Is there such thing as a 'naughty horse'?

I imagine this is something we’ve all heard when we were taught to ride and handle horses …

 

‘Don’t let him do that, he’s just being naughty!’

Nowadays almost everyone will say ‘there’s no such thing as a naughty horse, only a horse who’s in pain’

 

Which I don’t entirely agree with …

 

The new thinking now seems to be that every horse is in some degree of pain or has some kind of trauma which is causing them to act a certain way.

 

Obviously, this is the case with some horses & absolutely must be addressed and treated with care and consideration.

 

But I honestly believe that there are plenty of horses who are not in pain, but are potentially confused, unfit, scared, or simply not in the mood!

I tend to find that the concept of a horse ‘not wanting’ to do something seems to unsettle some

 

There seems to be the thought that horses are always willing & eager to please

 

Yet, there is also the well-known fact that horses are intelligent beings & can fully make their own decisions

 

So, surely it stands to reason, that sometimes a horse will decide that they do not want to do something, so they will do what they can to not engage with said activity

 

I know some people will say that animals have no concept of forethought.

 

But

 

If horses are capable of trauma response, they must be capable of forethought

 

They must understand that if X happens now, Y will happen later

 Therefore, I believe it is entirely possible for a horse to be ‘naughty’

 

I say naughty in quotations because I do not believe that horses will actively do things to be disobedient or difficult

 

They do not have the mental capability to be intentionally ‘difficult’ or ‘naughty’ as they have no concept of these behaviours

 

It is only our idea of what is naughty that we then apply to our horses

 

This is a difficult subject, because horses are also always learning, and they will realise which actions results in what consequence, especially if its of benefit to them

 

So lets say the horse does not want to go in the school, so they rear, they spin, they nap and are just generally difficult

 

If you then get off them & pop them back in their stable or field, then you’re reinforcing that that behaviour will result in that consequence –

 

And I truly believe that most horses would rather be in a field than at work, making it a positive consequence!  

 

So this is where having an understanding of your horse & a bond with them is essential for an optimum relationship

 

Why does the horse not want to go in the school today?

 

As mentioned – they’re not doing it to intentionally annoy you …

 

So why?

 

Are they tired? Too full? Too hungry? Dehydrated? Too hot? Uncomfortable? Hormonal? Did they find the pervious experience too difficult? Or boring?

 

If you can be aware of these things before working your horse, you can sometimes alter your plan to what will be more suitable that day

 

And again, this is a tricky area – as we all have days where we’d rather not do something, but we need to press on with it anyway

 

So this comes back to the understanding of your horse, when do we push on & say ‘sorry fella, you’ve got to’ and when do we say ‘okay, we’ll do something else today’

 

And I’m fully aware that I’m coming at this from the land of the idealistic, and real life is rarely like this

 

But I want to give food for thought, in both the positive and negative way

 

Positive in that just because a horse is being ‘naughty’ doesn’t mean that you’re now in for months of vet tests, saddle fitters, physios and farriers trying to pinpoint where the mystery pain is coming from – because it cant possibly be anything else!

 

And the negative in that sometimes if a horse is behaving in an undesirable way – it’s because of your actions or misunderstanding

 

And absolutely every single one of us, from the very beginner, to the Olympic standard rider has misunderstood their horse and got it wrong

 

And that is okay

 

Because although horses can feel testing to us at times, they are actually very forgiving, and will allow us to try again

 

And it is so often up to us to try harder to understand and cooperate, rather than dominate  

 

So I’d suggest we change the initial thought process to:

‘there’s no such thing as a naughty horse, only a horse who’s trying to communicate’

(I can’t take credit for that, I’m fairly sure I’ve heard it somewhere else before!)

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments about topics you’d like me to write about, or any suggestions to improve my blogs.

 

For any other information, or to book a veterinary physiotherapy appointment, please contact me directly.

 

All the best,

Emma, The Biomechanic.

