Amanda set up the practice after working in human sports medicine and outpatients. Her life long ambition is to be able to offer the same facility to animals. Her human physiotherapy training and opportunities in the management of spinal performance problems and injuries in athletes, led her to Janet Ellis MCSP, to learn her technique of reflex inhibition (Ellis), to mobilise and improve athletic function in the horse and dog.

After eighteen months with Janet, Amanda returned to Winchester to start her own human/animal practice. Over the year’s, time has been spent in South Africa, Australia and the USA learning from experts around the world.

Anthony Pusey DO and Julia Brooks DO Osteopaths,  have been instrumental in assisting the practice in treatment techniques of horses and dogs, using osteopathic approaches. Educational courses for Chiropractors, Veterinary Surgeons, Osteopaths and Chartered Physiotherapists subsequently followed.

As a result of Amanda’s enthusiasm to learn and develop the field of animal therapy, she has offered apprenticeships, to Chartered Physiotherapist from around the world and has been involved in the careers of many, now successful in their own countries and here in the UK.

Amanda attended major sporting events to be able to study the appropriateness and effectiveness of physiotherapy in the athlete and has provided care for Blenheim, Badminton and Burghley Horse Trials. The Fox Pitt event team are loyal clients who have been with us for 20 years.

In the 1990’s Amanda was appointed  Chartered Physiotherapist for the riders and horses of the British Three Day Event Team, which enabled Amanda to attend the Olympics and work alongside the best veterinary surgeons, riders and farriers in the world. Experience gained at these elite levels have helped formulate and develop treatment techniques for all our clients, both large and small.

In 2000 Amanda was involved in helping get the MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the Royal Veterinary College off the ground. She subsequently gained the MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy and authored two books on equine therapy. She also contributed chapters in “Lameness in the Horse” and “Canine Rehabilitation and Therapy”.

Stephanie qualified as a chartered physiotherapist in 2002, going on to specialise in paediatrics for the last 7 years, developing world renowned skills in paediatric neurology and respiratory care.

She then qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2008 with an MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy. From which she had her research published in the Veterinary Journal “Kinetics of jump landing in agility dogs” in November 2010.
Further to this Steph went on to working within central London in a hydrotherapy and specialist veterinary referral centre for neurology. This provided Steph with vast experience in Canine hydrotherapy and Neurology, whilst working within a veterinary multidisciplinary team. Stephanie also has experience with post surgical management and management of diseases such as Osteoarthritis. Stephanie does however enjoy all aspects of canine treatment from management of elderly and companion dogs through to management of top canine agility athletes.
 

Steph started working with the practice in 2009, and has subsequently given lectures throughout the country and treated horses across Europe. Within the equine community Steph specialises in the treatment of racehorses working as part of a multidisciplinary team with the trainer, vet, farrier and other relevant persons. Steph has been instrumental on advising on the integration of alternative training programmes in race horses and the use of laser acupuncture alongside musculoskeletal physiotherapy. She has also assisted at competitions and carried out on site therapy to assist in recovery and athletic performance. Stephanie is currently spending her spare time retraining her rescued race horse and her rescued agility collie.

Leanne lives in the new forest where she has lived all of her life and is thrilled to be working in the surrounding area doing a job that she used to dream of. Leanne completed her human physiotherapy degree at Southampton University and went on to complete her post graduate Veterinary Physiotherapy study through the University of the West of England being based at Hartpury College.

Leanne has been actively involved in horses from a young age and still regularly competes at both local and affiliated level; predominantly in eventing; where she has had successes at novice level, especially with her ex-racing mare. She also enjoys her dressage and schooling horses to a high standard. She currently has some homebred youngsters that she is bringing on with the aim of them competing at eventing.

Leanne has been an active instructor in the area, both privately and for the local pony club. She has had experience with breaking and training youngsters and often re-schools horses. As a Chartered Physiotherapist part of the treatment process often involves providing a rehabilitation program to enable the animal to recover back to full fitness. Leanne believes that rehabilitation is the missing link between treatment and recovery. This hugely neglected area in animal treatment is an area that Leanne is bridging with her equestrian skills and physiotherapeutic knowledge.
As an instructor, incorporating a physiotherapy approach concentrating on posture, balance and co-ordination can have a huge beneficial impact on the way of going of a horse, giving the missing link between horse and rider observations of balances and imbalances.

Together with the horses Leanne has a passion for dogs, with her family currently having a collection of Border Terriers and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. She is now enjoying applying her physiotherapy interests and skills to working with dogs and rehabilitating them back to fitness. Alongside working over this next year Leanne will be completing a research dissertation project in a subject of interest to her, with the aim of applying any relevant findings to her everyday practice.

Joyce has worked for the practice for more years than she will care to admit.

When Amanda set up Suttons Animal Physiotherapy Joyce was in the right place at the right time, having just retired from IBM and she started working part time for the practice. Her daughters had both ridden and Joyce had been a keep pony club mother, and committee member, with a special interest in show jumping and the show jumping teams. 

A short time later when the specialist animal physiotherapy interest group ACPAT (The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy) was looking for a secretary, Joyce was approached to work for them. Working part time for them she helped steer them through a very busy and hectic 10 years, during which she continued to work for Suttons Animal Physiotherapy. When she eventually decided to retire from ACPAT, she was made an Honorary member, for her contribution to the group.

 She still now manages all the accounts and assists in the management of the practice, while still finding time to walk her chocolate labrador Jake and spend time enjoying her 3 year old grandson Oscar.

Animal Healer - Margrit Coates
_{BRCP MGCP}

Margrit has over 25 years experience of hands on healing - working with people as well as animals. Healing work means being able to tune into the mind of the animal and into its energy field, which flows around every living being. Healing may take place on a mental, emotional or physical level. A re-balance of energy can allow the animal's own repair resources to activate and strengthen, allowing a return to homeostatis. Margrit is the author of several books. Margrit's website is at www.theanimalhealer.com.

Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeon - Cheryl Sears
_{MVB MRVCS Vet MF Hom}

Cheryl qualified as a veterinary practitioner in 1983 and still works part-time in a conventional practice. She then qualified in Veterinary Homeopathy, which is a branch of holistic medicine, and is also a certified small animal acupuncture practitioner.

Homeopathy is based on the principle that "like cures like" meaning that a substance known to cause a condition, may also be used in remedy form to cure a similar condition.

Saddler Consultant - Kay Humphries

Equine Acupuncture Specialist - Sue Devereux
_{BA BVSc MRVCS IVAS Cert. AP}

Sue has always had a special interest in horses and she qualified as a vet from Bristol University in 1983. After many years in equine practice she was introduced to acupuncture by her medical colleagues after experiencing a riding injury that became progressively more debilitating, despite the best of medical care. After 4 years of chronic, severe neck pain that was not helped by painkillers, treatment with acupuncture was so effective that within 3 months she was virtually pain free. Following this experience, Sue joined The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and enrolled on a one year course to study acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in some depth. In 2000 she passed the written and practical Diploma examinations and was certified as a veterinary acupuncturist. This was just the start of her interest in holistic medicine which encompasses complementary therapies that include acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy and healing. These treatments are frequently integrated into her work to complement conventional veterinary medicine. Sue lives and works in the Salisbury area where she accepts referrals for acupuncture. Her special interest is the recognition of chronic musculoskeletal pain in horses and ponies. She is the author of the best-selling book "The Veterinary Care of the Horse". Sue's website is at www.equineacupuncture.co.uk/.