My Journey & Foundation

Raised in the heart of the Cotswolds; my life and passion have always revolved around horses and dogs. My early foundation was shaped by my grandad – David “The Duke” Nicholson: a Champion National Hunt Racehorse Trainer. Whos’ influence sparked a lifelong dedication to animal care and equine management – hard to resist really when you grow up surrounded by some of the best horses whilst never being too far from one of the many many dogs of the Nicholson Households.

That early upbringing naturally led me to the bloodstock industry – where I gained extensive hands-on experience working in both training yards and stud farms. I was riding out as a young teenager and by the time I had begun my undergrad I was working with young Thoroughbreds – from foaling and sales prep to mare management and early ridden prep – developing my eye for biomechanics through all years. This would include lameness detections or early signs of irregular movement patterns that would be affected by the rapid growth this breed experiences and the physical demands of their performance careers.

My clinical journey is deeply personal and shaped by the animals I have been lucky to have shared my life with:

• Oh Crick (Hugo): what can I say about this legend! He came into my life at 11 years old having won the Grand Annual at Cheltenham and the Red Rum Chase at Aintree during his 6 year old Novice season. A long many years of joy for his wonderful owner who entrusted him to me when he retired. It took Hugo a long time to unravel from training both physically and mentally but once he got it he was magnificent! His retraining focused on using remedial retraining exercises in order to help himself move more efficiently and then supporting these changes with manual and electrophysical agent treatments. He taught me that combining therapies is often the best approach to unravel past patterns whilst allowing these fast minded animals the time to recentre.

• River Bridey (Bridey): she came into my life as a tendon injury rehab patient following a life of many colours – eventing in Ireland up to the old 2* level, 3 foals and then a fabulous career as a hunter and general fun ride – at the age of 24 what more could you ask for a first horse. She was steady playful and a joy to have around – my favourite memories of her will always be free lunging and playing with her; there was never any real need for tack with her. Keeping her active and happy will always be a proud achievement of mine.

• Mumbles: undergone TPLO surgery for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture and by overseeing her rehabilitation Mumbles was able to increase her total muscle mass of the affected hindlimb by 1.5cm in only 4 weeks of hydrotherapy and 8 weeks of physiotherapy of only manual techniques and therapeutic exercises – the usual rate is around 0.5cm increases.

• Fig: The newest addition to the team whom I have been able to combine all prior knowledge and understanding to keep in full health. She is the perfect demo dog and will often be seen in my rehabilitation exercise videos. I only need to apply a minute of manual treatments before she starts releasing and can then be found napping for the remainder of the day

Today, I combine rigorous academic training with an active high-level industry practice. I split my time between working at a prestigious private stud farm, running bi-weekly Saturday Canine Physiotherapy Clinics from Shipston Veterinary Centre and back riding out racehorses where I can. A routine that keeps my clinical perspective grounded in the real-world physical demands of working and competition animals.

Whether treating a senior dog, guiding a post-surgical canine recovery or optimising elite equine athletes. I bring that exact blend of clinical expertise, empathetic understanding and daily hands-on experience to every animal under my care across Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Worcestershire.

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Qualifications & Professional Memberships

Masters of Science (MSc) in Veterinary Physiotherapy

Writtle University College – Graduated in 2023

BSc (Hons) in Bloodstock and Performance Horse Management

Royal Agricultural University – Graduated in 2019 with First Class Honours

Professional Registrations

• AHPR Registered | Balens Insured | Fully Compliant with Section 19 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act (1966)

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Specialised Clinical Toolkit (CPD)

The Faces Behind the Logo

Eclipse Vet Physio was founded on the visual identify and legacies of the three animals who shaped my life and clinical journey. The logo combines their likeness so that I can always have them with me – the silhouettes of Hugo and Mumbles surrounded by the eclipse motif inspired by Bridey’s facial markings