Equine Massage/Physiotherapy

imaginegenerous

imaginegenerous

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Hi Everyone. Sorry in advance as I'm sure this question has been covered before. I'm considering retraining in sports massage/physiotherapy for horses and wondered what people's preferences for the type of person they use and training they like anyone they use on their horses have. I've researched various different courses and there's such a wide variety it's quite confusing as to which would be the most beneficial and trusted. I've heard good things about the Equinenergy course but would like some other opinions either from anyone who's done such a course or who have experience of using a physio or sports massage person. TIA.
 
I use a qualified ACPAT physiotherapist. She's qualified to treat humans as well as dogs and horses,and did a lot of work in the NHS before going freelance. I'm afraid I am very unlikely to consider anything else because I don't think I would trust the level of knowledge and clinical reasoning of many masssage/therapy people. If there was something wrong with my horse, I have the most faith in someone who has studied for years to learn their stuff, and is respected by vets and doctors alike.

There are lots of quacks out there with little training :p I'm sure there is work out there for them, but I wouldn't want to be one myself IYSWIM. Do lots of research before you commit any time or money :)
 
There is a big difference between a fully qualified ACPAT physio and someone who has attended a short course on massage techniques, I would use the former to assess and treat a horse, to liaise with the vet or farrier knowing they were qualified to do so, I would be unlikely to use a massage therapist as I prefer to do basic massage myself and want to get in a professional to deal with anything that was of concern.
If I had a serious competition horse and wanted to give it an extra treat then I would consider a massage but only for the purpose of relaxing it generally, not treating or even worse diagnosing which some therapists seem to be doing.
 
The Equinenergy bodywork course is far from being a short massage course ;) It's fairly rigorous (I also have a scientific degree and PhD so have reasonably high standards in what I expect to spend my money and time on).
I did it in 2012 AND qualified as an EBW that year after a 12 month externship. I have also done the initial course for Equine Touch and the initial and advanced courses for the Masterson Method. I did these courses because my horse was having stifle issues and a long rehab-his hindlimb lameness had been completely missed by an ACPAT physio so there you go (she did not once refer me to a vet). I really rate both the Equinergy and MM courses wrt how they are for the horse-Equine Touch was not for me. I don't practice and only work on my own horses-i have two jobs and don't really have time.

Personally, for a body worker I don't believe there is enough work out there for a full time job-until you have really proved yourself and done the very advanced courses and maybe tie it in to teaching and treating people as well. Physios may fair better but in a credit crunch, such services are the first to feel it. It would be important to tie it in with saddle fitting as well I think-from my brief foray into doing it professionally, part-time-most issues are caused by rider and/or saddle fit. Not everyone wants to hear that though.
 
I will only use ACPAT qualified people now like miiliepops the person I use does people dogs and horses and was a senior NHS physio before starting their own business .
IME There's a lot of badly qualified people working in this area giving dangerous advice .
 
I also use a ACPAT Physio. She is fantastic and has picked up things that the vet initially missed. She worked on my horse & I've never seen billy react like that before - he was like a different horse afterwards and showed such a positive reaction!

I am slightly biased as I'm a Physio (human though!) but I still think ACPAT is the best qualification. I've a friend doing the course at the moment and it is very tough and thorough.

I don't think I would use a body worker or a horse massage person as I don't think they get the same level of training imho & don't cover the same depth of veterinary material as the ACPAT course.
 
MoC your physio was, presumably, working without the consent of your vet in the first place otherwise they would have referred back to the vet if the horse failed to respond to treatment, unfortunately in all professions there are bad as well as good people and most of us have heard of horses that have been inappropriately treated sometimes with devastating results but if they follow the rules and only act with consent from a vet and refer if they think there is an underlying veterinary issue then I think ACPAT physios are the most qualified to treat injuries.
Problems usually occur when treatment is given without consent and the practitioner fails to refer, there will be many very good massage therapists, body workers etc but most do seem to work without seeking consent which is worrying.
 
no, she had vet consent for routine work which is what she was doing-and her trainer before her for years. I regularly had the physio in to give him the once over throughout his early years. I am not about to discuss it further publicly, I do not think all ACPAT physios-or even her-are bad. I just no longer think they are necessarily the be all and end all, particularly for routine work.

As a BW I never worked without consent and many I referred back to vet-most owners did not want to hear that IME, they didn't want the lameness work up, or to be told they were crooked themselves, or that their expensive saddle didn't fit them or their horse etc etc.

I get slightly fed up pf people saying that a weekend BW course, doesn't qualify you to 'treat' horses. Of course it doesn't, I don't know anyone who thinks it does-horse owners should check out the professionals that they are using. I know the training I did with both modalities and fwiw there are a fair few physios doing both courses.
 
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