Education Zone

As horse riders, we know the importance of resilience, preparation, and looking after ourselves and our horses. But sometimes, the biggest challenges aren’t on the cross-country course or in the show ring — they’re in our own health. This Breast Cancer Awareness season, we’re proud to support CoppaFeel!, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of breast cancer in young people, by donating 10% of profits from our limited-edition pink products, the Tri-Zone All Sports Boots and Stellar Style.  Alongside this, we’re working with equestrian influencer Phoebe Scholtens, who bravely shared her personal story of being diagnosed with a BRCA1 gene mutation. After undergoing a preventative double mastectomy and reconstruction, Phoebe is now passionate about spreading awareness of this gene mutation and encouraging others to take action. Let’s take a closer look at what the BRCA1 gene is, why it matters, and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones. What is the BRCA1 Gene Mutation? Everyone has BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Their job is to help repair DNA damage and keep cells healthy. But when there is a mutation (a change) in these genes, it increases the risk of developing certain cancers — particularly breast and ovarian cancer. A BRCA1 mutation doesn’t mean cancer is inevitable, but it does mean your risk is significantly higher than the general population. That’s why awareness and early action are vital. Why is it Important? Knowing your genetic risk gives you the power to make informed choices. For women, a BRCA1 mutation can mean: 55 to 72 percent of women with a pathogenic BRCA1 mutation will develop breast cancer in their lifetime (https://www.bcrf.org/about-breast-cancer/brca1/) Other sources say 65 to 79 of them will develop breast cancer before the age of 80 (https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/worried-about-cancer/causes-and-risk-factors/brca1-and-cancer-risks-for-women) 36 to 53 of women with this gene mutation will develop ovarian cancer before the age of 80. (https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/worried-about-cancer/causes-and-risk-factors/brca1-and-cancer-risks-for-women) There are also increased chances of developing cancer at a younger age For men, BRCA1 mutations also slightly raise the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer. Because BRCA1-associated breast cancers tend to develop earlier and sometimes present in more aggressive forms, early awareness and action can make a real difference. Understanding your genetic status can help you take preventive steps and be proactive about your health. How to Get Diagnosed Testing for BRCA mutations is usually offered if: You have a strong family history of breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer A close relative has already tested positive for the mutation You or a family member were diagnosed with cancer at a young age The process typically starts with a GP appointment. You may be referred for genetic counselling, where you’ll discuss your family history and whether testing is right for you. Genetic testing for BRCA1 (and BRCA2) is typically done via a blood or saliva sample. It’s important to approach testing with support — emotional, medical, and sometimes familial — because results can impact you and relative.  What Can Be Done if You’re Diagnosed? Receiving a positive BRCA1 test result can feel overwhelming, but it is not a diagnosis of cancer — it is a call to proactive decision-making. These are the main strategies usually considered:  Enhanced screening: Regular breast MRI or mammograms starting earlier than usual. Ovarian cancer screening/ultrasounds and monitoring.  Preventive surgery: Options such as mastectomy or removal of ovaries to reduce risk.  Medication: Some treatments can lower the risk of developing breast cancer. Lifestyle choices: While genetics is non-modifiable, factors like maintaining healthy weight, limiting alcohol, staying active, balanced diet, and avoiding smoking can support overall risk reduction and well-being. Everyone’s journey is different. Phoebe chose to undergo a double mastectomy and reconstruction to reduce her risk — a decision made with strength, courage, and foresight. Phoebe’s Story Phoebe Scholtens, an inspiring equestrian influencer, discovered she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation. Facing the risks head-on, she made the bold choice to have a preventative double mastectomy and reconstruction. Her story highlights the importance of awareness, early testing, and taking control of your future health. By sharing her journey, Phoebe is helping riders and non-riders alike recognise the power of self-advocacy. How You Can Help This October and beyond, you can support the cause by choosing from our limited-edition pink products — including the Pink Stellar Style Headcollar. Not only will you look stylish in the saddle, but 10% of profits will go directly to CoppaFeel!, helping fund life-saving awareness campaigns. If you have a family history of cancer or any concerns, speak to your GP. And don’t forget: regular self-checks are key, no matter your age. Let’s ride forward with courage, in style, and in pink — for awareness, for support, and for the future.