BSc(Hons), FdSc, MIRVAP, RAMP

07861195709

emma@the-biomechanic.co.uk

www.the-biomechanic.co.uk

The Miracle Cure

The miracle cure

 

It seems to come around every few months – the new miracle solution that’ll fix all your problems!

And it’ll change form depending on which discipline, profession, or individual it is aimed at.

 

The horse industry seems to have a new trend or gadget every few months, claiming to solve every problem; it’ll cure all behavioural elements, prevent any future injuries and in general just make everything perfect!

 

Sometimes it’s an innocent well-wisher, who has developed a product that worked for their situation and wanted to help others, and it became more popular than anticipated.

 

But, a lot of the time, it’s a new business venture, looking to make a big sale.

 

Usually, it won’t cause any harm. And the new fad will replace it in a few months.  

 

However, sometimes the use of a gadget, aid or tool without the proper knowledge or application of its use, can be the beginning of a snowball effect.

 

This is especially true in the rehab/bodyworker world.

 

There are gadgets and machines coming out regularly, claiming to do the work of a physio or chiro, but without the expense.

 

But of course, these gadgets and machines don’t have years of training and experience that we animal professionals have.

 

They can’t tell you when their use is and isn’t appropriate, or how long they should be used for.

 

Obviously, I’ll come at this from a physio perspective …

 

We will know the how, when, where and why of application for any technique.

 

There are contraindications for pretty much every technique, or electrotherapy we use.

 

There are also plenty of times where we will need to think outside of the box to get the best outcome.

 

If a traditional method of treatment is not having the desired effect, we may need to treat elsewhere first or try a different approach.

 

We will also know the typical timelines of progress, and when things need to be toned down or tuned up!

 

These are things that a bought gadget cannot do.

 

And I bring this up now, because there are more and more electrotherapies coming onto the market that have the potential to do significant damage in the wrong hands.

 

Many of these electrotherapies require no training or proof of qualifications to purchase.

 

Anyone with the money can buy them.

 

The one that first worried me (before I was a vet physio) were the equine massage guns.

 

These are a prime example of can be incredibly beneficial, or incredibly damaging.

 

If used incorrectly, or too regularly, they have the potential to cause pain, bruise muscle, damage tendons, and even cause tears at the osteotendinous junction (where the tendon meets the bone).

 

Don’t get me wrong – you should absolutely do things to help your horse! But do them with knowledge, understanding and correct application.

 

Most animal professionals will happily educate you in what to do for the best.

 

What has been coming up more recently are the pulsed electromagnetic (PEME) machines.

Big, £10,000 - £20,000 machines that will cause pulsing in the muscle when passed over a ‘tight’ area.

 

These can be bought by anyone at all, you only need to engage in the online training, and you’re set!

 

This will be very appealing to owners, because they can ‘watch the tension melt away’, as the muscle will cease fasciculation once the tension is gone.

 

A miracle cure indeed! Who needs a physio anymore?

 

Well … what happens if the fasciculation doesn’t stop?  Or if the horse stops tolerating the machine? Or the problem persists after treatment?

 

There’s also the point of contraindications, and the how, why, where, and when?

 

And the biggest point of all – how do you know you’re treating the root cause of the issue, not the compensatory dysfunction?

 

These machines should only be used for a specific amount of time, in a specific time frame, in specific areas, or they can begin to do more damage than good.

 

Now, these machines can absolutely be used by owners and would certainly help the horse in between physio sessions.

 

BUT!

 

They should only be used under the guide of a professional, who can give you a specific treatment programme for the machine.

 

They will also be able to answer questions or give further guidance should things change along the way.

 

There are also people and businesses who will try to sell tools and techniques for treating your horses yourself too.

 

Often this’ll either be a ’4 weeks of poles will strengthen your horse’s core’ or ‘This massage mitt will cure your horses back pain’, or ‘do this stretch every day to improve your horse’s flexibility’.

 

Again, these things aren’t designed to cause damage and are almost always put forwards by people trying to help.

