RECOMMENDED OSTEOPATHY SCHEDULES PER HORSE TYPE

* Based on evidence working with hundreds of horses:

For maintenance of general well-being, reduced risk of injury, improve recovery, calm anxious horses, and find and address issues before they become chronic, or create compensations, regular sessions, as laid out below, help us keep an eye on joint mobility, muscle, tendon, ligament, fascia, nerve, and spinal health.

• Horses in Regular Competition:

  Every 4 weeks (monthly) and when horse requires it for specific reasons e.g. Horse feels stiff or off, has slipped on a turn, strained a muscle, crashed through a jump, is a nervous traveller to and from competitions, etc.

• General Riding Horses (Regular Schooling, Lungeing, Trail Riding, and Groundwork):

  Every 4 - 8 weeks

• Pleasure Riding Horses / Happy Hackers (Trail Rides, Groundwork):

  Every 8 - 12 weeks (2-3 months)

• Paddock Princes and Princesses:

  Every 3 - 6 months if there are no issues to be addressed more frequently.

• Horses with sudden onset of Acute, or Chronic dysfunctions and concerns:

  A precise treatment plan will be discussed after the first session. However, generally 1x a week (up to 2x a week for severe cases) until we've gotten ahead of the *compensation pattern and successfully addressed the somatic dysfunction/s, thereafter every 2 weeks until the horse maintains his re-established natural balance, thereafter every 3 weeks, and then to 4 weeks. Thereafter follow one of the above protocols related to your specific type of horse.

FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS for COMPETITION HORSES:

• Osteopathy and Bodywork are recommended at least 3 days before the Competition to give time for the body to feel its best & work through any re-balancing before the show.

• Osteopathy and Bodywork after a Competition helps relieve tensions built up from travelling to the show and back, and the Stress and Physical Strains the horse experiences during Competition.

** Please take any physical and/or behaviour training, lifestyle changes, stretching, and massage recommendations given to you for your horse seriously, this can speed up the time it takes for your horse to recover, re-balance, and heal. Likewise, take seriously any supplements recommended, or referrals to any of your horse's other professionals such as Vets, Saddle Fitter, Dentist, Farrier, Nutritionist, etc.

* What are Compensation Patterns:
"Compensation patterns are alternative movement patterns that the body adopts to work around dysfunction or impairment in the movement system." - Brookbush Institute