Olivia Heath Veterinary Physiotherapy

Olivia Heath Veterinary Physiotherapy MIRVAP qualified, specialising in the rehabilitation and maintenance of animals.
📍Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex

🔸 The importance & symptoms of poor saddle fit 🔸 Poor saddle fit can have so many implications on the horse but not only...
23/08/2026

🔸 The importance & symptoms of poor saddle fit 🔸

Poor saddle fit can have so many implications on the horse but not only physically affecting their performance but also behavioural implications 😖

This image really shows the implications of saddle fit and how poor fit distributes uneven panel contact on the horses back.

The first part of the image shows good saddle fit with even pressure and contact throughout the horses back. A bridged saddle creates 4 pressure points (two either side of withers and two at the thoracolumbar junction at the back of the saddle). A saddle with rock has two uneven pressure points in the middle of the horses back and a saddle with twist has two uneven points of pressure, one at the withers and one on the opposing side at the back of the saddle!

Symptoms of poor saddle fit can present in many ways including:

• Physical
🔸 Girth scarring
🔸 Shark fin withers
🔸 Muscle hypotrophy
🔸 Damage to hair follicles
🔸 Collagen lumps
🔸 Hot/Cold spots
🔸 Uneven sweat marks
🔸 White hairs
🔸 Inflammation

• Performance
🔸 Mounting issues
🔸 Reluctance to go forwards
🔸 Bucking and rearing
🔸 Reluctance going up/downhill
🔸 Refusing fences
🔸 Head tossing
🔸 Difficulty in canter lead changes
🔸 Slow to warm up
🔸 Cold backed
🔸 Bolting
🔸 Short/choppy stride
🔸 Bridle lameness
🔸 Tail swishing
🔸 Inconsistent contact
🔸 Lack of engagement
🔸 Hollowing
🔸 Difficulty maintaining collection

• Behavioural
🔸 Ears pinned back tacking up
🔸 Issues picking feet up for farrier
🔸 Dips back when touched
🔸 Walks away when saddle presented
🔸 Grooming sensitivity
🔸 Girthy
🔸 Unwilling to move forward
🔸 Cat stretching once tacked up
🔸 Tail swishing, biting, and stomping
🔸 Stereotypical behaviours

If your horse exhibits anything listed I would recommend reaching out to a qualified saddle fitter and your physio to work together as a multidisciplinary team to help rectify the issues and start making your horse feel more comfortable❤️‍🩹

For more information or to book your 🐴 in please don’t hesitate getting in contact:
📞 07725887352
📧 [email protected]

21/08/2026

Why is hacking so beneficial to horses?🍃🌿

Hacking not only has physiological benefits to the horse it can also have psychological benefits to them too 🧠

Benefits include:
🍃 Improve straightness
🍃 Improve confidence of both horse and rider
🍃Adds variety to their routine
🍃 Mental stimulation due to varying surroundings
🍃 Different gradients so great for incorporating hill work into their regime
🍃 Varying surfaces which helps aid their proprioceptive input and reduce injury risk
🍃 Increases fitness
🍃 A way to school the horse not in the school, and a great way to introduce lateral work
🍃 Improve core strength
🍃 Reduces stiffness particularly in those older horses
🍃 Perfect for that walk work without getting bored of walking in the school- it’s low impact and encourages relaxation, whilst it loads the tendons, ligaments, fascia, and bones gradually which is great for older horses or those undergoing rehabilitation after an injury. This due to the lower stretch and elastic recoil in comparison to the faster gaits making it suitable for enhancing strength 💪🏼🐎

The lovely Grace and Dexter at Royal International picking up a 6th place in one of their classes🤩❤️
20/08/2026

The lovely Grace and Dexter at Royal International picking up a 6th place in one of their classes🤩❤️

19/08/2026

The lovely Stanley enjoying some laser in his session the other week to aid some muscle fasciculations in his tricep and lattisimus dorsi 🐾

Booking an appointment... 📆 Seen as I’m rather busy at the minute and getting lots of messages regarding appointments he...
17/08/2026

Booking an appointment... 📆

Seen as I’m rather busy at the minute and getting lots of messages regarding appointments here are some handy tips when booking a veterinary physiotherapy appointment with me especially as a new client!