 

But again, you need to take the entire horse into account as to whether these things will actually help or are just kicking a problem down the road.

 

Also, there are some instances where things like pole work can be counterproductive.

 

For example: If you have a horse with OA of the hocks, raised poles can contribute to OA flare ups and pain.

 

However, having said that, pole work can also be beneficial for OA – but you need to know the hows, whens, and whys.

 

This is why us physios are needed! 🙋🏼‍♀️

 

Similarly, for stretches, plenty of people could do with stretching their horses more frequently.

 

However, if you’re not doing it correctly, you can cause microtraumas to joints and end up straining muscles and tendons.

 

Even everyday things like Cyro and thermotherapy need to be applied in the correct circumstance.

 

The very basics are:

-        Heat make blood come to area

-        Cold make blood go away from area

 

But you need to know the timings, application, and appropriateness for these things to ensure they will be beneficial.

 

The hows, whens, wheres, and whys!

 

I’m sure you can see a pattern forming here with each point I bring up!

 

Owners should absolutely be involved in their horse’s rehabilitation, everyday maintenance, and performance enhancement.

 

My only request would be to consult a professional first, before implementing something completely new.

 

Especially if it’ll cost you money!

 

Most equine professionals will happily give you advice without charge, but if an assessment is required first, that is also beneficial, as it’ll give you a starting point and will allow you to know what you improve on first.

 

And when I say professional, I mean someone who is qualified, and registered with appropriate bodies who will give advice.

 

I make this point as there are plenty of people who are buying electrotherapy machines and are charging to treat horse who are entirely unqualified.

 

Ensure to look for qualifications, registrations, and memberships, and don’t be afraid to ask for details!

If someone is ‘certified’ that doesn’t necessarily mean they are trained, it can just mean they’ve taken the online course that came with the machine.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments about topics you’d like me to write about, or any suggestions to improve my blogs.

 

For any other information, or to book a veterinary physiotherapy appointment, please contact me directly.

 

All the best,

Emma, The Biomechanic.

BSc(Hons), FdSc, MIRVAP, RAMP

07861195709

emma@the-biomechanic.co.uk

www.the-biomechanic.co.uk

Preparing for a Puppy

It has to be one of the best feelings in the world! Its finally time, you’re bring home your new puppy!

 

But what have you done to prepare?

 

I imagine you’ve done the usual:

-        New bed

-        Matching bowls

-        Cute collar and lead

-        Toys

-        Treats

-        Food

-        Poo bags (So, so many poo bags!)

But have you thought of these in depth?

 

The size, thickness, and material of bed?

 

The height and depth of the bowls?

 

The thickness & material of the collar? The length of the lead?

 

The type and variety of toys?

 

The type of treats & the calorie count?

 

The brand of food?

 

… The poo bags are probably fine!

I know these things seem trivial, but little adjustments and changes can help your puppy grow and develop in the best way.

 

For example, if you are getting a small breed puppy, you don’t want a huge, high bed for them.

 

Leaping in and out of it, or the thick & soft padding, that doesn’t give much support whilst they sleep may have negative effects of the musculoskeletal system.

 

Probably nothing that’ll affect them right now, but these small changes during growth, can have a massive impact in later life.

 

Now, I don’t want to go into each little aspect of ‘should’ & ‘shouldn’t’ of owning a puppy.

 

There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ method & every dog breed, and owner combination will have differences.  

 

But I do have a few key points that I really think should be considered for a young puppy:

-        Using a fitted harness over a collar for walks

-        Having a variety of toy textures

-        Calorie intake

-        Exercise amount

-        Home environment

 

Using a harness over a collar

 

When a puppy is learning to walk on a lead, they are going to make mistakes.

 

Most commonly, they are going to forget they are on a lead & go to chase after the bird that just flew off, or see the cat over there, or run for that dropped piece of cheese!

 

When this happens, their quick burst of speed will come to an abrupt halt when they reach the end of the lead.

