Amanda Taylor - Equine Sport Therapist
Amanda is a qualified Equine Sport Therapist with over 20 years experience in the field. Her practise has been built from her own experiences training, competing and caring for horses together with education and training from top sport scientists in the UK and USA.
Amanda graduated with BSc Honours in Equine Science adding to her background in sport and physio she combined her skills and began to work with both horse and rider partnerships to improve and maintain their performance. Her time was divided between sport therapies and developing youth training programmes for the Equine and Veterinary Industries in the UK. This work took Amanda to a diverse range of businesses where she was able to work alongside vets and other professionals with horses from racing, eventing, show jumping and dressage yards, riding schools and equine rehabilitation and therapy centres.
Now based full time in New Zealand, Amanda lives with her family, horses and dogs at their livery, rehabilitation and training yard in Central Otago and services the Central and South of the South Island'
Hailey Rhyne - Equine Vet Tech and Equissage Therapist
Hailey has been working with Amanda and Equine Focus for several years as both head groom and Equissage therapist. Previously H worked as a Vet Tech in Equine Hospitals and Veterinary Practices in the USA and groomed professionally in a variety of areas and sports within the equine industry in Australia, the USA and New Zealand.
Hailey has 2 horses and 2 emotional support miniature horses (for her 2 big horses!) She is passionate about horse health and is one of the most organised people in the world! She loves dressage and enjoys taking her horses out on vaguely competitive holidays on weekends. EQF are honored to have her working with us.
H will be running the EQF Equissage Wednesdays and looks forward to meeting you all.
Lydia Beales - Vet Nurse and Riding Instructor
Lydia is a Vet Nurse and Riding Instructor. She has been working with Amanda and Equine Focus for over 10 years and is an integral part of the EQF Team.
Originally from the UK, she moved to NZ in 2007 and over the past 12 years she has primarily worked as an International travelling groom for Team New Zealand and rider Clarke Johnstone. This fantastic career has taken her to some of the best shows in the world including the Olympic Games. It goes without saying she does all the show prep for our horses and we are very lucky to have her working with us.
Her knowledge and experience with International sport horses led her to training with Prestige Equestrian NZ and Prestige Italia and she is a certified saddle fitter for Prestige.
As per the norm in England, Lydia started her riding life working at a local riding school, mucking out stables, filling haynets in exchange for riding and training under the BHS system. Lydia firmly believes that to get the best out of the horse and rider we should be encouraged to enjoy our horses, set realistic goals and most importantly have fun!
Lydia is an EQF riding instructor and mentor and one of the horse health professionals on the EQF Team.
How Equine Focus Works
INITIAL CONSULTATION WITH OWNER OR TRAINER This is imperative to the therapists work as unlike our human clients horses cannot talk to us. It will cover areas such as the horse's general health, current medication or recent injuries, date of last shoeing, current training and jockey up, nutrition and reason for the therapy.
STATIC AND MOTION EVALUATION In addition we need to see for ourselves how the horse is built and how he moves. This helps us identify changes before and after the session.
BODY MAP SESSION This is the first tool we use to record your horse's unique musculoskeletal frame. It includes an illustrated diagram, much like your horse's passport and vet records and records muscular symmetry, dental alignment, foot placement and much more.
TREATMENT Of course this session will depend on you and your horse. A full body massage can take up to 1 ½ hours. It may include 1 or all of the other modalities we use and are trained in such as Equissage, PEMF and Ultrasound. On referral from your vet we may need to work on an isolated muscle or group of muscles and will be guided by you and your vet. These sessions will still run as outlined to ensure safe practise.
DEBRIEF As a rule once we start the massage session we like to work alone with your horse, as they tend to settle more quickly with fewer people around. This also allows busy people to get on with their job whilst we get on with ours. At the end of the session the therapist will discuss with the owner / trainer any areas of concern and demonstrate follow up exercises or stretches for each horse. This is the time to ask your questions and look at booking the follow up session.
For information and to make an appointment please contact Amanda.