When I bought Fly in May 2020, the vetting noted she was a head shaker and warned me about the impact this may have on our ridden career and her comfort in life. When I spoke to her owner before purchasing she said it was just the flies which irritate her.  So I took the risk, and bought her! Through that first summer, I struggling a lot with Fly tossing her head around when ridden. I had never dealt with, or been around a head shaker before. I rode her in ear veils, which didn’t seem to make any difference, and then I tried her in a nose net, which helped slightly! Once the winter came all symptoms disappeared?    Roll onto 2022. I got the vet out to have a look at Fly as the head shaking seemed to be getting slightly worse, and was noticeable in the field, which was upsetting to see, as when you Google "head shakers" it’s not always the best outcome. One of the first comments the vet made when Fly stepped from the shade into the sun was ‘have you noticed she blinks more than twice the amount of the average horse’ and suggested she is sensitive to UV, hence the symptoms completely disappearing in the winter.    I did some research and came across Equilibrium’s Riding Mask - this has been life changing for Fly. Instantly the head shaking stopped, she was happy to be ridden in a consistent contact and concentrated a lot more while jumping. When I then started British Dressage and found that they allowed the mask to be worn, this was amazing news as without the mask, there wouldn’t be a possibility of Fly to now compete up to Medium level and attend championships!   Originally when I started British Eventing in 2022, they did not allow the ride on mask to be worn for the dressage phase, but after petitioning for this rule to be charged, this is now allowed!    Equilibrium’s Riding Mask, provides over 65% UV protection which helps protect Fly’s sensitive eyes, has an excellent, comfortable fit around any size and shape bride, and provides a barrier from flies.    Apart from Equilibrium’s Riding Mask and nose net, through the spring and summer, Fly wears a fly mask with over 70% UV protection in the field, and has antihistamines in her feed to keep any pollen related reactions to a minimum. Through summer she also goes out overnight and is stabled through the day to make her more comfortable.    How do I tell when she needs a helping hand? Once we get to March, I keep an eye on the UV index each day, and anything over 3 she has her protective items on. Bear in mind, it doesn’t have to be a sunny day for them to be affected, UV light will make reflections on surfaces which can affect the horses eyes. This usually lasts until the beginning of October.    Head over to my Instagram to follow our journey and ask me any questions about head shaking!    @lin.firefly  

Rehabilitation following surgery can be a long and challenging journey, requiring careful management to rebuild strength, maintain mobility, and support overall wellbeing. For Scooby, a warmblood X Thoroughbred recovering from kissing spines surgery, the path to recovery took an unexpected turn when a sarcoid removal interrupted his progress. With limited exercise options available during his box rest, an innovative solution was needed to help maintain his condition and keep him comfortable. That’s where the Equilibrium Massage Pad Heatsense made all the difference.

We’ve added two bridle designs to our Net Relief range. The Muzzle Net for Anatomical Bridles and Muzzle Net for Grackle Bridles are available alongside the original Muzzle Net for Cavesson.  Headshaking can be one of the most distressing conditions a horse owner might have to deal with and ‘Net Relief’ is one of the most effective products in controlling the symptoms of head shaking. Research by De Montfort University found that nose nets offered relief for 79% of horses and that they are the most effective treatment found for sufferers. The Net Relief Muzzle Net is a contoured mesh that fits closely over the upper muzzle, allowing no restriction on the bit or the horse’s breathing and attaches easily to the horse’s noseband. Totally unobtrusive and permitted by British Dressage and British Eventing for use in competition (see rule applying to the use of nose nets for each organisation) “Would like to say thank you for having such an amazing product as your Muzzle Net. My boy was practically un-rideable during the summer months. I’ve used other nets and saw no difference, but then purchased your nets and it’s amazing the difference – NO headshaking, NO snorting and NO more being uncomfortable at all – it is amazing the difference! Thank you so much!” “My horse developed headshaking this year. It was a very severe head shake which results in bolting, throwing himself into the hedge and shaking up and down and side to side. He was virtually unrideable until I was advised by a friend to try your net for muzzles. He was not cured but it enabled him to put up with it enough to still be ridden and also compete. We have won a lot of different disciplines this year including show jumping at agricultural level, unaffiliated dressage and qualifying for the NPS working hunter novice finals. Without your product none of this would have been possible. We have just been to our south western welsh pony and cob performance awards where he won the ridden section c trophy and came 3rd overall!!! He was 2nd working hunter, 3rd dressage, 6th show jumping and 6th showing! Judges have been very good and not marked down for the net but just asked. I think his shaking has something to do with tree pollen as for a few late summer months he was fine. Thank you ever so much for such a fab product and I am glad even BD accept it now.” “During the Summer months, my horse suffers from a Pollen allergy which causes him to headshake and generally get very irritated and itchy around his nose area – that is until I tried Equilibrium Nose nets. They are fantastic and his head shaking has stopped completely and he is a lot more relaxed and happy. For the last three summers he has worn a no sent from April – October to help to relieve the hay fever like symptoms which he seems to suffer from. I now wouldn’t be without one during the summer – they are fantastic, especially as you can cut them down to get the perfect size to fit the individual horse.”

