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| Staff Writer |
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Shirley Sewell’s experience with horses goes back as far as she can remember. But the UAE-based Sewell didn’t just go out on rides. She was involved in doing the work to try to keep the horses in the right condition and make sure they stayed in good shape.
“When I was 10, I started taking care of 4 horses, turning them out, grooming and feeding,” Sewell said. “When I was 12, my parents gave me my first horse under one condition: that I would take care of it 100%. Which I then did and started working part-time to pay all his bills.”
Getting so much hands-on experience working with horses allowed Sewell to pursue her passion for her career.
Currently, Sewell is a UAE-based Equine Osteopath and Physiotherapist. She founded her business, Equimony, in 2008 and relocated to Dubai 2014, restarting Equimony here.
Her goal with Equimony is to improve the equine welfare in the UAE and create a community of winners.
“ I am always striving to rebalance the body and make it work optimally so, while I was studying physiotherapy I was thinking of names for my company and then got the idea of Equine and Harmony put together, hence Equimony and the slogan “for a horse in harmony,” Sewell said.
“After a few years working as a physiotherapist, I saw I couldn’t help all the horses as many of their issues originated from the skeletal system and their muscle issues were symptoms so I ended up studying osteopathy which works on the three major pillars in the body.
“The skeletal system, musculoskeletal system and the visceral system. In doing so I created a more all-round therapy.”
Sewell said the idea for Equimony came to her during a backpacking trip in South America in her early 20s. When she went to the continent, Sewell worked with horses in Argentina. While initially working as a guide and on taming horses, Sewell eventually became interested in helping improve the health of the animals.
Sewell was upset when she witnessed how the horses were being treated. She decided to save up money to attend physiotherapy school in Sweden.
Sewell said that Equimony typically works with between four to six horses per day. She said they have worked with some recognizable horses but declined to name any because of the confidentiality she provides her clients. Among the horses Sewell works with, there is a healthy variety of what their owners would like to see them be able to do.
She said she works with horses focused on flat racing, endurance, dressage, show jumping, polo, and Arabian show horses.
What Equimony does is work on the musculoskeletal and skeletal systems of a horse, to provide a more complete therapy.
“Equimony offers osteopathy, which works on the skeletal system; physiotherapy, which works on the musculoskeletal system; fascia release; and laser and electrotherapy which increases the blood circulation in the area treated and takes the swelling away, gives pain relief and helps the cells heal faster by increasing the ATP levels or the energy levels of the cell,” Sewell said.
By doing work in this manner, Sewell can help keep horse’s injuries from becoming long-lasting.
“By working on both the skeletal and musculoskeletal systems together, you get a better result. If you just work on the muscles and it’s the joints that are blocked, then no matter what you do to the muscles, you’ll still have the blocked joints and vice versa. This is why I focus on releasing both restrictions in the joints and tension in the muscles for an all-around therapy session.”
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Riding a horse shares some similarities with everyday life for most people. The important thing for people hoping to ride a horse is to make sure the size of the person is appropriate for the size of the horse they are riding. Making sure to have the correct size saddle can also prevent injuries that could leave horses & riders on the sidelines.
Seeing unbalanced riders is something Sewell said she sees regularly.
“Way too often, sadly,” Sewell said. “It is a combination of it all. Just because you are a professional rider doesn’t mean you are a balanced rider. How many injuries do riders have after falling? All of them, professional and hobby riders, have different compensations. They can have a crooked seat, or have a blocked shoulder from surgery, have a heavy hand, etc, and all of this affects the horses.” It's important for both the horse and the rider to undergo timely therapy for rapid recovery. Even with someone who owns more than one horse, one saddle may not be right for every horse you ride. Sewell said having a qualified saddle fitter can help avoid injuries for horses and riders.
“Way too often, I see marking over the withers or the back because of ill-fitted saddles and the pain that follows,” Sewell said. “The best thing is to get a qualified saddle fitter to make sure you’ve got the perfect saddle for your horses.
“But of course, if you have many horses, I do understand it can be difficult, so try to counteract that with padding for each horse, using a saddle for similar body types.
“But please don’t think that a saddle for a low-withered horse will fit a high-withered horse, a saddle for a large horse to fit a skinny horse, etc, no matter how much padding you use. My advice would be to get professional help.”
Sewell has dedicated her life to making sure horses have been taken care of. At a young age, she helped care for horses at a livery stable near her parent’s house. Now that she is more medically informed about their struggles, Sewell feels she can help out even more.
The key to a healthy horse is having a qualified professional team around you and your horse: vet, trainer, farrier, therapist, dentist, good quality feed, everyday care with the grooms,” Sewell said. “If you get an expensive, quality horse and have bad care afterward, then you end up with an average horse. You wouldn’t buy a Ferrari and then use cheap car parts when it needed upkeep.”
Horses are also happy animals when they have a chance to socialize. Taking care of a horse’s health requires keeping them engaged as well.
“Horses are herd animals, so the key to a happy horse would be to keep them outside with other horses,” Sewell said. “Although I do understand when dealing with competition horses, owners don’t want to leave them outside in a herd where injuries are common, but at least try to keep them outside in a paddock as much as possible.
“If not, then have something for them in the stall to keep their minds busy. Hay is also a good way to keep them busy and ulcers away. “
Moving her business to Dubai has been a nice boost for Sewell’s well-being. In addition to being good for her business, Sewell has also found she enjoys living in a hotter climate.
“This is one of the best places to be,” Sewell said.
“I wanted to help horses and to be part of the ever-rising equine industry here while trying to bring more knowledge to the people and increase the welfare of the horses. Of course, being sunny all year round didn’t hurt after being in the north of Europe most of my adult life.”
During the past decade, Sewell believes people in the region have become more open to her work.
“I am happy to say that the riders, owners and trainers in the Middle East have started opening up to the different types of therapies and not just medications,” Sewell said.
“It varies from osteopathy, physiotherapy, chiropractic, fascia release, acupuncture, shockwave, laser, electrotherapy, different types of electric or magnetic blankets, and water therapies just to name a few.”
Having as much experience as Sewell does has led her to look to try to make certain reforms. One pressing concern is the age of horses when people begin to ride them.
“Horses aren’t physically mature enough before they reach the age of around 5-6YO,” Sewell said.
“They are still growing and the body isn’t fully developed before then. So, when we start riding them when they are just 1.5 years old and still growing, we are then breaking them down before they have a chance to reach maturity.”
Sewell said it is the same across all the disciplines due to the specific age categories.
“Racehorses start racing around 2-3YO, jumpers should be able to jump 1 meter by 4 years old and be able to do a certain course in dressage around 4-5YO,” Sewell said.
“I do believe that if we could just wait until the horses reached full physical maturity and then start riding, we would see fewer injuries since the horses would be stronger and better capable of handling the pressure.
“Of course, get them used to all the tack and being handled from a young age but there is so much you can do to strengthen the horses from the ground with long reining for example and pole work before you sit on them.”
By Dean McHugh