So I am on the fence about chiropractic work and if there really is anything to it with horses. I know so many people who have had what they say are positive (even miraculous) results, but then there are those who call the “bone crackers” quacks.
My previous vet (who I really respect) does not believe in it, but I just moved to a new area where all of the boarders use a vet who is also a chiro and of course they think this vet is a miracle worker.
Thoughts? TIA
It depends on the chiro. Some do a decent job but don’t always do it well enough to really get a big difference from it. The vet/chiro at my barn does a fantastic job and really works to get everything in alignment and I see a big difference in every horse he adjusts.
My horse, for example, tends to get very locked up in his neck and shoulder which makes it difficult for me to ride him really reaching out to the bridle. Most recently I was also having a hard time getting him to step up his left hind. Chiro came out, watched him move and saw immediately that his right pelvis was out a bit, and his neck was out to the right (normal). He adjusted him and my next flat ride he was stepping his left hind up and really reaching to the bridle.
I’ve watched him adjust a horse that could not do a belly lift or carrot stretches or even really do a tail pull and afterwards the mare was really lifting her back and withers, could really bend her neck, and when doing a tail pull she reached through her entire body.
On the other hand another local chiro does not get the same results and it is quite hard to see the difference from before to after an adjustment
It also depends on the horse. My hard playing war horse could use as many adjustments as my chiro could make it for. My big guy is fine with twice a year year checks and work. They really are individuals.
The vet I respect the most in the world is not a fan. Some of the largest charletons I have ever met are people who call themselves “equine chiropractors”. Yes, some people give these people a lot of money, again and again, and report good success for the money paid. Can they really “move” the bones? No. A “good” one knows where the nerves are that can release locked muscles, and can access these points. They can give a good massage (this USED to be called “grooming”). Other than that, no, no miracles are present.
A problem can be superficially treated successfully with manual manipulation. But the fix is short term if the original source of the problem is not also fixed. Usually something somewhere else on the body, arthritic problems in the hocks or elsewhere, sore feet, saddle fit, bad riding, bad training. If the underlaying situation is not fixed/solved, the problem returns soon. Fix the underlaying problem, and you no longer need the Equine Chiro. JMHO.
[QUOTE=NancyM;8189940]
The vet I respect the most in the world is not a fan. Some of the largest charletons I have ever met are people who call themselves “equine chiropractors”. Yes, some people give these people a lot of money, again and again, and report good success for the money paid. Can they really “move” the bones? No. A “good” one knows where the nerves are that can release locked muscles, and can access these points. They can give a good massage (this USED to be called “grooming”). Other than that, no, no miracles are present.
A problem can be superficially treated successfully with manual manipulation. But the fix is short term if the original source of the problem is not also fixed. Usually something somewhere else on the body, arthritic problems in the hocks or elsewhere, sore feet, saddle fit, bad riding, bad training. If the underlaying situation is not fixed/solved, the problem returns soon. Fix the underlaying problem, and you no longer need the Equine Chiro. JMHO.[/QUOTE]
I completely agree with this. If you read the historical origins of chiropractic, it becomes less convincing as a true medical treatment. I know a lot of people swear by it for their horses and themselves, but in my experience it has done nothing for my horses or myself. Actually the last time I had a series of adjustments, I became much more sore. You have to wonder whether sometimes it’s best to let your body be the way it is, rather than manipulate it to conform with an ideal.
The best results I’ve seen have been from someone who not only did body manipulation, but taught ME some simple exercises/movements to back up and reinforce what she had done. She correctly identified an area of weakness (backed up by both the vet and my saddle fitter, who both suggested her) and suggested a program to strengthen that area, while using some easy manipulations to help support him while he got there. THAT actually worked, because the problem had just started (he’s always been a very healthy and sound horse). I really am NOT a fan in general, and I agree with the above - if something is out of whack, sometimes it’s a compensation for something else and shouldn’t be manipulated away. On the other hand, I now think it can be good gentle supportive care for a progressive rehabilitation program…
I hate threads like these because I can’t convince you by telling you what I’ve seen and experienced, though I often get sucked into trying ;). I agree with those above who say that it depends on the person, and I’ve seen far more quacks than I have good chiropractors. But when you find a good one it can be absolutely life changing for many horses. Same story goes for people chiropractors. After decades of trying completely useless human chiropractors, I found a guy who absolutely changed my life and “fixed” me to the point that I haven’t had to see him in over a year and have no plans of going back (which is his plan - it’s NOT the old standby of seeing someone twice a week for the rest of their lives!).
