Specialist physiotherapy in an equine environment
Bespoke Rider Physiotherapy
Total Body Riding is a specialist physiotherapy practice that assesses and treats riders of all ages and abilities and with a wide variety of different riding needs.
Receive a full physiotherapy assessment of your body and movement and discuss your riding ambitions and goals. Work with a highly skilled riding physiotherapist to address your specific body issues, whether it be inactive or weak muscles, tightness or stiffness or a lack of symmetry and balance. Receive expert guidance in progressing through a series of tailored exercises to meet your body’s needs and improve your riding.
Mounted sessions
Having had a full body assessment and exercise prescription on the ground, it is highly beneficial to have a 1-1 session mounted, in order to apply the exercise and postural principles to your riding.
Laura will work with your trainer or instructor, to complete a full analysis of your riding and address specific issues in full collaboration with your coaching team.
Adjustments and exercises can be suggested whilst you are riding and your exercise programme can be updated to reflect the areas that need work, both on and off the horse, in order to help you progress and improve your riding.
Clinics
Total Body Riding can travel to your riding school or club and provide ground-based and mounted exercise and body education classes in small groups. These can be one-off sessions or part of a course that is spread over a number of weeks or months. Clinics can be adapted to participants’ requirements and availability. Mounted sessions are combined with online or in-person exercise classes to support the work being done on the horses.
Clinics can be an affordable way to learn more about how to use your body whilst riding and how to exercise to keep your body “riding fit”. Many people find it more motivating and fun to exercise and learn with others and it can be adapted to be a part of your riding club’s events schedule.
Rider Physio Classes
Total Body Riding runs regular classes in rider-specific fitness and mobility. Learn how to recruit and train the muscles and joints necessary for riding and how to deal with common restrictions and postural asymmetries. Practice a programme of exercises under the supervision of a highly specialist riding physiotherapist, with a small group of like-minded people. Learn a set of exercises that you can continue doing into the future for your long-term rider health and fitness.
A very comprehensive course, which is perfect if you don’t want or need to receive 1-1 physiotherapy and are motivated by working in a group setting.
Online exercise groups
Total Body Riding runs regular online exercise classes, which are perfect for people who have already attended in-person physiotherapy sessions, classes or clinics and would like to continue to exercise with some additional guidance and motivation.
Online classes are held on a drop-in basis, offering the greatest amount of flexibility for people with busy lifestyles.
Para-Equestrian Rider Support
Total Body Riding works with riders that have a wide range of physical challenges, which mean that they need a bit of extra attention and assistance to achieve their riding goals.
This may include rehabilitation following accidents and illness to recover riding ability, taking up riding as a disability sport or leisure activity, or aiming to compete in para-equestrian competitions. Work 1-1 with an experienced riding physiotherapist to enable you to access, progress and achieve in your equine activities.
Laura has many years of experience working with clients with balance or mobility challenges and neurological conditions. She can liaise with your medical team and link your riding physiotherapy with routine rehabilitation programmes.
Equine Assisted Physiotherapy
Individuals who have specific physical challenges usually need to follow a lifelong physiotherapy programme, which can be exhausting, boring and sometimes painful. In some cases, the desired movements and exercises are impossible due to movement, balance and coordination restrictions.
By working with a horse, either on the ground or mounted, Total Body Riding introduces movement, motivation and the just right level of challenge to help people achieve their physical goals and create exercise opportunities, which might otherwise be inaccessible.
Hippotherapy is a unique form of physiotherapy that works with the three-dimensional movement of the horse to deliver rehabilitation to clients with physical disabilities, movement difficulties and sensory needs.
“Understanding how I use my body has made me a much better rider.”
— L (attended rider’s exercise class)