Dorset and Somerset Veterinary Physiotherapy

28/02/2026

Rehabilitation Only Works If You Do 💪

Late December 2025, Hermes underwent surgery for PSD (Proximal Suspensory Desmitis).

The first photo was taken pre-surgery.
The second is just 10 weeks later.

There’s no magic here ✨
No shortcuts 🚫
No “he looks better so let’s crack on” energy.

Just…

1078 minutes of hand walking ⏱️
Across 42 progressive sessions 👣
In the rain 🌧️

Yes, we counted.
Yes, we logged it.
Yes, we have probably walked enough miles to question our life choices at least twice 😅

That’s not luck.
That’s consistency.
That’s structured rehabilitation.

Pre-surgery you can clearly see the compensatory patterns:
• Reduced lift through the thoracic sling
• Hindlimb offloading
• Protective bracing
• Altered weight distribution

Ten weeks later:
• Posture is more open and elevated ✨
• Thoracic sling engagement is improving
• Pelvic stability is increasing
• Compensatory tension is softening
• Limb loading is becoming more symmetrical ⚖️

This week Hermes had his recheck with Pool House Equine who are thrilled with his progress 🙌

He now has the green light to begin introducing ridden work:
• 30–35 minutes of walk 🐎
• Gradual increase after two weeks
• Then short, controlled bursts of trot

This is how tissue adapts.
This is how posture reorganises.
This is how you reduce the risk of recurrence.

Rehabilitation only works if you do.

Hermes is strengthening beautifully 💙
And we’re only just getting started.

07/02/2026

Awesome morning with & - thanks all for sharing your time, knowledge and generally being so inspiring to all the children! Was such a fantastic ridden demo and the PC children had so much fun meeting, greeting, signing, hanging out with Monkey, buying the softest hoodies, and dancing!! We love our local Pony Club!!

However, I am now officially proven old - this video has ended up on the TikTok account that I have no idea how to use 👵🏼🤣

06/02/2026

I mean.... Stethoscopes are beyond my scope of practice, there's questionable use of the laser and many safe practice breaches... but at least I only have two hands 🤣🤣

What caricature does AI create for you?!

03/02/2026

In case any of my clients use A&P, there's an urgent recall on their Fast Fibre 🚩👀

Fast Fibre Product Recall Update

To ensure that customers do not get any affected feed we are going to include batch no 15/01/26 best before date 05/05/26 of Allen & Page Fast Fibre, for additional reassurance. This is in addition to batch no 14/01/26 with a best before date of 04/05/26.

We are recalling these batches of Fast Fibre because of an ingredient issue which has led to reports of a darker colour feed together with a sticky consistency. While we conduct further tests, we have decided to recall these batches only for the safety of your equines despite not all bags being affected.

Please be reassured that these Fast Fibre batches do not have any NOPS issues, are not a doping/clean sport issue and are not toxic in any way.

We are advising customers NOT to feed Fast Fibre from these batches, as it may be out of specification and also for your additional reassurance. Customers should dispose of their bags only from these batches:
• 14/01/26 with a best before date of 04/05/26
• 15/01/26 with a best before date of 05/05/26

If you have tipped your bag into your feed bin and have not retained the label, and your bag(s) were purchased after the 16/01/26, please ensure you check the consistency and colour of your feed when soaked and if you have any concerns please do not feed.

If you have fed your horse and suspect that the Fast Fibre was from either of the above batches, and you have any concerns please contact us directly.
No other Allen & Page products or other batches of Fast Fibre are affected. If you are unsure if you have the affected batch, if you purchased your Fast Fibre before 16/01/26 your Fast Fibre is unaffected and good to feed.

We communicated this information to all stockists and customers at the earliest possible opportunity. We recognise that this may cause inconvenience and concern for horse owners, and we appreciate the patience and cooperation of those affected.

As always for further information or advice, please contact Allen & Page:
• Phone: 01362 822902
• Email: helpline@allenandpage.co.uk
• Website: www.allenandpage.com

23/01/2026

13/01/2026

With a huge imminent vet bill for my boy, please can I ask that all unpaid invoices are settled ASAP.

I am lenient and understanding but some invoices are now months overdue and I will have to enlist further legal action to get what I am owed.

I don't want to have to start charging upfront at time of booking but if this continues I will have to as I simply cannot afford to work for free.

Sorry to be grumpy but it's a very big bill and I need all the pennies I can get!! 😭

10/01/2026

Please read if you have appointments booked with Roisin over the next few weeks!

‼️Important information *potentially* affecting bookings over the next few weeks‼️

In the interest of being prepared for any unexpected changes, just a quick update to let everyone know that my pony was admitted to horsey hospital last night 😥 He's ok at the moment and receiving fantastic veterinary care 🙌🏼

However, over the next couple of weeks this 𝙢𝙖𝙮 mean I will

📆 Potentially need to make last-minute changes or adjustments to appointments with me.
😥 Might be a bit unprofessional and emotional (very sorry, I'm not good at holding back tears where my animals are concerned!!)
📱 May need to take a call from his vet during your session.

😁 Sessions with Ellen will remain unaffected.

⌛ I’ll always communicate as early as possible and will do my absolute best to keep any disruption to a minimum.

Thank you so much for your understanding and support during this time – it really means a lot. 🤍

Shout out to and for the amazing care!

Roisin

18/12/2025

They're ready! 🦌🎅🏻

01/12/2025

So sad to hear of their passing 😢 What legacies they leave behind

Sleep well Blueberry and Uti, two of the greatest horses of our generation.

It is with immense sadness that we have said goodbye to Valegro and Uthopia and without question, this is a loss that just feels hard to comprehend.

Trying to write a tribute to these two horses feels harder than I imagined. The yard just doesn’t feel the same without them, there’s an emptiness in the air.

Valegro and Uthopia did more than win medals and write history, they gave our sport a golden era. They both showed that greatness can be gentle, sensitive and harmonious and they made a nation proud and inspired so many.

Being part of their journey will always remain one of my proudest achievements and the whole team and myself are deeply grateful for the joy they gave to us at home but also to their fans around the world.

Their entire lives ran in parallel; they travelled to the shows side by side, lived in neighbouring stables, grazed in the same fields and retired together. Their bond and companionship were absolute.

As life as old boys advanced, so too did the health challenges, so allowing them to leave this world together was the final act of loyalty and dignity I felt I could give them, honouring a partnership that had never been separated in life.

They leave behind a huge void, and the yard has changed forever and so have we. They were our family and I will love and miss them always. The impact they had will remain but sadly, we don’t get to keep horses forever.
We only get to carry what they leave inside us. And these two left us so much.

Carl x

Photo credit: Rose Lewis

18/11/2025

We love supporting this dude! Now 10 and competing internationally with his team of ponies that he has helped back and train!

Mad to think it's been so long since the Bossy days Stavroulla Laghos!!

Woodland Way Farm Horsemanship, backing & Training Yard

14/11/2025

Do you do your polework homework? If so, please could you help with this research study by completing this online questionnaire?

🧐DO YOU DO POLE WORK EXERCISE?🧐

Are you a horse owner, rider, trainer, or therapist who uses polework in training, riding or rehab?

Dr Vicki Walker, Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire, Professor Hilary Clayton, Dr Jo Winfield, Professor Jane Williams and Dr Rachel Murray
are studying international polework practices — and your experience advance our understanding on pole work exercise.

SURVEY ➡️ https://uwe.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5i05P0WNAvWtEeq

🕒 Takes less than 10 minutes

🐴 Focuses on just one horse

🔒 No personal data required

Your contributions will help advance evidence-based horse training!

Thank you 🙏 for supporting equine science!