The Horse Vet provides a veterinary chiropractic service by a qualified and experienced equine veterinarian.

All examinations and treatments are carried out by an equine veterinarian certified and experienced in veterinary chiropractic. Primarily treating equines, dogs and cats can also take advantage from this treatment.

Routine checks, existing conditions and poor performance can all benefit from chiropractic.

To gain maximum performance, sports horses need to be consistently in optimum health and working with correct biomechanics to prevent injury. Slight inefficiencies can result in subclinical joint damage which can not be detected by a visible swelling, lameness or change on x-ray.

Chiropractic is the only way to detect these subclinical stages and correct them before they cause further damage.

Existing conditions benefit from chiropractic such as:

• Kissing spines
• Osteoarthritis 
• Sacro-iliac joint pain
• Lameness
• Neck pain

The chiropractic examination is comprised of:

• Static analysis (at rest)
• Dynamic analysis (at walk/trot/canter)
• Chiropractic examination
• Treatment (chiropractic adjustments) where necessary

After the initial consultation and treatment a clinical record will be made and sent to your primary veterinary practice if requested. A plan going forward will be made detailing advice and recommendations including any further treatments or check-ups required.

Our mission is to maximise your horse’s sporting potential and well being.

To book an evaluation or to discuss your concerns

contact us

Investigation of the underperforming horse can be very complex. The Horse Vet focuses on the biomechanics to evaluate the horse’s movement and detect any acute or chronic problems. Investigation can involve:

• Full Veterinary Clinical Examination
• Chiropractic examination
• Gait Analysis technology (EquiGait)
• Working alongside qualified paraprofessionals such as farriers, equine dentists, saddle fitters and physiotherapists.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing method based on the insertion of very small needles into specific points on the body to bring relief from pain and treatment of disease. The western medical world has taken this technique to treat in combination with conventional medicine or use when other treatments have failed to work. Acupuncture stimulates the body’s repair mechanisms in the nervous, immune and hormonal systems.

Acupuncture is most beneficial in the treatment of muscular pain and muscle trigger points. Optimum results are achieved when used in combination with chiropractic as both techniques work on stimulating the nervous system. Acupuncture alters the perception of pain giving relief to horses suffering from chronic disease pain enabling pain medication dose to be reduced.

Frequently treated conditions include:

• Chronic pain
• Respiratory disease
• Gastrointestinal disease – Chronic diarrhoea, recurrent spasmodic colic, weight loss
• Poor performance syndromes
• Infertility/reproductive problems
• Behavioural problems

All horses are individuals, some tolerate it very well, others do not. Sedation can be used if necessary to place the needles.

In addition to conventional acupuncture we also use electro-acupuncture. This allows a very small a safe current with fluctuating frequency to be passed through the needles. It often creates a stronger result and has been used successfully for:

• Trigeminal Neuralgia Head Shaking
• Chronic Back pain with muscular atrophy (loss)
• Front and Hind suspensory desmitis
• Laminitis

Using technology to maximise your horse's performance.

Ever wondered how your horse is really moving? Are there underlying compensations that the human eye cannot pick up?  Equine Gait Analysis is the science behind quantifying the movement of a horse. Using digital technology to produce an extremely accurate measurement of movement.

It can be used for:

• Lameness diagnosis
• Injury prevention
• Treatment monitoring
• Performance enhancement.

The system is made up of 5 wireless motion sensors (inertial measurement units) attached to the poll, withers, croup and hips with double sided tape. These provide very accurate measurements of their position in space which is wirelessly transmitted to a laptop in real time. The system requires minimal setup – there are no banks of cameras and markers on the body and limbs. Analysis can be performed anywhere with a level surface. Results are available immediately, however a more detailed report is prepared and usually ready within 2-3 days.

The Horse Vet Gait Analysis Service offers you a scientific, trusted capability to assess and quantify your horse’s gait for lameness diagnosis, injury prevention, treatment monitoring and performance enhancement.

For further information click here or contact us

The Horse Vet is experienced with the latest equine performance medicines available.

Bisphosphonates (Osphos)
Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs commonly prescribed to prevent bone loss in people. In normal bone there is a constant balanced turnover of osteoblasts forming bone and osteoclasts resorbing it. In diseased bone this balance is disrupted, and more bone is resorbed than made. Osphos is licenced in horses over 4 years old by reducing the activity of the osteoclasts (which resorb bone). Osphos alleviates clinical lameness associated with bone resorptive processes such as Navicular Syndrome. The bisphosphonate is rapidly absorbed and accumulates in areas where bone metabolism is most active and there it inhibits osteoclast activity helping to reduce mineral loss. Therefore combating excessive bone resorption. www.osphos.com for more information.

IRAP (Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein)
IRAP is a regenerative medicine that utilizes the patient's own blood and natural healing mechanisms. The patented irap syringe produces autologous conditioned serum which contains active quantities of anti-inflammatory and regenerative cytokines. The inflammatory mediators are targeted specifically to reduce the inflammatory response. The extracted serum is reinjected into the same horse for joint, muscle, tendon and ligament injuries.

Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium (Cartrophen)
It provides pain relief by acting on the pathology within the joint that causes pain and lameness. Cartrophen has many sites of action within the underlying processes of the osteo-arthritis disease which helps maintain joint health including preserving joint cartilage. It is therefore classified as a disease modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD). Benefits include stimulating cartilage production, increasing the quality and quantity of the synovial joint fluid, increased blood supply and nutrition to the joint and subchondral bone and strong anti-inflammatory properties.

Regenerative Stem Cell Therapy with Lipogems®
Lipogems® is a non-expanded and micro-fragmented adipose (fat) tissue graft that is injected into damaged areas of the body in order to provide a cushion and structural support while promoting a healing environment. The Lipogems process preserves the natural healing properties of adipose tissue by maintaining the fat’s Vascular Stromal Niches. The micro-fragmentation of the tissue is key to the treatment process as it triggers the body’s own damage response mechanism. Lipogems has been directly translated from human application to veterinary application - No lab culturing - No cell isolations - Lipogems is a complete tissue structure graft that is completed on-site, under an hour under standing sedation for equines. To find out more visit www.lipogemsequine.com

Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyaluronic Acid)
Hyaluronic acid is naturally occurring, found in all animal connective tissue. It is an essential constituent of articular cartilage and synovial (joint and tendon sheath) fluid. The effects of intra-articular or intra-venous injection are enhancement to the viscosity of synovial fluid, activate tissue repair process in the joint cartilage, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-oxidant properties. Sodium Hyaluronate alleviates joint inflammation and enhances joint function.