Chiropractic for horses and dogs.

Chiropractors use “subluxation” for a vertebra that is misaligned, stuck, or unable to move correctly. When movement between two vertebrae is restricted, the animal loses flexibility, and stiffness, resistance and lack of ability follow.

Subluxations can also interfere with nerves where they leave the spine, disturbing messages between the brain and the body. Every movement, from a swish of the tail to a piaffe in dressage, needs muscles working in sync; if those nerve messages are obstructed, coordination falters. In competition, even slight changes can affect performance, and missteps can damage joints and tendons. Animals also compensate to avoid pain, which stresses other joints and can cause secondary subluxations.

Common causes include trauma, conformation traits, trailering, birth, confinement, the type of performance work, rider ability, equipment, age, and shoeing.

The most common problem is pain. Animals in pain compensate in gait or posture and may resist or refuse to perform. Watch for:

• Abnormal or varying posture when standing
• Discomfort when saddled or ridden
• Evasions: extending the head and neck, hollowing the back
• Wringing the tail, pinning the ears
• Refusing jumps, or resisting lateral or collected work
• New behavior problems, or a look of apprehension or pain
• Stiffness coming out of the stall, or in lateral neck and back movement
• Shortened stride, trouble engaging the hindquarters, uneven muscle
• Obscure or shifting lameness, a rider who can’t sit centered
• Unusual rubbing, sensitivity to heat or cold, uneven sweating

With an adjustment: a short, rapid, controlled thrust on a specific vertebra in the direction that returns it to its normal position. Veterinary chiropractic is very specific. Jerking on legs or tails is not a chiropractic adjustment. An exam first identifies every subluxation.

Big animals don’t need big force. With the right angle, adjusting a horse is relatively easy and low-force. Most adjustments are done by hand; some doctors use a small, fast instrument called an activator.

An adjustment realigns the spine, but the muscles and ligaments have to learn to hold it there. Several adjustments may be needed until the body accepts and keeps the correct alignment. Most horses improve significantly within one to four adjustments; chronic problems take longer.

Trainers, riders and owners can look for warning signs, and checking the spine before a purchase is as important as checking the legs. Ask your horse to bring its nose to the girth on each side (does it resist more on one side?); test lateral bend by gently pulling the tail while your other hand rests on the spine; press down on the back, which should flex slightly rather than feel rigid. Feel the major muscles for pain, tone and symmetry, and run your hand down the spine for bumps, comparing the two points of the hips.

Yes. Consider conformation when choosing a horse for a particular job. Horses with long backs are more prone to muscle and ligament injuries, and straight shoulders predispose them to front-leg problems.