Massage & manipulation
If your horse is stiff or sore, a bodyworker could help. Here’s how to go about finding the right one
Words: Stephanie Bateman.
Photos: Bob Atkins, Jon Stroud
Whether as a routine appointment or to help improve flexibility, manual therapy is an important part of your toolkit to keep your horse feeling at his best. But who to choose? Your first port of call must always be your vet, in order to gain their consent for your horse to be treated. With their signoff, it’s time to explore the types of therapy available.
“Manual therapy is an important part of your toolkit to keep your horse feeling at his best”
DID YOU KNOW?
By law, under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, a therapist is not legally allowed to make a diagnosis and can only treat a horse for a specific condition if a vet has seen the horse beforehand and made a referral.
Qualification checklist
To practice as a veterinary physiotherapist, or physiotherapist, there are a number of routes...
• The International Association of Animal Therapists (IAAT) – membership is open to all animal therapists, veterinary surgeons and nurses with an accredited qualification in relevant animal therapies
• The National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists (NAVP) – welcomes membership from veterinary physiotherapists holding a university externally moderated and accredited qualification at BSc, PgD or MSc degree level
• The Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal Physiotherapists (IRVAP) – which includes vet surgeons, veterinary physios, musculoskeletal practitioners, veterinary nurses and TTouch practitioners who hold animal therapy qualifications