From the science of laterality to rehabilitation, nutrition, and welfare, day 2 of the 2026 Conference highlighted just how complex the subject of soundness and symmetry really is. While symmetry is often viewed as the ideal, the speakers over the whole weekend made it clear that the reality is far more layered. Just like humans, horses are naturally asymmetrical and understanding the difference between normal variation and when it is more serious is essential for anyone wor

Have you ever considered the benefits of an equine water treadmill for your horse? Once reserved for elite racehorses and for rehabilitation, water treadmills are now becoming an increasingly popular tool for horse owners looking to improve equine health and performance. Combining the resistance of water with the support of buoyancy, these treadmills offer a low impact yet highly effective workout that can aid in injury recovery, build strength, and enhance cardiovascular fit

Back issues in horses can vary from tight, sore back muscles to muscle atrophy or even bony pathology such as Kissing Spine. There are lots

Ever since my journey as an Equine Massage Practitioner began, Horses Inside Out has been has been my go to resource for anything regarding

There are many myths in the equine world and many excuses are made for a horse not progressing in training as potentially expected. I have h

Equine fascia and kinetic lines are important concepts for understanding how the horse moves and functions. Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds and supports the muscles, bones, organs, and nerves. Kinetic lines are the pathways of movement and force transmission that run through the fascia. By studying equine fascia and kinetic lines, we can learn how to improve the health, performance, and well-being of our horses. Some of the benefits of understanding equine fasc

Kissing spines is a condition that affects the bony projections (spinous processes) that point upward from the main vertebrae. These spinous processes are normally spaced apart, but in some horses they can touch or overlap, causing pain and inflammation. Kissing spines is most common in the thoracic region, where the saddle and the rider's weight are located. The most frequently affected vertebrae are T13 to T18, with T15 being the most common. The Causes of Kissing Spines Th

When we are looking to buy a new horse, we are encouraged to look at its conformation. Horse conformation is the study of the shape and structure of a horse's body. Conformation is influenced by the length and angles of the bones, the size and shape of the muscles, and the balance and symmetry of the horse. Correct conformation is important for long term performance and soundness because it may determine how well a horse can move, carry weight, and avoid injuries. In this art

I have already attended three of Gillian’s 2 Day courses so was excited to add another one to my growing list. This time round it was the One-Day Interactive Anatomy course. Now, I LOVE anatomy - it's a bit of a thing of mine - so I arrived nice and early to grab a seat at the front! The classroom - a specially converted barn - looked amazing and was filled with skeletons and bones! There were two fully assembled skeletons on what looked like giant skateboards; a painted mod

Myofascial release – it’s a bit of a buzz word in the horse world. But what is it, why is it so widely spoken about in the world of horses at the moment? This blog reveals how amazing this type of therapy can be, what it can do for your horse and how to learn some of the techniques. To learn about this subject in more detail check out the online course and book: Massage for Horses. What is Fascia? Fascia, is the largest system in the horse’s body. This 3D web encapsulates the

All owners want their horses to be happy, healthy and sound. Recognising when your horse isn’t performing as he should is key to his welfare. We know that neck and back pain has a negative effect on equine performance, but they can go untreated as they can be tricky to diagnose. However, with access to more diagnostic tools and targeted treatments, conditions in the neck and back can be treated successfully. To help you learn more about the current thinking in this area, Equi

There’s no getting away from it – horses are truly amazing and as owners, riders, trainers, therapists and other equestrian professionals our aim is to ensure the horses in our care are happy and healthy. As their carers we must learn to ride sensitively, manage them effectively, learn to read their emotions and behaviour to ensure all their needs are met so they can thrive and perform at their best. Having a thorough understanding of how the horse’s body works will go a long

Massage is a powerful tool and has so many benefits, and now horse owners can learn how to massage their own horse with the Horses Inside Out Online Massage Course . Learning these skills will help owners to build a better bond with their horse and help keep him comfortable and happy between visits from their professional therapist. Pre orders for this exciting new course are now being taken. It will officially launch on Friday 5 May 2023. As riders and owners, it’s important

With good back posture being key to a good performance as well as a happy healthy horse, understanding more about how the horse's back works should be high on the list for every rider, trainer and therapist as this information can help us to keep the horse's back healthy, strong and mobile. Knowing the names of the bones of course help us to communicate with our vet and other team members that help to look after our horses. But in my mind it is having an understanding of the

If you work in the equine world, you’ll know how rapidly things can change – thanks to new research, products and techniques the way horses are trained, treated and kept is constantly evolving. This is why it’s important to keep abreast of these techniques and skills by pursuing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) – for many professions it’s necessary to complete CPD on an annual basis. Continuing Professional Development describes the learning activities professionals

Caring for tendons, or managing a horse with a tendon injury is probably every horse owner’s nightmare. A horse with a tendon injury used to mean months of box rest, which is stressful for all concerned, and with no real guarantee of a full return to fitness at the end of it. Thankfully, vets are now learning better tendon healing strategies from human sports medicine that don't include ice, bute and box rest. You may be surprised to learn that experts now recommend preventio

This is a blog I have been wanting to write for a while, and yet for some reason, every time I sit in front of my laptop with the intention of doing it, I seem to get a mental block. Not because I don’t have anything to say on the subject, but quite the contrary, I don’t even know where to start. But I know that this is a story I want to tell, as I am hoping it might inspire others…. When I first qualified as an Equine Massage Practitioner I had completed my studies over the

In the first part of this series of blogs about the paces we will look at the biomechanical effects and benefits of walk and also share tips on how to assess different qualities in the walk and how to improve them. You can learn so much more about this topic in the horse movement video course Anatomy in Action. Walk is a regular four-beat gait and compared to trot and canter, walk uses the most thoracolumbar rotation and lateral flexion - this is why it's great for mobilisin

A compelling documentary has been released based on Dr Sue Dyson’s groundbreaking work on signs of pain in the ridden horse. The 35-minute film features world-renowned expert in equine orthopaedics, Dr. Sue Dyson, and her research on how ‘bad’ horse behaviour can actually be an early indicator of pain. This video is a superb precursor to watch ahead of the recorded seminar: Recognising Pain Related Poor Performance About Sue Dyson: Dr. Sue Dyson specialises in equine orthop

You may think it's a bit of a cliché – but there is no truer saying. When you think about it logically, your horse has his entire weight loaded onto his four feet when standing and onto only one foot when galloping. Essentially, without good feet you have nothing. The hoof tells you so much about the state of your horse’s health and without a healthy horse it’s hard to have healthy feet. You can see good healthy feet are an integral part to your horse’s well-being, but the to