VeeFit

This!!!!!! 💯

𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟯-𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗱!! 🙈

I have just watched a sales advert for a horse, which prompted me to write this post! 🥴

The horse is essentially being advertised as a very quiet, very slow-going type, who is happiest taking life at a very leisurely pace. Having watched the sales video though, I see something very different! 😬😵‍💫

To my trained eye, the horse appears lame on multiple limbs. His movement is short, restricted and laboured. He looks extremely tense through the body and despite being asked to do very little work in the video, he is noticeably huffing and puffing.

Then underneath the ad, all the comments are positive 🫣

“He’s fabulous.”

“Beautiful horse.”

“How much?”

“What a lovely boy.”

And, being truthful, I find it quite astonishing! 😳🫣 ... But then again, maybe I shouldn’t! 😔

Research suggests that more than 47% of sport horses in normal work may be lame, with that lameness going unrecognised by their owners or trainers.

When you consider that, then maybe a comment section full of people admiring a horse whose movement, to my eye, is very clearly abnormal, shouldn’t be surprising at all! 🤷‍♀️

I also think that it raises a much bigger welfare issue. ... How many horses are being described as lazy, slow, reluctant, lacking impulsion, or on the opposite end of things ~ difficult, cold-backed, or “that’s just how he moves”, when what we are actually looking at is musculoskeletal discomfort? 🙈😔

Lameness recognition is not just about being able to pick out the lame leg. Sometimes the first, and most important skill, is recognising that the horse in front of you is not moving comfortably, or in any way normally at all!

And it struck me just how common it is that significant gait abnormalities are being missed when a horse isn't obviously hopping lame on one leg! 😢

I don't personally believe there is such a thing as a lazy horse. There is likely to be good reason a horse like this is reluctant to go forward. That reason may not always be pain, but surely our first response should be to ask "why", rather than to simply conclude that the horse is lazy.

Pain, weakness, fatigue, poor balance, lack of fitness, fear, confusion, poor saddle and tack fit and learned behaviour can all look like a reluctance to go forward.

And, sometimes what gets described as a lovely, quiet “plod” may actually be a horse that finds movement very physically difficult.

Before we label the horse, we need to question such behaviour. Lameness does not always present as a dramatic head nod, or a horse barely able to weight-bear. When more than one limb is involved, particularly with bilateral or multilimb problems, the picture can be much less obvious. Instead of seeing one clearly lame leg, you might see a horse that is generally short-striding, stiff, guarded, reluctant to go forward or simply moving as though everything is really hard work! ... And because there isn't one leg screaming “THIS ONE”, the movement is inclined to be interpreted as the horse being lazy, quiet, a plod, slow or just “that type”.

That is why I think we need to stop judging soundness by asking "which leg is lame?” The important question is "does this horse move like a comfortable horse?” In the horse I watched today, my answer would unfortunately be a big fat NO! 😢

Obviously, nobody can diagnose the cause of lameness from a sales video. A proper veterinary examination would be required for that. But we absolutely can recognise abnormal movement, tension, restricted gait and signs that warrant further investigation.

Maybe it's time that basic lameness and pain recognition should be a compulsory part of learning to care for horses.
.. Always ask yourself WHY!! ❤️🐎❤️

How can osteopathy help your animal?

Osteopathy aims to improve how the body moves and functions by restoring normal motion to joints, muscles, fascia, and surrounding tissues. For animals, it isn't about "putting bones back into place"—it's about helping the body move more comfortably and efficiently!!