In my opinion the Equilibrium Magnetic Chaps are the unsung hero of the Equilibrium Range. My horses tend to wear them more over the winter months as they are spending a bit more time in the stable and long periods of turnout can be tricky in the unpredictable winter weather. The boots are a snug and soft fit and we tend to leave them on overnight as there’s no fear of them slipping or causing rubs. I tend to use the magnet boots mainly on my more advanced horses as it helps maintain bloodflow to the legs. They are also useful for any general knocks or bumps, and the magnets are all moveable so you can target specific areas.  About Daisy: Daisy is a talented young dressage rider based in Hertfordshire. Since starting British Dressage competition in 2012 , Daisy has won 7 British Dressage National Titles as well as the Pony Club Open Dressage National title. Latest Highlights include: Selected onto The British Equestrian Federation Young Professionals Programme supported by Sport England. 1st Keysoe Premier League in the PSG riding Affinity Bay, qualifying directly for the British Dressage Summer Nationals. 3rd place at the Pet Plan Inter I National Championships riding Affinity Bay.

About Mikey is an 11-year-old Irish Sports Horse, owned by Laura Szuca since 2014. They compete in showing and dressage, although Mikey hacks regularly and jumps from time to time. Mikey is prone to filled legs, especially after working hard and in the mornings after being stabled overnight. He is also at a prime age for arthritis, and like most horses with a bit of mileage – can start his ridden sessions a bit stiff, particularly in winter. Laura says: “If I am honest, I wasn’t sure if the magnetic therapy chaps would work. Were they just a fad, and yet another way to spend my hard-earned cash on my horse? I have been using them now for over a month and so feel I have given them a fair trial to see if they could make a difference to my horse, Mikey – an 11-year-old ISH with a pretty busy life. More and more recently his legs have been swelling up overnight, and he is now at a prime age for arthritis. Having read up on the Equilibrium magnetic chaps, and having used some of their other products before that I liked, I decided to purchase some. They can be used on front and back legs (I purchased a pair for both) and they fit well, one thing I really like about the product is that you can move the magnets to where you want them, which means if you think you have a problem area somewhere in the leg you can just pull the magnets off and then put them where you want them. For me, Mikey has a splint on both of his front legs, so I figured that if I am going to pick somewhere to put the magnets, there is as good a place as any. On his hind legs I have put the magnets up high to help any onset of arthritis. He wears them in his stable overnight and they don’t move an inch! The first thing I noticed after just a few days was the shape of Mikey’s leg – honestly – I have owned him for 3 years and have never seen such definition! There is no swelling, no puffiness and his legs both look and feel great. The second benefit, which to be honest I wasn’t really expecting... Was the difference in his splints, they have reduced in size - I was shocked! He’s had the splints around 12-18 months and I didn’t think you could really do anything for them at this stage, but I can honestly say they have both reduced in size, and the one on his right fore has almost gone. A miracle? I don’t know, but the only change I have made to his well-being is using the Equilibrium Magnetic Chaps. A definite 10/10 for me!” Equilibrium Magnetic Chaps The Equilibrium Magnetic Chaps provide a quick and effective way of providing magnetic therapy to horses. They are suitable for front and hind legs, are quick and easy to put on and can conveniently be left on overnight in the stable. The magnets are also able to be positioned anywhere within the chap – so can be placed exactly where they are needed. FIND OUT MORE

Headshaking explained Maybe you’re just getting to grips with a new mount this spring or you’re bringing on your youngster.  Imagine your horror when you find your horse starts headshaking. Your dreams of being able to compete or even hack safely begin to crumble around you. But don’t despair – headshaking need not mean the end to your horse’s riding career. New research is helping vets and owners to better understand this condition and give practical solutions for managing the problem. What is headshaking?  Nowadays it seems that everyone knows someone with a head shaker. But what is a ‘head shaker’ and what distinguishes them from a horse with a short-term irritation or behavioural problem? Most horses shake their heads from time to time to get rid of flies or when frustrated. Horses that simply nod their heads when stabled or as they turn home from a ride, may not be head shakers but ‘nodders’, a condition that is responsive  to changes in management. ‘Nodders’ do not usually cause great problems to themselves or their owner. True head shakers do so persistently and for no apparent reason. They exhibit sharp, jerky vertical and horizontal head movements.  