ACE Therapy in Maryborough West | Pet service

ACE Therapy

Locality: Maryborough West

Phone: +61 422 279 195

Address: Traveling 4570 Maryborough West, QLD, Australia

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24.01.2022 Beautiful to see the changes in this sweet mare of Jodies. Her rump has changed and filled out and is more balanced particularly on the offside, her roachiness on her lower lumbar has softened and she can now relax her back. A lovely mare to work with who responded to treatment brilliantly.

24.01.2022 Unfortunately I have broken my arm and will be out of action for a couple of weeks. I will let you know ASAP when I’m up n running again. Thanks for all your support .

24.01.2022 Gympie/Tiaro Thurs March 5th

24.01.2022 Thanks kindly for your patience as Ive had to take time to recover from my injury. Im endeavouring to book in all my wonderful clients as soon as I can, but as Im still doing smaller days, I am still playing catch up!

24.01.2022 I'm slowly getting back into appointments finally. I appreciate all your patience while I took time to heal as needed I am nearly full for the next month with catching up. If you do require an appointment , please pm me. I am also doing Sunday/Friday appointments at my home for any urgent cases. Thank you so much for all your support!

23.01.2022 Its business as usual for ACE Therapy, however as we have our elderly (young at heart) parents staying with us, it would be appreciated that if you feel unwell or could be exposed to bugs please let me know so we can reschedule your appointment. Stay well , happy and enjoy your time with your horses

22.01.2022 I would like to thank all my clients for such wonderful support over such an unforgettable year! It’s an amazing journey and a pleasure to work with such wonderful people and their best four legged friends. I’ll be back on track next year and will continue with my never ending study and learning path to be able to best help our equine friends. I hope everyone has a happy, safe and fun filled Xmas break , enjoyed with family and friends.

21.01.2022 Please be aware that I am currently booked up for 2 to 3 weeks for any new clients or new treatment plans Thanks kindly for your patience.

20.01.2022 http://www.equestrianlife.com.au//Ask-the-vet-Minimising-w

20.01.2022 One appointment available tomorrow Childers or GinGin

19.01.2022 Sacroiliac Disease Sacroiliac (SI) disease is relatively new in the field of scientific study, having only been incorporated into the literature since 2003. Th...e SI region is what enables the horse to move forward so efficiently, transferring forces from the hind leg through to his back and is designed specifically for stability and shock absorption. Anatomy The sacroiliac region is the part of the horses back where the sacrum and the ilium unite. The ilium is the fan shaped bone of the pelvis and the sacrum is made up of five fused vertebrae which form a solid unit just before the bones of the tail. The SI joint is surrounded by several ligaments and muscles to provide pelvic stability and under normal conditions these structures maintain the mobility of the joint within it's physical limits. However, if the muscles are not powerful enough to handle external trauma such as falling/slipping, primary ligament damage and primary/secondary joint damage is possible. Muscle weakness can also be associated with SI injury including fatigue due to improper training or overuse and repetitive strain injuries. Six tell tale signs Dr Rob van Wessum DVM, MS, Cert Pract KNMvD has described 6 tell tale signs to look out for in horses with SI disease. Statistical analysis has shown that if horses do not display at least three of these symptoms, then SI disease is considered very unlikely. 1. Tracking narrow behind (placing the hind feet on the same line in front of each other) in an effort to stabilise the pelvic region. Often visible in the walk and more obvious in the trot. 2. Lateral walk. Whilst walking a serpentine, the horses limbs move forward in unilateral pairs (front right and right hind, then front left and left hind), similar to a pacing gait. This is thought to be due to decreased spinal motility. 3. Haunches in/out. One hip is often slightly lower in horses with SI disease resulting in a slight bend to one side. 4. Asymmetric tail position. This is due to SI ligament involvement. 5. Bunny hop canter. The hind feet land almost together due to the horse trying to avoid the rotational forces on the pelvis. 6. Reduced flexibility of the lumbosacral region. This can be tested by placing one hand at the point of the hip and pulling the tail towards one side. The horse should also be asked to 'tuck under' by scratching each hamstring. * It is also important to point out that many horses with SI disease can initially present with an unwillingness to go forward, struggle to canter on the correct lead, lack impulsion from behind, and a change in behaviour towards work. Additionally it is not uncommon for horses to have secondary SI pain due to conditions such as hind suspensory desmitis. We must remember that the distal hindlimbs and SI are working together as one unit and any pain distally can cause the horse to alter its movement, placing abnormal stress on the SI region. Certainly a good list of signs to look out for! Treatment and management will be discussed in part 2 next week!! E. J. Westwood. On behalf of NVG.

