Phoenix, Arizona Equine Adjustments

It’s a common joke within the horse community that horse owners often take better care of their horses than they do themselves. While they do deserve certain luxuries, chiropractic care does not fall under this category.  Why?

Every horse can reap the benefits of regular chiropractic adjustments.

Correcting misalignments found in the horses skeletal structure can improve range of motion, decrease pain and improve performance.  Therefore, regular chiropractic care should be part of your horse’s regular maintenance plan – the same as regular veterinarian care.

How Equine Chiropractic Adjustments Work

Step 1.

Our chiropractor will observe the horse, watching for postural abnormalities, signs of discomfort, asymmetry or muscle wasting.

Step 2.

Spinal analysis and palpation can identify specific areas of inflammation, spinal asymmetry, muscle spasm and/or any structural abnormalities.

Step 3.

Chiropractic gait analysis which involves observing spinal and pelvic motion as the horse moves. This helps to differentiate back pain from limb abnormalities.

Step 4.

Motion palpation is the core of the exam. It consists of determining if there is loss of normal motion or resistance to induced motion to any joint in the spine or limbs.  Major adjustment points include the:

• • Mandible and tongue
  • Temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
  • Poll and cervical vertebrae
  • Withers and sternum
  • Front and hind limbs
  • Thoracic and lumbar vertebrae
  • Pelvis/sacrum

Step 5.

After a thourough exam of your horse, our chiropractor will recommend a treatment plan specific for your horse and their overall health and wellness.

Similar to our own spinal health, removing subluxations helps the body to heal naturally as it was designed to do.  However, there are many circumstances where adding chiropractic to your horse’s health care routine would be appropriate.

Pain

One obvious sign is pain.  According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, some pain indicators include behavior changes; abnormal posture; reduced performance; ear-pinning or biting when being saddled; head tossing under saddle; refusing jumps; difficulty performing lateral work or collecting; difficulty turning or working in one direction; sensitivity to touch or grooming; and chronic weight loss.

Injury Recovery & Maintenance

Another reason you might pursue chiropractic care includes musculoskeletal conditions that are recurring or not responding to conventional therapy; treatment following recovery from a significant lameness or trauma; and preventative or maintenance care for horses in training. Early implementation of chiropractic care following an injury will produce the best results. Chiropractic can be very useful for alleviating pain in horses with chronic issues but will not reverse degenerative changes already present. This therapy’s benefits are greatest when used in conjunction with traditional veterinary care as a preventive approach to help keep a horse balanced and performing at its best.

Chiropractic adjustments  may help identify and treat the primary cause of lameness or poor performance for your horse. It provides specialized evaluation and treatment of joint, neurological and muscle or skeletal disorders that are currently lacking in traditional veterinary medicine.

Want to Learn More?

If you would like to learn more about how our mobile chiropractic treatment can benefit your horse(s) overall health and performance, call us at (480)299-7192 or book online for an appointment with In Home Mobile Chiropractic.  Our licensed chiropractor has over 15 years experience and is gentle yet effective in finding solutions for your beloved equine.