Kirsty Rawden Veterinary Physiotherapy

19/09/2026

BIG STAR - the power of time and patience

I’ve just watched the documentary on Nick Skelton and Big Star, and it really got me thinking about rehabilitation, patience and the importance of not rushing the process.

For anyone who doesn’t know Big Star, he was one of the most accomplished show jumpers of his generation, winning team and individual Olympic gold with Nick Skelton.

But halfway through his career, Big Star sustained a suspensory ligament injury.

Nick had a goal. He wanted to give Big Star the chance to compete at one more Olympics. There were three years until the next Games.

So what did they do?

They gave him time.

Nick assigned his groom, Mark Beever, to Big Star so that his rehabilitation could have his complete focus and Mark spent 16 months rehabbing him, Not 16 weeks. 16 MONTHS!

For the majority of that time, Big Star was walked twice a day on different terrain, roads, varied surfaces. Gradually building strength and conditioning.

I imagine there were plenty of days when it must have felt like nothing was happening. The same routine. The same walks. The same patience required.

A bit like wax on, wax off. 😅

Alongside the walking, Big Star was thoroughly groomed every day, including traditional, old-fashioned strapping, taking care of the whole horse, not just the injured ligament.

And eventually, the patience paid off. Big Star returned to competition. He qualified for the Olympics and he carried Nick Skelton to individual Olympic gold. 🥇

That same year, Big Star was retired at Windsor Horse Show. He had achieved everything there was to achieve. And most importantly he retired sound.

It’s a powerful reminder that rehabilitation isn't always about doing more.

Sometimes it’s about doing less, consistently, for longer.

We live in a world where we want quick results. We want the horse back in work. We want to see progress. We want to feel like we're doing something.

But tissues don't work to our timelines. Strength and conditioning takes time. Healing takes time.

And sometimes the most productive thing you can do is simply give the body the time and the right environment to rebuild.

Big Star's story is a brilliant example of what can happen when we resist the temptation to rush.

16 months of walking led to an Olympic gold medal.

A powerful reminder that rehabilitation isn't about how quickly you can get back to where you were.
It’s about giving the horse the time, care and patience to come back stronger and most importantly, to remain sound.

Thank you Mark Beever for the time, patience, belief and dedication you gave to Big Star 🙏🏼

18/09/2026

🚗 Upcoming out of area dates! 🚗

Shropshire:
16th October

Midlands:
23rd October

North East:
25-26th October
6-7th December
17-18th January

15/09/2026

'Comparison is the thief of joy'

A quote I've said numerous times just recently and maybe it was the universe giving me a pre race bitch slap!

As you may know I always like to reflect on the GNR and bring it back to the horses.

It was a very different run to last year. Last year, my only goal was to run the whole thing without stopping. This time, I had a time goal, sub 2:30 and that changed the dynamic. There was pressure to hold a certain pace and make the numbers work.

On paper, it was more than achievable. My last two long runs had been well up on that pace, I was rested, carb-loaded and had trained hard, running and strength for six months.

And technically, I achieved it. I came in 30 seconds under 2:30, knocking a whopping 19 minutes 14 seconds off last year!

But there was no joy in my race this year,not until the band tent anyway 🪩😆, there's very little footage throughout because I was having an argument with myself and that took me away from the atmosphere, the crowds and the joy surrounding me!

Things i hadn't factored in....The heat was far worse than expected, my sunglasses broke on the start line, I’d forgotten about the constant ducking and diving around runners at different paces and, most importantly, I set off far too cocky and didn’t stick to my plan.

It made me think about the horses.

We train for months, set goals and arrive at competitions expecting a particular outcome because, on paper, it should be achievable. But sometimes the day is different. The conditions change, they don’t feel quite right, or we simply ask too much because we become focused on the outcome.

And perhaps that’s where the saying “comparison is the thief of joy” comes into this.

It’s so easy to compare ourselves or our horses, to what we think we should be achieving. To someone else’s time, someone else’s round, someone else’s progress or even what we've achieved before. Before long, the thing we originally did because we loved it becomes a constant measure of whether we are good enough.

I don’t want that for my running, and I certainly don’t want it for my horse.

Of course we should have goals and want to improve. But ultimately, I want to enjoy the journey. I want to enjoy riding my horse, training, learning and celebrating the little things and i feel I've personally found that with riding but funnily lost it completely with running because i put an expectation upon myself!

Two young men tragically lost their lives during the race, my thoughts go out to their families, and many others didn’t finish because of heat exhaustion. It puts everything into perspective.

No time, placing, rosette or qualification is worth compromising the wellbeing of the athlete.

Sunday I achieved my goal, but I didn’t enjoy achieving it.

And that might be the biggest lesson of all.

It’s so easy, with ourselves and our horses, to become fixated on numbers, results and how we compare to others. But comparison IS the thief of joy and it bloody thieved my joy on Sunday until i found it again with two lovely scottish ladies! 🥴

Of course we should have goals and strive to improve, but not at the expense of enjoying the journey. Our horses don’t care about someone else’s score, time or achievement. They just know how they feel that day.

Perhaps our job is to keep perspective, listen to the athlete in front of us and remember why we started because we love it. ❤️

Big love to the dream team at Here4Horses for treating me like a queen at the finish!

