How do I know whether my horse needs treatment?

Many horses will benefit from treatment, whether to prevent injury, help relieve pain or to improve performance. As with people it depends on the lifestyle and what is expected of the horse as to how to recognise when your horse needs treatment.

Indications that your horse would benefit from treatment include, but are not limited to:

• Unusual stiffness in any area of the body
• Difficulty recovering from an old injury
• Difficulty engaging hind quarters
• localised muscle weakness
• difficulty maintaining straightness
• reluctance to work on the bit
• difficulty tracking up
• lack of muscle development
• Reluctance to move forward
• lack of impulsion
• heavy on forehand
• stiffness on one rein more than the other
• Falling out or falling in on one rein more than the other

Behaviour

Recent changes in behaviour can also indicate signs of discomfort or pain, for example: stopping at fences, head tossing, bucking, showing signs of stress or discomfort when tacking up, teeth grinding, opening the mouth, cribbing.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.