Pain within the muscles and joints can be caused by even day to day activities.  From happy hackers to race horses, every horse has a job to perform, and we believe physiotherapy is a key part of your horses' physical fitness and wellness.  By working along side your team of vets, farriers, dentists, trainers and riders, Sammy will keep your horse working and performing at their optimum.  

 

As prey animals, horses are hardwired to cover up aches and pains in order to survive.  Their ability to compensate throughout the body means the most subtle of changes could be a sign they would benefit from treatment.  Horses on a regular maintenance regime are more likely to have any minor changes, asymmetries or problems detected before they manifest and affect performance. We strongly believes all horses benefit from regular physiotherapy treatments.

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 The below signs are typical low level changes that suggest your horse may benefit from treatment:

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• Poor performance/reduced performance levels.

• Behavioural changes and resistance behaviours that are often unexplained (bucking, rearing, napping, tail swishing, tooth grinding, head shaking/tilting).

• Sensitivity or discomfort during grooming.

• Inability to stand square.

• "Cold-backed" behaviours when saddling or mounting.

• Disunited canter, or striking or maintaining canter on a particular rein.

• Poor engagement of the hind-limbs, and difficulty working in an outline and over the back.

• Difficulty with extension/collection

• Stiffness when asked to bend.

• Issues when jumping.

• Un-levelness of the hind limbs, and toe-dragging.

 

Some common conditions that benefit from physiotherapy include:

• Back pain

• Muscular asymmetries

• Kissing spines (Over-riding dorsal spinous processes, O-DSP)

• Sacroiliac conditions

• Osteoarthritis

• Ringbone / Sidebone

• Intermittent upward fixation of the patella (IUFP)

• Locking stifles

• Rehabilitation following tendon/ligament strains

• Post surgical rehabilitation

• Proximal suspensory desmitis (PSD)

• Scar tissue

• Muscular strain

• Nerve injuries 

• Rapid muscular atrophy

• Low grade movement asymmetries