Equine Massage WA

“Rupert saying what we’re all thinking before coffee.”☕️

Pole grid set up ready for tomorrow’s sessions 👌

One of our biggest focuses at the moment is straightness and precision — not just for performance, but for long-term biomechanical health and muscular development.

When horses travel crooked, drift through shoulders or hips, or lose balance in transitions, they overload certain muscle groups while underusing others. Over time, this can contribute to asymmetry, compensation patterns, reduced power production and inefficient movement mechanics.

This grid is designed for both the walk/trot horses and the walk/trot/canter horses, with exercises focusing on:

• Straightness and alignment
• Quality transitions
• Hind-end engagement and power
• Thoracic sling stability
• Rhythm and coordination
• Proprioception and body awareness

Pole work is one of the best ways to encourage horses to slow down, think about where their body is in space, and develop strength correctly — especially when accuracy and technique are prioritised over speed.

Sometimes the simple exercises done well are the ones that create the biggest long-term changes 💪🐴

✨ Fun Friday Fact: We Always Knew Horses Were Expensive… But Now Some Horses Are Literally Being Treated With Gold. ✨

🐴💰 Just when you thought joint injections, saddle fitting, and endless vet bills were the pinnacle of equestrian extravagance…

Researchers and veterinarians in countries including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, and South Africa are now using GOLDIC® (Gold-Induced Cytokine Therapy) as an emerging treatment for osteoarthritis and joint-related lameness.

Yes. Real gold.

Not gold-plated tack.
Not a metaphor.
Actual gold particles are used to stimulate anti-inflammatory and regenerative proteins that are then injected into the horse’s affected joint.

🔬 How It Works

A sample of the horse’s blood is incubated in specialized tubes containing hydrophilic gold particles. This stimulates the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors. The resulting conditioned serum is injected back into the joint to help reduce inflammation and support cartilage health.

📊 What the Research Shows

* In an early equine study of 37 horses, researchers reported significant reductions in lameness, joint swelling, and effusion after treatment with GOLDIC®.
* A prospective comparative study found GOLDIC® produced better short- and long-term outcomes than traditional corticosteroid plus hyaluronic acid injections in some horses with arthrogenic lameness.
* Human studies in knee and hip osteoarthritis have also shown improvements lasting up to two years, supporting the biological rationale for this approach.

🌍 Where Is It Being Used?

Currently, the most established veterinary use is in:
🇩🇪 Germany
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇦🇹 Austria
🇮🇹 Italy
🇫🇷 France
🇿🇦 South Africa

It is not yet widely available in Australia.

💸 The Real Take-Home Message

If anyone asks how much horse owners love their horses, the answer is simple:

“Enough that veterinary medicine has reached the point where we are literally treating them with gold.”

And somehow… we still call this a hobby. 😂🐴✨

⸻

📚 References

* Loving NS. “Injectable Gold: A Potential New Treatment for Equine Osteoarthritis?” EquiManagement, 24 February 2025.
* Schneider U, Veith G. “First Results on the Outcome of Gold-Induced, Autologous-Conditioned Serum (GOLDIC®) in the Treatment of Different Lameness-Associated Equine Diseases.” Journal of Veterinary Science & Technology.
* Fürst A, Veith G, Eisenreich J. “A Prospective Comparison of the GOLDIC® Technique and Corticosteroid Plus Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Arthrogenic Lameness in Horses.” Pferdeheilkunde. 2020;36:196–204.

Rehabilitation is not just about doing the exercises.

It is about doing them correctly.

As therapists, we often prescribe strengthening exercises such as cookie stretches, sit-to-stands, raised poles, hill work, transitions, and balance exercises.

But there is a big difference between:
✔️ Doing the exercise
and
✔️ Doing the exercise with correct form and technique.

A dog can perform ten sit-to-stands while shifting weight off a sore hind limb.
A horse can trot over poles while falling through one shoulder and hollowing its back.

In both cases, the exercise is technically being completed—but the body is still reinforcing the same compensation patterns we are trying to correct.

That is why skilled trainers and coaches are such an important part of the rehabilitation team.

A good trainer or coach does more than cheer you on and tell you that you are doing well.

They notice when:
• Your dog sits crooked.
• Your dog pushes up unevenly.
• Your horse drifts through a shoulder.
• Your horse loses straightness in transitions.
• Your pet or horse is avoiding the targeted muscles.

These small details matter enormously.

A correctly performed sit-to-stand helps strengthen the gluteals, quadriceps, and core.

A correctly performed cookie stretch improves mobility, symmetry, and body awareness.

