An equine physical therapist uses non-invasive techniques for the rehabilitation and prevention of injuries in horses and can save the horse owner time and money in the recovery process. Because of their expertise, the demand for equine physical therapists is a growing field.
Most equine physical therapists have taken a combination of courses in animal science and veterinary technology. A degree in physical therapy with emphasis on equines is often part of their background and many equine physical therapists have completed a veterinary science doctoral degree program.
Since horses must be able to move freely at all times, recovery from an injury is a major challenge both for the horse and the horse's owner. Therapists begin by carefully designing a therapeutic program based upon the diagnosis, assessments and goals of the horse's veterinarians, owners and trainers.
The physical therapist implements an individually tailored plan that may consist of rehabilitative exercises, stretching, hydrotherapy, laser, electrical stimulation, magnetic, ultrasound and heat and cold, according to the American Association for Equine Practitioners,www.aaep.org.
Equine physical therapists are often employed in conjunction with trainers to relieve chronic pain, enhance performance and prevent the career and sometimes life-threatening injuries that often occur in horses.
Injured horses are usually frightened and often display unpredictable behavior that can lead to additional trauma. Equine physical therapists not only need to have physical strength to work well with these large animals, but they must also have endless patience as they help a horse regain physical health along with any necessary retraining related to a particular competitive sport.
Since many of the equine patients are prized race or show horses, an equine therapist must have the ability to work well with trainers, while reassuring the horse's owners that their expertise will help bring out the best in the horse as it fully recovers from its injuries.