Hilton Berry Animal Physiotherapy

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Hilton Berry Animal Physiotherapy

Jemima Hilton-Berry
Animal Physiotherapist covering Sussex and Kent
Treating Equines and Canines for all things musculoskeletal!

I am a fully qualified and insured Animal Physiotherapist based in Bexhill, East Sussex, covering the areas of Sussex, Kent, Surrey and Hampshire. I treat all animals, large and small, and a wide range of conditions from arthritis and other joint diseases, to fractures, tendon and ligament damage, soft tissue injury, skin conditions and wounds to name a few. For further info or to book a treatment for your animal, please feel free to message or call me.

16/07/2025

That post physio snooze hit Dumbledore hard 😴🥹🥰

15/07/2025

🐴 DIVA 🐴

Met this beautiful girl for her first physio session today 😍

Safe to say she thoroughly enjoyed it and was an absolute angel 😇, definitely not living up to her name 💅🏼

This lovely mare was carrying a fair bit of tension in her poll and down through her neck with weakness apparent in her thoracic sling.

This is a new horse to my client who confirmed that she tends to overbend and hold herself rigidly when ridden, something they are working to rectify.

Hopefully after massage, stretching and mobilisation she will be feeling a bit more supple!

I'm looking forward to seeing the progress this pair makes over the next few months with the work they are already doing, and also implementing the advice I have given 🥰

📱If your horse needs a tune up, you need advice about strength and conditioning, or they just deserve a pamper, drop me a message to book them in 📱

🗓️LIMITED AVAILABILITY REMAINING FOR JULY AND AUGUST!! 🗓️

24/06/2025

IS YOUR PET IN PAIN?

Animals can be really good at masking pain and "muddling through" but, unfortunately, this can lead to small problems going unnoticed and cause bigger issues to develop.

It's important to know what is "normal" for your animal and tune in to any deviations from this.

This is not a "one-size-fits-all" science and can vary between species, but here are a few subtle changes to look out for...

😡MOOD/BEHAVIOR: irritability, neediness, less interested in play or going outside, reluctance to be stroked, hugged or groomed

😴SLEEP PATTERNS: Sleeping more in the day and less at night, or sleeping far less than usual

🗣️VOCALISATION: whining, howling, whimpering

🥱LICKING, CHEWING, YAWNING, PANTING: these can all be symptoms of discomfort or anxiety in dogs and cats

🐾LIMPING, STIFFNESS, RELUCTANCE TO USE A LIMB: after rest or after exercise

🤤APPETITE: less interested in food or water, or suddenly aggressive around food

💦💩TOILETING: accidents, avoiding cocking leg or squatting, difficulty going

For example...

🐶When your small dog suddenly develops a habit of "hopping" on one back leg every few steps, it may look cute, but is more than likely an indication of an underlying problem that needs addressing

🐱When your young and usually fit cat stops climbing the fence to leave the garden, you may be relieved he isn't going out onto the road, but this could well indicate pain and/or discomfort which requires attention

🐴When your well-schooled horse suddenly starts struggling to pick up the correct canter lead, he is not likely being naughty and testing your patience, he is warning you that something is not right

👀👂🏼In conclusion, learn to read your animal and take them seriously.

If you have any concerns about a change in your animal, drop me a message or comment to see how I can help 📱👍🏼

$💪🏼MONDAY MORNING MOTIVATION 💪🏼Quick update on the gorgeous Henry (the little pony who fractured his pelvis last year esc...$

16/06/2025

💪🏼MONDAY MORNING MOTIVATION 💪🏼

Quick update on the gorgeous Henry (the little pony who fractured his pelvis last year escaping onto a dual carriageway);

The first photo was taken in November, at the start of his rehab, and the second photo is now.

Just look at that muscle development through the hindquarters 🍑😍

His owners have been working so hard with him long- reining and over poles, and the results speak for themselves!

This type of progress doesn't happen overnight, there is no quick fix for an injury like Henry sustained.

But if you are at the start of your rehab journey and it feels like you'll never get there...have faith!

