Practising what you preach!

As a Chartered physiotherapist and veterinary physiotherapist, I spend a large portion of my time talking to patients about exercise, rehabilitation, progressive loading, doing your stretches/home exercise programme, maintenance techniques etc. Well, it’s time for me to practice what I preach!!

My horse, Athos, has had over 12 months off due to lack of time and losing my mojo. He’s spent this time just being a horse at Cheshire Retirement Livery. I’ve missed him terribly – and his ridiculous quirks! So with a change in my working circumstances I’ve decided to bring him home and start bringing him back into work (fingers crossed!). I will also need to get fitter and strengthen up myself!

He is a rising 14, Lusitano gelding, who I have owned from him being 6 months old…. and he has had his fair share of orthopaedic / musculoskeletal issues! At 5 he was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis of the left fore fetlock, at 7 Proximal Suspensory Desmitis (PSD) of his bilateral hind limbs which he had a fasciotomy & neurectomy, at 8 he was treated for spavin of the hocks. Following intensive rehabilitation and some great training of us both (mostly me!!) with my incredible trainer, Nikki Ellis-Hughan, he was finally sound and going well. Then work, children and life got me down and I lost my mojo – plus a loooong, hard winter – I needed a break!!
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Whilst he’s been away, he’s had a lovely time getting chubby and had a rather large haematoma from a suspected kick (he is always in the wrong place, at the wrong time!!!), so it is going to be interesting to see how he is moving!
I’d like to share our journey, as even physio’s can struggle with the rehabilitation journey! I’ll show what we get up to, any problems we encounter, what equipment and exercises I decide to use to help him, and hopefully, getting him back to being a ridden horse! My ambition is not too high, just to be able to get back to schooling, lessons and some hacking!

He’s coming home at the end of March…wish us luck!!!

Becky & Athos
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