The severity of the movements can vary from small flicks to huge, sweeping arcs which threaten to hit the rider on the nose or unseat them. Experts now recognise that head shakers also exhibit symptoms that suggest the horse is suffering from irritation within or around the face and muzzle.  Head shakers that also snort excessively during an attack will try to rub their face or act as if a bee has gone up their nose. They may even run their nose along the ground or strike the ground during the attack.  Moreover the unpredictability of the length and occurrence of these attacks can severely limit a rider’s ability to compete or even ride safely. By Dr Katy Taylor De Montfort University Without a Muzzle Net: Same horse and rider, with a Muzzle Net: Helpful products for sensitive horses Headshaking can have a range of causes, so it’s always important to seek veterinary advice if you’re concerned about your horse. For horses who are sensitive to flies, sunlight or sensations around the muzzle, our Net Relief Muzzle Net and Net Relief Riding Mask may help provide additional comfort while ridden.

Emma Alcorn and Delphi’s story: Delphi is a 14.2hh Dapple Grey Mare who suffers with the mud during winter. With Delphi having to be turned out 24/7 all year round due to not being able to stable her it has meant that her legs don’t get the chance to recover, resulting in this impacting her jumping career. Emma has owned Delphi for 3 years and has tried multiple lotions and potions to try and fix the problem but nothing has worked. This is where the Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps come in! Emma’s review: ‘As soon as I’d tried them on Delphi I realised that the Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps really are ideal and perfect in every way possible! The material used is breathable and stretchy meaning that it didn’t prevent any movement whilst being worn during turnout The boots are extremely quick and easy to put on, and even easier to take off especially when covered in mud thanks to the well designed tabs They‘re a perfect fit and sit snug around every contour of the leg from the knee to the hoof, which made me notice how they act as over-reach and brushing boot due to the full coverage They really do work to prevent mud from getting on the leg. Every time I have taken the boots off, Delphi’s legs have been completely dry, mud free and clean! They aren’t only good for keeping mud off the legs, but also as extra protection in the field, such as bashing legs whilst rolling and getting caught in fencing The Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps ensure that legs are kept warm too, helping to keep joints from getting cold during the winter. After over a week’s use, I have noticed a huge difference in Delphi already. Her legs are completely free from any scabs or sores and she is feeling much better in herself. She’s trotting around the field on her own which she wouldn’t have done before she had her Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps! These boots really are a miracle & I’m so pleased and grateful that we have finally found the perfect piece of equipment to protect Delphi. I can’t imagine life without them now and will most definitely be ordering some more in the future for use on all my horses! I would highly recommend these to anyone and everyone as they truly are something every equestrian should own.’ Find out more about the Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps here

It may seem like you have tried everything you can to help your horse who head shakes, but nothing seems to be helping? Here’s a story to keep you going and encourage you not to give up! Take a read about Kyle and Vin’s journey. Kyles Story I bought my RPSI gelding, Vin, back in 2012 when he was an 8 year old. He had previously done some fox hunting and low level dressage. During the first few months of owning him, he started to exhibit a head toss during exercise, which would increase as we worked more. At first, my trainer and I thought it might be him avoiding contact or staying in frame for collected dressage work, so we spent time building muscle, top line, balance, etc… When that didn’t alleviate anything we went the martingale route (which I’m ashamed of now, knowing he was dealing with something he literally couldn’t control) which would allow us to work but he’d still rail against the straps during our entire ride. It was about a year into it when I started reading about products to help with this. One of the first hits we got was the Muzzle Net from Equilibrium Products. Both my trainer and I looked at it, and both agreed there was no way it was that simple and moved on to the next product. We