horses backs

My vet told me its a load of codswallop, he just back from a course with UK top vets who vet millions of pounds worth of horse - must maybe be race horses, anyway I had him out last week and he said all this stuff about misaligned pelvis's etc they speak about, these top vets laught it off as nonsense. Anyhow that's all I know about it, due to a conversation with him about it.
 
Well thats what i would have thought except they practice on people first for so many years then horses. Surely if it did nothing then why would people use them? I'm completely on the fence about it all, had one out to my horse the other day and physio actually specified which vertebrae were causing the problems, I guess the proof will be how well he rides post treatment.
 
Quote-My vet told me its a load of codswallop, he just back from a course with UK top vets who vet millions of pounds worth of horse - must maybe be race horses, anyway I had him out last week and he said all this stuff about misaligned pelvis's etc they speak about, these top vets laught it off as nonsense. Anyhow that's all I know about it, due to a conversation with him about it.Quote
weebarney said:
Well thats what i would have thought except they practice on people first for so many years then horses. Surely if it did nothing then why would people use them? I'm completely on the fence about it all, had one out to my horse the other day and physio actually specified which vertebrae were causing the problems, I guess the proof will be how well he rides post treatment.
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Not sure weebarney I'm just passing on what was told to me, my view on the other hand is 50/50 I've had some folks to my horse, thought u just did nothing and robbed me of £50 then had someone else thought yeah they look like they have helped and thought my horse felt better afterwards , even though I will still get my horse done every 3 -6 months because it makes me feel better, I think he feels better after massage for sure.
 
One vet vs many vets.... hmmm....

So, all those physios who help injured horses, horses who have had surgery etc are all complete fakes then? Who knew.

I best tell my vet and insurance company.
 
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I think physio can help with muscles but I dont think anyone can reallign vertebrae in a horse. They are pretty much bound to have a bit of backache sometimes considering what we do with them, we just have to try to minimise any interferance as much as possible by having the best fitting equipment and riding with consideration. Last time I had a "backman" at a horse he did my back too, didn't make one iota of difference, however a couple of private sessions with a physio and her machine made a heck of a difference healing up damaged tissue for the same price as one dodgy session with the "backman". Each to their own though, it keeps someone in a job and makes owners feel better!
 
I've had my horse's back checked by a physio twice a year since I've had him just as check/maintenance really - he's in a herd of 12 other geldings, it gets very lively at times and the ground at the yard is not good - wet or dry. Very rarely has he had to have much done but the one or two times I've had to get her out as felt something not right, with treatment, it's been sorted, noticeably.

She has treated many horses involved in the horrors of trailer accidents too and the local vets recommend her for such things/recuperation.
 
I was once told by a professional anatomist that the horses spine is pretty much fixed and that unlike human spines it's nonsense that they can be realigned etc. And to be very suspicious of anyone who talked about putting things back that were out. But treating muscular tightness which causes pulling on the spine is perfectly legit. But that's just what I was told - I don't know enough to really know if it's true or not.
 
Annoys me when people don't have regular back checks for their horses. They are expected to carry our lard arses around on them for hours, least we can do is pay £40 every six months to make sure they are still comfortable, not all horses will chuck you in the dirt when they are in pain.
 
Well i had a Mctimmoney practitioner out to one of my horses as he was getting really naughty to ride, bucking and rearing and leaping everytime i sat on him. She did alot of work on him and the change in him is amazing. I can now ride him and be safe, he no longer plays up. So on my experience i am convinced that they do good whatever they do.
 
If you speak to most of them properly and ask questions they only use the term 'out' as it makes it easier for the owner to understand.
 
I can't believe some of the replies!

Did any of you do basic anatomy at school??.

Of COURSE the spine is fixed! It is muscles that MOVE the spine and all the other nones in the body, therefore the manipulation of muscles, ligaments and tendons is what can realign the spine.

No one actually moves bones. How bloody ridiculous.

This is why manipulation works. You don't actually think physios and body workers actually move bones do you? I am shocked at some of the ignorant replies.

Physiotherapy is very valuable and it is the people who don't bother to understand it that misinterpret its value.
 
I think its the fact physios use layman's terms to help us understand what they are doing and we take it literally!

I really value my physio, and buds loves the sports massage he gets after everything has been put 'back' and checked.
 
Pysios dont put things back. You need a chiro or mctimoney.
My mares pelvis becomes misalligned and the difference is unbelieveable. Fornon belivers come see my mare!! I know when it is out !!
 
As Jenz87 physios deal with muscles- release tension in muscles treat pulled ligaments tendons or muscle bellies.
Osteo or chiro deal with mis alignment of bones.
I am a human physio- i go to a osteo to have my shoulder and Thoracic spine re aligned- i have long standing tension issue- i could go to a physio for lots of sessions and have the muscle tension released off but i go to my osteo he puts me in weird positions and goes with breathing then 'pops' me into place.
Sorted after one session.
 
Whatever it is called, it is still the manipulation of bones and tissue using the processes that hold it all together.
 
I have used both chiro and physio, and have found them to help. The trainer I worked for through the summer, had a physio who came in daily, and he is no fool, if he hadn't felt that it helped, he certainly wouldn't have been paying her!
However, I have come across a few who do not do what they say they do, and have caused more problems than they have fixed, which gives the rest of the profession a bad name.
 
I'm speaking about people who say misaligned and they out it back in place, not a Physo who massages and stretches muscles. Well I assume that's what my vet meant but I did not ask the question so can't be sure.
 
I think it is a mistake to make a comparison between horses and people. Vastly different mainly in terms of muscle mass.

I think the term misalignment is also misleading as it implies bones have moved. With a horse that is highly unlikely, muscles will be spasming and causing discomfort to the structure. That is why a chiro or similar will have a dramatic effect.

The additional problem is that because the skeleton is highly unlikely to actually be misaligned, if someone has treated the muscle spasms they are simply treating the symptoms of a problem and not addressing the cause of the muscle spasms in the first place - they are invariably caused by lower leg pain.

If your practitioner is regularly treating 'misalingment' without a vet diagnosis then they are quite likely to be helping you to work your horse oblivious to the pain or discomfort it is in.
 
So, rode horse today for first time since his treatment. He did appear less cold backed for mounting but I had also used a massage pad for the first time before i got on so not really a fair test. He was still unhappy while being ridden though(snatching reins/tossing head and felt like he had a short choppy stride). Saddle fitting and dentist is next port of call, xmas is most inconvienient at the moment.
 
Hi there, its quite common for horses to have a mis-aligned vertebrae or pelvis that is out of alignment- normally due to trauma- a fall, slip accident etc. Physio's tend to focus on soft tissue, but can help to re-align too. A chiropractor or osteopath would be more experienced in this area and can help. I would highly recommend having every horse checked annually, as it is easy to go un-noticed (and blame something else) and cause varying problems.

Hope that helps x
 
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