A straight, balanced walk–trot transition helps build the thoracic sling, core, and hindquarters.

The same exercises performed with poor technique may strengthen the compensation instead.

This is why “eyes on the ground” are so valuable.

Most of us cannot see every subtle weight shift, crooked step, or evasive pattern on our own.

Sometimes what feels straight is not straight.
Sometimes what looks balanced is not balanced.
And sometimes we simply do not know what we are missing until an experienced professional points it out.

So this is a big thank you to the trainers and coaches who work alongside therapists and veterinarians.

Your attention to detail, understanding of movement, and commitment to correct form play a crucial role in helping our animals move better, become stronger, and stay comfortable for the long term.

Rehabilitation is a team effort.

And our animals are the ones who benefit most

🎉 Exciting Prize Announcement for next Saturday’s Pole Work & Development Clinic! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that Kelato Animal Health has come on board as the sponsor of the “Happy Coach Award’🐴✨

Kelato’s philosophy is simple: Feel Well. Perform Well.

And that aligns perfectly with what this clinic is all about.

Our goal is not to see who knocks the least poles, goes the fastest, or has the fanciest horse.

This clinic is focused on:
✨ Strength and muscle development
✨ Correct posture and movement
✨ Building confidence and understanding
✨ Creating happier, healthier horses

So, with Kelato’s support, we are introducing a special prize in each class…

🏆 The Happy Coach Award 🏆

At the end of every class, one rider will take home a fantastic Kelato prize pack.

How do you win?

Quite simply… make your coach happy! 😄

That could mean:

🌟 A horse that looks relaxed, confident, and happy in its work
🌟 Excellent horsemanship and kindness to your horse
🌟 A positive, patient, and supportive attitude
🌟 Significant improvement during the session
🌟 Beautiful rhythm, balance, and correct movement through the poles
🌟 A strong understanding of what the exercises are designed to achieve
🌟 Thoughtful riding and a willingness to learn
🌟 Celebrating the small wins and progress along the way
🌟 A beautifully presented horse and rider combination

In short:

❤️ Happy Horse
😊 Happy Rider
🎉 Happy Coach

There will be one winner in each class, so everyone has a chance to take home a wonderful prize.

A huge thank you to Kelato Animal Health for supporting our clinic and helping us reward the kind of horsemanship that truly matters. Kelato Animal Health

See you Saturday! 🐴✨

A little note to our wonderful clients ❤️

At the moment, appointments are booking out several weeks in advance, especially if you require a specific day or time.

Many of our clients are on regular recurring appointments, which means a large portion of our schedule is already allocated well ahead of time. As a result, there are times when we simply do not have an appointment available in the exact time slot you were hoping for.

We completely understand that this can be frustrating, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding while we do our very best to accommodate everyone as soon as possible.

A very special thank you goes to our amazing admin superstar, Rachel. She works incredibly hard behind the scenes to coordinate appointments, answer messages, and fit clients into the limited availability we have.

Please remember that Rachel does not create the schedule — she simply works miracles with the hours available.

And, between us… if we lose Rachel, there may be no bookings at all, because we all know I’m absolutely hopeless at managing the diary myself! 😅

Thank you for your kindness, patience, and continued support of our small business. We genuinely appreciate every one of you. ❤️

🐴💔 Tony may have trotted off to his exciting new career, which means Tony’s Tuesday Tips has officially been retired.

But never fear… Brennan has very thoughtfully injured himself so that Brennan’s Tuesday Tips can begin. 🙃❤️‍🩹

(Thanks, Brennan. Not exactly the succession plan we had in mind.)

💔 Brennan’s Recovery Journey Begins 💪🐴

What initially appeared to be a sore shoulder has been diagnosed as a significant tear to the triceps brachii muscle in Brennan’s right shoulder.

Our best guess is that Brennan sustained this injury from a kick in the paddock — one of those frustrating and unpredictable accidents that can happen in an instant.

The good news is that skeletal muscle tissue can heal remarkably well with the right management, patience, and a carefully structured rehabilitation program.

Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing Brennan’s journey step by step, including:

✨ Ultrasound progress updates
✨ Rehabilitation exercises and strengthening work
✨ What to do — and what not to do
✨ Setbacks, milestones, and lessons learned
✨ Tips for anyone managing a similar injury

Recovery from a large muscle tear is a marathon, not a sprint, but with time and the right approach, we’re hopeful Brennan will come back stronger than ever.

A huge thank you to Ascot Equine Veterinarians for diagnosing the injury and helping guide Brennan’s treatment plan.

Follow along each Tuesday as we document Brennan’s road to recovery. ❤️‍🩹












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