18.01.2022 Unfortunately I won’t be able to take on any appointments until the new year due to my broken arm. I will be working through my list as soon as I am able in January, all going well.

18.01.2022 Willis our little cutting pony was very sore over his lower lumbar, making his muscles sore and over reactive over his last few ribs n hind. He was not wanting to stand square or step under himself as he normally would.........he usually hates needles , but was very obliging. Think he feels much better as he was prancing around the paddock

17.01.2022 FULL.....thank you

17.01.2022 If I am booked to treat your horse this week, please be aware of the weather. Horses need to be dryish and out of the wind and rain. If there are no facilities to treat them undercover and out of the wind, I cannot treat them safely and will have to postpone. Thank you kindly for your understanding.

16.01.2022 ..........FULL.............. Gin Gin Weds 23rd Sept

16.01.2022 Asymmetry is a reality and fact of nature. But it has its implications. If we are to accept assymetry as natural biodiversity then we have to understand the im...plications and work to maintain healthy physiology in spite of the predispositions. High low hooves in front are an assymetry, they are very often acquired but are a natural occurrence and product of laterality. It creates different angles all the way up the limb and creates an asymmetry in the shoulder (Ridgeway 2020) This affects the saddle fit and the seat of the rider creating more influences on the horse. A Rotated scapula In the lower foot and tension in the higher foots shoulder. Ridgeway also discusses the effects on the neck and spine. Hobbs et al. (2018) also quantified some of the biomechanical results of this conformation. The feet create asymmetrical propulsive forces resulting in spinal stiffening and contra lateral hind limb compensations. Again this could create musculoskeletal injury and Hobbs touched on the fact that these horses may need physio treatment more often for preventative measures. We can also use technology to quantify these effects. Hobbs used objective gait analysis in the study but something else that could prove to be a valuable tool in detecting areas of inflammation which correlate well with regions of pain in these horses is thermography. We know that these horses are needing to compensate and will need to overuse some muscles, so thermography is a very useful tool in monitoring and detecting sub clinical and early changes in the body (Soroko and Howell 2018). The following images show some of these points and includes a case study. In the case study, the links between the high low conformation and the inflammatory markers in the thermography are anecdotal and could be coincidental, but further research using thermography could quantify how the compensatory mechanisms discussed by the above studies create inflammation and musculoskeletal overuse. Further reading on high-low hooves at this link. . https://www.theequinedocumentalist.com//high-low-hoof-conf

16.01.2022 Gympie 21st May 1x appointment available Please pm

15.01.2022 Had the pleasure of treating this beautiful little cutie today,,,,so well behaved......thanks Deb

15.01.2022 Unfortunately all appointments this week will have to be postponed to next week as I’ve broken my finger on my right hand! Sorry for any inconvenience!

14.01.2022 Next Available Bundaberg 10th June FULL Hervey Bay/Maryborough 11th June Gympie 18th June

14.01.2022 Sometimes it hard to fit in times to suit with everyone on my runs due to clients working and my travel times etc. We hope we have made it easier now by treating horses at our property at Valley Views Performance Horses in Maryborough at pre booked times and weekends. We have full facilities including stables, yards , toilets and a smoko room. Treatment price will be reduced for onsite treatments. There is no contradictions to travel a horse with acupuncture.

