InTune Equine in Cranbourne South | Massage service

InTune Equine

Locality: Cranbourne South

Phone: +61 427 044 934

Address: 65 Roslyn road 3977 Cranbourne South, VIC, Australia

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25.01.2022 A brief look into kenetic chains

24.01.2022 Therapeutic intervention can be a grey area: is the horse in pain, or is the movement dysfunction mechanical? Pain needs to be addressed first - in the brain, i...t overrides all movement function. A successful rehab programme generally involves a combination of pain control and movement retraining. As practitioners, it is essential that each case is always evaluated for a primary pain issue, and referred for veterinary attention as necessary. Explaining the effect of pain in brain-body connection lets the client understand why this approach should be taken. There are NO shortcuts. Professor Paul Hodges has been instrumental in furthering understanding in the effect of pain on movement. This article (2011) highlights intricate aspects of the central nervous system, to consider in rehabilitation. Much veterinary research has been based on this fundamental work in the human field of pain-rehab. https://my.instituteofphysicalart.com//PainandMotorcontrol

24.01.2022 There are fates worse than death. Humane euthanasia can be a far preferable outcome than a prolonged life in a state of chronic sub-optimal welfare. So why is ...it still seen as a taboo topic in the equine world? There are often social media posts shared pleading for homes for horses who will otherwise be put to sleep and the question arises over whether the stress of being passed around from pillar to post is better than a quick and kind end, with constant changing of hands being a significant equine welfare problem in itself (Horseman et al, 2016). Whilst the decision to end the life of another sentient species can never be taken lightly, very few horses die of natural causes (BHS), forcing most horse owners to make a difficult and heart-breaking decision at some point. Delayed euthanasia is one of the most severe and prevalent welfare issues affecting equids, not only in countries such as the UK where we have the means and resources to conduct this humanely (Rioja-Lang et al, 2020, Horseman et al, 2016), but also in countries such as Ethiopia, where appropriate euthanasia medicines and services are in scarce supply (Pritchard et al, 2018) and many rural communities are against the practice (Gizachew et al, 2015). There is little research into the attitudes of owners towards euthanasia and why such delays are so common. Arguably it is one of the most challenging and emotional experiences any horse owner goes through and there is a plethora of factors often affecting such a decision, including finances, attachment, peer pressure and negative attitudes to death (Horseman et al, 2016). The relationship between a horse and a human is multifaceted and complex, with most of us viewing them as our friends, family members or even as part of our identity (Schroeder, 2019) so no wonder most of us will do everything in our power to delay saying goodbye. Even knowledge of the process, experience being present at and even administering euthanasia cannot prepare you for situations where your own emotions take centre stage. Making the decision to euthanise my last horse, Nebu, was without a doubt the hardest decision I have ever made and one that I’m not sure I will ever come to terms with. After several rollercoaster years battling to improve Nebu’s health, when I finally made the decision to have him euthanised, there was a part of me that anticipated an element of relief afterwards. I was wrong, feeling nothing but indescribable, all-consuming grief and distress, emotions felt by most horse owners dealing with that loss (McGowan et al, 2012). I also felt guilt, betrayal, and confusion, knowing I was the one responsible for ending his life and, despite the experience being quick, humane and peaceful, I fear I will always be plagued by crippling ‘what-ifs’. When the decision is not clear cut and straightforward, it is hard not to second guess yourself, let alone if you have a multitude of people around you all offering their opinion. This can certainly be the case with behavioural euthanasia, or in situations where the cause be it psychological or physiological is multi factored and you are unsure if you are really at the end of the road or, if you just tried one more thing, perhaps it would be the magical cure. I always promised my horse that I’d never give up on him, but sometimes, as my own vet said to me at the time, refusing to give up can be a welfare issue in itself. This brings me back to the point that there are far more traumatic outcomes than a peaceful and humane death. We treasure the time we have with our animals, knowing that the downside of loving an animal is that we are likely to outlive them and will have to say the most painful goodbye. Would we rather we said that goodbye a moment too soon, or prolonged their suffering by saying it a moment too late? Should we keep them here with us, selfishly and desperately, because we can’t imagine life without them and we can’t bear to let them go? Or should we set them free from pain and distress, even if it means that we will take on that pain and distress ourselves in our grief? Some people say that you know when it’s time. I’m not sure that’s true, because the fact is that you can't make an objective assessment when so many emotions are involved, there will never, ever be enough time so we will always want longer. However, we owe it to our incredible, selfless, emotional animals to give them not only a good life experience but also the gift of a good goodbye. Years after losing Nebu, I have almost learned to live with the ache that remains, in the knowledge that he is at peace and my grief is part of who I am now. It is he who first guided me down this path that I continue to explore and so he lives on, in all the work I do for equine welfare, in this blog, and in every breath I take. For help and support: The British Horse Society has a Quality of Life indicator to help evaluate your horse’s health and wellbeing to enable you to make an informed decision and their ‘Friends at the end’ initiative provides support for owners having to make euthanasia decisions. Find out more: https://www.bhs.org.uk//w/our-campaigns/friends-at-the-end The Blue Cross has a bereavement helpline, open every day from 8.30am 8.30pm: 0800 096 6606, and has produced a support leaflet on euthanasia: https://www.bluecross.org.uk//downloa/1.H21_EUTHANASIA.pdf. Find out more: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-bereavement-and-pet-loss World Horse Welfare have a ‘just in case’ guidance booklet available for owners to order online: https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/ad/management/end-of-life References: Gizachew, A., Jaleta, H., Birhanu, T. and Subirana, J. (2015). Survey on perception of equine euthanasia among rural communities of Ethiopia. Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal, 4(2), 228-231, http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/star.v4i2.30 Horseman, S.V., Buller, H., Mullan, S., Whay, H.R. (2016) Current Welfare Problems Facing Horses in Great Britain as Identified by Equine Stakeholders. PLoS ONE, 11(8): e0160269. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0160269 McGowan, T. W., Phillips, C.J.C., Hodgson, D.R., Perkins, N. and McGowan, C.M. (2012). Euthanasia in Aged Horses: Relationship between the Owner's Personality and Their Opinions on, and Experience of, Euthanasia of Horses. Anthrozoös, 25:3, 261-275, https://doi.org/10.2752/175303712X13403555186091 Pritchard, J., Upjohn, M. and Hirson, T. (2018). Improving working equine welfare in ‘hard-win’ situations, where gains are difficult, expensive or marginal. PLoS One, 13(2): e0191950, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191950 Rioja-Lang, F. C., Connor, M., Bacon, H. and Dwyer, C.M. (2020). Determining a welfare prioritization for horses using a Delphi method. Animals 10(4), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10040647 Schroeder, K. (2019) Grieving the equine companion: implications for mental health practitioners, Kogan, K. and Erdman, P. (Eds), Pet loss, grief and therapeutic interventions: practitioners navigating the human-animal bond. Ch.11, Routledge: ISBN-13: 978-1138585577

