Have you heard of a horse chiropractor?
Healthy horses run around. A lot!
Particularly horses that are confined to yards or stables for part of each day… You let them out and the first thing they often do is take off for a run, kicking and bucking as they go.
Whilst it looks impressive, and it’s great to watch them enjoying themselves, it doesn’t take much for them to pull a muscle, or sprain something. When that happens, you may need the help of a qualified horse chiropractor to help sort him, or her, out!
Some of us however don’t know all that much about these equine health care professionals… What they do, how this is important for overall horse health, and can it help your horse.
So – if you’d like to learn more, or think your horse might be in need of one, read on…
What Is A Horse Chiropractor?
In Australia, a horse chiropractor is a specialised equine healthcare professional who uses chiropractic techniques to treat equine musculoskeletal problems.
Although some of their work is similar to that of a horse physiotherapist, a chiropractor focuses on the skeleton of the horse, notably the spine and pelvis.
Horse chiropractors manually manipulate and adjust dysfunctional areas of the horse’s skeleton to help bring them back into correct alignment and functionality.
This then helps surrounding nerves, tendons, muscles, and ligaments return to normal health and function.
The aim of such treatments is to help reduce pain, improve mobility, and improve a horse’s overall health and wellbeing.
Why Is Chiropractic Care Important For Horses?
Horses, just like us, can suffer from a variety of musculoskeletal issues. If their pelvis is uneven for example i.e. higher on one side than the other, the spine compensates by curving.
This in turn creates mobility problems for the horse that may cause bucking, stiffness, lack of forward impulsion etc.
It can also lead to abnormal compensatory muscle and ligament development, further exacerbating the problem.
Rotated pelvises are another relatively common problem in horses, and one often treated by equine chiropractors.
In this condition, the hips rotate backwards, compromising the horse’s movement. Their hind legs for example may ‘hang out’ behind them when they move instead of coming in underneath them like they’re supposed to.
It’s painful to watch, and likely even more painful for the horse!
Getting your horse checked by a chiropractor, particularly if you notice problems with their movement, can help identify and rectify problems before they become more severe or chronic.
How To Find A Horse Chiropractor?
Your best option is to talk to your vet. If you are looking for a horse chiropractor then you probably have concerns about some aspect of your horse’s mobility.
Perhaps you’ve noticed s/he isn’t moving properly, appears to be stiff, or has suddenly started displaying ‘narky’ behaviour when asked to move.
These are all things you should discuss with your vet first as the problem may turn out to be quite different to what you think it is.
If your vet determines the problem is something a chiropractor can help with, they will either have a vet on staff with the additional training and knowledge to perform chiropractic work.
Or they will have an established working relationship with an independent equine chiropractor whose work they know and approve of.
Key Takeaways About Horse Chiropractors
A horse chiropractor can be an important part of your horse’s ‘medical team’, especially if your horse has an extensive performance history, like racing.
Spinal and pelvic problems can cause all manner of mobility problems for horses, and also make them very sore and uncomfortable.
This in turn can make them difficult, unpredictable, and even dangerous to ride. Therefore, if you think your horse may benefit from chiropractic care, talk to your veterinarian, who can provide guidance and recommendations, and potentially refer you to a trusted horse chiropractor.
