EQUINE PERFORMANCE SPECIALIST
Where specialised Veterinary Physiotherapy meets elite equine athletes
The Veterinary Physiotherapy aspect
Veterinary Physiotherapy involves identifying weaknesses in movement in the horse, and then using a variety of methods to aid restoring function and strength in horses. Horses with injuries, or those optimising training for maximum performance all benefit from this.
A loss of a horse's normal function may have resulted from: injury, disease, training problems, prolonged period out of exercise or anatomical/conformational abnormalities. Common problems addressed by Veterinary Physiotherapy are wide-ranging, and compensations can complicate this. This is where an experienced Physiotherapist offers vital understanding and advice.
The Rehabilitation aspect
Horses coming back in to work after an injury, whether it is 3 weeks, 3 months or a year, will have some level of strength loss. The return to work requires patience to give the horse's body and tissues time to heal, adjust and respond to increased work load.
In-hand, ridden and general management suggestions can be crucial to the success of this phase. Regardless of discipline, horses aiming to return to sport should be followed closely by equine rehabilitation specialists.
Each horse, injured or in full competition mode, will have their own set of compensations, weaknesses and strengths.
There is more to a rehabilitation plan than increasing the length of time that you walk/trot/canter for. Re-introducing lateral bend, alternating load intensity and monitoring your horse's body's response to this is most effectively achieved with a Veterinary Phyisiotherapist's involvement.