20.01.2022 **NEW RESEARCH PUBLISHED** New resreach "A systematic approach to comparing thermal activity of the thoracic region and saddle pressure distribution beneath the... saddle in a group of non-lame sports horses. Authors: Russell MacKechnie-Guire*, Mark Fisher, Helen Mathie, Kat Kuczynska, Vanessa Fairfax, Diana Fisher and Thilo Pfau, has been accepted for publication in Animals as open Access As soon as the paper is availabe we will share the link. A massive thank you to the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) for funding the Open Access of this paper, meaning that it will be available for all to read without subscriptions. A massive thank you, as always to the co-authours, research team and assitants, rider and owners of the horses. This has been a super intersting study which will advance our understanding on the use and application of thermal imaging in the context of saddle fitting. :-)

19.01.2022 Here is an example of what can be achieved with a team effort approach. I was lucky to work with a neuromuscular dentist Amy Lauren , she did her thing I did m...ine and the horse ... well these picture say it all! Find like minded professionals go out work together the results will blow your mind!

19.01.2022 Could it have been a bean?! This little chubby problem pony has had a looooonnng list of complaints over the year. (Out of respect for his feelings we won’t talk about them here) He has had trouble with his trot to canter transition. When I ask he would tantrum and buck. I’ve loosened his shoulders I’ve had his feet, teeth, back and hair done....still telling me he’s not comfortable.....WELL I decided to have a check and yep a BEAN.... Its all those one percenters that all add up! Here’s your reminder to check where the sun doesn’t shine Today’s transition looked a lot more comfortable Disclaimer: no fat shaming he is on a diet

18.01.2022 The horizontal power and speed comes from the hind and the front endures 60 % of the total vertical impulse! So you you need to look after the shock absorbing system in the front and the engine in the back Without these functioning correctly the body will overload an area possibly leading a blow out of the distal limbs Regular massage can also bring attention to underlying issues on top of all of the following benefits *Improved posture ... *Relaxation *Increased joint mobility and flexibility *Improved recovery of soft tissue injuries *Stimulation of the Lymphatic system *Reduced muscle tension *Improved circulation And if you learn how to address areas yourself between visits your horse will thank you for it Limited bookings available until The New year Get in before Christmas

