
EQUINE PHYSIOTHERAPY
DOES MY HORSE NEED PHYSIOTHERAPY?
Physiotherapy can either be used for rehabilitation post injury or surgery, for maintenance of long-term conditions, or for improving general wellbeing. Signs your horse may need physiotherapy are as follows:
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Change in behaviour
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Unhappy to be tacked up
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Rearing, bucking or napping
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Reluctance to move forwards
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Poor performance
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Reduced suppleness or straightness
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Difficulty collecting or moving laterally
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Jump refusals
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Knocking poles
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Reluctant to accept a contact
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Disunited in canter or difficulty cantering on one rein
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High head carriage and/or hollowing
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Muscle wastage
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Dragging toes
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Difficulty getting up
If your horse is lame, you will need to make an appointment with your veterinarian; physiotherapy may only commence once the lameness has been diagnosed with permission from your vet.
HOW WILL PHYSIOTHERAPY HELP MY HORSE?
Physiotherapy uses a combination of manual techniques, such as massage and stretching; electrotherapies including ultrasound, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, TENs, NMES, and laser; husbandry advice and exercise prescription. Together the modalities compliment each other in reducing pain whilst re-balancing muscle groups after compensatory gait patterns, to prevent the re-occurance of primary and thus secondary, compensatory pain.
Exercise programmes will also help target particular muscle groups which will improve competition performance and management of long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis.
WHAT WILL I NEED TO DO?
A treatment plan will be formulated after the initial assessment. Depending on findings, you may be advised to follow a programme including exercises, hot/cold therapy, stretching and environmental advice. If your horse has had a tendon or ligament injury or severe build up of scar tissue, ultrasound may be required 2-3 times a week which must be carried out by a qualified physiotherapist. There are electrotherapy only appointments available for this purpose.