As an Equine and Human Sports Massage Therapist, I’m often approached with considerable confusion by owners about therapies available and which one is best for their horse.

I often hear owners say things such as, ‘I got the back man in to see Ned last week/month/year’.  But unfortunately, they can tell me no more than that!  So here I will endeavour to clarify the main differences between some of the more widely used therapies and what their main focus is, in order to try and help you choose the most applicable therapy for your steed.

Firstly, make no mistake about it, the mere fact that an owner has invested time, effort and money into sourcing and booking somebody to treat their horse, is a massive tick in the box!  Whether it’s for a specific issue, or ongoing general maintenance for your four-legged partner, having your horse treated will undoubtedly contribute to his overall wellbeing.  If you think about any human athlete, few would not contemplate training or competing without using some kind of maintenance treatment and stretching techniques to prepare their muscles for exercise and aid post exercise recovery.  So, for a horse who has to balance, work and compete with the additional complication of a rider, it is surprising that treatments are not part of routine care for all.  Let’s also remember the importance of prehab…. ensuring your horse is activating and strengthening his core muscles will set him up to better deal with being ridden and more likely to avoid injury.

In many ways, the various therapies are trying to achieve the same goals, albeit by using slightly differing techniques.  Your chosen therapist should have a good understanding of other therapies available, and be able to recommend / refer clients should their particular therapy not be suitable for your horse or your horse’s issue at that particular time – ideally you want your therapist to work as (or be willing to work as) part of a multidisciplinary team, in order to obtain the best series of solutions for your horse, at any given stage of training or rehabilitation.

So, onto the therapies.

Physiotherapy helps restore movement and function when affected by injury or illness.  This is via movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.  It can also be used as routine maintenance.  At the core is the owner’s involvement in their own horse’s care, and commitment to rehabilitation.  Physiotherapy works on muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints and nerve injuries and uses a series of physical mobilisations as well as electrical modalities such as laser and ultrasound.  The owner will be given exercises and mobilisations to work on with their horse in-between treatments.

Osteopathy works with the structure and function of the (horses) body, and is based on the principle that well-being depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together. Osteopaths work to restore a state of balance, using touch, physical manipulation and stretching.

Chiropractic is concerned with mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system (bones and muscles), with a specialist interest in the neck and back.  Chiropractors use a range of techniques to reduce pain, improve function and increase mobility, with an emphasis on hands-on manipulation of the spine.

The major difference between an Osteopath and a Chiropractor is that while the Chiropractor is primarily focused on the spine, joints and muscles, an Osteopath is also concerned with the rest of the body.

Sports Massage / Soft Tissue Therapy.  Think of a sports massage therapist as the master of muscles!  This treatment is concerned with the management, manipulation and rehabilitation of soft tissues of the body, so deals with muscles, tendons and ligaments.  It is used for various reasons such as improving circulation and lymphatic flow, assisting in the removal of metabolic waste, affecting muscle length and tone, and helping issues with scar tissue.  It can also help relieve many day-to-day problems with stiffness, repetitive use of muscles, tension and fatigue and operates in a preventive treatment and injury recovery capacity.  It is used at various stages of participation: the conditioning / training phase, pre, inter and post competition and post travel.  The therapist will use a series of soft tissue massage and mobilisation techniques and will also work with the owner on a programme of exercise and stretches to keep the horse’s muscles working at their optimum.

Whilst all of the above will be of benefit to your horse, horses can respond better to some treatments than others, so don’t be afraid to try different therapies (dependent on the issue being treated, of course).  However, there are some key things that I would urge to be considered prior to choosing your therapist:

• Ensure that your therapist works within the confines of the Veterinary Act. This means that they will seek permission to treat your horse from your Vet prior to assessment and treatment – it is law to do so.
• Ensure that your therapist has had the correct training for their discipline and holds membership of their national association. Do not be afraid to ask for this information – any genuine therapist will be glad that you have asked!
• Ensure your therapist is happy to work as part of a multidisciplinary team. This not only ensures that they will recommend other therapists for treatments outside their expertise, but also means they are working closely with your Vet, Farrier, Owner/Rider, Trainer, Dentist, Nutritionist and Saddler.
• Do not persist with any treatment that does not suit your horse – there are others available that may work better for him.
• It is worth considering a therapist who treats both horse and rider if you are also seeking treatment for yourself. Many issues can be pieced together (and resolved!) from having horse and rider treated by the same therapist.

 

For more information on Sports Massage and how it can help horse and rider, please see www.stuartequine.co.uk