Alexandria James Sports Massage Therapy

07/03/2025

Baby girl Berner number 2 arrived rather quickly on 27th of February 🩷

I will be back treating at some point…. But for now, I’m going to enjoy this time with Jack and my girlies 🩷

07/11/2024

6 weeks left of treating for me, before I disappear into the world of getting ready to welcome a newborn again. ❤️

14/10/2024

A little life update….

Our little pickle is going to be a big sister. Baby number 2 is well and truly cooking away. I am stopping treating from mid December and I will keep everyone updated as and when I shall be returning to work.


❤️👣🍼💩

27/06/2024

🥵

30/05/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/81UJo9sTTYsZYwWZ/?mibextid=WC7FNe

What exactly does “tracking up” mean and why is it so important?

Tracking up, or the synchronized movement of a horse's hind foot landing in the same track as the front foot on the same side, plays an important role in equine locomotion and the health and function of the back.

👉Anatomically, when a horse tracks up, it engages the muscles of the hindquarters, the gluteal muscles, hamstrings, and quadriceps. These muscles extend the hip, flex the stifle, and propel the horse forward.

This coordinated muscular activation contributes to the elevation of the horse's back, promoting spinal stability and reducing the risk of strain or injury to the back muscles and vertebral column.

👉 Physiologically, tracking up demands increased muscle activity and energy expenditure from the horse.

The spine benefits from the lifting action generated by the engaged hind limbs, distributing forces more evenly along the vertebral column, reducing the risk of overloading specific areas of the back.

👉 From a biomechanical perspective, tracking up allows for greater reach and suspension in the horse's stride. This efficient movement pattern minimizes the impact forces transmitted to the back, as the horse's weight is more evenly distributed over its limbs. Tracking up contributes to balance and collection, enabling the horse to maintain a more upright posture and distribute its weight evenly across all four limbs.

When a horse fails to track up, negative consequences will arise. Without the lifting action generated by engaged hind limbs, the horse's back will experience increased strain and compression, particularly during high-intensity activities such as jumping or extended periods of trotting or cantering.

Over time, this can lead to musculoskeletal issues, including back pain, stiffness, and injury.

So ultimately, tracking up is not only essential for optimizing equine locomotion but also for maintaining the health and function of the horse's back. Recognizing this connection, helps us better understand how detrimental it is for a saddle to prevent a horse from being able to track up.

Do you know what saddle fit issues may prevent tracking up? Comment below!

22/05/2024

11/05/2024

In my own little world 🫶🏻

28/04/2024

Now that we are settled back into home life, I can confirm my set days' treating will be Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I have a busy few weeks coming up but have some limited availability from 14th May onwards. If you wish to book 10+ horses in, please allow for treating to run over 2 days.