The best way to contact me is through text or WhatsApp: 📞 07725887352

🗓️ Plan in advance- some weeks I may have last minute space and others l'm full for 4-6 weeks in advance so try to plan ahead.

🗒️ Send me some info up front: who its for? (your horse, dog, and how many?), what the problem is or just maintenance? 📍Your location? How urgent you are? Any days/ times you definitely can/ cant do? This saves lots of messages back and forth organising.

✅To make the appointment once date and time are confirmed- I need the name of who's having the appointment ie horses names, a surname for the person/ animal, a contact number and email address. This ensures you get a booking confirmation with all the details you need as well as a reminder by email the day before the appointment.

Another client post - Zara and dragon 🐉 ❤️This was only dragons second show since finishing his racing career 18 months ...
16/08/2026

Another client post - Zara and dragon 🐉 ❤️

This was only dragons second show since finishing his racing career 18 months ago. Dragon finished racing in January of 2025 due to an illial wing fracture. He spent 10 months in the field before he came to Zara in October 2025, where she has slowly reintroduced him to exercise with hand walking, groundwork, pole work, and then ridden exercise!

For only their second show they are looking amazing and even managed to get a 7th and 9th placing! I’m beyond proud of this pair having seen them from right at the beginning & I’m excited to see what they achieve ❤️

I absolutely love seeing my clients out and about!🤩🥰 Here is jasmine with three of her ponies out showing recently! Firs...
16/08/2026

I absolutely love seeing my clients out and about!🤩🥰

Here is jasmine with three of her ponies out showing recently!

First two images are of Ace aka Dealers choice who placed 2nd in first year showing 🥈
First in Inhand cobs class and stood overall champion 🥇🏆 Qualified for equifest 2027 🙌🏼

Pictures 3 & 4 are of Mike aka SD Atomic Mike who in his most recent show placed 3rd in a well supported ridden coloureds class 🥉and has now qualified for the orsett show 🙌🏼

Pictures 5 & 6 are of Pablo aka Silver Lining who placed 2nd in inhand cobs class 🥈

They’re absolutely smashing it and are working really hard behind the scenes - Huge well done ❤️

12/08/2026

We’re excited to commission our Qalibra CT suite in our newly built third operating theatre, this week. The large bore CT and advanced multidirectional platform from Qalibra brings CT imaging of the lower limbs to standing patients. Under general anaesthesia the upper limbs, neck and pelvis can now routinely be imaged. By building into a purpose built theatre set-up, unique in the UK, NEH will build on its 13 years of experience with in-theatre CT, and with the updated equipment continue to pioneer CT guided surgery. Qalibra CT

Olivia Heath Veterinary Physiotherapy is Three!!🎉🎉I genuinely cannot believe that it has been three whole years since I ...
03/08/2026

Olivia Heath Veterinary Physiotherapy is Three!!🎉🎉

I genuinely cannot believe that it has been three whole years since I opened up my books and treated my first client!🤯

I just wanted to say a massive Thankyou to all my clients old and new, friends, and family who have supported me throughout my third year of business and continued to supported me in the journey to get me to where I am today! ❤️

I can't quite believe what I have achieved with my small business since starting up and I am so proud of what my business is becoming & I'm super excited to see where the next year takes us- still so crazy to me that this is really only the beginning 🤩

Thankyou again for your continued support Olivia 🩵

Client’s Niamh and Nutmeg out competing at Suffolk Equestrian Centre this week. It was their first show together & they ...
18/07/2026

Client’s Niamh and Nutmeg out competing at Suffolk Equestrian Centre this week.

It was their first show together & they came 4th in the 70cm! I’m super proud of both of them & so pleased with how far they have come together & excited to see what’s next for them 🏅❤️

Address

Bury St. Edmunds

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+447725887352

Website

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