What is veterinary physiotherapy for horses?
Veterinary physiotherapy focuses on improving a horse’s mobility, relieving pain, and enhancing performance through specialized therapies. This includes manual techniques, therapeutic exercises, and advanced technologies like laser therapy, to address musculoskeletal issues and aid in rehabilitation.
How do I know if my horse needs physiotherapy?
Horses may benefit from physiotherapy if they show signs of lameness, stiffness, reduced performance, or difficulty with certain movements. Other indicators include uneven gait, reluctance to jump, or changes in posture.
What conditions can physiotherapy help treat in horses?
Physiotherapy can help manage a variety of conditions, including soft tissue injuries, joint stiffness, muscle strains, post-surgery rehabilitation, poor performance, and recovery from fractures or tendon/ligament injuries.
What treatments do you use in horse physiotherapy?
Treatments can include manual therapy (massage, joint mobilization), therapeutic exercises, laser therapy, kinesiology taping, and advanced technology like Winback Tecartherapy to accelerate healing and recovery.
Is physiotherapy painful for horses?
No, physiotherapy is not painful for horses. Techniques are applied in a gentle manner, and most horses find the treatment relaxing. It helps reduce pain and improve comfort.
How long does a typical physiotherapy session last?
Sessions typically last between 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the specific needs of the horse. The first session may take a little longer to allow for a full assessment and discussion of treatment goals.
Can physiotherapy improve my horse’s performance in competition?
Yes, regular physiotherapy can help optimize your horse's muscle function, flexibility, and joint mobility, contributing to better performance, quicker recovery times, and injury prevention during competitions.
" Sarah has been treating our horses for about 8 years during which time we have had lots of success due to her involvement. We feel lucky to have her help in diagnosing and treating all of the team.
She is very reliable and punctual with each appointment and has never let us down.
As a competition yard we feel every person involved is as important as each other and they all need to want the same end result which is never in question with Sarah’s involvement.
We have regular check ups even when the horses are going well to keep everything on track and we could not be happier with the help and advice we receive constantly"
"Sarah assessed my horse prior to initiating her hands on physiotherapy session.
Sarah took her time working with him.
Sarah is punctual, professional and loves the job she does helping other people with their equine friends."
" Sarah has played a massive part of helping my gelding become more comfortable. Unfortunately due to bone changes the prognosis isn’t great. But he is back out enjoining being part of his herd with his pals in the main field due to Sarah.
Would not hesitate to recommend Sarah and will definitely be using her on my youngster"