13.01.2022 The equine back We just wanted to share this short case with you as it’s not something we read about often. Horses with kissing spines (overriding dorsal spino...us processes) are often discussed but it’s rare that we discuss cases with quite the opposite issue. Rio presented to us as a six year old National dressage horse, with the complaint that he wasn’t pushing from behind as much and just didn’t feel quite right. He often felt sore in his back and was tense under saddle. Upon investigation he was seen to be dragging both toes on the hind feet and was reactive upon back palpation. We decided to radiograph his back to look for any evidence of kissing spine. As you can see from the radiograph, he was quite the opposite and had huge spaces between his spinous processes. (Please see in the comments below). A horse with spaces like this, although seemingly quite desirable, is more often prone to back issues due to the flexibility that it has in this region. We caught up with him five years later and this is him now! It’s important to stress how rehabilitation and a good exercise programme can work with horses like this, without the need for veterinary treatment. He is ridden four-five days per week with a variety of work. This is important! Hacking improves the proprioception which in turn will reduce the likelihood of injury. A good warm up and cool down is also just as important. When horses become tired their muscles tire. This means that the overall limb stability is affected as the muscles can no longer hold everything in the correct position and injuries will occur. Horses don’t need to be in the arena going around and around in circles for an hour at a time. They are designed to go in straight lines and on a variety of terrain. Riding in the light seat during warm up and cooling down will allow the horses back to warm up properly - especially useful for horses like him. Lastly stretching exercises are a godsend. Working horses long and low, not pulling the horses head in, but teaching him to search for the bit and not to be afraid of it, will go a long way at eliminating tension and help to create a supple healthy horse. His work routine certainly seems to be suiting him! E. J. Westwood. On behalf of NVG.

13.01.2022 Interesting article

13.01.2022 I will be resuming full days from next week. Bundy Weds Mboro/Hervey Bay Thurs Please note all precautions n guidelines adhered to as regards Covid 19.

