What You Can Expect From My Visit

What you can expect from my visit:

· I will spend some time discussing your horse with you: what their normal routine/work pattern is, their age, any changes/problems in training, any changes in the horse’s behaviour. Likewise, mention any problems or changes prior to subsequent appointments.

· If possible, it is useful to see the horse walking in hand, turning and backing up or briefly on the lunge.

· I will look for asymmetries and check your horse – head to toe - looking for pain and restrictions. This helps me prioritise areas as I work with your horse.

· Please do not worry if I don’t talk much once I start, it’s because I’m paying attention to what the horse is telling me.

· Sessions can vary greatly in length depending on what I find. On average it will be between 1 and 1.5hrs, sometimes longer. Normally, the first visit is the longest, but I will always let your horse guide me.

· If you are riding prior to your appointment, please allow at least 45minutes between the end of your ride and the horse’s bodywork session.

· Do expect that your horse may need additional treatments. It would be unusual for one treatment to resolve the issue. We must work together towards gradual, lasting results. Chronic issues generally take longer to resolve than acute problems.

· I may show you how to safely do some stretches (only when the horse is warmed up!)

· I will discuss my findings with you and a treatment plan. Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have.

· If I find anything which requires veterinary attention, then I will advise you to contact them. I will also send them a report regarding my concerns.

What your horse and I need to get the most from my visit:

· Please have your horse in, clean, dry and groomed for when I arrive.

· It is advisable to hand walk your horse for 5-10 minutes after the session, particularly if he cannot be turned out. This helps remove the accumulation of lactic acid caused by bodywork.

· Depending on how many deep releases are required, it is advisable where possible to give the horse at least one day off. To gain the most benefit from the session, it is worth spending the next two riding sessions on a loose contact, with plenty of warm-up time and hacking quietly if possible.

· If you cannot attend the session, please plan for someone to bring in your horse, groom him, hand walk him and turn him back out.

·  For Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release - eating interferes with the horse’s responses to the work. Therefore, I may remove the hay etc if it is distracting the horse.

·  Please try not to move or touch your horse as I work. During a session, I am always reading their body language. This is the only way the horse can tell me if there is pain, when they are feeling relief, relaxed, or releasing tension and restrictions within their body.