Does my horse need physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy can either be used for rehabilitation post injury or surgery, for maintenance of long-term conditions, or for improving general wellbeing. Signs your horse may need physiotherapy are as follows:
Change in behaviour
Unhappy to be tacked up
Rearing, bucking or napping
Reluctance to move forwards
Poor performance
Reduced suppleness or straightness
Difficulty collecting or moving laterally
Jump refusals
Knocking poles
Reluctant to accept a contact
Disunited in canter or difficulty cantering on one rein
High head carriage and/or hollowing
Muscle wastage
Dragging toes
Difficulty getting up
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If your horse is lame, you will need to make an appointment with your veterinarian; physiotherapy may only commence once the lameness has been diagnosed with permission from your vet.
How will physiotherapy help?
Physiotherapy uses a combination of manual techniques, such as massage techniques (including myofascial release) and stretching; electrotherapies including H-wave, therapeutic ultrasound, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, TENs, NMES, and laser; husbandry advice and exercise prescription. Together the modalities compliment each other in reducing pain whilst re-balancing muscle groups after compensatory gait patterns, to prevent the re-occurance of primary and thus secondary, compensatory pain.
Exercise programmes will also help target particular muscle groups which will improve competition performance and management of long-term conditions such as osteoarthritis.
What will I need to do?
Depending on findings from the assessment, you may be advised to complete targeted exercises, hot/cold therapy, stretching and environmental advice. A rehabilitation programme will be devised if the assessment is post injury or surgery.
If your horse has had a tendon or ligament injury or severe build up of scar tissue, ultrasound may be recommended 2-3 times a week which must be carried out by a qualified physiotherapist. There are electrotherapy only appointments available for this purpose.
Prices
Physiotherapy Assessment & Treatment (1-1.5 hours)
£60
For appointments within a 20-mile radius of Romsey. There will be an additional charge of 60p per mile from 20-miles onwards. Yard discounts are available for multiple horses.
Follow-up Treatment (45mins-1hour)
£50
If your horse requires further treatments for the same episode of injury. There will be an additional charge of 60p per mile from 20-miles onwards.
Course of Ultrasound/Laser Treatment (15-20mins visits)
£150
For facilitating the healing of tendons, ligaments, and acute muscle tears; a course of ultrasound or laser may be recommended. The price is for either 7 sessions of therapeutic ultrasound, or 10 sessions of laser. Additional charges for over a 10-mile radius of Romsey at 60p per mile.
Danielle Storer
I cannot recommend Poppy enough, she has such a great way with the horses. My pony Pasodoble is a true mare and does not agree with being poked and prodded but Poppy in her calm way is so attentive and gets the job done! After Pasodobles first assessment there was quite a bit of tension over her back and neck, Poppy worked on this and gave me some homework stretches. Pasodoble has just had her second treatment and there is a big difference as there’s only a couple of tension spots over her back. It really shows in the flatwork I’m amazed at how so much has improved with Poppy’s help !