13.01.2022 What is the longest a horse can safely go without food? More and more I see horses and ponies stood for long periods of time with no hay or haylage. Usually un...der the guise of a weight control diet. So how long can a horse be without food before damage is done? And what damage is done? For those with a short attention span, I’ll give you the answer to begin with - 4 hours, maximum. Why? Horses are grazers. They are designed to eat constantly. They have no way of storing their acids and digestive enzymes, they’ve never needed to. They have no gall bladder to store bile and their stomachs release acid constantly, whether or not there is food in the stomach and intestines. A horses stomach only holds approximately 8-15 litres. Depending on the substance eaten, it takes on average 4-6 hours for the stomach to completely empty. After this, the acids and enzymes start to digest the inside of the horses stomach and then the intestines. This causes both gastric and intestinal ulceration. It has been estimated that 25-50% of foals and 60-90% of adult horses suffer from ulceration. But I won’t go into detail about this, there is a lot of information around about ulcers. So is that it? Are ulcers the only concern? No, having an empty stomach is a stress situation for a horse. The longer they are starved, the more they release stress hormones, cortisol predominantly. Cortisol blocks insulin and causes a constantly high blood glucose level. This stimulates the body to release even more insulin, and in turn this causes fat tissue to be deposited and leptin resistance. Over time this causes insulin resistance (Equine Metabolic Syndrome). All of these mechanisms are well known risk factors for laminitis and are caused by short term starvation (starting roughly 3-4 hours after the stomach empties). Starving a laminitic is literally the worst thing you can do. Over longer periods, this also starts to affect muscle and can cause weakness, and a lack of stamina so performance horses also need a constant supply of hay/haylage to function optimally. Let’s not forget horses are living, breathing and feeling animals. We talk about this stress reaction like it’s just internal but the horse is well aware of this stress. Door kicking, box walking, barging and many other stable vices and poor behaviour can be explained by a very stressed horse due to food deprivation (we all have that Hangry friend to explain this reaction). Next time you shout or hit a horse that dives for their net, remember their body is genuinely telling them they are going to starve to death. They know no different. But surely they spend the night asleep so they wouldn’t eat anyway? Not true. Horses only need 20mins REM sleep every 24 hours (jealous? I am!). They may spend a further hour or so dozing but up to 22-23 hours a day are spent eating. So if you leave your horse a net at 5pm and it’s gone by 8pm, then by 12am their stomach is empty. By 4am they are entering starvation mode. By their next feed at 8am, they are extremely stressed, physically and mentally. Now I know the cob owners are reading this mortified. I can almost hear you shouting at your screen if I feed my horse ad lib hay he won’t fit out the stable door in a week!! I will say that a horse with a constant supply of hay/haylage will eat far less then the same horse that is intermittently starved. They don’t eat in a frenzy, reducing the chance of colic from both ulcers and over eating. Cobs included. However I’m not suggesting you sit your cob in front of a bale of haylage and say have at it! There is a difference between ad lib and a constant supply. There is much we can do to reduce calorie intake and control weight whilst feeding a constant supply. The easiest is small holes nets. There are many. Trickle nets, greedy feeders, nibbleze, trawler nets etc. My personal favourite is the Shires Soft Mesh 1. They don’t cost the Earth, they are easy to fill and they don’t have knots so are much gentler to the teeth. Now often I suggest these types of nets to owners and the owner tells me Oh no, *** won’t eat out of those this is nonsense. If he was left it, he would. Remember, you can give a normal net and one of these for them to nibble at after. Better than leaving them with nothing at all. A few other tricks, hang the net from the ceiling/rafters, it’s harder to eat out of a net that swings. Soak the hay, a minimum of 4 hours to be effective. Mix with straw but be sure to introduce the straw slowly and make sure it’s top quality and a palatable type eg Barley or Oat, otherwise they won’t eat it. Don’t forget exercise. The best way to get weight off a horse is exercise. Enough exercise and they can eat what they want! And lay off the bucket feed and treats! Horses on a diet require a vit/min supplement in the form of a balancer but that’s it. The odd slice of carrot or suede won’t do any harm but no licks, treats, treacle, molasses, cereal based rubbish. Even if it says low sugar or the marvellously misleading No added sugar! Your horse would rather have a constant supply of hay, I promise. Written by Vikki Fowler BVetMed BAEDT MRCVS A few edits for the critics- Firstly, feeding a constant supply does not mean ad lib feeding. It means use some ingenuity and spread the recommended amount of daily forage so the horse is never stood with out food for more than 4 hours. I am not promoting obesity, quite the opposite, feeding like this reduces obesity and IR. This can be done whilst feeding your horse twice a day as most horse owners do. Just think outside the box for your own situation. Secondly I am in the UK and this post is UK specific, use some common sense when reading. Yes in warmer climates, soaking hay for 4 hours is dangerous and studies show 1 hour is plenty in hot weather but in the UK’s arctic climate, a minimum of 4 hours is required. Equally the UK feed exclusively grass hay. I can not comment on other types. Thirdly, yes every horse/pony and situation is different, but this is a law of nature and all horses have this anatomy and metabolism. How you achieve this constant supply is individual, the need for it is not. Fourthly, the use of hay nets in the UK is very very high. I’d estimate 95% of horses I see are fed this way and very very few have incisor wear or neck/back issues as a result. Yes, feeding from the ground is ideal, but a constant supply, I feel trumps this. Again with ingenuity both can be safely achieved. Finally, straw can be fed to horses safely, introduced very slowly, with fresh water always available, plus a palatable and digestible type of straw which will depend on your area. Again many horses in the UK are bedded on straw and most of them eat it. This is not a new concept to us.

