Does physio really work on horses??

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Jericho

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I called my vet out recently to look at my new horse due to general stiffness / touchiness with hind legs & back / problems with farrier. Vet couldnt find anything too untoward, suggested it was probably just arthiritis (horse is 11yrs) starting in hips/hocks. I questioned vet about getting a physio / chiropractor to check his back out and he surprised me by saying that the horses muscoloskeletal system is too big and deepset especially the spine to manipulate or tweak.

I have heard such sucess stories from people that I am unconvinced about his opinion and am still tempted to get one out (by getting him to refer) but at the same time I dont want to waste money if it is just one of the practices that is fashionable?

So good / bad stories anyone? What do you think of vets opinion?
 
No doubt I will be verbally abused for this, but what the hell... If you spend much time reading threads on this forum, anytime a horse misbehaves, the first thing people say is, oh you must get his back and teeth checked.

Personally, I think a lot of behaviour problems are due to too much of the wrong food and too little turnout/exercise and basically bad training, but the average horse owner does not want to think these are the cause of their horses problems, so they jump straight to any number of alternative therapies.

My old vet used to tell me the best physio for a horse, was to be eating grass in a field. My current vet offers a physio service himself. So many vets contradict themselves.

I personally suffer from a bad back and I do find that visits to my human physio are very beneficial, but many GP's say its a waste of time.

Hopefully, these therapies won't hurt your horse, and lots of people swear by them, so if you have the money, why not try it. However, I do think that having a physio check your horse is a very fashionable thing to do.
 
When I first bought my horse he was around 11 he was stiff and unsupple, although quite well schooled and ridden by a top rider along with a number of other less experienced riders, he was worked for around 4 hours a day hard schooling. I had him checked out by the physio as he had weak back due to a badly fitting saddle.

New saddle and regular lessons and regular physio he is doing alot better and his back has really changed. I agree that alot of people having the physio is possibly one of the latest fads but I always notice a difference in my boy for the better after he has had a session and I will definately carry on with it. Physio will also pick up on things that your horse has not let you in on yet.
 
I think your vet must be 'OLD SCHOOL' and obviously has not seen a good one at work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My horses have visits from their Physio/Ciro at least once a month, whether they need it or not.

They are a valuable member of the team, I would not be without them.
 
I think it really depends on the vet. My friends Dad was a horse vet and he used to say the exact same thing as your vet has just said- that there is no chance a person can have any impact on a horses skeletal system as its too big and tough.
However, i do have a physio and a McT back lady for my youngster and it does seem to be helping him a bit so who knows whats true!
 
I have had the chiropractor out for my boy and he has improved no end.

He was brushing his back legs badly and wasn't tracking up anywhere near what he used to. He also wouldn't soften at all and fight me (TBH I thought it was just me asking in the 'wrong' way - haven't had him long) but since the chiropractor's visit he is softening, tracking up and brushing less so something must have worked.

I also go to a chiropractor and I really notice the difference in my back, so presumably they do too!
 
If your vet says that a persons hands cannot influence the horses skeletal system, how does he explain the effect of a badly fitting saddle?

I think there is nothing wrong with trying complementary therapies and a physio could possibly help your horse. We all want the best for them and sometimes the way we keep and exercise them isnt always the best thing. Therefore tracey01 there could be any number of factors affecting our horses and it is our job as responsible owners to do whatever we can to care for them.
 
In a word yes!
Unfortunately there are some cowboys out there who will claim they have put joints 'back in'. If the horses joint was actually out of place (dislocated) it would be in agony!

Although I do agree with Tracey many people do hurry to call someone out rather than look at their own management I don't think lottery funding would fund an equine physio to travel with every team if it was just fanciful.
There are certainly some which are a waste of money but then so are some vets and trainers!
 
i think it depends whether its a schooling issue that is making your horse stiff or an underlying issue. ours became increasingly difficult to ride but wasnt lame. it turned out he had damaged the bursal sac in his shoulder. physio used h waves to stimulate th muscles in the area and also helped adress the stiffness caused by compensating that shoulder. it definately helped hugely in his case but that was physio for an actual condition rather than general stiffness. so yes it works but it depends what you are trying to improve.
 
I had a horse vetted (5 stage) two weeks ago when I bought him, and the vet commented on the fact that the horse had some tension in the neck and back. I had already noticed this and had already planned to call out a McTimoney chiropractor or a physio; the vet was very supportive of this idea, and readily agreed it was the way to go.

