Sophie O'Connor - Equine Rehabilitation and Sports Massage Therapist

22/09/2025

🤎🍂🍁🧡

19/09/2025

Last minute availability for a semi or private lesson with the incredible Katie Moore Equestrian Coach

No takers for the semi private simulator session on Phoenix Tuesday 23rd so could make that a private at 5.30 instead if anyone is interested- will cancel the slot later today so do get in touch early if interested :)

18/09/2025

💯❤️🐴

15/09/2025

📣 A polite reminder 📣
If you need to cancel your appointment please let me know 48hours before. If after this time FULL payment is required. I completely understand problems may arise with your horse on the day of the appointment such as lameness, an accident ect. But if you are dealing with an ongoing issue that will prevent your horse having a treatment please just let me know.
I do NOT want to have to start taking deposits from clients but I may have to if you don’t let me know. I’m always happy to reschedule and am always willing to give advice or help in any situation.
What really bothers me is being on my way to yards or turning up to yards using my fuel, adding miles onto my car, wasting my time to be told “sorry I forgot”, “sorry I’ve double booked”
“sorry my horse is lame”, sorry my horse has an abscess” these are all situations that can be avoided by letting me know! These are situations you have known about in advance so please just cancel/ reschedule your appointment. I cannot treat lame horses as I will not be covered by insurance (unless I have permission from your horses vet).
The most frustrating part is I have a HUGE cancellation/ new clients list where if I know I can book others in. I have so many wonderful patient clients that would not have to wait as long for appointments if you would just communicate with me. I do not want to come over as negative as you all know I am a very positive person BUT there comes a point where I reach my limit of frustration.

Thank you to the majority of you who do communicate well and allow me to run my business successfully… we all have bills to pay and I do not have the luxury of a “set wage” to fall back on at the end of the month! Being self employed is incredible but it can also be incredibly frustrating!

It is also worth noting that I send out confirmation/ reminder messages to all my clients that have appointments in my diary.

However, having said all this I am still so lucky to have the BEST job in the world ❤️🐴🥰🌍

13/09/2025

This week I returned to lecturing a few days a week 👩‍🏫 and even though I’m teaching it is still vitally important for me to keep up to date with regular CPD 📝 I have joined a monthly CPD course with Olivia at Wolds Equine Sports Massage Approved Courses I highly recommend Olivia’s courses… far too many to list here but have a look on her website 👩‍💻
I am playing catch up a little as this is August’s CPD as I you have all kept me so busy since returning to work! 🐝 I am so passionate about expanding knowledge, sharing knowledge, helping horses, putting their welfare first and helping owners. This CPD focused on YOU all the clients and has been very insightful 😃 I now need to find the time for September’s CPD! I’m hoping I will have a nice routine back by October once I have caught up ☺️🐴❤️

11/09/2025

💯 please have a read ⬇️ it just echos everything I say…. There is always a REASON! Horses are NEVER just “naughty, mareish, dangerous ect!”

We need to do better and understand our horses needs, communicate effectively and further our own knowledge to help our horses.

We need to normalise correcting those that just say “horses test us, he’s lazy, he’s stubborn, just use a whip, push him on, she’s just Mareish, he’s just girthy, horses need discipline ect!”

Let us be the change the equestrian world needs! I vowed to always put horses welfare first, to help educate owners, continue my knowledge and further understanding of these incredible animals! I will ALWAYS stand up for the horse and be their voice ❤️🐴❤️

ARE WE BLAMING HORSES FOR BEING HORSES?

If a horse is difficult to lead, bites someone, stops at a fence, bucks under saddle or refuses to load, the explanation you’ll hear most often is that they’re being naughty, stubborn or difficult. This culture of blame runs deep in the equestrian world. But why do riders and handlers so often blame the horse. Why is it the horse’s fault?

Human psychology gives us some clues. Humans are prone to the fundamental attribution error. That means we’re quick to assume a behaviour is caused by what the horse is like (‘he’s lazy,’ ‘she’s always moody’) instead of looking at what’s happening to the horse.

In practice, that means we often jump to the idea that a horse is being awkward on purpose, rather than considering external factors like pain, inappropriate management, unclear training, or fear. We assume intention when, in reality, the horse is usually just responding to their circumstances. We don’t consider what’s really driving the behaviour and motivating the horse to behave that way.

Add to this the traditions of equestrian culture, where riders are often told from an early age that horses ‘test you’ or ‘take advantage if you let them.’ This narrative becomes normalised — and so blaming the horse feels natural, even when the science tells us otherwise.

Research shows a very different story:

• Studies by Dyson and colleagues (2018–2020) demonstrate that many so-called 'naughty' behaviours are actually signs of pain under saddle

• Hausberger et al. (2008, 2020) found that poor housing and pain are strongly linked to so-called ’problem behaviours.'

• Cheung, Mills & Ventura (2025) show how riders often rationalise practices that compromise welfare in order to reduce their own cognitive dissonance.

Blaming the horse is easier than admitting our tack doesn’t fit, our training wasn’t clear, our horse may be in pain or that we did the wrong thing. It protects us from uncomfortable truths. But it also prevents us from seeing behaviour for what it really is: communication.

Horses don’t plan or plot to punish us. They respond. And they can suffer.

So next time something goes wrong, rather than asking ‘Why is he being naughty?’ consider asking “what is my horse trying to tell me?’ instead.

11/09/2025

07/09/2025

After a very busy few weeks back out treating and what feels like a busier admin time! I believe I am now up to date with booking everyone back in 📆
I am so humbled by everyone’s patience, loyalty, kindness and love shown to me these past 5 months 🥰
Please do message me if I have missed you off my list’s and I am very sorry if I have 🥺

I will be taking on new clients in October when I have more availability 📅 I have a list of all new enquiries for bookings that I will be contacting over the next 7-10 days to arrange appointments with you all 📔 please do message me again if you haven’t heard back from me as I seem to just have endless lists! 📝

Thank you all again for keeping me so busy and allowing me to be back doing the BEST job in the world 🌍❤️🐴

06/09/2025

🤣 the amount of times I say to clients oh don’t worry that’s me cracking not your horse 🫣🤭