18.01.2022 The Journey Begins; An Introduction I was around fourteen when I made the shift from using the horse for dressage, to using dressage for the horse. It was only ...after years of riding that I finally took a moment to truly empathize with my horse. I thought about how he felt and if he was enjoying working with me. My way of riding was making my best friend uncomfortable and unhappy, and this realisation forever changed the way I work with horses. My priorities and motivations evolved, and my new objective was to ensure that my horses would be happy, healthy and enjoying their training. Around this time I had a horse, Dublin, who was unbalanced and anxious and he would trot very fast and rush around the arena. I struggled to slow him down, and didn't have the knowledge or skill to help him. I sought the counsel of multiple instructors, and their answer was always to just "hold him" more with the reins. I refused this advice, because I knew it would sacrifice the most important principle of training to me; that the horse is happy and comfortable and enjoying the training. I needed to address the real, deeper problems which were Dublin's lack of balance and confidence, and his insecurity. I was adamant that there was a better way, one which addresses the root cause of the problem as opposed to masking the issue and applying a "quick fix". So I began the search for a different kind of trainer, one who truly worked for the betterment of the horse. I found Manolo Mendez and discovered his "Training for Wellness" approach, and it felt like coming home. After multiple lessons and school holiday visits to Manolo's home at Equestrian La Mancha, in 2016 I left school to seize the opportunity to become a working pupil of his. I chose to pursue a life dedicated to learning a better way of horse training, and I feel truly blessed to have this opportunity to follow my dream. I am learning about.... - starting young horses in-hand and under saddle - rehabilitation using in-hand and ridden work combined with bodywork - solving training problems - progressive training of all different horses (different breeds, education levels, personalities, etc.) - handling undomesticated horses - advanced training such as piaffe, passage and pirouettes - long reining - various bodywork techniques - intuitive healing work such as visionary craniosacral therapy - hoof trimming and shoeing This page will document the training journey of my two young stock horses who were both from the knackery, and I will write about personal learning experiences and lessons that I encounter along the way. Maddison-Rose Creese Photo credit: Verena Eiwen

17.01.2022 NEW ZEALAND EQUESTRIAN ORGANISATIONS BAN THE TRIMMING OF WHISKERS AND INNER EAR HAIR Equestrian Sports New Zealand and the New Zealand Pony Club Association wil...l no longer allow the trimming of either the whiskers or inner ear hair of horses and ponies competing at their events and activities. The two organisations have joined their French, Swiss and German counterparts in banning this trimming on welfare grounds. Well done New Zealand! The horse has whiskers or 'vibrissae' to help him navigate his world. They are super-sensitive, multi-functional sensory organs with densely packed nerves at their root that send sensory messages to the horse’s brain. These whiskers are so sensitive to vibration and changes in air current they can instantly inform the horse about his environment for example helping him avoid injury by detecting nearby objects, differentiating between different textures, judging wind direction and identifying food. The horse has a blind spot beneath his muzzle and so his whiskers are a vital aid to his vision. From the horse’s point of view, removing these whiskers reduces his spatial awareness and leaves him partially handicapped. We in the UK are still very backward in many aspects of horse welfare and it’s time for us to catch up, we should have made this ruling long ago... You can read about the New Zealand ruling here: https://bit.ly/3kn5h34

14.01.2022 Imagine for a moment that you were either in pain, frustrated or anxious but you had no way of expressing it verbally? The only way you could communicate was to lash out, bite or kick! I have trouble communicating to people and I speak English To really listen to your horse takes quiet and stillness. I have some of the best moments with my horses at the end of the day when no one is around and there’s no rush, no agenda just being there in the present

14.01.2022 I just got home so I have not had a time to read the entire paper, however, I really like to see that this is being done. Instead of relying on what we think is happening, now the researchers are collecting objective data!

13.01.2022 Something to make you smile

13.01.2022 Cute office distractions

11.01.2022 I have the Pony size and Large available to test out on your horse! Throw away the side reins and stop tying the head down and activate your horses core!!

10.01.2022 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.

07.01.2022 A very informative webinar with Susan Kauffmann. I appreciate the people who take the time to educate for the benefit of the horse The feet can tell such a story about what is going on with the rest of the body. If the opportunity comes up again I highly recommend this webinar I will be putting this book on my list to purchase

05.01.2022 What a beautiful ending to my Spinal mobilisation sessions! Thankyou Michelle Blake for allowing me to learn on Black Betty All the ups and downs throughout this year have made it hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel..... but we got there

05.01.2022 These online webinars make lockdown so much easier! Such an amazing presentation by Hilary Clayton hosted by Dr. Russel Mackechnie-Guire. The importance of functional muscles for performance and prevention of injury keeps getting highlighted throughout my journey into Equine Therapy

05.01.2022 A great explanation on why there is no quick fix! You cannot restore months of dysfunction in one session it takes time and understanding on what you are trying to achieve. When you restore function into a disfunctional area that area needs time to regain strength.