My vet was from our local equine hospital, who always work very closely with a number of phyios and chiropractors
 
Hi,

Im an equine body workder and do sports massage so naturally i will be biased but before training to become an EBW i used a lady to do sports massage on my own competition horse. She made the world of difference in helping to keep her supple and remove any spasm/muscle contractions.
Personally i think for a vet to say massage/physio/chiro can't make any difference to the musculoskeletal system is a bit dated.
As an EBW we can work with both the superficial and deep (1st and 2nd) muscle layers which support the horses skeletal system. So no we don't manipulate the skeleton however through massage and deep tissue mobilisation we can improve/correct any A-Symmetry found in a horse.
Also from a human perspective and especially an athlete's, physio can make the world of difference. If any of you have been for massage/physio then im sure you will have walked away feeling a lot more supple and hopefully pain free all be it after a few sessions.
Well the same applies to a horse, so whether it be for general maintenance or to treat a specific problem then its worth giving it a try.

Let me know how you get on, would be v interested to hear what route you take. Best of luck.
 
You cannot expect a physio to work miracles but I always have my horse checked every six to eight weeks. He has a number of problems and the physio helps keep him supple. She also suggests certain riding exercises that may help (she is a qualified instructor as well). I find that physios can help identify issues. They might not be able to completely solve them but they make a difference. I wouldn't be without mine. But then again I'm a broken human who has physio every two weeks and it is the only thing that keeps me riding so I suppose I know the difference it can make.
 
Years ago there was an "extensive exchange of views" in the letters page of H & H between vets who said the "back man" was rubbish, and those who disagreed.

True, you cannot manipulate a horse's skeleton, what the treatment does, as I understand it, is to release tension and work on the muscles and so on, not the bone.

The fact that many, many horses are treated and appear to benefit makes me think that yes, it does work and is worth it.
 
I think i can join in on this thread as i had my first experience with a ACPAT Physio yesterday.
I always up to yesterday used a qualified Chiro.

I was extremely pleased with the Physio yesterday she worked on both horses who have both had accidents. One horse has a torn Hamstring. It was obvious the difference she made with both horses.

The Chiro whilst good has never made a differance like what i witnessed yesterday.

I have been given lots of work to do with both horses & she had me involved in the sessions. I was more than impressed with the Physio & will continue to use her.

The horse with the Torn Hamsting obviously had a better range of movement as this morning he managed a very little buck. He hasnt been able to do this in 2 months so i think the Physio work yesterday has made him feel more mobile. Hopefully the work i have been given to do with both horses will benifit them greatly.

Orange Horse is right Chiro's manipulate they don't actually move bone it's impossible. The one thing ive found with Chiro's is that there work can be very short lived because of the old muscle memory. This is only what ive found in my own treatment by a very good chiro. This means that to keep myself right i would have to have a Chiro treatment every month at least. I can't afford that.

I personally think a good Physio is worth there weight in gold after what i saw yesterday & the fact i can carry on with exercise to help even more myself is a bonus in my book. I can't wait to see even more improvement in my boys through Physio.
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As Gemma_31 says physio can make a great difference to an athlete. You have to consider whether your horse needs a"sports massage" to make him supple so work is easier - just as a human athlete would have regular sessions or whether he needs "treatment" for an underlying condition.
I have had physio on a horse with muscle spasms along his spine after a road accident. the release from pain was immediate. i also know of a situation where the horse had incorrect movement - one hind leg was not coming through. Over a year several sessions with a "back" person did not help for more than a short time. The problem kept coming back - the cause was a bone chip. So he was never going to solve the problem.
In my view physio is wonderful either as a regular "sports therapy" or as a treatment after veterinary diagnosis. But never call the back person instead of the Vet. In any case a fully qualified Equine Physiotherapist will not treat without Vet referral.
 
I LOVE my physio and I genuinely cannot understand how I managed without her for so long. I know a few of you above have said that a physio 'can't work miracles' but I think mine comes pretty close!
She is supportive every step of the way with Rage (post KS surgery rehab) and has just started helping me get to the bottom of my mare's mystery issues. The vets haven't wanted to know at all, but my physio is going to meet the vet here and explain/demonstrate her findings to him. Hopefully this will result in a bit more focus on where to start the veterinary investigations, and force the vet to realise that there actually are issues that need dealing with.

The equine hospital I use spout off about how they 'work closely with a range of therapists' but on the whole this is b*ll*cks!
Although I will always obtain vet permission before using a physio, I would pretty much always take the advice of my physio over speculation by the vet in the first instance where muscular issues are in question, and then get the vet to diagnose in the area(s) suggested by the physio.
IME vets very often fumble around in the dark and clutch at straws, and I am not keen on going there again!
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I would use a physio rather than a 'back man'. Humans use pyhysio after injury to re-educated muscles and surely the same must apply to animals?

My old Vet was never into this sort of thing an poo-pooed it until his daughter, a human physio, leant a hand to the human/horse physio whilst she was pregnant. He had a pony that he had failed to make any progress with and his daughter asked is they could go and see it. He said yes and had the pont back working within a couple of weeks!

After that he was the first to suggest using the physio.

In some cases I would call her rather than the Vet for subtle unlevelness.
 
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