In today’s evolved veterinary world, you have tremendous opportunities to do more for your horse than just cover the bare essentials. Gone are the days when caretakers were satisfied with providing a minimum level of care. This is because we have a much greater awareness of our horses’ ability to feel pain and emotion, and we also understand that the treatments we benefit from ourselves will also be good for our horses. A variety of complementary therapies are available to help your equine live, perform, and thrive at levels he truly deserves. This article covers just three.
1. CHIROPRACTIC
One of the best complementary therapies available to our horses is chiropractic care. Many veterinary practices already have or are adding this service to their existing layout. Veterinarians will sometimes receive additional training to become certified in equine chiropractic care. Other times, chiropractors who mainly work on humans will acquire additional education and incorporate equine chiropractic into their services.
The benefits of chiropractic are extremely diverse. Pain, tightness, lack of mobility and other issues are treated through manipulation. Simply put, chiropractic care moves certain bones into a more aligned position, thereby removing pressure from nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and improving comfort and mobility. Chiropractors will often use large blocks to stand on when treating horses, and may also use handheld electronic adjusting devices to assist them.
2. MASSAGE
Another beneficial complementary therapy for our equine partners is massage. Many horses work – carrying riders, pulling carriages, or competing — so they use their muscles a lot. As a result, they may experience pain that they can’t easily communicate to their caretakers. Much as we can feel rather uncomfortable after a hard workout, the same is true for our equines. Massage therapy can help by manually applying pressure using various techniques to soothe irritated muscles and loosen knots, improving the comfort of an animal who spends most of her time on her hooves.
3. ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture involves inserting small needles under the skin at certain acupoints located along energy pathways in the body called meridians. One of the main modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is used to help relieve pain and promote healing by balancing the body’s life force energy (chi) and removing blockages that impede the flow of this energy
through the body. While it can be more challenging to find an equine acupuncturist, they are available – visit the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society website at ivas.org to find one in your region.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
Talk to your veterinarian about complementary therapies to determine if your horse’s health
will benefit from them. In some cases, contraindications may exist for these therapies. It’s also wise to reach out to those who are certified in these modalities for a consultation to determine if, based on their expertise, their services will benefit your horse. In some cases, these modalities can be tailored to your horse’s specific health issues.
Horses are finally beginning to matter at the level they have always deserved. People are taking notice and caring better for the creatures who have cared for us for centuries. Moving these levels of care beyond the bare essentials can create tremendous benefits for your horse. Reducing his pain and improving his mobility and performance can also be felt in the saddle, so these therapies will benefit both of you!
Don’t forget about diet!
Proper equine nutrition has enormous positive consequences for your horse. The nutrients he takes in through his diet are of indescribable importance to his health, both mental and physical.
But offering proper nutrition may not be as easy as picking up a bag of horse feed at the local farm store. Different horses, especially seniors or those used for performance, may have different and more specific nutritional needs. Working with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist will help determine which nutrients are needed, and which ones he may be getting too much of.
Everything from hoof quality to coat sheen to temperament can be greatly influenced by diet. By identifying the best possible feed and supplement protocol, your horse will feel better and be more willing to do whatever you ask of him.
Worth the investment
Costs of complementary therapies vary depending on your geographical location and the availability of these services in your region. Rural areas where practitioners have to travel
further may result in higher fees. Sometimes, caretakers choose to trailer their horses to the nearest clinic offering their chosen service, which can reduce costs by avoiding a farm call fee.
However, this should be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the health of your equine. If the motion of a trailer might hinder the healing the therapy offers, traveling will
not make the most sense.
When considering a complementary therapy for your horse, also consider the potential benefits it will offer in terms of her comfort, mobility, performance, health and happiness. In most cases, it’s well worth the investment!
Erin Mullen is a freelance writer and entrepreneur living in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Saint Vincent College and enjoys spending her free time in the outdoors with her boxers, Emma and Elsa.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Equine Wellness Magazine is North America’s most trusted natural health and lifestyle magazine for horses, and the premiere publication educating a growing audience in natural and integrative approaches to health and horsemanship. EW transcends all areas of the equine market and appeals to everyone from backyard enthusiasts to serious competitors.