 

[Just as a side note – do not use retractable leads on a collar! You’re asking for a broken neck!]

 

You can imagine the effects this abrupt halt would have on the delicate tissues and developing neck vertebrae.

 

It is much better to use a fitted harness at this stage.

It will spread the forces by the abrupt half across the breastbone of the chest, a much larger surface area, reducing the chance of injury.

 

Its is very important to get a harness fitted correctly, or you run the risk of damaging the front legs, base of neck and pectoral muscles.

 

Once the puppy can walk on the lead correctly, you can return to just a collar.

 

Having a variety of toy textures

 

This is something I discovered when I got my dog, Poppy. She was 8 weeks old when I got her and was my first puppy. (Hence why her pictures are all the way through this blog!)

 

I would take her to weekly puppy classes at our local vet, this was so beneficial to get her socialising with other puppies, asking the host questions and sharing stories with other puppy owners.

 

Teething was one of main concerns, as I was in a rented property & couldn’t risk her chewing up doors and skirting boards. I also wanted to avoid as much of the puppy nipping as possible!

 

This is where I was told to have a variety of toys, as these will help with teething both from a physical and behavioural standpoint for the puppy. 

You want 3 main types of toy:

-        Big, soft, and squashy.

-        Firm, but with some give – i.e., rubber teething toys.

-        Hard – i.e., deer antlers.

As puppies go through teething, they’ll experience different levels of discomfort, sometimes it’ll be a sharper, stabbing pain, sometimes it’ll be a dull ache.

 

Having a variety of toy textures to mouth on, can alleviate some of this discomfort, it can also be good for redirection of behaviour.

 

For example - If the puppy is desperately trying to chew on the sofa – try to redirect with the soft, squashy toy.

 

It was something that Poppy really appreciated & I’m proud to say that she didn’t destroy anything in the house … although she did shred the bobble off my favourite bobble hat!

 

Calorie intake

 

This is one to check with your vet when taking the puppy for their check-ups and vaccinations.

 

Of course, growing puppies need plenty of nutrition to give then the energy they need to play and grow.

 

But, it is possible to over feed them.

An overweight puppy will be putting additional strain on bones and joints that are not fully formed yet.

 

They may also be less inclined to exercise enough, further preventing optimum development for joints, bones and muscles.

 

On the opposite end of the scale, underweight puppies will also have trouble developing.

 

This can lead to stunted growth and bone deformities due to the lack of nutrition, they will also have less energy and may not develop their soft tissues correctly.

 

Most brands of puppy food will have feeding guidelines on the packet.

 

These will allow you to work out how much to feed based on the puppy’s breed, size, sex, and exercise level.

 

Again, but sure to consult with the vet if you believe your puppy may be under or overweight.

 

Exercise amount

 

Now, this is a tricky one.

 

A lot of vets will give you a guideline of ‘5 minutes of exercise per month of age, once or twice a day’

 

This is excluding free play with toys and other dogs – however excessive running and rough play with older or bigger dogs should be monitored and limited where necessary.

 

This isn’t a bad outline and gives owners a base line to work with.

 

The idea is to prevent over-exertion which can place too much strain on a growing musculoskeletal system.

 

However, this really needs to be dependent on the dog’s breed, temperament, and their home environment. i.e., a puppy who has access to a large garden, may require less focused exercise than a puppy who is living in a small flat with a balcony.

 

For some, this will be too little exercise in the day, possibly leading to destructive behaviours due to boredom and excessive energy.

 

For others, this could be too much, resulting in excess strain on a delicate, growing musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system.

 

The best thing is to observe your puppy and see how they behave during exercise and what they seem to prefer. Of course, if you are unsure, it is best to consult with your vet, or a certified dog trainer.

 

Home environment

 

I imagine that many of you with a puppy incoming would have ‘puppy-proofed’ the house as much as possible.

 

Ensured that breakable, valuable and electrical wires were out of the way, and given the puppy a designated space to sleep and play when unsupervised.

