Please explain differences and benefits of each

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Tangaroo

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Could someone explain to me the difference between physios, chiropractors and osteopaths for horses, which do you use and why?
Ive always used a physio but not convinced by it as she always works onn the same place on each horse and doesnt watch them move at all and doesnt seem to do the whole horse.
My boy has ulcers and ive been using someone who does Bowen on him and have to admit it has helped, not that i really understand it.
Im just interested in other peoples views really as need to find someone for my boy and not sure which route to go down.
 
Physio/Massage mostly muscles and soft tissue

Chiro- no idea!

Osteo- movement and joints

I use massage and osteo as thats what I find I like personally (ie on me) and I understand what we are trying to achieve with those methods
 
I did a bit of googling (always dangerous I know) and tbh it appeared that chiro and osteo were largely the same. I think there is a long history of why the schools are considered to be different but in terms of horse treatment those differences just didn't seem that obvious to me when I spoke to both types of practitioners and asked them what they treated and how. In terms of which to go with, for me it was the person who treated and I noticed a marked difference and improvement next time I rode, so I have stayed with them. The proof is in the pudding as it were.
 
Bernster said:
I think there is a long history of why the schools are considered to be different but in terms of horse treatment those differences just didn't seem that obvious to me when I spoke to both types of practitioners and asked them what they treated and how.
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Same with my thinking
 
Physio's do move joints as osteos and chiros do the techniques are the difference .they use a range of techniques including massage passive flexions lasers ,ultrasound to list a few depending on how well they are equipped .
A ACPAT trained Physio has trained to be a human physio then trained for animals and will often have done extra training on rehab and training techniques to allow them to help you develop your horse through giving imput into his training programme .
When you add in most will have worked in the NHS so understand well how to liase with other professionals ( mainly your vet ) and they can sort you out to .
The main difference is in my view physio's have a longer and broader training .
 
Ive found a physio who is also trained as a chiro and in cranial sacro-stuff. i like the fact that she has a number of different tools in the box, and I can definitely see a difference in the horse afterwards. On a very basic level its only one appointment, not three.
 
Also have a look into Rolfing - I have just used a lady that offers this, she originally trained as a Physio - I have had better results with Rolfing than normal Physio.

A lot depends on the person doing it, two Physios may not necessarily treat the horse in the same way or with the same results.
 
I use a McTimoney chiro. I use her because shes amazing! I got her out as she had a buy one, get one free offer on Facebook and I was at the end of my tether with my dog. She did an amazing job! She found and sorted, over 4 sessions, an issue that 3 vets had refused to accept existed :) I trust her implicitly having seen her work on the dogs and the horses.

I've had various people treat the horses and I watch to see how the horse responds and how they are afterwards. I find theres not a lot of difference between physios and chiros etc so long as you get a good practitioner :) My current one is GOOD! But I've had everything from terrible to average and it honestly seems to be pot luck! I am very vocal in recommending people who do a good job, so maybe look for someone with good and genuine recommendations. Other than that its trial and error!
 
Not a good sign if your physio doesn't watch the horse move before treatment - our physio always sees the horse walked and trotted up, then lunged, before a physical assessment in the stable.
 
Anyone can set themselves up as an equine Physio, you really need to ensure they are ACPAT registered.

I can recommend Jo Verhaeg she covers most of Dorset, always watches them trot up or lunge. She was happy to attend alongside my vet too for lameness work up
 
zizz said:
Anyone can set themselves up as an equine Physio, you really need to ensure they are ACPAT registered.

I can recommend Jo Verhaeg she covers most of Dorset, always watches them trot up or lunge. She was happy to attend alongside my vet too for lameness work up
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Jo has sadly given up her practice for now and will be very much missed in the area.
 
I've tried physio and mctimoney... well, the horse did. She much prefers the mctimoney.

It can only be a trial and error, as no two people are the same nor the horses.

Don't blindly follow what you hear, you have to give it a try for yourself and if it doesn't work, it's not for you. Try another practitioner or another form of therapy and hopefully the you will benefit from a supple and sound horse.

For me, the vet's physio was too invasive, too harsh and I spent the whole two sessions trying to stop my horse from biting or kicking the poor lady! Although she gave me some excellent exercises, the issue never resolved and it got worse. I'm not blaming the physio I'm just saying my mare had a tense time. I went back to my old mctimoney guy and he was much more gentle and understood my horse - anyway, the issue was completely resolved thank goodness.

So, I would never dismiss a physio, it's just for this issue, and this mare, I think a different, more relaxed approach worked. I have a degree in physiology so I understand the principles behind all of these.......... just be aware that you need to find a talented individual that can help.
 
I have never used a physio on my horse, although I'm having it myself and the private physio is excellent. The NHS physio didn't back off when I told her to (seriously, hurt so much it took a lot of self restraint not to throw her across the room!) so she scared me off. That's down to individuals rather than physiotherapy though. I haven't used an equine physio because the one I've seen working locally was abysmal and I didn't know of any others covering the area.

We recently used a McTimmoney Chiropractor - unfortunately we specifically wanted her to do some skeletal manipulation but she mostly did massage. We were quite disappointed with the results but actually a couple of months on we're thinking what she did, in combination with other therapies he has, did help us along. That said I'm not inclined to have her out again.

I used an Osteopath years ago and he did do manipulation but if I'm honest I can't remember too much about it now. This person was going to be my backup if we weren't able to get the results we wanted after the McTimmoney.

What we do use is Bowen and SCENAR - mostly SCENAR these days to be fair, we are constantly amazed by what the machine can achieve. I think who the therapist is, is more important than what they are if that makes sense.
 
I have used a Bowen practitioner for my horses for a number of years. Then one day, she looked at me and said you need to let me treat you - I have had back issues for years.

It was a revelation - I now know what (if not how) it does for my horses and actually how much a treatment can take out of them. I was shattered (not sore), after my first treatment. Oh, and my back is now mostly ine and my feet point straight ahead, instead of 10 to 2, which they had done forever.

My practitioner also uses Emmet - which ties in nicely with the Bowen.

We don't have the prevalence of practitioners (Chrio, osteo and physio) in NZ, but I still find it a bit scary that anyone can call themselves anything with no training or registration system. Having someone who could also work on me was a great way of knowing that it was working for my horses as well.

Normally I would suggest that a chiro would do backs, physio muscles and osteo looks at the whole body, but that is a pretty loose description.
 
I use a physio and she's great, it's just hard to get an appointment with her as she's so busy. last time I trotted my horse up for her she said horse is sound but you're not, pity she doesn't treat humans anymore!
 
Physiotherapist and Chiropractors should look at the whole - muscles, joints, tendons etc.

USe someone who gets permission from your vet (as they legally have to), that is appropriately qualified - a 5 week course in massage doesn't cut it for me!, appropriately insured and that you adn your horse like.

Bear in mind that a lot of issues will resolve with general riding (like that little niggle you get, and ignore and eventually goes away), IMO avoid those who want to have repeated appointment without giving you advice about how to help inbetween and those who cannot explain in plain english, avoid those that tell you a horses 'hips are out' (really, how the hell is it walking??). A particular local person would have us believe that all the horses hips are out and let them fix it and we'll all be out at grand prix.

I say this a someone with a Physiotherapy degree and who has seen appauling wastes of money and bad practice by both registered physiotherapists and others.
 
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