It can help by:
Reducing pain and stiffness by improving joint mobility and releasing muscle tension.
Increasing range of motion, making it easier for your animal to move freely.
Improving posture and balance, which can reduce strain on other parts of the body.
Supporting recovery after injury, surgery, or periods of rest by encouraging healthy movement patterns.
Enhancing performance in sporting animals by helping them move more symmetrically and efficiently.
Compensating for chronic conditions, such as arthritis, by improving mobility in surrounding tissues (while not curing the underlying disease).
Improving circulation and lymphatic drainage, which may support tissue healing.
Helping nervous system function by reducing mechanical restrictions that may affect normal movement and comfort.
For different animals, you might notice:
Horses: Better willingness to bend, collect, strike off on the correct lead, jump, or maintain impulsion.
Dogs: Easier rising from lying down, climbing stairs, jumping into the car, or longer, more comfortable walks.
Older pets: Greater comfort and improved quality of life through better mobility.
Osteopathy is often used for animals with:
Back or neck stiffness
Lameness or uneven gait (after veterinary assessment)
Reduced performance
Arthritis
Muscle tightness
Compensation after injury or surgery
Difficulty bending or turning
Reluctance to jump, play, or exercise
General maintenance in athletic or aging animals

It's important to remember that osteopathy is not a replacement for veterinary care! I will refer you back to your veterinarian if I suspect an underlying medical condition requiring diagnosis or treatment.
When used alongside veterinary medicine, physiotherapy, rehabilitation exercises, laser therapy, or other treatments, osteopathy can be a valuable part of your animal's overall care!!

Send a message to learn more

Things the racehorse body has taught me… 🖤 The longer I work with ex-racehorses, the more I realise they have some of the most fascinating bodies to assess. They’re incredibly athletic. They’re incredibly resilient. And they’re incredibly good at compensating. Over the years I’ve learned that sore muscles aren’t always the problem. A horse that looks strong isn’t always stable. A horse that keeps performing isn’t always comfortable. The racehorse body teaches us to stop looking at one area in isolation and start looking at movement as a whole. That’s why every assessment I perform starts long before I ever put my hands on a horse. It’s about watching. Listening. Understanding. Connecting the dots. Whether your horse raced for one season or ten years, the body remembers everything: • Training • Injuries • Management • Workload • Compensation None of those things mean a horse can’t go on to have an incredible second career, but they do deserve to be understood. This carousel isn’t just about ex-racehorses. It’s about why good assessment will always matter more than chasing symptoms. 👉 Save this post for later. 💬 Which slide resonated with you the most? #ExRacehorse #RetrainedRacehorse #ROR #RacehorseToRidingHorse equinetherapy

I share the below post to hopefully make horse owners/riders aware of what our horses will put up with....so many horses are in pain from undiagnosed or misdiagnosed injuries and yet they still try for us. In this case Mr T did show it and luckily found an owner who put him out of his misery! SO please, when your horse is misbehaving, or won't go forward, or is super spooky, anxious, or just really lazy .... ask yourself WHY!!!??? BEFORE you go to the spurs, whip and "training aids" etc....and also remember a LOT of these injuries can't even be seen with a regular X-ray or ultrasound machine if done at a barn and not in a veterinary hospital!

“My horse is fine, I had X-rays done”

How often do we hear people defending their unhappy horse because they had X-rays done?

X-rays show bone, only bone and there can be so much more happening in a horses leg. There are limitations to any diagnostics done and X-rays are firmly limited to bone or any calcified/mineralised soft tissues present if dense enough. The X-ray beam must also be at 90 degrees of the issue to show clearly. You can also see the break down of the cartilage in the area, he was an 8 year old TB gelding. He was only grade 1 out of 5 lame but he lacked a good suspension phase in the stride and his movement was choppy.

The problem below was a tiny bone fragment that had been covered in cartilage and scar tissue to protect the joint. There was localised inflammation around the capsule of the joint as well as a break down of cartilage in the fetlock joint. It did not show in the X-rays aswell as a few other issues. The full findings are available on my patreon page.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/comparing-vet-106702710?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Excellent read!! 🤩

The Benefits of Osteopathic Articular Balancing for the Equine Athlete

By Paul McAlister

Discover how OAB improves equine balance, circulation, and musculoskeletal function, supporting injury recovery, performance, and long-term well-being.

What to read it? Head to the comments 👇