Meet Renee Cornwall & her handsome Huntaway, Beau – dog sports duo from Palmerston North, New Zealand. These two do multiple sports together:
• Obedience and Rally-O
• Agility
• Tracking & Scent-Work
And compete almost every weekend!
As a senior Vet Nurse with a passion for animal physical rehabilitation, her dedication to keeping Beau fit and comfortable came easy to her. Like many animal handlers, she was so focused on Beau’s training needs that she forgot his most important one: having a handler who moves and feels great.
When we first met, Renee was struggling with constant low back, neck, and shoulder pain. She was requiring monthly massages just to get by, and her declining mobility was impacting the physical demands of her job. Sport-wise, Renee was struggling to “be where I needed and move my body in a way that supported and guided Beau.”
One day she decided to make the commitment to start giving her own body the attention that it needed, and it was the day that changed everything for them. Renee started her Corrective Movement journey via IN-TENSION’s four-month Athlete Sponsorship Program, where she focused on mobilising, building efficient movement habits, and strengthening her body.
When she’s not training or taking care of animals, she’s travelling around the country for competitions! So, how did she incorporate her Corrective Training into her busy life? By doing one or two things here and there, filtering them into her day. She would often dedicate just 5 minutes while watching TV in the evenings, which worked a treat for her. “The little bits all add up!”
Renee noticed changes in her body almost instantly, and at the end of her 4 months she had this to say: “I stand more upright (instead of slouched) and my overall fitness has improved without spending hours at the gym or going out running. By correcting my posture, it’s helped in both my career as a vet nurse, which often requires me to hold myself in odd positions, and as a sport dog handler so I’m able to confidently direct my dog. Plus, I’m not sore after either!”
Where to from here? After acing everything, Renee has finished her sponsorship. It’s time for her to take these movements concepts through to her next block of training, which we are confident she can do independently. Her next training goals are around building more strength, stamina, and agility. “Looking after my body is now just as important as looking after my dogs body.”
Renee has some beautiful words of encouragement:
“It’s never too late to start focusing on your body and health! Even small changes every day can make a big difference overall. Theres a saying in animal health which is, “Age is not a disease” and I wholeheartedly believe that applies for humans too. Age shouldn’t be a limiting factor when it comes to looking after the way we move.”
To keep tabs on Renee and Beau’s journey (and to see many cute photos of Beau!), you can follow the duo over on their Instagram: @thehappyhuntaway
