Alys Mae Veterinary Physiotherapy

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Melton Mowbray
Alys Mae Veterinary Physiotherapy

Independent vet physio for horses, dogs and other small animals. Fully qualified & insured Fully qualified, insured and registered with AHPR.

No animal too big or small. If multiple are organised at the same location discounts are available

26/08/2025

Some late night lasering in the AMVP household… these two are crazy until we start lasering and then they both just settle and go to sleep! It’s amazing to see 🙈

08/08/2025

Pelvic Tucks - 1/2 or full…

When? How? Why?

When: Best done after exercise

How: Make sure your horse is stood square.
Full: find half way between their midline and their hip (picture one) one each side and slowly draw straight lines down (picture 3). Starting towards their lower back will ask the horse to extend through their pelvis, and then as you come to about half way it asks for flexion. These can be split into two separate movements to make it easier.
1/2: standing on one side, with hand on hip, reach over and draw a semi circle towards their tail, which asks them to flex through their pelvis as well as asking for some lateral movement (picture 2)

Ensure with both that the movement is slow and controlled, ensuring that they are comfortable throughout. Check with your therapist prior to attempting these.

Why: these also aid in encouraging core engagement, but it’s not their primary use, however for horses that do not like having their belly touched they are a great alternative. Strengthening and gently mobilising the horse’s sacroiliac joint is important as this flexion is part of what’s being ask for when we ask a horse to bring themselves underneath and engage their hind legs when ridden.

Photos by mrjohnnygunn

📞 Call/text 07800758667
📍 Cambridgeshire / Leicestershire / Norfolk / Rutland / Suffolk

06/08/2025

Belly Lifts

When? How? Why?

When: This can be done up to everyday - however only do as often as recommended by your therapist.

How: Make sure your horse is stood square and relaxed. Starting between your horse’s front legs in the middle of their rib cage scratch or rub slowly making your way along their midline towards their belly button. Looking for their back to slowly raise and the core muscles to engage. Hold this for a couple seconds before releasing.

Why: Horses front legs are only attached through muscles ligaments and tendons to their body - called their thoracic sling. Over time and poor posture this can lead to them dropping through their thoracic sling, putting more strain through their back muscles. This exercise not only aids to stretch out their muscles in their back but aids spinal flexion and can lead to improved posture.

If you’d like to know more / have questions please do drop me a message, or check with your therapist if this would be suitable for your horse.

Photos by mrjohnnygunn

📞 Call/text 07800758667
📍 Cambridgeshire / Leicestershire / Norfolk / Rutland / Suffolk

04/08/2025

Baited Stretches or carrot stretches….

When? How? Why?

When: these are great, simple, quick exercises which can be done every day!

How: Make sure your horse is stood square. Then slowly lure your horse’s head and neck into the desired location (this can be using treats, carrots or even a salt lick - my favourite! As it stops them bouncing and snatching). Try and encourage them to hold the position for 10 seconds then return to the start. Making sure to watch for them twisting through their poll or bending a leg, in which case just reduced the distance you’re asking for.

Why: they can target muscles through the neck and back to gently stretch them, while also encouraging core engagement and flexion through their spine. When done regularly it can lead to improved flexibility and posture. It can also help with gentle weight shifting when rehabbing from an injury.

Photos by:

📞 Call/text 07800758667
📍 Cambridgeshire / Leicestershire / Norfolk / Rutland / Suffolk

11/06/2025

It’s been a bit stressful with my own mare these last few weeks. She unfortunately went acutely lame behind, so we’ve had the amazing coming out to do checkups and come up with plans of how best to manage her. However we seem to have turned a corner and she is now on some walk build up!

We also have the amazing keeping her in tip top condition! Which was amazing to see her side bone has barely progressed in 5 years!

It’s so amazing working with other professionals to get the best results 🥰

22/05/2025

*** HARD GROUND ***

I have seen some very worrying “advice” on social media over the past couple of weeks, recommending cantering/galloping and jumping on the hard ground as a way to condition your horse’s legs to it. NO!!!!! You CANNOT condition a horse’s joints to hard ground! The more you canter and jump on hard ground, the more you will hammer the joints and help your horse get arthritis! Please do not listen to anyone advising you to condition your horse’s legs to hard ground, unless you want your horse to head towards steroid injections or early retirement. Cross training your horse (riding on a variety of surfaces) is good for legs, but hammering around on hard ground is not!

The ground, certainly in my area, is currently like concrete. PLEASE think twice about jumping/cantering in fields at the moment, as it’s almost the equivalent of jumping your horses on the road. If you are struggling to keep your horses/ponies fit, and can’t use or hire an arena, then trotting steadily up hills out hacking is a great alternative. Or just lots of hacking in walk to keep them ticking over until we get some much needed rain!
I’ve seen horses this week who are simply jarred up/foot sore from being turned out on this hard ground, so try not to add to the concussion by making them work on the rock hard ground....

I’m off to do a rain dance so that I can get Alfred out Eventing soon (ground too hard for me to enter him up at the moment).

Photo of Harry back in 2010, jumping clear around a big Intermediate track at Salperton Park.

Feel free to share, but not to copy and paste my words.

14/05/2025

Happy Sunny Wednesday,

These cute noses couldn’t help but make me smile while i treated, they belong to the amazing horses at

Wouldn’t be with out my heat pad or my

📞 Call/text 07800758667
📍 Cambridgeshire / Leicestershire / Norfolk / Rutland / Suffolk

28/04/2025

Definitely a pinch me moment this weekend 🙈 competing on my mare with my logo on our numnah 🥰

22/04/2025

Falling Asleep 💤

Why do I (like many physios alike) get so excited when your horse or dog falls asleep in session?

Animals communicate largely through body language, and we have to read the signs as to whether they’re enjoying it, or if they’re stressed / nervous etc.

For your animal to fall asleep it means they are relaxed, calm and comfortable in their environment, which means our treatment isn’t causing any undesired stress and they’re actually enjoying it! This is so important as it also makes the treatment more effective along with many other health benefits!

This gorgeous boy from is demonstrating it very well!!

📞 Call/text 07800758667
📍 Cambridgeshire / Leicestershire / Norfolk / Rutland / Suffolk

11/04/2025

Please bear with me over this next week, all messages will be replied to and appointments booked in, but I am off to Spain on holiday!

Thank you so much to all my clients who have been so patient this week, it’s been a bit hectic fitting everything in before we go!

Have a great week 🌞

08/04/2025

Sometimes you just need a nap in the sun ☀️

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04/04/2025

Stretching 🙆‍♀️

Stretching comes in many shapes and sizes, from baited (carrot stretches) to limb stretches and even belly lifts or pelvic tucks.

Each of these when used correctly with the right technique can have some many benefits.
Some of these include:
🔹Improved flexibility
🔷Reduced muscle tone
🔹Improved posture
🔷Increased stride length
🔹Improved core engagement

These lead to improved performance and reducing risk of injury ❤️

📞 Call/text 07800758667
📍 Cambridgeshire / Leicestershire / Norfolk / Rutland / Suffolk

Photo: mrjohnnygunn

Address

Melton Mowbray

Telephone

+447800758667

Website

https://alys-mae.wixsite.com/vetphysio

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