What Does a Horse Chiropractor Do?

It’s amazing that a horse’s back can withstand the weight of a person, especially considering most riders aren’t perfectly balanced all of the time. Back, pelvis, or limb soreness are common problems that may benefit from an equine chiropractor.1

A chiropractor is a health professional that uses manual manipulation to correct imbalances and abnormal range of motion, especially in the spine. Learn here how a chiropractor performs adjustments on horses, what conditions they may be needed for, and how long treatment may need to last.

What Is a Horse Chiropractor?

Horse owners may be already aware of chiropractors for their own health. Other terms for chiropractic adjustment include manual therapy or spinal manipulative therapy. A chiropractor, either for people or horses, is highly trained in anatomy and uses their hands to manipulate joints and/or the spine to correct neuromuscular alignment

.

Short, controlled bursts of non-painful force reconfigure nerve signals that had been firing abnormally because of injury or stiffness, restoring normal biomechanics.2 Chiropractors require strength to manipulate these joints in a horse and may need tools, such as blocks, to stand on to achieve enough height to reach the spine.

A person doesn’t need to be a veterinarian to be a horse chiropractor but must be certified in equine chiropractic care and practice under the supervision of a veterinarian and/or in accordance with their state's veterinary practice act. Horse veterinarians that are certified in chiropracty also have the knowledge to diagnose underlying conditions that result in imbalance and may need medical treatment.