Equine Physiotherapy

All horses have the potential to experience accidents, slips, and falls in the field. The musculoskeletal system of pleasure, working, and competition horses is also put under strain, which can lead to aches, pains, and injuries. Horses can easily become sore or stiff due to various factors such as working on different surfaces, intense work and competition, regular travelling, temporary stabling, or limited movement during box rest after an illness or injury. Additionally, when horses transition between disciplines, they may experience soreness due to the use of different muscle groups.

To indicate pain or discomfort, horses often exhibit unusual behaviours like bucking, rearing, napping, aggression, stiffness on one rein, cold back tendencies, disunited canter, uneven shoe wear, muscle asymmetry, head tilting, or tossing. However, these changes can sometimes be subtle, as horses have a natural ability to compensate and avoid pain. A loss of performance can also be a sign that the horse is suffering from musculoskeletal issues or soreness.

Equine physiotherapy can effectively identify and treat sources of pain. Using manual and electrotherapy techniques, an equine physiotherapist can reduce pain and inflammation, improve joint and tissue mobility, and increase flexibility and muscle strength. This ultimately restores movement and functionality, allowing the horse to move freely without discomfort. Physiotherapy may also be necessary to address specific conditions, facilitate rehabilitation after an injury or illness, prevent future problems, or enhance and maintain overall performance. Equine physiotherapy techniques accelerate healing, improve the quality of healing, minimise muscle waste during recovery, and reduce the likelihood of injury recurrence. Furthermore, an equine physiotherapist can develop exercise plans to aid rehabilitation, improve core body strength, and optimise the horse’s performance.

Incorporating physiotherapy into routine equine care helps to maintain overall body health and correct locomotion. It also aids in identifying minor issues and preventing them from developing into more serious problems. For competition horses, an equine physiotherapist is an essential member of the team, alongside other specialists such as trainers, veterinarians, farriers, saddlers, and dentists.

At Deluxe In Dubai, we specialise in equine physiotherapy and offer a mobile horse physiotherapy service. Our services adhere to the highest standards of treatment and rehabilitation for all equines.