About me…
A love for exploring the countryside either on horseback or running with my dog and a desire to keep them happy and comfortable led to my interest in Veterinary Physiotherapy. I have owned animals all my life and enjoyed western riding, horse logging and competitive Endurance riding. However I was concerned by the many factors which could negatively impact the movement of a horse.
Over 20 years ago I was fortunate to use the Pliance system to measure the forces under saddles and utilised this information along with the knowledge from my Mechanical Engineering degree to develop and make a flexible panel saddle. The effect of shoeing and hoof balance on the quality of movement and soundness of a horse was also of interest and has led to my own horses (an Arab, a rescue cob and a mule) being barefoot. I attended the two day Pete Ramey course and am impressed by what horses can achieve barefoot given the correct diet, conditioning and trimming, however I do understand this does not suit all owners and horses.
The desire to acquire more knowledge on the optimisation of the musculoskeletal system in addition to wanting to pursue a new career which could benefit a wide range of animals, led to my application and completion of the Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Veterinary Physiotherapy degree from the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.
I have learnt how Veterinary Physiotherapy can help many conditions, including injuries, osteoarthritis, and rehabilitation from surgery in addition to optimising the performance of competition animals
The greatest benefit from physiotherapy is obtained when an animal is relaxed, so I travel to your pet so they are in familiar surroundings. Each animal is assessed as an individual. I use information obtained from their history together with findings from a gait and palpation assessment to decide on the most appropriate treatment.
My aim is to work as part of the team responsible for your animal’s care which includes most importantly, you the owner and other professionals (for example, your vet, farrier and saddle fitter) to maximise the mobility and athleticism of your pet, whether they are a fit competition animal or are compromised by illness, injury or the effects of age. I recognise that the carer of the animal knows them best and because they spend most time with them can make a big difference in how they progress. I welcome updates between visits and particularly like seeing videos to keep me up to date. It is not only dogs and horses that I treat but also have experience with other animals.
Being a member of IRVAP(VP) gives you the confidence that I offer a fully insured professional service whilst keeping up to date with new developments. To work within the 1966 Veterinary surgeons Act I have to obtain veterinary consent prior to performing physiotherapy.
