Sarah Heaton Veterinary Physiotherapist

24/02/2026

DEFRA have launched a public consultation which includes proposals for the reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

The consultation marks another step to regulate the musculo-skeletal professions in animal practice. Nows the time for professionals and animal owners to read, review and respond to the consultation before March 25th 2026.

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/reform-of-the-veterinary-surgeons-act/consultation/

23/02/2026

“Its not pain its just behavioural” 🐴

I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve been feeling really burned out emotionally with the industry these past few months. The only reason I’ve managed to muster up the bandwidth to write this post is because I received a positive update from an amazing client who has been through a really difficult time with their horse. I call her amazing because she never stopped advocating for her horse no matter what anyone else said. Another horse who was written off as “he’s had all the checks its just behavioural” who turned out to have significant orthopaedic issues that had been missed and were causing him, what appeared to be, intense chronic pain which caused him to display dangerous, erratic behaviour.

I really struggle with the logic of viewing a horse showing such extreme behaviour and deciding it can’t be pain-mediated just because we haven’t found the source yet. But then when you look at the industry as a whole and how indoctrinated we all are into compliance training it starts to make sense. Any communication from the horse we don’t like is seen as disobedience to be trained out of them, so of course we’re then going to bring that lens into behavioural assessment and see this communication as a potential training issue rather than actually listening to what the horse is trying to tell us.

“I can’t circle to the left, my stifle is sore and that is too much for me” becomes “he’s just trying it on, make him go”.

“Please don’t get on my back, its sore and painful for me to carry weight” becomes “he just needs to build confidence at the mounting block”.

“Please don’t put my bridle on, I know what comes next and I find the way you’re riding me really uncomfortable and it makes my muscles sore” becomes “he needs to respect you, he’s just trying to get out of work”.

And the sad thing with horses is that they are extremely compliant animals, if you just keep persisting most of the time they will give in and stop communicating so loudly with you. Then we take it as proof there was never any pain issue, we asked the horse again and again and eventually they complied and stopped protesting. Fixed.

Then you get the horses who are so painful they just can’t give in and shut it off and they’re described as the really dangerous ones. And even then, if nothing obvious can be found they are often written off as “just behavioural.” We have got to move away from seeing communication as disobedience if we want to be able to assess horses properly and ethically.

This is why the phrase “its not pain we’ve done all the checks” makes me curl in on myself, it is like nails down a chalkboard. The idea that you can just get the vet/bodyworker/dentist/saddler etc to come and do an MOT to “rule out pain” is a fantasy that is harmful to horses.

“Its not always pain!” I hear people shout, maybe not but the majority of the time it is a contributing factor. And while it may not be orthopaedic pain, so many of the conventional ways of training and handling horses cause pain and soreness in the moment. We need to start looking at horses through the lens of them being sentient beings with life experiences, emotions, fears and trauma. We need to understand how many of our management, handling, training and riding practices are actually harmful, uncomfortable and highly stressful for them, instead of seeing our horses as a series of moving parts that we jab when there’s a problem before cracking on as we were before.

Having said all that, even when pain is present, we often get the biggest improvements from improving that horse’s management and reducing their chronic stress levels. This includes changing the way we interact and train with the horse to prioritise their emotional wellbeing and allow them to develop healthier movement patterns and postures. So many horses are being ridden in ways that make it impossible for them to strengthen anything except compensatory movement patterns because they are not yet strong enough to be ridden without it being detrimental to their body, even horses who have been in ridden work for years and years. If your horse is carrying a lot of brace and tension then riding them will not be helping them regardless of how you do it and how forward you ride them. But that’s for another post.

This idea of being able to tell if its pain or behaviour in and of itself is harmful. As if there are special tells in a behaviour as to whether it is kissing spine or the horse is just being a dick so its fine to push the horse through. 🙄 When we are saying its “just behaviour” what exactly do we mean?

Horses are very compliant animals, they are extremely easy to train, if they are not easy then something is wrong and pushing through is never the ethical answer. If a horse is showing explosive behaviour, rearing, bucking, bolting, napping, biting, kicking etc during training then we have already pushed too far. We are training compliance and nothing else. What we see as improvement is usually just a horse being shut down and made obedient regardless of what we think we’re doing. Often people only listen when the horse forces them to, its not really listening to the horse if you only listen once they won’t stop screaming.