 

However, there are a few extra little bits to consider that are very important when considering puppy growth and health.

 

The first one is slippy floors – wood, lino, tiles etc.

Now, I understand this is a bit of a conundrum, as puppies are going to accidently toilet in the house, and a hard floor is considerably easier to clean than a carpet or rug!

 

But these slippy floors mean that the puppy is much more likely to slip, and injure themselves. Especially when they are running and playing.

 

The best thing to do, is buy cheap runners from home bargains, or a similar store.

 

These are often machine washable and provide additional grip, allowing a safer area for your puppy (and older dogs too!)

 

Slippy floors are also a real danger on stairs.

 

Of course, if your puppy is going to live downstairs, this is a moot point.

 

But those of you (us) that have our dogs in bed with us, the stairs are an important consideration.

 

Having a carpet runner going up the stairs will significantly help with traction, reducing the risk of slips and falls.

 

Similarly, the staircase pictured below, is every animal professional’s worst nightmare!

 

When a dog is travelling down these stairs, its very easy for a front leg to slip backwards and end up between the steps.

 

The momentum of the dog falling forwards will then likely result in a clean facture of the radius or ulna, and possible dislocation of the shoulder or elbow joint.

 

It may sound extreme but sadly is fairly common with these staircases.

 

Stairs themselves should always be ascended and descended slowly by puppies; very young puppies should be carried.

 

This is due to the strain that running up or downstairs can put on the lower back, hip joints, and forelimbs.

 

 These are my main considerations for young puppies.

 

Again, I thoroughly recommend consulting with an animal professional whilst your puppy is growing and training, as it will allow you to ask questions and get advice.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments about topics you’d like me to write about, or any suggestions to improve my blogs.

 

For any other information, or to book a veterinary physiotherapy appointment, please contact me directly.

 

All the best,

Emma, The Biomechanic.

BSc(Hons), FdSc, MIRVAP, RAMP

07861195709

emma@the-biomechanic.co.uk

www.the-biomechanic.co.uk

My thoughts on Kissing Spines

Before I get into it, I just want to note that these are my thoughts, feelings, and opinions based on experiences from being a groom for over 10 years and my vet physio degree. Each person will have their own experiences and opinions, and there will be many other professionals who are much more practised is kissing spines (KS) anatomy, symptoms, and treatment than me.

 

Basically – don’t take my word as gospel!

 

KS seems to be something that’s become very prevalent in the horse industry over the last few years.

 

I remember when I first became a groom, that it wasn’t thought of as being that common, and it was a very extreme thing when diagnosed.

 

Now, for the question of, has it always been fairly common? Or are we just finding a new thing to hyper-focus on?

 

I’d suggest that KS has always been fairly prevalent, (especially in competition horses), but would be under a different name or condition.

 

I remember in the riding school I used to go to as a 10-year-old, an Arab cross who I’d have lessons on (called Aussie, who was awesome!) was described to me as ‘cold backed’.

 

Whenever I’d ride him, I’d be told to give him a long walk around and allow him to stretch his neck so he’d be ready to work.

 

Obviously, as an innocent 10-year-old, I just took this as truth and did as I was told.

 

Over the years, I’ve seen a few horses described as ‘cold backed’ or ones who need to have a lunge first with the saddle on to ‘get the bucks out’.

 

When I was young and inexperienced, I just assumed that this was common practise, and didn’t really think much of it.

 

But as I’ve grown, I’ve realised that a fair few of these horses probably actually had a degree of KS, or some other back related issue.

 

Don’t get me wrong, I am fully aware that there are plenty of reasons besides KS, why a horse would need a long warm up, or extra preparation to be ridden.

 

And, as I get into talking about KS, I am mostly referring to competition and sport horses – ones who have been backed at a young age & have had a full-on career.

 

Like a lot of equine diagnosis, and conditions. Once you hear the word ‘kissing spines’ you immediately think; big problem, years or months of rehab, surgery, vet bills, financial loss, stress, they’ll never be the same again!

