Equine osteopathy
Osteopathy will ensure that you get the best from your horse. It will aim to relieve pain, prevent injury, maximise movement, performance and health.
In order for your horse to perform at their full potential they need to be in the best possible condition. An individually tailored programme of regular osteopathic treatment can help achieve this alongside regular stretching, exercises, appropriate schooling, correctly fitting tack and rider position.
1/6
What can Equine Osteopathy help with?
Osteopathy focus's on treating your horse as a whole, therefore is not just about treating backs. This ensure's that your horse will get the most out of their treatment sessions. Common signs that your horse may need treatment:
- Lameness
- Altered Stride (i.e. shortened, not tracking up)
- Disunited
- Bolting
- Frequent unusual head movements (i.e. head shaking)
- Reluctance to jump
- Resistance or defensive when touched
- Unexplained behavioural changes
- Head shyness
- Reluctance to trot or canter on a certain rein due to pain
- Tail deviation or excessive swishing
- Non weight bearing
Equine Osteopathy can help to improve the following:
- Reduce stiffness
- Improve and maintain mobility
- Joint soreness
- Muscle Soreness
- Pain related behavioural changes
- Pain related riding issues
- Lameness
- Age related changes
- Injury rehab
What to expect from an appointment?
Upon booking a session for your horse we will need to gain consent from the appropriate veterinary practitioner. This is top ensure that your horse is safe for treatment, this can be useful as it will allow us to work alongside your vet if needed.
At your first appointment, we will ask questions about your horse’s medical history and lifestyle, as well as any symptoms you may be reporting. The information that you provide will ensure that we can make an accurate assessment.
Once the inital information has been collected will need to observe and examine your horse. This will involve a thorough walk and trot up and, if required, lungeing and riding too, followed by a whole body musculoskeletal osteopathic examination. Whole body assessments are important as the cause of the problem may be in a different area to the pain, (for example, hindlimb lameness may be linked to tension in the poll).
Treatment will involve a range of techniques from soft tissue work, lymphatic drainage, mobilisations, manipulations and stretching. The use of techniques will be individually tailored to your horse.
After the appointment your osteopathy will provide you with after treatment advice and may provide some exercise suggestions if deemed necessary. Need for future appointments will be discussed in order to provide the best care for your horse.