Do you use chiropractic care for your horses?

Do you use chiropractic or other alternative health care with your horses?

I do…but I also personally benefit from visiting my human chiropractor.
Chiropractic makes a huge difference for me. But I also know that everyone is different, my husband rarely needs to go.
My personal success with chiropractic work probably influenced my desire to have chiropractic work done on my horses.
And again…some horses seem to benefit from it more than others.

This was Presto’s first time being seen by the chiropractor. He took it all in stride and enjoyed it. Thankfully there was not much to do, just a few minor adjustments.

There were two things I found interesting while watching the chiropractor work on Presto. The first was how much more flexible Presto is than my quarter horses.
Before owning Presto I didn’t know that draft horses were considered very flexible. It turns out that if you talk to people, especially farriers, they will quickly remark that the drafts are much more flexible than many stock breeds. Watching the chiropractor stretch Presto was very different than watching him stretch Willow. Her range of motion is much more limited.

The second thing I thought was interesting was the chiropractor’s observation at the end when I asked him if he noticed anything interesting. He reviewed the things he had mentioned when adjusting but then he also mentioned things being ‘loose’. I immediately said, “I know!!!” That is exactly how I would describe Presto when riding him. It is the lanky feeling of a young body that is growing.

I started Presto much later than most other horses and I keep my rides short and light. There are many studies that show that light work is better for young horses than no work…which lines up pretty well with the finding on young humans as well. I told him my plans for the summer were to simply trail ride, walking up, and downhills. This will allow Presto to gain strength while walking. I also think the additional muscle will help him firm up that lanky, loose feeling in his body. He agreed it was a good plan.

One of the added benefits of working with other equine professionals is getting their professional opinion. As a professional equine chiropractor, he puts his hands on hundreds of horses each month. Combining my personal knowledge of Presto with that of other professionals helps to reassure me that things are on track with Presto.
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I’ve owned Presto now for four years. He has grown so much and I’m finally ready to start sharing his adventures. You can find all of his posts on my website (stacywestfall_com_)
What questions do you have for me about Presto?
#PressonRegardless #Presto #Equithrive

2 Comments

  1. Nancy Gornichec on July 14, 2020 at 5:59 pm

    Never knew that draft horses are more flexible. Interesting!!

  2. Chrissy E on July 7, 2020 at 9:05 am

    Stacy, I’m not surprised to hear you give your horses the gift of chiropractic work! I do, too, and truly wish I would have started years ago. The before-and-after difference it makes is remarkable! There’s only so much “good” training/conditioning and general healthcare can do… if something is just not in place structurally, it affects our horses much like us… only we task them with carrying our weight to boot!
    My boy sees his chiropractor now once every six to twelve months, depending on how he feels. I also give him regular bodywork myself with some manual massage as well as incorporating Masterson Method techniques. The results again speak for themselves!
    Thanks for sharing your positive story with us – I hope it encourages many other horseowners to give their horses chiropractic care!

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