Equine Physiotherapy

Helping horses with injury, post-surgical rehabilitation and ongoing musculoskeletal conditions. 

Please remember - Only Vets can legally diagnose conditions.  My job is to feel what is going on in the tissues and assess the movement and then build a plan from there. 

Horses can either be referred from your vet or I can ask for the referral for you.  I am happy to share my findings with your vet so we can work as a team to help your horse.  You can download a form for your vet to fill out here Veterinary Consent Form  

Please note, if a horse currently has a condition that it is receiving treatment for by a vet OR is in pain, veterinary consent will be required for me to treat them. If the horse has no issues, then veterinary consent is not required. 

I will not able to treat if consent has not been sought. 

“Is he moving poorly because he is in pain, or is he in pain because he is moving poorly?” Dr. Gerd Heuschmann

Conditions I Treat

Area Covered 

I cover the Exmoor and surrounding areas but I am happy to travel further afield if required. Please get in touch if you are outside my area. 

Travel charges apply for over a 10mile radius of TA246UA. 

Insurance - if you have cover for physiotherapy on your policy, you should be able to reclaim the cost of treatment if your vet has advised for physiotherapy to take place. Please double check your policy to make sure. 

In most cases you will need to pay for the treatment and then reclaim back from the insurers 

“A horse that isn’t straight can not maintain rhythm, cannot be collected and will probably not stay sound.” Dr. Gerd Heuschmann

What Happens at an Appointment?

Firstly veterinary permission is sought either by the owner or myself (if required). I also like to obtain any relevant medical history to help plan the session. 

On arrival, I will double check details and ask some more questions about the issue. I will also explain what physio will consist of for the particular condition. 

I will then assess the horse moving and statically, palpating different muscles and looking at how the joints move. Sometimes I like to assess and treat as I go. It can handy to see them ridden or on the lunge but I appreciate this isn't always possible. Also please tack to hand so I can see the fit. 

After treatment, I will suggest some exercises, modifications and the plan for the future. 

I use a combinations of Manual Techniques (Soft Tissue Techniques, Massage, Releases, Stretches) along with machines such as Cold Laser, Longwave Ultrasound, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF), Muscle Stimulation and also Red Light and Blue Light Phototherapy.  

Special rates for multi-animal bookings, yard visits and combined Horse and Owner treatments. Please see Prices  

Manual Techniques

Massage, mobilisations, releases and stretches can help increase circulation and lymphatic drainage, improve mobility and reduce spasms, adhesions and ease tension.   

Cold Laser (AKA - Low Level Light Therapy, Photobiomodulation)

My go to for wounds, swellings and to help with inflammation. Cold laser also warms the muscles up well before treatment. It uses infrared and red light to provide the cells with energy, boosting their metabolism enabling areas to heal naturally. You can really see it in action when treating wounds...

A wire cut, where the tissue died back leaving a gaping wound. The challenge was the location; standing still caused swelling and the wound to open as it did movement. He was left with a neat 26cm scar. Treated with cold laser, ultrasound and manuka honey.  

Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)

PEMF uses electromagnetic fields to influence the body on a cellular level. Different pulse rates can affect different tissues. It can be used on fractures and will work through a cast. 

It can also help heal ligament, muscle and tendon injuries and be used to reduce inflammation and for temporary pain relief. These machines can also be hired for home use if long term use is required.  

Longwave Ultrasound

Ultrasound uses sound waves to cause vibrations in the tissues. It is great at breaking down scar tissue and adhesions. It enhances the efficiency of the inflammation process and during the healing stages of injuries it makes sure the collagen fibres are laid down correctly. It can also help reduce muscle spasms and healing tendon injuries. It can also be beneficial with wound healing.  

I use longwave ultrasound which penetrates deeply but it is not harmful to bone like shortwave ultrasound can be. 

Neuromuscular Stimulation

Can help prevent and treat muscle wastage either caused by poor functioning or neurological issues. 

Rehabilitative Groundwork & Exercises

I am happy to give direction or give groundwork sessions to horses. These exercises can include in-hand work, lunging/long reining, polework and ridden work. 

“Lateral movements are the ‘elixir of life’ for horse trainers!” Dr. Gerd Heuschmann