began with antihistamines, since he’d often rub his nose on his legs when it got the worst. When that didn’t solve anything we tried Equiwinner patches. After losing patch after patch in the pasture and not knowing how long he kept it on we decided to forgo that. We purchased all kinds of sun protection contraptions, all with no results. Then we moved on to using magnesium, which we did see a small improvement with. The head toss would still be there but would take a few more minutes into work to present itself. During this “stage” in our experiments, I went ahead and ordered the Muzzle Net from Equilibrium. Both my trainer and I shook our heads the day I was bridling him up and attaching it, but we were also at our literal wits end on what to try. That very first ride with the net we had almost ZERO toss. He was finally able to relax, release some tension at the poll and seemed to just “breathe”. We both kicked ourselves for not trying this months/years earlier.  The magnesium/net combo helped for a few years, or at least calmed it enough for us to compete in jumping and dressage at a low level. As Vin got a bit older, his shaking progressed some and got back to the point where it was almost too violent for me to ride him. His tosses when he got going were so large that he’d throw his front legs off the ground at times. I found a study online that utilized injectable dexamethasone administered orally, which seemed a little scary, but at this point I was considering just retiring him out to pasture so we gave it a shot. We spoke to our vet, which understandably was pretty cautious and moved forward. Within the first couple months we saw AMAZING improvement. By pulse #4 we had no toss/irritation as long as we continued to ride with the Muzzle Net. Since then, we can get by with pulsing only when his symptoms present themselves and usually only 1 to 2 times per year. It’s literally saved him for us.

Kissing Spine in horses seems to be all too common today with so many diagnosed. We caught up with Clara Kavanagh about her horse Chili, who is currently in rehabilitation following ‘the ligament snip’, as she explains his symptoms & diagnosis, her decision and the recovery!  The Early Days “I started looking for my ‘dream horse’ last summer, this was a very exciting time for me as I had only ever been able to beg, borrow and lease ponies/horses in my childhood up until I finished my degree in Equine Management. I purchased Chili in August 2018, he is a 6 year old Thoroughbred. I always thought about buying a racehorse and retraining them for a new career. Chili was last raced in June 2018 under the name Farrier Fury. I knew Chili was the right horse for me as he had such a great temperament and once I got him home he was brought on very slowly and took to his new career like a duck to water. He has always acted like an absolute gentleman wherever I brought him! The plan was to gently start him over the winter with a goal to compete in our Riding Club Dressage Spring league and do some Retraining Racehorse to Riding horse classes in the summer of 2019.” The Start of Our Setbacks “Chili unfortunately got a stone bruise in February which I thought would be our only hiccup. However this was only the beginning of our setbacks. One day I went to tack him up for a short hack and noticed he was unusually girthy, and he was very grumpy, which isn’t like him at all. I called the physio to come take a look at him. The physio was concerned that he was showing a lot of stiffness over his back and sacroiliac region, the first thing that came to mind for me was Kissing Spine.  His whole temperament had changed, it was hard for me as it was like I was losing my best friend. I was worried about Chili, so I rang our local vet. I had the vet out to give Chili a once over, the vet gave us advice to continue light work. I had people telling me that I must be imagining something was wrong or that I was silly spending money for the physio and vet to come out just because I had a gut feeling. I was starting to think, they might be right or I might be a hypochondriac the way I was worrying because even though the vet gave him a once over I knew something wasn’t right with him. I wanted to get a second opinion, so I rang Troytown Greyabbey Equine Hospital and spoke to their lameness/orthopaedic specialist and explained my concerns.  