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About Me

Hi!

I’m Rashida, a qualified Equine Photonic Light Therapist. I diagnose and treat pain and movement issues in horses and dogs.

Animals cannot just tell us when they are sore or physically struggling. So how can you tell if your furry friend is in trouble?

 

Well, they may exhibit some of the following symptoms.

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  • Refusing to perform in hand or under saddle. For example a horse float swaying and bumping on the road would be a frightening thing to a horse with a sore back and so that horse may suddenly refuse to load.
     

  • Struggling or refusing to pick up feet for the farrier. Having to balance on a sore leg or rock weight back onto sore shoulders of loins can lead to anxiety and refusal.
     

  • Refusing to pick up correct canter leads, rushing and pulling (trying to get the job done quickly so its over with), Kicking out at leg cues, playing up when girthed up, resisting flexion through the poll, throat and also struggling to yield. It may be as subtle as not wanting to catch a cow in the paddock or stay up in the bridle or it may be as extreme as the following.
     

  • Just like us, horses get sore when they get back into work/ exercise. As fitness builds they learn to use their bodies correctly these issues disappear. However if not managed they run the risk of soft tissue damage and injury. Imagine yourself, attending a gym class out of the blue and how you feel the next day? That’s how your horse feels.
     

  • Bucking, biting, kicking and general “bad mood” Often horses and dogs with pain issues will show aggressive behaviours as a protection against being handled or played with. They are protecting their painful spots in no uncertain terms.
     

  • Other signs to look for might be subtle changes in every day activity, injuries sustained in the paddock or from play. A lot of soft tissue injuries can occur while animals are at play and are not picked up because no one saw the actual event.
     

  • Dogs may be recovering from an injury or surgery.
     

  • Dogs also show signs such as reluctance to play (often written off to old age), losing interest in a favourite toy or routine activity (walking to the bus stop or mailbox etc)
     

  • Struggling to stand up from a nap or jump onto a vehicle.
     

  • Larger dogs prone to joint issues (hips, knees, hocks)
     

Photonic light therapy is a whole body approach and is one of the few natural therapies used in modern medicine in both vet hospitals and human facilities alike. By pairing with the Chinese medicine system similar to acupuncture we have a wider range to help with internal issues such as circulation, gut health, releasing mental stress and assisting the body to heal its-self.

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I have done a lot of training in order to be appropriately qualified and have treated everything from high performing race horses, campdrafters and performance horses, through to station horses, aged horses, kids ponies and trail/ pleasure horses. All breeds and sizes. I have worked across Australia but have settled to servicing the Top End in the NT. I am a full member of the IICT and have insurance. 

 

I also offer Equissage treatments which is cyclical deep tissue massage. This is a wonderful tool for relaxing horses at events and improving warm up and cool down. Also an integral part of working to fix chronic issues where extra circulation is required. The machines are expensive and so I offer mine as a treatment to give horse owners everywhere access to this technology.

 

I understand services are often difficult to access for rural and remote animal lovers. So I offer travelling services. I have regular runs to Darwin (including rural areas from Humpty Doo through to Darwin River) and Katherine. Other areas can be booked by negotiation, such as stations or Kununurra WA. I also try to attend the main campdrafts for the season and shows. To get out round the NT and make access easier for my valued clients.

No distance is too far by negotiation. 

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