What is Equine Osteopathy?

Your Horse's Path to Natural Healing

As an experienced equine osteopath, I treat your horse as a whole athlete, not just their symptoms, using gentle, hands-on techniques to address the root causes of their discomfort.

I’m passionate about helping your horse move and perform better. Whether they’re dealing with back stiffness, restricted movement, or performance issues, I’ll work with their body’s natural healing abilities to restore balance and provide lasting relief.

What Does it Do?

Equine Osteopathy Targets The Whole Body

Equine osteopathy is a comprehensive, hands-on approach that recognizes how your horse’s entire body works as one interconnected system.

Through gentle manipulation techniques to release restrictions and improve mobility, I can support your horse’s natural healing mechanisms and optimize their movement patterns without medication or invasive procedures.

  • Back and Neck Problems

    Head carriage issues, lameness due to back or neck problems.

  • Reduced Performance

    Reduced or inconsistent performances can be the result of an underlying injury or musculoskeletal change, treating these areas can have a positive effect on performance.

  • Changes in Gait

    Such as lameness, altered stride length, uneven gait or difficulty turning in one or both directions.

  • Behavioural Changes

    Some behavioural changes can be a symptom of pain. Examples of these in horses may include head shyness, kicking, rearing and unwillingness to jump or be ridden; while in dogs it may result in unwillingness to exercise, difficulty walking/ jumping or aggression. Osteopathy may be able to help with these by treating the underlying causes.

  • Age Related Issues

    Although we cannot fix ageing related conditions such as arthritis, osteopaths can help in maintaining mobility in older horses.

  • Assisting in Rehabilitation

    Including from minor injuries such as trips or falls as well as more serious injuries. Osteopathy can help at the site of injury, as well as assist in maintaining mobility in horses while on box rest.

  • Other Issues

    Osteopathy works on finding the root cause of pain. We work on the musculoskeletal system, and cover all joints and muscles from head to toe.

Where Do We Go Now?

Let's Talk About How This Whole Thing Works

You might be wondering what to do next or what you should expect moving forwards, but it's a simple process to get started so let me walk you through it.

  1. Stage 1

    Initial Contact

    Get in contact with me, where we can then discuss your horses’s individual needs. We will also arrange a time for our first treatment session, where I can start to examine and interact with the horse.

    We may need consent from the vet (under VSA 1966). IF consent is needed, then we will find out the best way to contact the vet, either via myself or yourself in order to obtain this before treatment.

  2. Stage 2

    Your First Visit

    Once we make it to our first session, I will start to do a thorough examination and treat accordingly. This process may take from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how your horse reacts to the treatment process.

    Some horses may allow 15-20 minutes before getting restless. Others may allow for a longer treatment, but this will depend on the horse and it’s current mood.

  3. Stage 3

    Follow-up Treatment

    Once I’ve had a chance to examine and treat the horse I can then recommend a plan going forward in order to facilitate the animals health and recovery. This would normally include regular sessions which may be weekly, monthly or as and when type of treatment depending on the situation.

Looking for Equine Osteopathy?

Pricing For Horses

Horses are incredible athletes, but they can also be prone to aches and pains due to training, competition, or deterioration over time. I will come directly to your stables and assess and treat your horse in their familiar environment. This approach helps identify any musculoskeletal issues that may be affecting your horse’s comfort and performance.

  • Initial Consultation

    £100

    This is where we assess the horses movement via walk up, trot and canter. We will also assess via palpation and moving each joint passively. Where possible, the horse should be ridden by the rider, especially if the complaint is exacerbated when ridden or felt when ridden, e.g. turning.

    Consent from the vet will be needed if the issue does not come under a ‘maintenance’ treatment as per the Veterinary surgeons act 1966. This will be discussed pre consultation.

  • Follow Up Consultation

    £80

    After initial consultation, follow up consultations will be tailored to the individual needs of the horse and rider.

  • Group Discounts

    For each horse at one yard, there will be a group discount.

    This will include a £10 discount for each horse at the same yard. (E.g 3 horses = £210 instead of £240)

Why Work With Me?

Check Out What My Clients Say

5/5
Gus was very friendly and knowledgeable and put me at ease and hopeful for a successful treatment.

Peter N

5/5
I started seeing Gus some months ago with shoulder pain. After a few visits the problem well and truly disappeared. Now I visit regularly for general “maintenance” and find that back aches and muscle tension are quickly relieved. Highly recommended!!