For over a decade I picked up horses that were “unredeemable” in one way or another (attitude, lameness, etc.). 9 out of 10 times my vet/chiro was able to get to the root of the issue via chiro/acupuncture - several of the ones I picked up were lame and had had thousands of dollars (into the 10s of thousands) spent on them for every diagnostic possible via a traditional vet. Every one of the “questionable lameness” ones were fixed within a handful of chiro/acupuncture sessions (or in the worst cases, maybe 6-10 sessions within the course of a year). One horse that I picked up was in great shape and never benefitted from bodywork. Every one of my others have had drastic changes at the hands of my bodyworkers.
My Grand Prix horses wouldn’t have ever made it that far without chiropractic work. Though to be fair, the real difference was the combination of vet/chiro/acupuncture AND proper conditioning and strength training. But I can 100% guarantee that my mare who jumped far outside of her scope zone (we did the 1.40m and she should have been limited to maybe 1.15m) and my OTTB who is now doing FEI GPs after coming off of the track a trainwreck (his pelvis was tilted forward and sheared to one side in a dramatically visible manner), would never have been able to use their bodies as efficiently as needed without a serious focus on bodywork for the long term.
All I can say for people who “don’t believe in it” is that they haven’t seen a good person work on a horse…OR they are unable to see the difference in body usage before and after. I’ve seen big changes in how my horses use their backs, how they track up behind, in the evenness in front and shoulder/neck utilization. Sometimes the change is crazy and sometimes it’s much more subtle. But I can almost always feel the change when I get back in the tack. And on rare occasion, I don’t. But I trust my bodyworkers and they have been key in transforming my horses into efficient athletes from perhaps not the best starting material physically speaking.
So does it work on every horse? No. Some horses are naturally so well put together that they’re just not prone to issues. But I’ve had one of those out of maybe 30 horses over the years. Is it something anyone can do? Just like riding, no. I’ve seen far more bad bodyworkers (human chiro and horse chiro) than good ones. The one I have now is one of the best I’ve ever worked with and has been one of the major driving forces behind getting my horses to the top of the sport. Does it have to be chiro? No. I think a good bodyworker is a good bodyworker whether it’s massage, chiro, acupuncture, mesotherapy, or just plain old “body work.” Further, I don’t trust anyone who claims that only one method works. And I feel really lucky to have access to my gal who combines her eastern medicine with western medicine and has incorporated things like shockwave therapy on the SI area to help her chiro sessions “hold” better (HUGE difference for one of my mares, not as big of a difference for one of my geldings).
I’ve also seen dramatic differences like a mare of mine who came in from the pasture after the 4th of July three-legged lame on her RF. We were thinking that in the running around during the fireworks she shredded something in her leg or wrecked her shoulder. My vet came out prepared to investigate as an acute injury and ended up spending about an hour working on her shoulder and neck. The mare walked off sound. I’ve had many of those moments where I wish I had the foresight to video the before and after.
So do I “believe” in chiropractic? I find it such an odd question about whether I “believe” in it…I’ve seen major differences at the hands of chiropractic work. I don’t have to “believe” in it to see those differences. To me it’s an important tool that I use on all of my horses. But finding a good person to do it is a whole 'nother story…
I am a former skeptic having seen the “bone cracker” at a boarding barn and he used a mallet also. I didn’t want him working on my horse for fear of damage done by the mallet.
