What do you think, and How much do you pay for.............

charlimouse

charlimouse

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Your horse to see a physio/chiropractor????? I'm interested as I have been using one who was reccommended by my vet and he is brilliant, but he is very busy, so can only take referals and has a 10 wk waiting list. I use him for 2 of my horses, I just make sure I book well in advance. He costs £60 per session and can spend up to 2 hours with the horse, he is also a qualified saddle fitter so can check my saddles at the same time. I think this is pretty reasonable. Today however I took my 4yo to a physio reccommended by my instructor, (as my physio hasnt time to take the 4yo on) This guy said he had his own method no1 else uses, doesnt know how it works other than it does??? apparently vets hav seen it work and they dont know why it works. He then tells me he is therefore not qualified. Anyway i was quite intrigued to see what he did, so I let him go ahead. Didn't tell him anything about the horse. And he thought my 4yo was an eventer, which yeah 1 day he will (hopefully) be, but he is very immature, and is obviously not ready to event yet as he has grown 3 inches since last November, and still has growing left to do! so he got a few things right about how my horse goes, but also a few things wrong. He massaged and prodded certain "problem" areas. We put my horse on the lunge and he did seem a bit looser, and did seem to use his hind end more. So it then came to paying him, he charged £120 for 40 mins
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. Is it just me or is that ridiculously expensive. I'm rather sceptical as to wether it has done my horse any good, i'll find out when I can ride him in 4 days! So how much do you guys pay for the physio for your horse, and how long does he spend with you?????
 
Ouch! Currently using an osteopath for the horse and he comes to the yard for £55. My daughter also had a consultation with him today re her bad back at his clinic and that was £50.
 
I think you got ripped off. My friend pays £50 for a session - sometimes that can last well over an hour. That lady is a trained and qualified horse and human physio. My BD trainer with posh dressage horses pays £80 for a physio that is recommended by Liphook Horspital.

Out of interest, did you think your horse had a problem, or do you get them checked over as a matter of course ? I only ask because I have never used a physio on my horse and I am curious about when/why people use them.
 
hmmm....sounds very dodgy to me. I normally use my qualified physio, who like yours charges around £60 for up to 2 hours and is vet recommended.

However...I decided to try the 'osteopath' that my YO recommended who has a bit of a reputation as being a legend (but has no formal qualifications). Anyhoo he charged me £50 for TEN MINUTES!! I haven't used him since...
 
I think this guy was a bit like your YO's "legend" Stilltrying. My instructor raves about him and is trying to get me to take my other horses to see him rather than using the one my vet referred them to, but for £120 a time I can't afford that! My 4yo had been on and off slightly unlevel in front, and seemed to almost be hopping on his hind legs, rather than stepping through. I have reduced his work load and only walk him on the road, and on hard ground as I thought it may be because I was doing too much work with him for his age, but it hasnt made any difference. So unless this man had performed a miricle cure, Which for £120 he should hav IMO! i think i may have to get the vet, yet another bill! Why are horses so expensive?!?!
 
hmmm sounds like this guy has done quite well out of you i'm afraid. I would be interested to know how the horse feels when you do ride again though. As an equine sports massage therapist myself I spend an hour and a half on a first consultation so I can fully assess the horse statically and dynamically and take a full history (30mins) after which the session on the horse is 1hour. I do not believe that people who only take a short period of time on a new horse can be as effective but would be interested to hear more of peoples experiences with different methods. Any person coming to see you horse should gain veterinary permission and really should speak to the vet if there have been any recent lamenesses or issues.
 
You were ripped off
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My physio has a waiting list but once you get the first appt you never have problems with future appts, she is absolutely brilliant and has transformed my little TB beyond all recognition from the cold-backed, tense little soul he was this time last year
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I normally pay around £60-£65 per visit depending on whether I can share travelling
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Wow, never realised physios were so cheap in the UK. Here they normally charge well over £100 per session - the physio who comes to my yard charges £120. People tend to call them only if there is a problem with the horse - definitely not routinely!
 
hi, i would never use an un-qualified person to treat any of my animals. not only is it illegal without veterinary permission, the new welfare rule prevent anyone not qualified from treating a horse. i would urge you not to use this person again. have you looked at the mctimoney chiropractic website. they have practitioners all over the uk and world wide. they are professional and qualified. also you dont get any of the old fashioned "BONE CRUNCHING" methods. they also have a set price that they will tell you before they even turn up on your yard. good luck with your youngster.
 
Milliemay, the physio my vet refered me to is McTimony, and he is brilliant, if only he had more time, I would use him for all my horses in a shot!
 
There was a guy brought up on BBC1's Watchdog programme a few weeks ago who was supposed to be this "miracle" style healer of beast and man who frequently worked with horses.

Can't remember his name or where he was based but like others have said, I would be very careful of using someone who wasn't qualified and registered with a professional body...
 
sorry but does seem like you were ripped off. my chiro always says that if you are told to give more than one or two days off it is likely to be the time off rather than what ever they did. as anyone having time off is a bit better anyway.
She has never asked me to give mine more than one day off and normally ok the next day for straight lines then back to normal

cost is just never right what a pig""
 
I'd guess you were ripped off - but the horse might be going like a Badminton horse next time you get on - then you won't mind!
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I use a very good McTimoney lady - who almost always can fit me in in 3-4 days (although not for the next few weeks as she's having another baby - she was 2 weeks before due date last time she came!)

She charges £35 for a horse she has to do a reasonable amount of work on, rather less if it's just a few tweaks - and nothing if she finds nothing to do! I'm a cynic about back people, so first time she came I showed her a horse which I KNEW had absolutely nothing wrong with him (no horse with pain issues would buck for fun the way he does - he can turn himself inside out!) She found nothing wrong with him - so I let her look at ones I knew had a problem!

She normally spends 20-30 minutes on a horse which is plenty for the types of problems we have which are generally minor. I get the hunters checked out at start and end of season - more often if I think it's necessary. If I get her in to treat a horse I feel has issues, then I'll get her to check a few more at the same time - particularly recently backed youngsters - even if they've shown no real problems - so she usually does at least 3 per visit.

My vet is happy for her to see any horse and treat it without reference to him - he knows he's my FIRST point of call for lameness or anything potentially serious!
 
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