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WILSON MEAGHER SPORTS THERAPY NEWSLETTER

Summer / Early Fall 
Vol. 5, 2012

Welcome!

This newsletter is all about how to help you help your horse, move better, last longer and prevent injury.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to a friend!

Enjoy
 

London 2012 Olympics: My View From the Inside

Being at the Olympics as Team Sports Therapist for the Canadian Eventing Team brought my level of emotions to an intense height. I had forgotten about this intensity I felt once before, when I worked as the team sports therapist for the USA at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. There has been no other time I reached this pinnacle until 2012 London Games.

The city of London was a fabulous host. They were able to manage the crowds, its wild traffic, it’s hustle and bustle. They were very polite and always welcoming. The Games were attentive to detail, well organized, with hundreds of volunteers always cheerful and ready to help at any time or situation. The people I encountered in my hotel, in restaurants, and store clerks were all equally cheerful and patient, no matter how long it took me to figure out the difference between a pound and a pence.

First of all, the atmosphere at the Games: The colors of each rider’s clothing representing their countries. The colors of the horse’s coolers, sheets, saddle pads. The trading of country pins. The sounds. Sounds of different languages, and accents pervading Greenwich Park where the Equestrian venue occurred. The sounds of the Olympic Theme song titled “Survival”. The voices of the crowds cheering, screaming for their countrymen...

Read more about the 2012 Olympic Games in London

CASE STUDY:

Motion Problem: Stiff in hind legs. Loss of power at all gaits. Diminished response to leg aids.

Jane was pleased with her new saddle since the old one seemed to have pinched her horse’s back. She knew the old saddle was causing back discomfort because her horse traveled with his head high and a hollow back with an unwillingness to go forward. Now that she had been using the new saddle, her horse was traveling better, but she still felt he was short in the hind end and was not as responsive to her leg aid.

Jane called me three weeks after riding in her new saddle. She originally thought the motion problems she was experiencing were residual problems from her old ill fitting saddle. But three weeks after riding in her new saddle, she thought she had cause for concern.

When I arrived at the barn, Jane asked if I thought the new saddle could be causing the shortened stride and back discomfort. She was very worried because she spent a good amount of money on her new saddle. I reassured her that if the problem was of a muscular nature, we would be able to determine the cause and eliminate the problem by using the Wilson Meagher Method of Sportsmassage...

Read more about the assessment, cause, and solution

OLYMPIC SECURITY AND ACCREDITATIONS

In order for me to work with the Eventing Team in the Olympic Equestrian Park backside which included stabling, rings, athletes cafeteria, ten minute box for cross country, etc. I needed accreditations granted by the Canadian Olympic Committee. London strictly limited the amount of accreditations (accreds) each country was allowed. Each country applied for and was primarily allowed accreds for one farrier, vet, coach, physiotherapist, owners, chef de quipe, one groom per horse and rider for each discipline. Needless to say, the accreditations, or simply put, passes were extremely limited.

Read more about Olympic Security and Accreditations

TRAINER'S TIP

Trainer: Kathy Connelly

Kathy Connelly is one of the leading and most respected Dressage trainers in the United States. (USA). .

Question: How does a rider know when their horse is truly going forward? 

Answer: Forwardness is the primary and essential quality that we need to recognize, partner with and create with a horse...

Read more of Kathy's answer and her profile

RIDER'S TIP

Diet Soda: To drink or not to drink, that is the question.

Over the past summer when I was working at several competitions, there were often coolers filled with cold drinks for riders and their crew. The coolers always had two choices. One choice was bottled water, the other diet soda. More often than not, the diet soda was the first choice.

We all know drinking plenty of fluids is critical to good health, especially in the heat, as it was quite HOT this past summer. But really…diet soda?

Please read the attached link to learn about the benefits of diet soda. One of the benefits, is if you are looking for a wider girth and belly...

http://www.bistromd.com/healthy-facts/diet-and-excercise/why-is-diet-soda-bad-for-you.aspx

 
     

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