Donata P

5/5
I highly recommend Gus to anyone. I had my first visit today and it honestly has surprised me on how well it was done. Thank you Gus Simon for your help and your work you did amazing. Such a relief to not feel so much weight on my back.

Keely R

5/5
I have been seeing Gus for the last few months and he’s been a god send. I was nearly flat on my back in bad pain and he got me back on my feet in just 1 session. I have been seeing different osteopaths for over 10 years and I wouldn’t go anywhere else. I highly recommend him.

James D

5/5
First time I've ever seen an osteopath today. Gus was thorough, professional, knowlegeable and friendly, listened intently and got to the heart of the issue. Have booked ongoing sessions and I'm confident I'm on the right path. Highly recommended.

Jane R

5/5
Saw Gus after having knee replacement 6 months ago. Couldn’t straight knee well even after hospital physio. Have had 3 treatments so far and there has been a marked improvement in straightening and walking ability. A very good experience and definitely making a difference

Jim S

5/5
I saw Gus after having lots of on and off back problems due to work. He’s a super friendly great guy who’s always got your best interests in mind. Very knowledgeable and very helpful when it comes to questions and putting together a physio plan for you. I would highly recommend Gus to anyone.

Ciaran H

5/5
I had been suffering with pain in my upper back due to a strain which was affecting my day to day activities. Since receiving treatments from Gus, my back is moving so much better and I am out of pain. I would highly recommend him.

Denny P

5/5
Gus asked questions and listened more than I ever expected and I have very high expectations lol! His treatment was spot on and I feel much much better. He is knowledgeable, really cares about his patients, and is just a really nice person. Thank you so much Gus for making a difference!!!

Tina M

5/5
Had my first osteopath appointment with Gus and was very impressed! Friendly, knowledgeable and took time to get to know information about my lifestyle to work out if there were any triggers for my back pain. Left feeling like I’d had a thorough treatment and felt much better! Will be returning for more treatment and would definitely recommend.

Megan L

5/5
Gus is amazing! He treated me initially for six weeks and did what doctors couldn’t do in two years! He is so friendly, knowledgeable and puts you at ease. I would definitely recommend

Denise S

5/5
Today was my 1st visit to an Osteopathic clinic and I was not quite sure what to expect, however Gus made me feel welcome and at ease. Gus took some medical details from me and then did his magic, he was very easy to talk to and listened carefully to what I was saying to find the right solution for me. Thank you and see you in a couple of months! :)

Lorena J

Got Another Question?

I've Got Answers

It's easy to have a lot of questions when you're looking at doing something new, let me help you find your way.

  • What is osteopathy?

    Osteopathy is a type of manual therapy that uses our eyes and hands to find, diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions. Osteopaths apply a range of techniques to help reduce pain, increase joint mobility, relieve muscle tension and enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues, helping the body’s own healing mechanism.

  • Whats the difference between an osteopath and a chiropractor?

    Chiropractors focus mostly on spinal integrity, using x-rays of the spine to form a diagnosis and work on subluxations with spinal manipulation. Sessions are generally 15-20 mins and often recommended 2-3x per week. depending on the condition.

    Osteopaths like to find the root cause of a problem, using palpation and examination of the body using orthopedic testing to confirm a working diagnosis. From there we then like to treat the symptoms and cause of pain, allowing the body to regain balance. Sessions generally last 30-45 mins and recommended 1-2x per week depending on the condition.

  • What can osteopaths treat?

    Osteopaths can treat a wide range of conditions including:

    • Neck and back pain
    • Headaches arising from cervicogenic origin
    • Arthritis
    • Shoulder and elbow pain
    • Pelvic, hip and leg pain
    • Tendon injury
    • Pregnancy-related pain and postural problems
    • Minor sports injuries including ligament and muscle strains
  • What techniques do Osteopaths use?

    Depending on your symptoms, some of the treatment methods I use include:

    • Soft tissue massage
    • Spinal manipulation
    • Articulation and mobilisation of joints and muscles
    • Muscle energy technique
    • Stretching to encourage muscles to work against resistance
    • Dry needling
  • Will I feel sore after treatment?

    As your body readjusts and adapts to the changes that occur during treatment, you may sometimes feel tired or even a little achey (soreness rather than pain) after treatment. If this happens, effects can last from 2-24 hours after treatment. After this you should feel much better!