So I booked him in for an appointment the following week. Diagnosis Chili spent about two hours having a full lameness diagnostic done which consisted of a trot up, lunging, flexion tests and x-rays. On seeing the X-rays it confirmed my fears, it was Kissing Spine, he had four processes touching. The vet confirmed that the kissing spine had most likely resulted from his racing career and his back conformation. Our choice was to have surgery (Interspinous Ligament Desmotomy, aka ‘The Ligament Snip’) or to medicate via corticosteroid injections. Chili also turned out to have a bone chip on his near hind fetlock however it causes him no issues! I brought him back to the hospital for bone scintigraphy scans, this helped me decide that the surgical route would be in Chili’s best interest as he was still a young horse and he would benefit the most from the ligament snip. The specialist vet was optimistic that if the surgery and rehab was successful Chili would be more than capable of returning to a competitive career with a rehab time of 6-8 weeks. This meant there was a small glimmer of hope for us, so I booked Chili in for surgery. Chili spent 4 days at the Equine Hospital, the surgery went very well, and Chili began intensive hand walking by the nurses the day after surgery. I brought Chili home on 26th of April and have been continuing to hand walk him for 30 minutes twice daily. Chili has since had a check up at Troytown Greyabbey to remove the stitches and the vet could not be happier with his progress.  He has been an absolute pleasure to rehab so far, he really is my dream horse! My advice to any horse owners that may be going through the same challenges as Chili and I faced would be to always trust your gut, you alone know you’re horse well enough to make the right choice regarding what is best for them. If in doubt don’t be afraid to ask for help or a second opinion. I dread to think how long Chili might have continued to soldier on in pain had I not trusted my gut. I would highly recommend the Equilibrium Massage Pad to any horse owner. It is very easy to incorporate into your everyday routine warm-up/warm down and it has made a big difference to Chili! It was comforting to know that the massage pad kept him relaxed! Chili is now starting week 4, he has started long reining in walk this week and will incorporate work in a Pessoa once the incision points on his back have had more time to heal. Our Physio has also been out this week to release any tension and do some laser therapy. I have been using Massage Pad and Magnetic Rug daily since the operation and it is honestly like having my best friend back! He is much more relaxed in himself and I have Troytown Greyabbey and Equilibrium Products to thank for that! Chili has another 4 weeks at least until he can begin work back under saddle but its a big step in the right direction!”  

Product testing is an important part of our company DNA, and while scientific testing is important to us, knowing exactly what horse owners (and most importantly - their horses!) think of the products and the benefit they provide them is just as vital too! Our Massage Pad Heatsense development followed this same protocol. Working with equine physiotherapists and electrical experts, we designed the Heatsense to deliver therapeutic levels of heat consistently, but also SAFELY. Once we were confident in this, the Pad was trialled both in house and out of house by a number of different horses in different disciplines. Once the concept was tweaked and finalised, we took the product on the road and here's just some of the reviews from those who have tried it!  Emily Mustow Eventing I was lucky enough to be one of the riders who got to trial the Heatsense whilst at Osberton International competing in the CCI2* with 21 year old Prime Time II. At his age, getting through trot both trot ups was a little nerve wracking. However the HeatSense, along with the magnetic boots, helped keep Fred relaxed, warm and supple which meant he flew through both trot ups easily. On dressage day, Fred wore the heat sense about an hour before his test while he was being plaited up. He was so relaxed and seemed to really enjoy it. He then went on to do his best ever international dressage test to score a 33. He was so cooperative and on side. He can be a real nervous horse in this phase, so for him to finally show what he can do was very emotional. I will definitely be getting my own Heat Sense ready for next season!  Tamsin O'Connor Aero (Riversides Caballero) is a 15.3hh, 9 year old, Warmblood x Part-Bred Arab, chestnut gelding. It was a bit touch and go for the BRC Championships as it became apparent the week before that he had tweaked his back and required an emergency chiro treatment the night before we were leaving! However, we won both our Prelim Championships the day before our Music Championship, which was amazing, but he still felt a little tentative. On the Sunday I was very grateful that we had booked the new Heatsense pad to trial before my music tests. We finished 3rd in the Novice with 70%, and to top off an already incredible weekend we WON our Prelim with 73% - they were big classes and many superb horses competing so never did I imagine we could do so well! After using the Heatsense pad he really felt great, tried hard, and absolutely gave me everything.  Sophie Wymark This massage pad is incredible, my horse instantly showed releases when the massage and heat pads were turned on. She felt much more supple over her back and quarters during her warm-up when we trialled it at the British Riding Club NAF Five Star Introductory Championships. It has been added to her Christmas list!  