Dear
I am pleased to be able to send you a press release about Dr Tamsin Addison a paralympic dressage rider and Jin Langston a McTimoney Chiropractitioner discussing the merits of treating high level competitive horses and their riders. Please find below the full release with details of Tamsin, her horses and her aims for 2024.
High resolution images you could use to
accompany the press release can be found at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MnF27M8-Bqyi92nLScMavv1LRW_-oo0c?usp=sharingShould you need any further
information, or images, please do not hesitate to contact me. With kind regards,Gillian Harris.
Holdsworth PR & Marketing
Equestrian Public Relations and Marketing Communications Services
T: +44 (0)1903 892060
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25TH APRIL 2022
Paralympic dressage rider Dr Tamsin Addison and McTimoney
Animal Chiropractor Jin Langstone - the importance of treating high level competitive
horses and their riders!
Dr Tamsin Addison is an Irish paradressage rider
based at Radnage House Stables in Buckinghamshire who has been riding since she
was 5 years old. Tamsin came to Radnage House as a child to learn to ride. In
those days, Tamsin was taught by Miss Smallwood who was somewhat terrifying in
Tamsin’s memories, but Tamsin says fondly, “If only I could inspire as much awe
as she did!”
Initially Tamsin evented for most of her younger
years until she was given a recently gelded dressage horse to ride. Tamsin
explains, “he was somewhat excitable and nobody else was mad enough to take him
on” but her love of dressage was rooted in those beginnings. Tamsin jokes, “My
dressage results as an eventer were spectacular in terms of being a cricket
score which was usually offset by being fast and brave across country,” but
with her first dressage horse came a determination to succeed and so Tamsin’s
dressage journey began.
Whilst training progressed up the levels for
Tamsin, there were setbacks, however one turned out to be advantageous in the
most unexpected way. “My best failure was to turn up to a competition and not
have my paperwork in order. It was the best failure I have ever had as it
resulted in me being lent a horse to ride from Joyce Fern and she hasn’t
managed to shake me off since!”. Joyce is now Tamsin’s trainer and accompanied
Tamsin to the Tokyo Paralympics in 2018. Tamsin explains her special
relationship with Joyce. Tamsin says “Joyce has the most wonderful turn of
phrase and in the arena, I can hear her comments in my head, “Do you think you
could take a half halt as then he won’t need 6 months notice and a postcard to
know that you have a transition in mind”!”
Tamsin’s current horse is Fahrenheit (Fursty)
whom Tamsin describes as “such a dude! He’s a Danish Warmblood that I brought
on from a 4yo. I adore him. He’s a really relaxed character most of the time
but like all horses he has his “thing”. Being a well brought up horse he won’t
wee in his bedroom so he requires a bucket morning and evening in order to keep
his bed tidy! He follows my groom around like a puppy and he makes me laugh as
he has numerous girlfriends who worship him. They tend to scream when he leaves
his stable. I swear if he could talk you would hear him mutter “I don’t blame
them, I am gorgeous, but it would ruin my street cred to look even slightly
bothered by my needy adoring women”!”
Fursty takes the job in hand seriously though
and works hard in his training with Tamsin. Current goals are to take Fursty to
WEG in Denmark this summer. Tamsin says, “I would love to do the European
Championships next year and then I would be lying if I denied that it would be
amazing to dance around the gardens of Versailles in Paris Paralympics of 2024.
But horses have a way of changing all the plans we make. So the most important
goal is to enjoy the journey and ride well today. After Paris 2024 I have
promised my husband that I will consider the concept of a summer holiday .... (Consider
being the most important word in that sentence).”
Fursty also has a lot of help with his physical
performance from McTimoney Animal Chiropractor Jin Langstone who is based in
Oxfordshire and treats a range of competition horses, including supporting the
Irish dressage and para-dressage teams at WEG in 2018. Tamsin explains, “I met
Jin through the Irish Performance Director while I was at a 3* competition too
many years ago to recall now! I wish I
knew what it is in her hands that makes them so magic, if I could bottle it the
world would be a better place. It’s not just her treatment, Jin also brings
peace and calm to the whole of my yard and is a pleasure to work with. Among
her considerable talents is the ability to assess each horse as an individual –
to get to know them and treat them with such huge care and attention. I think
this is how she can tell just how sore they are and provide such good advice on
how much work they should or shouldn’t do. I mentally think about her visits as
a way of my horses being able to talk back to me and give me feedback on how
its working for them as an athlete. For me this is an essential part of
success, any top athlete needs to push the limits – but only to attain positive
gain, and it’s a very fine balance. Without the communications through Jin’s hands,
we would be far further from the optimizing point.”
