The danger of unqualified horse treatments
I know quite a few people working in the industry that are not qualified professionals. Many of them are good therapists and can do a very good treatment.
The problem I have is that most of these people do not know how to recognise lameness. They are able to rub and release a muscle very nicely but they are unable to tell you if your horse requires referral to another member of the veterinary team.
I find that they are very capable of treating symptoms but not trained to find the underlying cause.
The implication this has on the client is finance and time. I cannot keep count of the number of times I’ve been called to consult where another “therapist” has been treating the horse for months and many Rands, and after my own investigation, I uncover a completely unrelated problem and very often need to refer to a vet.
Recovery & Rehabilitation
Another of the biggest problems I find unqualified therapists cause is in the realm of recovery and rehabilitation of an injury.
Inflammation and injury cause impediment of physiological function within specific parameters and your chosen treatment, rehabilitation and recovery time needs to be correctly calculated according to your specific case. Otherwise you run the risk of re-injury and a drawn-out rehabilitation program will be unavoidable.
I often see that therapists don’t even advise clients of a specific rehabilitation and follow up plan, yet they are happy to return weekly or monthly to treat their horse.
A properly qualified therapist will do a treatment correctly and will be able to resolve the acute issues, so that your horse should not need constant treatment. If your therapist needs to come back repeatedly, you’re missing the bigger picture.
I do not see the point of continual treatment but not finding out what’s causing the need for treatment.
Get expert insight into your horse’s treatment
Unfortunately some qualified therapists do not apply all the knowledge they have been blessed with and it is my advice to every client to always make sure your therapist explains why your horse needs treatment.
It is understandable that we confuse the whole functioning of your horse by putting things in his mouth, on his back plus the additional weight of a rider.
This in itself is enough reason to treat them on a monthly basis. However one should be working within the parameters of what is being requested. If your horse keeps showing discomfort and pain in the same spots and it cannot be explained sufficiently in the work that you do, what are you missing? He shouldn’t be sore if he has adapted to your weight, has trained in a way that he manages his rider’s instructions and his tack fits well.
Questions to ask your horse therapist
My advice with any one working on your horse…..ask questions.
What is the reason for discomfort?
If the answer is his work load, you may want to reconsider his work load or chat about what you are doing to cause the pain and how you can work around it to aim at least to decrease the problem. Being out of alignment and stiff is a good enough reason for monthly treatment but being sore is a whole other story.
Physiotherapy can be bad for your horse if it is not applied correctly as can any other modality you use. Make sure you are using a qualified and registered physiotherapist.
For more detailed stretching guidance that you can start applying yourself, download my free PDF
Grab My Stretching Do's & Don't's Downloadable PDF
Proper stretching practices correct a horse’s balance and reduces tension across it’s muscles and joints.This guide will teach you how to properly prepare yourself and your horse for implementing an effective and safe habit of daily stretching. Apply what you learn and enjoy a lifetime of joy and performance with your active, healthy & happy horse.
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