It’s now the end of the busy summer season for many riders, and whilst the horses get a bit of a well earned rest...for the human counter-parts the hard work of short days and lots of extra mucking out begins. What many people don’t realise is that horses need Chiropractic too!
Having done a post-graduate course in Applied Equine Biomechanics I can treat horses...though seeing patients of the two legged variety at The Chiropractic Clinic in Chester keeps me pretty busy. The theory is the same it’s just difficult to get a horse on a treatment bench so I have to change the application of the treatment a wee bit.
My initial interest in Chiropractic was sparked when I had a pony that needed Chiropractic treatment, the treatment really helped him and I thought this is what I want to do! I use a massage tool similar to what we use in clinic but obviously it’s adapted to work through the much larger muscles an on horses’ back, I also have to use a lot more force on the horse as the muscles are very deep. The manipulations are also adapted to apply force through the joints... It’s pretty hard work but very rewarding!
Most horses develop back problems through having us on their backs, either through a poorly fitted saddle or the rider being unbalanced themselves. Often it’s the rider who needs their back and pelvis treated rather than the horse! So if you are reading this and you ride please make sure your bad back isn’t giving your poor horse back ache too! We are offering £5 consultations at The Chiropractic Clinic, so you can discuss your problems and figure out what we can do to help.
If you’d like to book a consultation just call the clinic on 01244 682500.
