪 Post-op recoveries are smoother and more complete.
🏋️‍♀️ Sporting and working animals receive ongoing, preventive care.
👀 Clients feel seen, supported, and empowered.

And your team becomes a truly multidisciplinary force 👉 not a collection of individuals working in parallel, but a group solving complex cases together.

When rehabilitation is integrated into a veterinary team, the practice begins to see patients differently 👉 not as “cases,” but as dynamic, adaptable bodies capable of recovery, strength, and longevity when given the right tools and time.

And yes, it’s good business too. Clinics offering in-house rehab report improved client retention, greater continuity of care, and new avenues for growth.

So perhaps the real question isn’t “Can we afford to hire a rehabilitation therapist?”
It’s “Can we afford not to?”

💬 Let’s open this up:
If you’re a vetrehabber working within a veterinary practice, what difference has it made - for your patients, your team, or your clients?
And if you’re not yet part of a practice team, what do you think still stands in the way of integration?

Read more on this topic in this weeks blog. Comment BLOG and we will send you the link 🔗

02/11/2025

This is so true.

16/10/2025

This is still something I am trying to do. If you know of anyone with a horse in Oxfordshire that could do with my help, please let me know.

08/10/2025

Working through a tight neck. He really gets into his sessions too!
Lee Harris