EQUINE PHYSIOTHERAPHY
Physiotherapy can be beneficial as a maintenance treatment to relieve any tightness’s, adhesions and pain to keep the animal feeling supple and in tip top condition. It can also be useful for chronic conditions and injuries. Physiotherapy is suitable for horses at all levels from happy hackers to international level athletes.
Horses can develop soft tissue and musculoskeletal issues from general use when working to chronic conditions/injuries.
Amy Stone Veterinary Physiotherapy aims to identify and treat equines to a high standard to promote a good wellbeing, improve muscle engagement and to restore/maintain correct locomotion to ensure the horse works comfortably at an optimum level.
Some common signs of discomfort which are a change to the horses general demeanour and condition are:
Bucking, napping, rearing, bolting
Poor performance
Lameness/ Abnormal Gait
Signs of muscle asymmetry/muscle atrophy
Uneven hoof wear
Being “cold backed”
Resistant/heavier to work on one rein more than the other
Head shaking
Weight Shifting
Behavioural changes
Unusual Posture
Disunited Canter
Picking up the incorrect canter lead
Not tracking up correctly
Unhappy to be tacked up
Some common reasons for physiotherapy treatment, but are not limited to are:
Routine Treatments
Stiffness
Muscle strains
Digital Flexor tendons injuries
Ligament Sprains and damage
Reducing Oedema and Pain
Reducing scar tissue
Wounds
Back & Sacroiliac Issues
Muscle atrophy/muscle asymmetries
Post-surgical rehabilitation
Osteoarthritis
Kissing Spines
Bone Spavin
Ringbone
Sidebone
Navicular
Splints
Mud Fever/ Rain Scald
Laminitis
Stifle Issues