Both of my horses have low-grade chronic pain from orthopaedic issues, they haven't been ridden for years, I am confident I could tack up and ride both of them this afternoon and they would comply easily and fit in fine at the local riding club. We are so used to seeing chronically stressed and painful horses, that is why people find it so difficult to assess behaviour.

I’m floating the idea in my head of doing a webinar on this topic, I’m just gathering some footage together. I don’t often ask my clients for things like this as obviously these are private, emotional and often upsetting enough without the whole internet offering their opinion. There is also sensitivity required around the professionals who have been involved with these horses so I’m trying to think of how I can do it whilst keeping the horses as anonymous as possible. I want to create positive change, not drama.

I’m trying so hard to open these conversations and collaborate with other professionals to improve things for horses, my inbox is always open if you’d like to chat further. It isn't pleasant feeling like you're constantly swimming against the tide. 🐴

Photo of a very sweet mare communicating that she isn't comfortable being touched in that area with pinned ears, raised head and a tail swish. There is no such thing as "just a grumpy/hormonal mare". This is communication. They are "grumpy" for a reason.

We could keep touching her in that area and either ignore or punish her communication and she would probably stop. That wouldn't be a sign that there was no discomfort present, it would just be that she's learned humans don't listen. That is behavioural suppression/shut down and what most conventional training centres around. I see people say they're "assessing" horses to see if its pain or behaviour, and what they're actually doing is seeing if they can make the horse comply, and if that doesn't work only then do they refer onto the vet or other relevant professionals.

23/02/2026

School drop off and Personal training g done. Now time for some admin before treatments this afternoon.

This week is busy! Trip over to Rufford on Thursday, I could squeeze another visit in that area. I have a bit of availability the following week.

20/02/2026

Please can all outstanding payments be made by the end of today.

Thankyou

11/02/2026

*** REPORTING WELFARE CONCERNS ***

World Horse Welfare have asked if we (myself and you!) can help spread the word about exactly HOW and WHEN to report welfare cases.

The horribly wet winter combined with the hay shortage has sadly resulted in a huge surge in welfare cases. It is absolutely the right thing to do to report these cases to WHW, but only if you have seen them IN PERSON. Is there a dry area in that field with a big bale of hay that the photo you’ve seen on Facebook doesn’t show? Are the horses standing knee deep in mud by the gate only doing so because the public walk past and feed them there?

Multiple reports of the same welfare concern actually slows things down, rather than speeds things up; WHW still need to go through every single report, so 50 people contacting them about a post they’ve seen on SM is actually delaying the case being allocated to an officer. Same for the RSPCA. There is nothing wrong with posting photos on SM if you’re concerned, as sometimes a friend of the owner, or even the owner, can reassure people that there is hay away from the gate, but if you see a post please do not take part in mass reporting.

If you are concerned about a horse/horses that you have driven past/actually seen in person, then please report it immediately. Please don’t report cases you’ve seen on SM as this is currently delaying the time taken to get out and help the genuine welfare concerns.

Please share, and please also share to any posts where you see the OP encouraging everyone to report. I’ve put the WHW link in the comments.

09/02/2026

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

09/02/2026

31/01/2026

The last day of January 2026 and what a month it’s been. 🤩

Busy busy busy!!!! It’s always a great way to start off the year. It makes me reflect on when I first started my self employed business all those years ago and how I would always dread January as I’d be so quiet and would worry how I would get through the month….. or months ahead. I am so very grateful for all the wonderful clients I have who trust me with the care of their horses.

Also for how far my business has come. A job I love….. I mean who wouldn’t want to spend all their working day with horses!!! But also a business that allows me to be flexible enough to spend time with my family.

The year so far has seen quite a few new clients and the re start of my weight training journey with the help of the fabulous

I’m really enjoying training outside at the ranch gym even though it’s mostly freezing!!!

I am having great results with the Winback TECAR machine treating tendon and ligament injuries and Osteoarthritis. The laser has also had some work treating a bull with a non healing wound and also my own horse star who sustained a degloving wound to his distal limb. Look out for posts on the progress of these wounds.
For now I’m going to enjoy my coffee and finish planning the month ahead with the help of

If you would like an appointment feel free to get in touch. Limited availability for February now and March is already looking quite busy

Have a great weekend!

💉💊

24/01/2026

Bookings being taken into March already.