05.01.2022 When considering rehabilitation for horses with muscle disease, it is important to understand the cause (traumatic, metabolical, neurological) so that the most ...appropriate techniques can be applied, alongside veterinary clinical care. Dr Stephanie Valberg, renowned specialist in equine myopathies, is a valued contributor on the AASS Evidence-Based Equine Rehabilition (EBER)programme. Read one of her studies on shivering on https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com//fu/10.1111/evj.12813 Join the EBER online course on https://www.academyofanimalsportscience.com/course/module-2/

04.01.2022 Hey Horse Lovers! Take 12 minutes, put your feet up and learn about Equine Proprioception! We hope you enjoy it.

04.01.2022 Look out for the sales person who can sell ice to an Eskimo! Love this raw truth

03.01.2022 DONT TAKE AWAY YOUR HORSES FROG FUNCTION. This vital piece of anatomy that we see on the underside of the hooves is incredibly important to your horses whole b...ody with every single step they take . Once we disable this function all the important structures inside your horses hoof will start to deteriorate shrivel and die causing so many painful problems inside the hoof , legs and whole body as things progress. The frog needs to be in contact with the ground allowing it to expand and contract pushing the heels apart with each step your horse takes . The frog , back too thirds of the wall ( caudal ) and bars all bare the weight in a barefoot horse when trimmed or naturally trimmed correctly as nature intended . With each step your horse takes and when the frog is fully functional blood is pushed back up the legs , and back to the heart, this affects the health of the whole hoof , legs and body . Shoes and incorrect trims that take the frogs natural function away can cause so many internal problems that affect the whole hoof ( this may not be seen until it’s too late to reverse the problem) Problems start in the structures , tissues and bones causing catastrophic breakdown of these important hoof mechanics. Look below at some photos to see how many horses hooves and unhealthy frogs are unfortunately On a course for destruction and painful outcomes . Last photo of a healthy foot . Scroll back also to the last four posts to provide a greater understanding of what’s happening inside the hoof there are some great chats and videos to help

02.01.2022 A SNEAK PEEK OF OUR ONLINE ORDERING COMING SOON... WE ARE EXCITED... REALLY EXCITED

02.01.2022 I have a pony size Equicore and a regular size Msg me if you’re interested in a demonstration Your horse will be better for it

02.01.2022 **The following post shows images of an equine stomach post mortem. ** STOMACH SIZE I get asked all the time about feed and all manner of horse care topics. Alo...ng with all of the usual discussions about type of feed for particular horses, weights of feed etc... there is the topic of HOW MUCH to feed. How many dippers of chaff, how full should the 20litre bucket be, 1 feed per day or two??? Through the amazing process of dissections we have been involved in, we always look at the stomach. Sometimes finding ulcers or bots and varying degrees of health of the stomach lining. One thing I’ve noticed is that the larger horses of mixed breed (say between 14-17hh) is that the stomach size doesn’t vary all that much. Horses are grazing animals, we know this. Horses do well on smaller feeds more often, we also know this. A lot of people struggle to truly grasp this until they see it or it is explained thoroughly enough for them to fully understand from an anatomy perspective. Here I will show you a stomach (approx 15.2hh tb mare) she had had a normal breakfast but also a big special bucket of carrots and apples right before being laid to rest (not her daily feed, just a one off treat bucket) and then the contents of that stomach in relation to a very average sized 15 litre tub. I will also show you the absolute MAXIMUM sized feed I would ever feed a horse of that size. There are plenty of great articles around that talk about overflow of undigested feed into the hindgut and the subsequent problems, feed sizes and ulcers, gut health in all forms but I’m not here to talk about that. I am simply sharing in order to give the average horse owner a deeper understanding of the relative lack of size of the average sized horses stomach ** This post is not about what to feed or even how often. That will be very specific to each horse, it’s environment and situation. Please seek advice from your trusted equine veterinarian or independent nutritionist. ** Dissection with thanks and in conjunction with Southern Holistic Equine & Ev’s Equine Services

02.01.2022 Let it sink in I have a voice yet people tell me how I feel. To not have a voice yet continue to please the human is admirable.

01.01.2022 Sometimes you get time for your own horse

01.01.2022 So this happened! Monty is finally able to stand square comfortably while lowering his head! Working with different feeding heights and the occasional Bodywork session he is becoming a lot more symmetrical. Before he was unable to comfortably stand square and feed he would have one forelimb forward. He has been diagnosed with narrowing between the vertical spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae T12-T13 and T13-T14 (Kissing spine). I will post the feeding positions in comments which have contributed to improve his posture.

01.01.2022 I often refer clients to get their horse a dental examination then cranial sacral therapy. Here is why I suggest you start with your horses head. The balance of the TMJ is so important for the function of the rest of the body. If I find a significant imbalance in the face and TMJ it is always reflected in the horses pelvis. So if your horse has hind end issues and you wonder why you have been referred to a head treatment here's a really good insight on the meat and potatoes of horse asymmetry and how it flows through the horse from head to tail.