March 20, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
Chiropractic Treatment for Horses
I am a great believer in the benefits of chiropractic treatment for both horses and people. I think that the horses’ back takes a lot of extra strain when being ridden and particularly when being jumped. You should make sure that your saddle fits well, that it is regularly restuffed and I always use a numnah under the saddle. Horses can also easily injure their backs when rolling and particularly if they become cast. I appreciate that many people may be sceptical about this type of treatment but based on my experience over 25 years I am convinced of its merits. I have some problems with my own back and know first-hand how painful it can be and the immediate relief you can get from this treatment. I used to get the horses backs checked annually at the end of each showjumping season prior to being rested over the winter. I used to regularly check the horses back by running my hand along the horses back from the withers to the tail. The pressure should be reasonably firm along each side of the spine and you will quickly spot when there is any new soreness. Some signs of a sore back can be dipping of the back when mounting, the tail being carried at an unusual angle either to one side or higher/lower than usual. If you think your horse has a sore back, I would suggest a couple of days rest and then recheck for soreness. if there is not a significant improvement, I would then seek prompt attention. When my horse seriously injured his foot, he also damaged his back when pulling his foot free. The horse’s back was in spasm before the chiropracter manipulated it and there was an immediate visible difference after some initial treatment. With hindsight, I should have progressed with further chiropractic and physiotherapy for the back damage as subsequently the horse has had some problems with stiffness in the hindquarter, which I believe resulted from the significant damage done to his back. At the time, our main focus was on the foot injury which looked horrible but the damage to the back was most likely just as significant, although not as apparent.
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5 Responses to “Chiropractic Treatment for Horses”
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March 25th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I, too, have had positive experiences with horses and chiropractic. While it is important to find one that is very good (which can be difficult), it can definitely be most helpful for the horse.
April 9th, 2007 at 6:57 am
I met someone through Equestriancupid who had a very positive experience with chiropractic treatment and their horse thankfully managed to recover well after previously suffering. Interesting article.
Danny
Equestriancupid
November 7th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
i think everyone, regardless human or horse can benefit from chiropractic help, and i support someone trying to help a horse live healthier
May 20th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Out of the blue my very reliable very talented competeive showjumper started stopping. He had never stopped before & suddenly I didnt recognise my own horse from one show to the next. The trainer blamed me for incorrect technique that was causing it. Out of sheer despiration I got the chiropracter out who found the horse to have a very sore back. After 2 sessions (£110) and 2 weeks of rest we had our first jumping session at the trainers yard this morning & although its the first of a few steps in getting him back into competition he didnt stop once, seemed like a far happier horse, had far better technique over the fences, was more supple, moved far more freely and was back to being the talented little super star I fell in love with. I cant explain how traumatised Ive been, blaming myself. I feel so gratefull to the Chiropracter for what hes done. Its a day & night change. I cant sing his praises enough (01462450264 - Hertfordshire area) THANK GOODNESS FOR PETER THE CHIROPRACTER!!!!
June 10th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I hope your horse is continuing to recover and return to his old reliable self. Much as riders can and do make mistakes, if a horse starts to stop regularly, I would always start with getting their back checked.