13.01.2022 I will be resuming full days from next week. Bundy Weds M'boro/Hervey Bay Thurs Please note all precautions n guidelines adhered to as regards Covid 19.

11.01.2022 Horse and Dog owners beware!!!

11.01.2022 Unfortunately Ive sustained an injury and will have to postpone my runs. I will reschedule as soon as I possibly can. Thanks kindly for your patienceUnfortunately Ive sustained an injury and will have to postpone my runs. I will reschedule as soon as I possibly can. Thanks kindly for your patience

10.01.2022 Full thank you One spot available Childers/Gin Gin on Weds, please pm me .

08.01.2022 Hervey Bay Tues 18th 1x appointment available Bundaberg Weds 19th Full Gin Gin Weds 26thHervey Bay Tues 18th 1x appointment available Bundaberg Weds 19th Full Gin Gin Weds 26th

08.01.2022 Don't forget there are little things that you can do to help your horse......

08.01.2022 I have made the decision to self isolate for quite a few personal reasons and as well, we have elderly parents living with us and only want the best outcome for them and for everyone else going thru this turbulent time. So all appointments will be cancelled for 14 days or until further notice. Im sure you all understand and know that this is only temporary, until the worst is over and we can all get back to a normal life. I hope you all make the most of this down time by enjoying your family and horses. I wish you all health and happiness and appreciate your support at this time.

07.01.2022 One appointment available 11am Bundy tomorrowOne appointment available 11am Bundy tomorrow

07.01.2022 Next available appointments... May 28th Thurs ....Hervey Bay/Maryborough June 3rd Weds ...Bundaberg... Please pm

06.01.2022 Well 2020 ended a bit different for me than I’d planned, being out of action with a broken finger and arm and now 2021 has started with a trip to hospital and surgery. I will need some recovery time now, so I can be back out helping our beautiful horses. By the end of the month I will be starting my runs, in smaller days and should be back up fully in Feb. Thanks again for your patience and support looking forward to seeing you all very soon.

06.01.2022 Don't think you get a more relaxed boy during and after treatment and in full racework!

06.01.2022 So what does acupuncture actually do ,I get asked regularly and for good reason Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese therapy that involves placing thin needle...s along meridians in the body to influence qi (pronounced chi) energy, acupuncture has five mechanisms of action: LOCAL EFFECTThe needles stimulate nerve fibers in the skin and muscle around the insertion point. This results in increased blood flow (which can aid in healing) in the immediate area, as well as in deeper tissues, it can also improve the function of local glands. SEGMENTAL ANALGESIAThis is the main mechanism by which acupuncture relieves pain. The needles send certain signals to the spinal cord, ultimately reducing the response to painful stimuli in any part of the body related to the nerves in the spinal cord. EXTRASEGMENTAL ANALGESIAIn addition to pain relief originating from the spinal cord, signals also travel to the brainstem, which stimulates the bodys pain-suppressing mechanisms. Effects can extend to the whole body, beyond the segment in which acupuncture is applied, . This effect is not usually particularly powerful, but can be helpful. CENTRAL REGULATORY EFFECTSOnce the signals reach the midbrain (the uppermost part of the brainstem, which is involved in basic, unconscious body function), they can produce calming effects to improve overall well-being. MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTSacupuncture can help release pain from myofascial trigger points, or small knots of tight muscle. Pain relief can occur immediately upon removal of needles, the morning after treatment, or gradually after several treatments, In horses, acupuncture is used for a variety of scenarios, including: Treating musculoskeletal and neuromuscular disorders; Identifying and eliminating causes of poor performance and training resistance; and Addressing eye problems; skin diseases; endocrine (hormonal) disorders; circulatory and lymphatic faults; respiratory conditions (heaves or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); digestive disorders (colic); and reproductive problems. Hope this little run down helps answer a few questions and see its so much more than sticking a few pins in to see what happens I am currently doing further studies and will continue to expand my knowledge and keep an open mind in equine health and management.

