About Bellancy Equine Physical Therapy
Bellancy is a love story.
At the heart of this love story are my two mares, Belle and Nancy.
Oh and then there is Mr. Charlie Brown but that's a whole other story.
We are based in West Cork on the Beara Peninsula
At the heart of this love story are my two mares, Belle and Nancy.
Oh and then there is Mr. Charlie Brown but that's a whole other story.
We are based in West Cork on the Beara Peninsula
BelleMy beautiful, goofy, Belle makes me laugh every day. She has a wicked sense of humor, and is all heart. If you are filling the water trough and suddenly find yourself drenched, it will be Belle holding the hosepipe in her mouth and looking innocently surprised at all your yelling and hopping up and down.
We have spent many beautiful days hacking along the Beara Bridle Way, she has taught me how to jump in the arena and out, and sometimes just out of the way. Every day with her in my life is a good day. |
Beautiful Belle, Photo courtesy of Shorty.
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Nancy
Nancy my phoenix
This is in no way a criticism of her previous owners, but when Nancy came into my life she was in pain, both physical and emotional. Her previous owners had always loved and cared for Nancy to the best of their ability, but were unfortunately going through a hard patch themselves.
As a result of this Nancy had just lost her pair bond, a beautiful horse called Magic. He had gone to the UK and she was being sold. So all her humans had left her too.
Nancy was in working livery at the time and was working in a saddle that didn't fit her. She was underweight, had a belly full of worms, had sores and white hair on her back from ill fitting tack. She was also as mean as a rattlesnake.
Nancy was hurting, an angry and confused mare. I couldn't walk away. I wanted to help her but knew it would be a long road.
There was so much to do, and I needed help.
First thing I did was removed her saddle so that no-one would ride her until she was comfortable again.
She was very underweight, had a belly full of worms, and very loose stools. So I started by worming her, and then enrolled in a Level 5 certificate in Equine Nutrition for which I got a distinction.
Touch was difficult for Nancy as she associated every human interaction with pain. So I enlisted the help of a good friend of mine Lockie Phillips who specialises in horses emotional well being. He helped me negotiate her emotions and taught me different ways to approach her that were non threatening. I completed his course on Emotional Horsemanship and then went on to do a course on Energy Healing for Horses. I also did a Diploma in Equine Psychology for which I got a distinction.
This got me to the point where I could enter her stable and not get bitten, kicked or have her rear at me, but touch was still I huge issue. It was while I was trying to figure out how to negotiate this issue that I came across Equi Eds Equine Massage for Horse Owners. I attended that and came home to try the techniques on my girls. They loved it. I had to learn more! So I enrolled in the Advanced Practitioner Equine Integrative Support Therapies Level 5 (Level 6 Irish Framework). It was tough, but after 14 months of intensive study, numerous assignments and 20 case studies I finally wrote my exams in December 2022 passing with distinction.
Bellancy, named after my two mares Belle and Nancy was born. I could see the huge benefit my girls had from skills I was learning, and decided to try and help more horses when I could.
Nancy is now as much of a cuddle bug as Belle. Waiting at the stable door every morning for her kiss and a hug. She no longer box walks, her aggression is gone and I no longer take my life into my hands tacking her up. She and Belle are inseparable. Nancy is back riding the Beara Bridle Way in her new saddle, bit and bridle, which I had fitted with the help of a friend of Lockie's, Clare Marshall from Plateau Holistic Equine. She was able to do the whole saddle and bit and bridle assessment online.
Nancy is a living testimony to the ability of horses to forgive. Throughout her recovery Belle worked with her. She put up with the food aggression and biting, seeming to understand that Nancy needed to express her pain and her fear. Belle gave her the space to do that, always only showing kindness and patience in return.
I am extremely blessed to have two such special mares in my life, and strive every day to be worthy of them. It is immensely gratifying to see them both in their happy places now.
As a result of this Nancy had just lost her pair bond, a beautiful horse called Magic. He had gone to the UK and she was being sold. So all her humans had left her too.
Nancy was in working livery at the time and was working in a saddle that didn't fit her. She was underweight, had a belly full of worms, had sores and white hair on her back from ill fitting tack. She was also as mean as a rattlesnake.
Nancy was hurting, an angry and confused mare. I couldn't walk away. I wanted to help her but knew it would be a long road.
There was so much to do, and I needed help.
First thing I did was removed her saddle so that no-one would ride her until she was comfortable again.
She was very underweight, had a belly full of worms, and very loose stools. So I started by worming her, and then enrolled in a Level 5 certificate in Equine Nutrition for which I got a distinction.
Touch was difficult for Nancy as she associated every human interaction with pain. So I enlisted the help of a good friend of mine Lockie Phillips who specialises in horses emotional well being. He helped me negotiate her emotions and taught me different ways to approach her that were non threatening. I completed his course on Emotional Horsemanship and then went on to do a course on Energy Healing for Horses. I also did a Diploma in Equine Psychology for which I got a distinction.
This got me to the point where I could enter her stable and not get bitten, kicked or have her rear at me, but touch was still I huge issue. It was while I was trying to figure out how to negotiate this issue that I came across Equi Eds Equine Massage for Horse Owners. I attended that and came home to try the techniques on my girls. They loved it. I had to learn more! So I enrolled in the Advanced Practitioner Equine Integrative Support Therapies Level 5 (Level 6 Irish Framework). It was tough, but after 14 months of intensive study, numerous assignments and 20 case studies I finally wrote my exams in December 2022 passing with distinction.
Bellancy, named after my two mares Belle and Nancy was born. I could see the huge benefit my girls had from skills I was learning, and decided to try and help more horses when I could.
Nancy is now as much of a cuddle bug as Belle. Waiting at the stable door every morning for her kiss and a hug. She no longer box walks, her aggression is gone and I no longer take my life into my hands tacking her up. She and Belle are inseparable. Nancy is back riding the Beara Bridle Way in her new saddle, bit and bridle, which I had fitted with the help of a friend of Lockie's, Clare Marshall from Plateau Holistic Equine. She was able to do the whole saddle and bit and bridle assessment online.
Nancy is a living testimony to the ability of horses to forgive. Throughout her recovery Belle worked with her. She put up with the food aggression and biting, seeming to understand that Nancy needed to express her pain and her fear. Belle gave her the space to do that, always only showing kindness and patience in return.
I am extremely blessed to have two such special mares in my life, and strive every day to be worthy of them. It is immensely gratifying to see them both in their happy places now.
Mr Charlie Brown aka John Bon Jovi
My lovely little half a horse. He has the heart of an eventer but the legs of a Daschund.