And biggest thanks for all your well wishes, messages of encouragement and your generosity of donations 🙏🏼💜

If you'd still like to send any pennies over the link is in the comments! 👇🏼

13/09/2026

SHE'S ONLY GONE AND DONE IT! 🏅

I Kept to my end of the bargain, under 2 hours 30, 19 minutes off last year, that was TOUGH. It was a mental game throughout, i nearly stopped, i nearly cried, it was HOT but I thought of all the amazing volunteers at Here4Horses and I dug deep!

Now please dig deep for an amazing charity who have treated me like an absolute queen since i crossed the finish line! 💜

https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/kirsty-s-great-north-run-2026?utm_source=peoplesfundraising&utm_medium=referral

13/09/2026

ITS RACE DAY! 🏃🏼‍♀️💨

Your girl is up and ready to run the Great North Run !

Number 41169 for anybody wanting to track me.

Please dig deep for Here4Horses as i will be digging deep for 13.1 miles (plus minimum 3 hours dancing at the end 🤣🪩)

https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/kirsty-s-great-north-run-2026?utm_source=peoplesfundraising&utm_medium=referral

08/09/2026

Final leg stretch before Sunday's HALF MARATHON for Here4Horses.

It's not been a smooth ride these last few weeks after an injury to my quad 😖

Thankfully I know a great physio with an array of machines and tools 😝

If you'd like to sponsor me ahead of the Great North Run follow the link below 👇🏼

https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/kirsty-s-great-north-run-2026?utm_source=peoplesfundraising&utm_medium=referral

08/09/2026

When you want ALL the crystals 🤣 he settled on the black tourmaline in the end 💙

06/09/2026

ONE WEEK TO GO! 🏃🏼‍♀️💨 💨💨💨💨

Until the GREAT NORTH ICELOLLY RUN 🤣

I wonder how many I can have this year, i managed 7 last year! 🤣

If you'd like to sponsor me for this year's Great North Run in aid of Here4Horses follow the link below 👇🏼

https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/kirsty-s-great-north-run-2026?utm_source=peoplesfundraising&utm_medium=referral

06/09/2026

A great little article by Kate Sandel 💜

‘Iberian horse wanted, must have huge, flowing mane and forelock.’

I saw this advert yesterday and it made me think. First of all, as a reforming long mane enthusiast, this requires me to air my own dirty laundry; I do really understand the appeal. It’s a hard pill to swallow that in our desire for a horse to fulfil our romantic notions, we may have created a real stinker of a problem.

It’s clear we’re in trouble as an industry. As someone who comes into contact with a lot of horses, the biggest challenge most of them - and therefore us - face, are long term soundness issues. Whether that’s leg lameness or body lameness. Metabolic issues or digestive problems. We are awash with unwell horses. When people tell me I’ve been unlucky with mine, the truth is often they’re just not yet aware how crocked their own horse is.

There are challenges outside our immediate control. Chemicals on the land and in the air, in their food and grazing, are without doubt having an impact on the health of horses. You can do what you can regarding your current horses, but you’re going to have to look very hard to see how your new horse may have grown up at an environmental level.

And, but…What would the horse industry look like if the absolute main thing we prioritised was long term soundness?

If, when you went looking for a horse, you (the person with the ultimate power) insisted you wanted to see parents who are still sound and strong many years into healthy and happy ridden lives. If soundness and good health was the main thing you wanted to pay for, what might that do?

Because, right now we prioritise all the wrong things. Flashy movement. That’s a big one, and while it looks so fancy, it breaks many horses down. Horses are not meant to move like spiders.

Impressive size (I don’t know how many times I need to say it, but pretty much no-one needs these huge horses). The equine skeleton and associated structures are just not evolved to handle the immense height we’re breeding into horses. The breakdown rate of these big guys is really sad to see.

Colour. Now this is a hard one for me to admit to, as I love a colourful horse. But when the colour of the horse becomes more important than the soundness of the horse, we end up in a world of pain. When breeders are obsessed with colour because WE are obsessed with it, issues such as strong conformation, strength and soundness can easily fall by the way side.

I have asked a few of my esteemed colleagues why we’re seeing such a mess with all these broken young horses, and someone suggested this. Only a couple of decades ago the stallion available to you would have to be one in your local vicinity. Importing semen from around the world was not an option. Importing real life stallions from other countries was absolutely not a thing. You chose the proven stallion from down the road who was still sound and healthy and going strong. The one who had proven his viability as a working horse, not as a future possibility. Or a good looking horse standing in the box.

And, we better understood how very important the mare was. She wasn’t just a vessel that didn’t matter, the physically broken, unhappy, behaviourally compromised horse that is retired at 6 and put into foal. The mare is vital and needs to be actively chosen for soundness and longevity, not used because she needs a job; due to being unrideable. I mean, it’s not rocket science - and yet it’s incredibly common.

I am sharing this after years of seeing so many people and horses struggle when soundness and health have not been made the priority. As someone who loves a good looking horse, I know how very hard it is to not write ‘Must have flowing mane and big forelock’ at the top of my spec. But honestly, we’re doing to horses what we’ve done to dogs. The further we move away from functionality and focus instead on fashion, the more health problems we’re running in to.

I only wish I was a small adult, because if I was, I’d choose a pony.

Photo shows a herd of Lipizzan mares, living on hundreds of hectares of mountainside, chosen for strength and soundness. No one above 16hh…

04/09/2026

Have your listened to our recent conversation with Equestrian Relationship Coach Cat Roy Stanley?

One not to be missed!

Check it out here 👇🏼

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6shChEDoOVDDXmhto3CWPu?si=5YX_xzWiSNmQbBTDIsGe8A&utm_source=copy-link