Testimonials to Kate and Newland Physiotherapy
" Benji
our toy poodle was referred to Kate by our vet after an operation
to repair his cruciate ligament. Although the operation was a success
Benji was still not using the affected leg: being small it was easier
for him to simply run around on three! Being a nervous little dog he
was initially quite uncooperative but Kate’s kind manner and
expertise soon won him over and within a couple of weeks he was running
around normally on all fours again. We are delighted with the result
and would wholeheartedly recommend Kate’s physiotherapy services.
We would definitely use her again should the need arise. "
Caroline Hunt
" Shadow is recovering from a right hip replacement,
which was needed due to arthritis. Once Shadow had had his six-week post
op check with the vet we went back to Kate for physiotherapy. She had
started physiotherapy with him before his operation as he already has
a lot of wasting of the muscles in his hind limbs.
After six
weeks of physiotherapy I could see how much the muscles in his hind leg
had bulked up and Shadow was moving more easily all the time. When
Shadow first went for physiotherapy he had a lot of muscle tension and
weakness in his hind limb. Kate started his rehabilitation with
gentle massage and stretching techniques followed by muscle stimulation.
Shadow is now doing exercises in the garden over small obstacles to build
up his strength. The best part from my point of view is that he loves
his sessions and can’t wait to get into the vets to see Kate.
I have been glad of Kate’s support during Shadow’s recovery from his hip surgery. It is a scary thing to go through with an animal who can’t tell you how they are feeling. Seeing Kate at our weekly sessions was as good for me as it has been for Shadow. He is well on the way to recovery and following Kate’s advice he enjoys twice weekly paddles at the beach where we both get wet. "
Lorna Foster
" After Rekkie sprained her coffin joint back
in May 2006 and had two months off to recuperate, we began 6-8
weeks of slow work to build and strengthen her tendons, ligaments and
muscles which had become soft.
In this
period I decided to start looking for a freelance instructor to come
out and get us back in the swing of it. A friend had been using
an instructor called Linda Davey who was teaching the techniques devised
by Mary Wanless, and after observing a few I decided it was time for
us to begin our lessons.
I asked Linda to ride Rekkie for the first part of our lesson, as I think
it is important for your instructor to feel your horse’s way of
going. Linda noticed when Rekkie began working on the bit she would slightly
tilt her poll to the right and her nose slightly to the left at the same
time she would become heavier in your hands. Linda observed Rekkie’s
way of going from the ground and also noticed that her right hindquarter
was less pronounced than her left, so Linda recommended that I had a
physiotherapist out to her. As Linda had used Kate over the years
I followed her advice and made an appointment with Kate.
When Kate came out she began a thorough assessment on Rekkie and her
history. Kate picked up on some areas of increased muscle tone so used
some soft muscle techniques to help. Kate found Rekkie had restricted
head and neck movement to the right and gently mobilised her neck. Assessment
using a muscle stimulator on her right hindquarter showed that the muscle
was not able to contract as well as the left side.
Kate treated each area with different techniques according to the problem.
After the treatment the biggest difference we noticed straight away was
the improvement in her head and neck mobility. To keep it mobile
Kate gave me a short list of exercises to do on a daily basis.
At our next lesson Linda noticed a huge change in what she felt in front
of her and believed that 90% of the tension in Rekkie’s head and
neck had gone. We are still working on strengthening her right
hindquarter, as this will take more time, we are still working on our
exercises to help increase the muscle tone, although in the two months
Kate has been treating Rekkie there has been a huge improvement.
So I would like to say a big thank you from the both of us. "
Jody Stoker
" Three things caught my attention when I rode Rekkie:
- under the saddle she couldn’t stretch her nose down to the ground
- both sides of her neck felt like blocks of wood this was noticeable in walk but in trot became even more apparent and really affected steering
- whilst watching her going round the school the muscles in her hindquarters looked uneven
Although I was able to make an impression on her ability to stretch her neck down it was not as much as I am usually able to achieve with a horse once they understand what I am asking for, I felt it was not just a training issue but a physical limitation. I suggested that Jody contacted Kate as she had treated another of my client’s horses. I particularly like the fact that Kate has also had training in shiatsu as well as veterinary physiotherapy enabling her to give a really holistic treatment.
After the first physiotherapy session I rode Rekkie again and noticed an obvious improvement. She was able to stretch her nose down and the difference between her left and right hindquarter was less obvious. The stiffness in her neck had diminished. In trot she was now able to soften bringing her back up, there was a change in her overall body posture and the steering was back. After the second session these changes were even more noticeable and we were able to continue with the lessons. "
Linda Davey: Ride With Your Mind level 2 Mastery Accredited Coach
" 
I
turned to Kate when my horse, Petra, was struggling to move well on
the right rein and to lower her head when ridden. Kate was able to
address these problems straight away and to reduce the soreness in
Petra’s poll and sacro-iliac area. With follow up treatment and
recommended exercises I now have a horse that looks like one complete
horse rather than three sections of different horses attached to one
another! I like to have Kate out to every horse that comes to me for
ridden training so that I can be satisfied that the horse is comfortable
before being asked to undertake work. She has made an immense difference
to a number of horses that have come in with back problems. I feel
very reassured by the fact that she is a fully qualified chartered
veterinary physiotherapist and knows the horse’s body inside
and out. "
Sarah Weston Recommended Associate of Intelligent Horsemanship
Ltd
