Julia Hewitson Veterinary Physiotherapy

18/06/2026

MR T
This is the C4 cervical vertebra from Mr T, the horse featured in last week's dissection.

There is a significant amount of information available on Becks Nairn's Patreon page explaining the findings from this horse, including the detailed information behind this particular vertebra.

☆ For this post, I simply want to leave you with a thought.

If your horse struggles to flex its neck to one side, Don't assume it is being difficult.
Don't assume it is stubborn.
And please don't force the issue.

Horses that are tied head-to-tail, or pulled into stronger flexion, or repeatedly asked to work through restrictions they are clearly finding difficult.
Here may lie the reason.

Horses don't wake up in the morning and decide they don't want to bend their neck today. It's not stubbornness. It's not poor behaviour. It is resistance, yes - for a very good reason.

This cervical vertebra shows significant bony remodelling.

Use this photo as a reminder that when a horse cannot perform a movement comfortably, there may be a very real physical reason behind it.

When we use force to "work through" a problem without understanding why the resistance may exist and resort to force - you are part of the problem.

For Mr T 🩵

14/06/2026

There are still many misconceptions surrounding musculoskeletal therapy within animal care, and these misunderstandings can sometimes prevent owners from accessing appropriate support for their animals.

❌ Musculoskeletal therapy is only needed when an animal is already injured.

✅ In reality, musculoskeletal practitioners can support comfort, movement quality, mobility, conditioning, rehabilitation,and overall wellbeing long before problems become more significant.

❌ Mobility support is only important for older animals.

✅ Animals of all ages and activity levels can experience muscular tension, movement restrictions, compensation patterns or physical challenges that may benefit from professional assessment and support.

❌ Owners are “just paying for an hour session”.

✅ What often goes unseen is the huge amount of professional responsibility that exists behind the scenes.

Practitioners spend countless hours attending continuing professional development courses, reading research, writing reports, collaborating with veterinary professionals, maintaining insurance and registration requirements, and continually developing their knowledge to help ensure safe, evidence-informed care.

❌ All practitioners have the same qualifications and standards.

✅ Training, professional accountability and scope of practice can vary significantly, which is why understanding registration and professional standards is so important for owners.

❌ Some people assume musculoskeletal therapy works in isolation.

✅ In reality, qualified practitioners often work collaboratively alongside vets and multidisciplinary teams to help support the animal as part of a wider healthcare approach.

Education and awareness matter because informed owners are better equipped to make confident, safe decisions for their animals’ wellbeing.

Be sure to SHARE this post with someone who you think might need to hear this!

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