Consistency is key 🗝️

Small steps each day and I promise, you will reap the rewards 🙌🏼

Drop your progress pictures in the comments below👇🏼

If you need advice on where to get started, or where to go from now, drop me a DM to see how I can help 📱❤️

14/06/2025

🙌🏼

13/06/2025

Did you know I use Equicantis ?

This means I can offer you next-level support including:

✅ Quick and easy upload of yours and your animals' information, giving me more hands-on time with your animal during our appointment.

✅ Digital session reports including anatomical diagrams with annotations so you can see the areas I've worked on at a glance. I can even take photos of your animal, add them to the report and annotate for extra clarity.

✅ Professional exercise and rehab plans at the click of a button! Complete with videos and sets and reps to increase your confidence performing the exercises and keep you on track.

✅ Handy email appointment confirmation and reminders!

✅ No tech knowledge required to access reports and plans

📱Send me a message to book your appointment today!📱

12/06/2025

🪮BENEFITS OF BRUSHING🪮

People often ask me how they can replicate massage in between sessions if they don't feel confident with various massage techniques.

To achieve some of the same effects as massage, it can be as simple as...

BRUSHING YOUR ANIMAL!

Regular brushing of your dog/cat/horse at home, will help to:

✅ Improve circulation to the muscles and skin - this flushes toxins out of tissues and brings fresh blood and oxygen into them, promoting the body's own healing response.
This can aid recovery from certain injuries as well as improving overall health and well-being

✅ Detect areas of discomfort - if your animal displays intolerance to being brushed in certain areas, this could indicate underlying pain or discomfort which needs to be addressed

✅ Remove mud, matted hair, grass seeds and other foreign objects - these things can cause the hair to pull the skin unevenly, resulting in pain and tension in the muscles below

✅ Discover parasites/skin conditions - for example, ticks can be easily hidden within the coat and if left can cause serious problems

Give it a go! I'd love to see some pictures or videos of your animals enjoying this bonding time with you ❤️

11/06/2025

🛠️🐴🏇🏼MAINTENANCE SESSIONS - Are they necessary?🏇🏼🐴🛠️

In short... YES.

Here's why...

⏰EARLY DETECTION:
Regular assessments, even without obvious lameness, can spot minor muscle imbalances or restrictions before they cause discomfort or affect movement.

🥇IMPROVED PERFORMANCE:
Maintenance physiotherapy can help maintain suppleness, increase joint range of motion, and improve fitness, leading to better performance in various disciplines.

🛡️PREVENTATIVE CARE:
By addressing minor issues early, you can prevent more serious problems from developing, reducing the risk of injury and pain.

🥰ENHANCED COMFORT AND QUALITY OF LIFE:
Physiotherapy can help relieve pain, correct muscle imbalances, and restore normal muscle function, improving your horse's overall comfort and quality of life.

🏋🏼‍♀️OPTIMAL FUNCTION:
Physiotherapy helps ensure your horse's musculoskeletal system is functioning optimally, which is crucial for any horse, regardless of their work level.

🗓️HOW OFTEN WILL MY HORSE NEED A MAINTENANCE SESSION?

While the ideal frequency depends on your horse's individual needs and workload, I recommend quarterly checks for pleasure horses and more frequent sessions for competition horses.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT DURING A MAINTENANCE SESSION?

👀ASSESSMENT:
I will assess your horse's posture, gait, and muscle tone to identify any imbalances or restrictions.

👩🏼‍⚕️TREATMENT:
Techniques may include massage, stretches, and exercises to address identified issues, as well as therapeutic ultrasound, PEMF and electrostimulation where appropriate.

💡ADVICE:
I will provide advice on exercises, stretches, and other at-home care strategies to maintain your horse's well-being between sessions, and can supply exercise plans complete with video tutorials if needed.

📱Drop me DM or comment with "M.O.T." to get your horse booked in for theirs 📱

10/06/2025

👍🏼👎🏼GRAZING MUZZLES: FRIEND OR FOE??👎🏼👍🏼

I recently treated an equine client who was wearing his grazing muzzle during the session to prevent him biting his owner.