Lauren Lanik - Adventures of Megatron Mega has been lucky enough to trial the Equilibrium Products HeatSense Massage Pad over the last month or so. I bought the standard massage pad for Mega over 2 years ago and I’ve always seen benefits of using it so was intrigued to see the differences vs the new HeatSense pad. - I love the extra length of the pad to provide full coverage across their entire back - the self temperature regulating heat element of the pad gives me complete reassurance that Mega is benefitting from the optimum temperature for her muscles - the elasticated belly straps make securing the pad fast and easy - no having to adjust them if you’ve put the pad on over a rug - the additional motors in the massage pad seemed to noticeably provide further relaxation vs the standard pad - the option to run just the massage function or heat or run them together! Full multi purpose/use item making it great value Katie Rogers Equine Physiotherapist - Founder of Sky Equine Rehabilitation We are very lucky to have been given the opportunity of trialling for a few weeks, the new Equilibrium Massage Pad HeatSense.  This was launched at the beginning of this month and so far it is proving very  much loved by our patients. Most of them have experienced it now and they all fall asleep.  We use an array of the Equilibrium Products anyway for the physio and rehab of our horses and the addition of the heat to the massage pad is a welcomed one. Each of our horses have an individual programme of treatments and plans and the massage pad features heavily in it.  It works amazingly at helping to reduce tension in their back, especially when on box rest and maintaining a good level of circulation.  With the heat addition, it helps to warm the muscles as well as providing that massage effect. We love it at Sky Equine and so do our horses.  It's on the Christmas Wish List

Jemma got in touch with us on Instagram with some photos of her horse Monty before he used the Massage Pad, compared to after. We were astonished by the immediate clear difference in how he looked so much more comfortable, we asked her to tell us a little bit more about him and their journey! Introducing Jemma & Monty Hey, my names Jemma. I’m 30 and I’m from (the sometimes) sunny Cornwall, I work as a HCA in the NHS and I’ve owned & ridden horses from a young age on and off, but have found my love for it again the last couple years after an awful riding accident left both me & my horse Monty with shattered confidence & no trust in each other at all, & so started the long & bumpy journey to getting back into the saddle & restoring our confidence again. Monty is a 17hh, 13yr old ID x TB & I’ve had the pleasure of owning him for 8 years now, despite it being pretty bumpy at times, he’s a horse with so much love to give, he has an incredibly huge character & many quirks too, he’s actually quite well known as the “Horse who sits like a dog” and actually made it into national newspapers being compared to Eeyore the donkey for the way he “sits” & takes in everything around him ? Since using the Massage Pad on Monty I have seen such huge improvements in his overall wellbeing and I just wanted to share with you those improvements, it’s the best thing I’ve honestly ever invested in and it’s now a strong part in our daily routine. Monty is so sensitive, cold backed and has also had the tendency to stand underneath himself which has caused many problems and issues with his back, however since using the Massage Pad and incorporating stretches into his routine, the difference has been incredible. His back is so much more comfortable in all aspects, he’s nowhere near as sensitive, he isn’t uncomfortable when tacking up, he doesn’t arch his back or appear uncomfortable when it comes to me getting on him to ride, he warms up so much better and his overall general wellbeing has significantly improved. I honestly can’t thank you guys enough, I just wanted to share a before and after photo around a year apart since we’ve started using the Massage Pad and I think you’ll agree that the change and difference is incredible. Onwards and Upwards Because of the many issues we faced with our accident & riding confidence in each other, Monty is still very much a blank canvas, but in the last year or so since we’ve really got back into our riding, he’s showing that he has lovely movement & 3 nice paces, once he puts his mind to it. So, for now we are continuing to work on our flatwork & schooling & building him up over the winter period with hopes next year of dabbling in a little bit of dressage or showing, he’s a big & powerful horse who can really strut his stuff when he wants to, so who know... watch this space? Do you have a story you would like to share with us? Get in touch using the link below.