Do you know if your horse therapist is qualified?

Anyone who follows my work will know that one of the things I'm passionate about is educating the UK horse owner population about the lack of protection of the title 'Veterinary Physiotherapist'.  Because of various loopholes, no qualifications at all are necessary to use this title, and you can qualify with a Masters degree in 'Veterinary Physiotherapy' without being qualified in the human field.  To find a Veterinary Physiotherapist who is qualified in the human field, look for a Chartered Physiotherapist (the title 'Chartered' is protected) at www.acpat.co.uk.

Veterinary nurses suffer from a similar problem.  Currently the title ‘veterinary nurse’ is not protected in law, and therefore anyone, even if they lack the relevant training and education, can refer to themselves as a veterinary nurse. The veterinary profession believes that this should change, and  there is currently a petition on the UK Government and Parliament website calling for protection of title for "veterinary nurse".

There are already more than 10,000 signatures, so the government is obliged to respond to the petition, but if they can get to 100,000 then it must be debated in Parliament. I have signed and would urge you to do so as well, if you feel able. If Veterinary Nurses are granted protection of title, it will ultimately benefit animal welfare which is what we all want above all else. It may also be the first step in the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) recognising protection of title for Allied Health Professionals such as Physiotherapists is also necessary.

Sign the petition today and help progress animal welfare in the UK.

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Sweet itch relief?

In a recent newsletter I asked readers for their experiences of helping horses who suffer from sweet itch.  I wanted to share with you a particularly in depth and positive response from reader Maggie Barrett:

"Last November I started caring for my friends horse (she had relocated to Australia) who has suffered terribly with sweet itch - his owner has battled with his condition for years, each summer I would see him when we went out hacking and he would be in a terrible condition- mane and tail rubbed red raw and a rather 'scabby' face/ ears.  He is 21 years old and  also got diagnosed with cushings so his coat wasn't in the best of condition. And to top it off he also was prone to sunburn have a pink nose!

He now has very minimal signs of any sweet itch, cushings or sunburn and wanted to share the simple steps of how a achieved this, with not much effort or money at all;

- Shires sweet itch rug with belly and poll protection - on daily especially at dusk and dawn.
- Barriers fly spray with avocado coat conditioners when he had 'naked days' when its was too hot for fly rug. Concentrating on head, mane tail and belly areas
- Fly mask with ears and nose protection
- Canter coat sheen twice a week all over head, body and tail
- Food, changed gradually to less sugary options chaff/ mix
- Garlic and small amount of oil in food all year round
- Baby oil & water- wipe face and tail (sun down only so prevent oil burning on skin)
- Sudocream on the nasty scabs
- Grooming at least twice a week to encourage the oils in his coat as he had quite dry itchy skin

I avoided de-itch cream as it was a very tacky and the next day wouldn't be pleasant on the skin. I also avoided bathing too often as this strips this natural oils in coat.

I hope this helps a few people who are struggling with the battle. I feel its about the little changes - prevention better than cure."

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Impartial advice on grazing muzzles

Do you wonder how to keep the weight off your horse?  Are you on a livery yard where you're unable to restrict the grazing, or on your own land with quite simply too much grass?  Does your horse seems to live off fresh air?  If you're like me, you probably struggle with the idea of a grazing muzzle, because when we look at it from a human point of view, it seems so restrictive.  Charities have recognised that there was a need for impartial advice on grazing muzzles, and the National Equine Welfare Council has released it's first ever video on the subject.

Click here for impartial advice on grazing muzzles from the National Equine Welfare Council.

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