Any animal that competes is challenging its body
and for high level horses this includes the travel, routine changes and
optimizing performance for a specific competition. As an International
Equestrian Federation Permitted Equine Therapist (FEI PET) Jin is able to treat
her equine clients at international competitions as well as at home, which
gives her a fantastic insight into how the competitions affect the horses as
well and enabling her to tailor treatments accordingly. Jin explains, “I think
there is no one therapy that answers all needs, but the McTimoney chiropractic
treatment is critical to allow the horse to work bilaterally symmetrical with
minimal energy expenditure through their body. Therefore, it is critical to
know the horse at the competitions and at home, and why the ability to adjust
the poll, spine, pelvis and pasterns is important in maintaining symmetry.”
Jin’s approach to both the horses she treats,
and their owners shows her dedication to providing the best chiropractic care.
Tamsin explains, “Jin never hurries treatment even when I have given her a huge
unreasonable patient list for the day and will often be found still in the yard
long after she should have left taking time to explain to my clients what she
has found and how their horse was feeling. Then when she’s finished de briefing
me, explaining to clients she can often be found showing my students what she
saw and what results she’s hoping for next time around. Her passion, dedication
and skill are not to be underestimated.”
Next month Tamsin and Fursty will travel to
Belgium, do a top-level competition and then travel on to Germany for another
10 days and more competition before coming home. Tamsin’s lorry is designed to
keep them as comfortable as possible, but Tamsin says she knows only too well
how tiring a journey to Europe can be. “Even if we have a good run, with no
traffic issues and a calm channel crossing I can feel the tension from the
lorry in my muscles,” says Tamsin, “I don’t believe Fursty is any different. If
McTimoney if good for me, it’s certainly good for my partner too.”
Like many riders, Tamsin must find a way to fund
her competing. Unlike the Team GBR riders, there is no funding available, so
Tamsin is self-funded in everything she does. Tamsin says, “I love working with
horses and enjoy my riding – and it would be easy if that’s all there was to
it. I run a livery and rehab yard to fund “my habit”. Its long hours and as
anyone who runs a yard knows the hours are far from 9-5 but I get huge
satisfaction from helping our horses progress and gain strength.”
However, the hardest challenge for Tamsin is
meeting the increasing quality of horsepower that is needed to be able to
compete at top level. The quality of movement, suppleness and expression to be
competitive at my grade is substantial (and so are the prices). Tamsin had to retire
her top horse (Donna Siesta) on the run up to Tokyo, so has been looking for another
horse to compete alongside Fursty, but as Tamsin eloquently puts it, “the
unicorn that I’m seeking is yet to appear! It’s probably sitting beside the
sponsorship unicorn just waiting for the right moment to support me!”
In the meantime, though Tamsin strongly believes
in trying to steer fate with all her being so she is planning for the long term
and breeding from Donna Siesta whilst making the best of every single
opportunity that comes her way.
Contact information
07771 646370
-
Facebook: @ tamsin.addison
Instagram: @tamsinaddisonparadressage
Tamsin Addison's story – Youtube
Jin Langstone - Animal therapist -Based Oxfordshire
Facebook: @KismetAnimalTherapy
Instagram:
@kismetanimal
07774652866 - Jin@kismettherapy.Co.Uk
McTimoney is a form of chiropractic manipulation
used to treat pain and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system. It
predominantly focuses on optimising alignment of the spine and pelvis in order
to restore correct function of the skeletal system, nervous system and
surrounding soft tissue. The technique is non-invasive and gentle and is
readily accepted by animals. The treatment aims to resolve dysfunction and
balance the animal’s musculoskeletal system, restoring health and movement,
soundness, and performance.
For
more information on the McTimoney Animal Association and to find a practitioner
near you go to McTimoney Animal Association
@mctimoneyanimalassociation
@mctimoney_MAA
@mctimoneyanimalassociation
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END
For
more media information, contact Gillian Harris on 01903 892060 or email gillian@holdsworthpr.co.uk
Holdsworth PR & Marketing
Equestrian Public Relations and Marketing Communications Services
T: +44 (0)1903 892060