For The Horse
Equine physiotherapy sessions are helpful to keep your horse performing at his best and help recover from an injury. Shelley has specialized training in treating horses and uses her extensive physical therapy training from humans to improve body alignment, muscle activation, and movement patterns.
Just like with people, the goal with horses is to restore movement. When the body moves freely and without restrictions, energy can flow properly. When there are movement restrictions, then this flow is disrupted and your horse will start to compensate. Movement compensations set the stage for injury, anxiety, and poor performance.
Physiotherapy for Horses Recovering from an Injury
If your horse has been injured and is rehabilitating from an injury, he would benefit from physiotherapy to set up a progressive strengthening program, improve range of motion and core strength. Shelley can also help you monitor how your horse is moving to try to minimize or avoid compensations from the injury. If your horse has been injured, Shelley requires a referral from your vet and the veterinary records to provide the best outcome for your horse.
Wellness Program for Horses
The goal of the wellness program is to closely monitor your horse’s movement, range of motion, nutrition, feet, tack fit, and performance to catch issues early. Horses in this program are treated monthly. This is the perfect program for performance horses in moderate to heavy work, or horses that have recovered from an injury and are returning to regular work. This program often runs full, so please check for availability. We can add you to the wait list if no spaces are open.
Posture and Fitness Assessments for Horses
A posture and fitness assessment for your horse can be done in-person or virtually. Shelley can help you identify any postural weaknesses and movement restrictions. During this session, you can also review your horse’s fitness program and response to their workload. Shelley can help you make changes to your program and include therapeutic exercises to improve your horse’s posture and movement patterns.
If your horse is recovering from an injury, I require a referral from your vet. The gold standard of care is I work with veterinarians to achieve the best outcome for your horse.
To learn more about equine physiotherapy sessions or set an appointment, please email Shelley at info@intrepidwellness.com or call/text 208-761-3111.