 

But, KS has a large amount of degree, it can be very subtle, to very severe. Typically, the horse will be showing significant behavioural changes before we even get close to severe.

 

I truly believe, that for the most part, KS is preventable.

 

I think that a majority of the time, it comes from horses being backed too early.

 

If you look at the above picture, a horses’ skeletal growth plates do not finish closing until they are 6+. And the last ones to close are along the spine.

 

I imagine you can tell where I’m going with this …

 

Many sport horses, racehorses in particular, are backed and worked as young as 18 months old!

 

At that age, the growth plates are not even halfway through closing, and now they have weight on their back & are expected to work.

 

I worked with a lovely ex-racer, called Robbie, who retired from his racing career at 3 years old … RETIRED at 3 years old.

 

It’s horrible to think how early he must have been backed & how much stress his body must have been under in those early years.

 

And did he have KS?

 

Of course he did.

 

He also had chronic stomach ulcers, a deformed front superficial digital flexor tendon, and wind sucked.

 

He did have a successful eventing career and was a very kind soul. (Which is probably the only reason he was able to continue being ridden!)

 

But I believe that his KS could have been completely prevented, if he had been backed later in life & at a slower rate, with focus on maintaining his strength and comfort.

 

He also may not have had his other issues, which may have been a direct result of his KS.

 

I understand this is only one example, and there will be some horses that are backed this young with no issues. But lets be honest, those are the exceptional ones.

 

And to me, it makes perfect sense.

 

KS is the dorsal spinous processes of the vertebrae, touching or rubbing against each other.

If you have a young spine, that is not fully formed, and is no-where near at full strength, and then you put weight on it & ask them to gallop, jump, canter in circles. Surely it stands to reason that it’ll deform?

 

I know many people won’t be the ones to back their horses, they’ll purchase them at a later age, so therefore have no control over this early backing.

 

But there are things that can be done, with younger horses especially, to manage KS conservatively or to prevent it becoming an issue.

 

This biggest thing is to look after your horses back!

 

My earlier blogs about warm up, cool down, stretching, and turnout will all aid with back health.

 

They are all small things that most would shrug at, claiming that’s too small to make a difference.

 

But it is the small things that make all the difference!

 

Little bits over time that make or break any horse.

 

Their development of KS wouldn’t have happened during one ride.

 

It would have happened over months of 20-30 minute rides 5-6 days a week. That can have an impact for the rest of their lives.

 

And of course, regular physiotherapy treatments can make a massive difference to horses with KS.

 

Treatment plans, exercises, electrotherapy, stretches and manual therapy can increase the spaces between the vertebrae, and ongoing care can ensure they stay apart.

 

And those that are more severe, and require surgery – physiotherapy is crucial in the recovery!

 

If you suspect your horse has KS, your first port of call must be the vet.

 

A vet physio cannot diagnose this (or any) condition, it requires an X-Ray to diagnose.

 

If your vet physio suspects KS, they should refer back to your vet for investigation.

 

Once the vet has diagnosed KS, then conservative, or surgical care can be discussed, and your horse can have the care they need.

 

But be aware!

 

Veterinary surgeons and veterinary physiotherapists can sometimes differ in their opinion of whether a case should be treated surgically or conservatively.

 

Often, a mild case will not require surgery, whereas a severe case almost always will.

 

It’s your responsibility to listen to both parties and go with whichever treatment option suits you and your horse best.

 

Ultimately, both parties should have your horses best interests in mind and should support whichever direction you choose to take.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments about topics you’d like me to write about, or any suggestions to improve my blogs.

 

For any other information, or to book a veterinary physiotherapy appointment, please contact me directly.

 

All the best,

Emma, The Biomechanic.

BSc(Hons), FdSc, MIRVAP, RAMP

07861195709

emma@the-biomechanic.co.uk

www.the-biomechanic.co.uk