Fast forward I started using a new vet and one horse started exhibiting poll and neck issues and had this new vet work on him. WOW! What an improvement. We repeated a similar procedure a year or so later and again, immense improvement. This vet is also trained in chiro.
So my opinion would be if you can find a qualified vet, trained in chiro and you have a problem, yes definitely try it.
If the Chiro is also a large animal vet, I would go for it! They will have a very well rounded body of knowledge behind their work.
It was actually a vet who was a chiro who finally diagnosed my gelding as having a broken neck based on how his neck felt. (Confirmed through x-rays).
I would NOT use someone who was not either a vet, nor a human chiropractor who also did the large animal program. Too many just do a quick study course and then hang out a shingle.
Not a fan here. A two day course is all that is needed in my area and I would not trust that type of education for work on my horses.
The entire theory behind Chiropractic in humans is that there are undetectable sublaxations in the spine and the Chiropractic practitioner is capable of adjusting the spine so as to remove these sublaxations and the pain and impairment that they cause.
In horses I’m not sure of just how this translates. Most practitioners talk about “adjusting” the horse to correct “misalignments.”
In humans the Chiros are usually quite aggressive in selling “packages” of treatments. In horses about 1/3 of the ones we’ve dealt with wanted to set up regular, long term treatment regimes.
We have tried several over time. The best one was a human physical therapist who billed herself an “equine adjuster.” She actually corrected an issue in one of our mares that had baffled three chiros (two of whom were also DVM). Of the rest, they’re batting well under .300 in terms of effectiveness. Two have actually injured horses as a result of the “adjustments.” One Chiro/DVM spent most her time trying sell me hundreds of dollars worth of supplements; her adjustments resulted in a net zero on the horse.
We’ve quit experimenting.
G.
My horse completely lost her right lead due to a mysterious pasture injury years ago. Nothing would make her pick it up. The barn’s usual chiro was out of town for a conference. I found someone else to come out (also a DVM) and it was terrible. She was into eastern medicine and determined that the mare had a torn muscle in her shoulder. She gave me some herbs for it. Usual DVM chiro came out when he was back in town, fixed her uneven hips, told me how to proceed with riding, and had me throw out the herbs. It took a month of shaky circles, but he gave me the ability to pick up the lead again and gradual work got her back to normal.
I also experienced the benefits of a chiropractor when I started working a desk job. Sitting would hurt so much I’d almost cry at my desk. Getting adjusted gave me immediate relief. At first I had to go twice a week, then once a week, then every other week, finally a last check-up and now nothing for years.
If there is an actual problem that can be addressed by a good chiropractor, I believe it makes a world of difference
My vet is also a chiro and I firmly believe in it. Not as a fix anything, but definitely to help the horses - help them be the athletes we are asking them to be. I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything super dramatic after a chiro exam, but I do have one pretty awesome example of what it can do.
At the time of his first adjustment, Remy was 5 or 6, I think (he’ll be 13 tomorrow). He was adjusted the day before we had a schooling show. Prior to the adjustment, this horse sounded like a herd of elephants when he loped. Just LOUD - probably could hear him loping from across the street. Had him adjusted just because the chiro was going to be there (before my vet was certified, but this was another vet). He really didn’t find anything big, but fixed some smaller stuff and Remy had the day off after.
The next morning I went to warm him up for the show. And you could. not. hear. him. At all. My friend came out and was floored that she didn’t me in the arena. It was night and day. And to this day he’s still got a very quiet lope. It was all very weird.
A chiropractor can only fix a chiropractic issue. I’ve had my chiro out to do maintenance and not notice anything before or after—and she’ll tell me, she didn’t find anything major, hence not “seeing” any difference. I’ve had her out to fix obvious issues as well–could tell my horses weren’t moving quite right, but weren’t unsound. I have used a chiropractor myself and can tell when I need to see one. I don’t willy nilly schedule unneeded appointments for either them or myself. My chiros are part of my team of care professionals, just like my farrier, my vet, and my saddle fitter.
