Routine Equine Physiotherapy

Equine physiotherapists work within the team of professionals supporting horses at both the national and international level of competition. In the non-elite equine population, physiotherapists are also commonly involved in the management of musculoskeletal injuries in partnership with the veterinary surgeon, as well as advising owners on regular assessment and treatment schedules for their horses. Routine or maintenance physiotherapy has yet to be defined fully for the management of horses but translation from human rehabilitation would suggest the aims are to prevent objectively measureable deterioration in a patient’s quality of life and or to optimise the patients’ functional capacity. For a horse in full work, demands on the musculoskeletal system may predispose the horse to minor tissue injury that left unchecked, could affect quality of life, welfare and performance capacity. Therefore routine physiotherapy might be indicated to manage these issues. To support the increasing demands of equine clients to manage their horse’s health and welfare, as well as supporting rehabilitation cases, a close working relationship between the veterinary surgeon and physiotherapist can be recommended.