Since I just owned my horse for pleasure and only really hacked with an occasional lesson, I had never thought hard about having his back checked since we didn’t really do that much and he had never shown any cause to, his saddle fitted well and all seemed good. However after meeting and talking to Gina I asked her to come and have a look at Pernod’s back and thank goodness I did.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as Gina worked on him, I had thought he was so comfortable and pain free but as she worked down his back I could see how he was reacting to her touch.
After Gina had finished treating him, all the places that she had shown me were reactive had disappeared and when he was trotted up at the end of his treatment I could see a marked difference in how he moved. I couldn’t believe it. I always thought that therapists etc were reserved for competition horses and since I didn’t do that much with Pernod there would be no need for him to see someone. However after seeing what Gina did and the difference in Pernod afterwards I promised myself and him that I wouldn’t think like that again.
Gina now visits every 4 months for maintenance treatments and I can’t believe the difference in Pernod, he always feels so relaxed now and has a much bigger stride. I no longer believe that treatments are the reserve of the competition horse but just as important in keeping my lovely Pernod happy!