The chiro I use is also a vet (but sadly he’s not local so I just use him for chiro work), and he is great! One thing I love about him is that he won’t adjust if he doesn’t see a reason too, and if he doesn’t do anything, then he doesn’t charge. He’s only adjusted my horse twice (he’s looked at him about every month/every other month for the past 3 years–he usually looks at and adjusts several at my barn, so it’s not a big deal) and the times he has done it, my horse had felt a bit off before (no lameness, just felt weird). He also does acupuncture and has been able to diagnose mild ulcers in my horse as well, even though he hadn’t shown any outward signs of them.
i think it comes down to how good your practitioner is, how willing (loose) your horse can be, and whether or not you’re willing to do a course.
A good chiropractor will tell you that it often take multiple sessions to help a subluxation because the muscles attached to processes are contracted or stretched in the “native” state. A good chiropractor will also tell you that there’s nothing wrong when there’s nothing wrong.
I have known many people who claim that a good chiropractor has helped their horse. Or themselves. As a professional physiologist, I know that it makes sense. It logically would take several visits for an adjustment “to take” if it involves remodeling of attached muscles. It also would involve targeted muscle training on the part of the rider/trainer (which is the goal of riding anyway - at least dressage).
I have never had chiropractic work done on myself although I know people who swear by it for their own maladies. I had a chiropractor come work on my horse once. She explained everything she did and I could see where my horse enjoyed it. I could also hear where his joints “popped”. Lastly, I appreciated when she said that he was very loose for his temperament and that she didn’t need to come back. She found no significant issues.
I have a friend that has a two year old is in regular chiropractic work. This person is, ummm, not new to performance horses. It was suspected that the horse, as a weanling, had an accident that involved the hips. The chiropractic work has made significant improvements to the way the horse uses the hind end, documented on video. This particular chiropractor is not a vet but is recommended by local vets.
I am, admittedly, a skeptic. I’ve yet to see tangible differences in myself (when I’ve used a chiro) or my horses. I’ve also run across a lot more quacks in the equine chiro business (even ones who are also vets), than not. I’ve used good ones, and still not seen a noticeable difference in anyone.
A lot of the horse owners I’ve known to be huge believers in it have also been the type of horse owner not willing to ride their horses through the difficult moments. Most of the horses I’ve known who have needed an “adjustment” have looked like they needed someone to guide them a little bit more into the next the next level of their training. Instead, when they resist because they’re not strong yet or don’t understand quite what is needed, the rider gives up and calls their quack chiro, and the horse goes exactly the same.
I’m not saying it is all mumbo jumbo. My mom gets tangible results from her chiro visits and I know some horses that you can CLEARLY see a difference. But most of the time it seems to me the horse needs either a better rider, a lameness exam, a massage, a better saddle, or just plain nothing.
For my horse, he gets a regular massage, his work is appropriate to his level of fitness, he has a good saddle and a good farrier, and if he’s ever NQR, he gets a visit with a good lameness vet. So far, so good.
Depends on the chiro and on the problem with the horse. I had a horse that was definately lame in the hind end. Took him to a vet that was also a chiro, and had him adjusted. The chiro said he was out an 8 on a scale of 1-10. (The horse had been badly kicked by another horse). The horse was 90% better after the first adjustment, and after he worked on him a second time the horse was 100%, stayed 100%, and passed his vet check a couple of years later
I’m not a fan of straight chiros. However, I am in LOVE with my bodyworker. She mixes chiropractics with bodywork. Bodywork includes pressure points, acupuncture, body massage, among other things (some holistic, some traditional)
I have personally seen her do simple adjustments that have made every single horse she’s touched move a TON better. FEEL a ton better. The difference is night and day when I ride my horse after a session. I’ve had no one have a negative or indifferent experience with her or those like her. Do your research and you’re likely to find someone who truly does make your horse feel better and move better.
Thanks for the replies.
I think I will give the chiro/vet at the new barn a try and see what happens… doubt it’ll hurt and it’s only money, right??