06.01.2022 Healthy Horse Limbs Brian S. Burks DVM, Dipl. ABVP Board-Certified in Equine Practice A horse’s lower limb is comprised of bone, joint and tendon and has limite...d protective muscle; hence legs are susceptible to damage. It is important to understand this. Keeping your horse’s limbs healthy will reduce the number of missed shows and rides. The following checklist will help: 1. Allow for Movement. Horses were not made for standing in a stall 24/7. Exercise, whether at liberty, with a handler, or under saddle, is key to a horse's physical and mental well-being on many levels. Different types of movement- walking, bursts of speed, trail riding, etc. all play a role in strong feet and bones and musculoskeletal health. 2. Warming up readies your horse for work. It gets blood flowing to the muscles, bringing oxygen and nutrients needed for work. 3. The warmup increases the mobility and elasticity of the horse’s muscles. When muscles can stretch, they are less likely to be damaged. 4. Your discipline and the ground conditions will influence how you warm up, but the basic principle is that a regular and repetitive regime is best. 5. Raising the heart rate slowly increases the oxygen content of muscle and other organs. 6. Cooling your horse down after work is also important. A proper cool down will result in less muscle stiffness post exercise. 7. Remove wraps immediately following exercise to promote cooling. 9. Running cool water is more effective than ice. After hard work, cold hose your horse’s legs for at least 5 minutes. 10. If running water is not available, soak wraps in a bucket of cold, preferably iced, water. Make sure they are completely submerged. Change the boots/wraps frequently to keep them cool. 11. Feel your horse’s legs every day. You will become familiar with what is normal for your horse, making abnormal tendons and ligaments easier to identify. If you do not know normal, then you cannot identify abnormal. 12. If your horse has been working hard, schooling and showing heavily, give him a break when you can. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481

04.01.2022 Muscle Facts Brian S. Burks, DVM, Dipl. ABVP Board Certified in Equine Practice 1. Muscles are divided into three types: smooth, cardiac, and skeletal. Smooth ...muscles are the involuntary muscles in your gut, blood vessels, and elsewhere that work without conscious thought. Cardiac muscles are in the heart. Skeletal muscles are attached to bone and help with everyday activities ranging from standing to walking to running. They help the horse get up and down. 2. The horses body contains more than 700 muscles These include the muscles in the limbs, as well as muscles deep inside the body, like the one that keeps the heart beating and those that help digest food. By comparison, the equine body has 205 skeletal bones. 3. Muscles are made up of special cells called muscle fibers Their main quality is contractibility, which means the muscles can shorten or lengthen as needed. Almost all movement in the body happens because of muscle contractibility. 4. The largest muscle in the body is the gluteus maximus It is the main extensor muscle of the hip, and it is the large muscle in the rump. It is the largest muscle in the body because its main job is to support the torso and maintain proper posture. The gluteus maximus is the main muscle used to propel the horse forward. 5. The smallest muscles in the body are in the inner ear They include the tensor tympani and the stapedius. They connect to the eardrum and hold the inner ear together. The smallest bones in the body are also in the ear. 6. The strongest muscle, based on its size, is the masseter It is a muscle in your horses jaw. It can close the teeth with great force, as is needed for the horse to crush and grind hay and grain. 7. Muscles are attached to bones by tendons Understanding the difference between tendons and ligaments can be confusing. In addition to attaching muscles to bones, tendons also attach muscles to parts of your horses body such as your eyeballs. Ligaments connect one bone to another around joints. 8. Muscles make up about 40 percent of total body weight in most vertebrates. 9. The hardest working muscle in the body is the heart. 10. Some of your busiest muscles are those controlling eye movements These muscles are constantly adjusting as the horse looks around. 11. Most of the heat produced in the body comes from muscle contraction Muscle movement counts for almost 85 percent of the total heat produced inside the body. When your horse is cold, muscles contract involuntarily, trying to warm the body. 12. The motor cortex on one side of the brain controls muscle movement on the opposite side of the body. The motor cortex on the right side of the brain controls the muscles on the left side of the body, while the motor cortex on the left side controls the muscles on the right side. The brain sends movement signals through the spinal cord and out through the peripheral nervous system in your horses muscles. The messages from the brain become more complex when there are more muscles involved in an activity. 13. Muscles usually work in pairs When one shortens, its corresponding muscle lengthens. Think about doing bicep curls. When you curl your arm up so the bicep is shorter, the tricep on the other side of your arm is straightened out. 14. Muscles cannot push. They can only pull. When youre pushing a door open, for instance, your muscles are actually pulling your elbow and shoulder against the door. No matter what your horse is doing, muscles are at work. To keep them healthy, they need exercise. Even your heart needs a workout to stay strong, which is why aerobic exercise that gets your horses heart rate up is so important. The muscles in your horses limbs and elsewhere need exercise, too. With aging, muscle mass is lost, but if you exercise muscles that process can be slowed and maintain a mighty muscular system for a long time. And thats a fact. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481 Your horses health is always our top priority.