18/01/2026

Hey to all our new followers (and hello to those who’ve been here a while!) 👋
With the number of treadmill sessions lately, I’ll be honest, it’s a job just to get content posted. But we’ve had a bunch of new faces, so it’s time for a proper re-intro and a bit about who we are and what we do.

Who’s behind the Hydrotherapy Hut and YEC?
Mostly me, Gemma Womersley 🐴.
Lifelong horse girl, always hands on, done pretty much every job you can imagine in horses: breaking and backing, building and fixing sport horses, racehorses, showjumping, and years of coaching.

My main interest nowadays is biomechanics and how horses and riders work 🧠. I’ve always loved finding the why, whether that’s rehab or performance.
I qualified 18 years ago as an EMT 🩺, initially for our own riding school and competition horses, with more and more time spent on rehab for clients and my own horses.

Owning YEC has meant I get to see, on a big scale, just how many owners struggle with keeping horses sound, strong, and happy, especially when life and the British weather get in the way 🌧️.

After racking up a few injuries of my own (classic, right?), it made sense to put my energy into building a place where you can actually improve your horse, not just get by.

That’s how The Hydrotherapy Hut was born. Adding to our Yorkshire EC venue as somewhere you can have fun, train, and challenge yourself, but also really fix things. Whether your horse needs to get stronger, sounder, develop a better body partnership, or make a proper comeback from injury, we’re here for it 💪.

What do we actually offer?
• 💦 Water Treadmill therapy. It’s amazing, but hands down the hardest thing I’ve ever had to market. It really isn’t too good to be true!
• 📅 Sessions 7 days a week, because I’m a workaholic and you lot keep me busy
• 🏡 Livery stays from just a few days to weeks, so you don’t have to manage the daily logistics
• ⭐ £20 taster sessions before you commit
• ⚡ Fitness, weight loss, schooling improvement, and reflex work, and of course, rehab
• 🧼 Proactive hygiene protocols. We’re on private water supply, which we drink ourselves, and so we are used to strict testing daily, plus it’s changed weekly (all 6000L, yes really!)
• 🏥 Programmes with your vet or physio. I love working with your farrier, coach, whoever your horse needs
• 📈 Sessions monitored and assessed closely, our treadmill can go above stifle height and a 12° incline when required. Every horse gets in house reports on every session and regular re-assessment
• 🤝 Professional network. We have some really awesome equine pros we can help you reach and work with. Horses need a village sometimes and we’ve always got someone to help
• 📋 Fully insured, IRVAP and IAAT registered. If it matters to your insurance, it matters to me too

What do I believe in?
• 📚 Education: I’ll always explain what we’re doing, what I’m looking for, and how that links to your horse’s needs and goals
• ✅ Honesty: If your horse isn’t suited to the treadmill, I’ll say so, whether it’s mentally or physically. Since July 2024, only two horses genuinely weren’t candidates and we’ve done a lot of sessions
• 🛠️ Tailored approach: Every plan is different. Most horses start weekly for 6–8 sessions, but I’ll help find what suits your horse, your budget, and your time
• 🫶 Support: Whether you’re working on rehab, keeping an older horse ticking over, building topline, or just managing winter, you’re not doing it alone

What’s it actually like?
If you’re nervous about trying the treadmill, you’re not alone.
Owners often worry their horse won’t settle, but honestly, most surprise you!
I’ll break down everything I’m watching for: posture, rhythm, hips, stride, and the “why” behind each step. You’ll see for yourself what changes and why it matters, and I’ll help you carry that through to ridden work or day to day management.
If you want to see what’s involved, or have a horse that’s tricky about water, you’re always welcome to come and watch first, ask questions, or just message.
We also offer dry treadmill sessions for those horses that aren’t quite ready for water yet, and yes, you can park right outside if you’ve got a “wayhay!” horse that needs a quick in and out 🚗.

How to book & what to expect
• 📲 Booking is super easy at equinewatertreadmillyorkshire.co.uk or just text or WhatsApp 07748 115588
• 📝 First time? Fill in the quick consent form (only once!)
• 🔁 Follow ups are easy; you don’t have to re do paperwork
• 🗓️ We run 7 days a week so there’s nearly always a slot to suit
If you want more of any topic, or have a burning question, drop a comment or text.
I know I don’t always post as much as I should, but that’s only because I’m actually doing the work.

Thanks for sticking with us, and I hope you get as much from the treadmill as I do! 🐴💙