Assessing the whole horse comes naturally
to chiropractors. Our training teaches us to inspect every bone in the body,
every time.
Sometimes the concern is caused by a
problem some distance away – elsewhere in the body, or even in the horse's
environment. For instance, a draught that always blows down one side of the
loose-box, a haynet tied too high up, or a lop-sided rider can all result in
musculo-skeletal problems. Taking account of every part of their life can lead
you to non-medical causes of problems.
Occasionally, there
are actually two or three problems all working to cause confusion. I met a horse
who was suffering a terrible tapeworm infestation that several different wormers
had not eradicated – but her lameness was nothing to do with the colics arising
from the worm.
Once in a blue
moon, the horse is actually sound, but the rider has got into a bad habit. For
instance, an owner went back to riding after surgery. I could see she was
unconsciously protecting her previously sore tummy, which was unbalancing her
and her horse.
Chiropractic can
help competitive riders to strengthen their teamwork with their steed by keeping
both in the best balance possible.
For example,
tensing your whip hand can change your shoulder balance, sending confusing
messages to your horse, leading to unexpected results! I can advise on posture
and control from a different angle by seeing horse and rider as a whole."