Within a few minutes I noticed he seemed quite agitated and realised he was unable to yawn (a common way for horses to release tension) with the muzzle on.

We removed it, and instantly, he began to yawn.

The session resumed, he relaxed, and his yawning continued.

This got me thinking - obviously grazing muzzles are a necessity in some cases, but if your horse is turned out all day wearing a grazing muzzle and they are unable to yawn in this time, does that create long-term tension throughout the body?

I am in no way saying that we should avoid using these muzzles altogether as that would cause potentially worse medical issues.

However, it is worth checking the muzzle that you use and how restrictive it is.

Look at the range of movement that a horse requires to be able to fully yawn 👀 Does your muzzle restrict that?

The design pictured below is one of the best I have seen to allow maximum freedom (the basket style, IMO, is the worst for restricting movement), but even the head collar that this one is attached to can be inhibitive.

❓ Does your horse carry more tension, particularly the jaw and poll area, during the months that they wear a grazing muzzle?

❓Have you stopped using a grazing muzzle due to these effects?

❓How could we make this work better for our horses?

👇🏼I'd love to hear some of your opinions below 👇🏼

And if you would like you're horse to have a check over to see if they are struggling with tension in these areas, drop me a DM to see how I can help 🤗

03/06/2025

🐎🐕WHAT IS ANIMAL PHYSIOTHERAPY AND HOW CAN IT HELP? 🐕🐎

Animal Physiotherapy is a manual therapy used to rehabilitate and maintain health, mobility, function and performance in all animals whether they are your top competitor or your best friend.

I treat a range of conditions through my working day including;

• General check overs for peace of mind

• Reduced performance

• Arthritis/Osteoarthritis

• Muscle tightness, soreness, spasm, strain, atrophy (wastage)

• Tendon and ligament injuries

• Fractures

• Orthopaedic conditions and joint injuries

• Lameness and gait abnormalities

• Behavioural issues

• Degenerative diseases

• Neurological diseases

• Post-operative rehab

• Improving range of motion, flexibility and muscle tone

• Wound repair and skin conditions e.g. mud fever, rain scald and suture breakdown

• Minimise scarring and proud flesh

• Gingivitis

Physiotherapy has a positive impact on musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, orthopaedic, post-operative and neurological conditions and can be beneficial for any animal.

If you think your animal could be in need of a bit of TLC, drop me a message to find out what I do to help 📱

27/05/2025

💡🐌TUESDAY TIP: SLOW IT DOWN! 🐌💡

Working your horse in walk is really important for building strength and improving mobility.

Many people assume that pole and hill work needs to be done in trot or canter (and obviously the faster gaits have their place, particularly with fittening), but I always advise a lot of these exercises to be performed in walk.

As the rider, in walk, you have more control over the exercise, it is easier to feel the way the horse is moving, and imbalances are more easily identified (and therefore rectified), plus, the horse cannot use momentum, so will in fact be working individual muscles harder and for longer.

Here are some of my favourites:

🦥 Walking over POLES - flat or raised, in a straight line or on a circle, evenly placed or scattered - mix it up and get your horse really thinking!

🦥 Walking UPHILL - go sloooooooow to encourage push from behind! Make sure you use a light seat and allow your horse to have their head. Try different surfaces; tarmac, dirt tracks, grass, sand etc. to add in some additional proprioception benefits!

🦥 Walking through WATER - slow and controlled; this will improve range of movement in the limbs as well as strength

🦥 Walking BACKWARDS - start with a couple of steps. Use a fence or wall to encourage straightness. Ensure a neutral and relaxed head and neck carriage. (This can be intensified using gradients once your horse is confident with the movement on the flat)

Build these exercises regularly into your routine and let me know how you get on 🤗

NB: These can all be performed in hand or ridden. My advice would be to start in hand and work up to ridden once your horse is confident and strong enough 💪🏼

Don't forget, consistency is key!

20/05/2025

Not my clients, surely?! 🙊🤣

Address

Bexhill
TN40 2AY

Website

http://hiltonberryanimalphysiotherapy.co.uk/

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