03.01.2022 Full..... I understand that its not always easy fitting into the times n days I travel.....so I have 2 spots available for this Sunday at my place Valley Views Maryborough 2.30 and 3.30pm Please pm me

03.01.2022 I am FULLY booked for July runs, with current bookings and follow ups. For any urgent appointments, I can see your horse at our place at Valley Views Performance Horses , Yengarie, Maryborough at a specified booked time. Please pm for details. Thanks kindly to all my wonderful clients for your continued and much valued support

02.01.2022 Bundy May 6th one spot available Hervey Bay /Maryborough Thurs May 7th Gympie 12th May

02.01.2022 Due to the stormy season arriving, can I please ask that if there is No suitable shelter out of the wind and rain to let me know. I am happy to rebook. I strive to give all clients horses only the best possible outcome and treating horses , my gear n books are not wet weather friendly! Also travelling in storms is not ideal , so if I need to cancel due to weather conditions, please be understanding Thanks kindly to all my wonderful clients for their continued support

01.01.2022 Fashion vs Health... How increasing tendon heat may be detrimental to your horses tendons. Fact one: Clinical lesions of the SDFT are usually seen as core lesi...ons because heat is less likely to escape from the tendon core, deeming it more prone to injury here via collagen denaturation. Fact two: Tendons in the horse are designed in such a way that temperature within them actually decreases during exercise as the heat is transferred to the skin and then lost to the environment - something that is reduced when using non-breathable leg protection. Fact three: A high level and duration of hyperthermia would affect the tendon in three ways; 1. Cell damage and death. 2. Enzyme and protein denaturation. 3. Weakened core tendons. I’m not saying never to use leg protection, as it serves its purpose very well within certain disciplines. However during this ‘matchy matchy’ phase that the equestrian world is currently going through, just think about whether your horse may benefit from his colour coordinated bandages/boots, or at best opt for something breathable : ). Here is a great scientific paper I found on tendon hyperthermia if your interested; http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/48/Suppl_2/A59.1 (E.J. Westwood. Veterinary Medicine & Surgery student. On behalf of NVG).

01.01.2022 Acupuncture: The exact mechanism behind its use in helping to treat musculoskeletal disorders. Nociceptive (pain) stimuli is transmitted via 2 types of fibres i...n the peripheral nervous system; 1. A fibres that are associated with sharp 'pin prick' stimuli, 2. C-fibres that are associated with dull, aching chronic pain. Stimulation of the A fibres with acupuncture activates an interneuron that inhibits C-fibre input, which basically means that with stimulation of the fast pain fibres, C-fibre input is diminished! Additionally this stimulation also triggers the release of neurotransmitters to activate the analgesic system in the brain stem to decrease pain signals! Hope this brief explanation offers a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms behind this type of treatment : ) (E. J. Westwood. On behalf of NVG).