Equine physio: any experience?

[Ormirian]

Hi horsey folks! I'd really appreciate the benefit of your wit and wisdom please.

DD rides and loves horses. She is keen to work with horses but I'm not sure stable girl is much of a career! She doesn't want to be a vet. She has found about people who work with horses as physics and is thinking about it.

Is anyone here a physio? Or used one for a horse? Is it something she could make a living out of?

Thankyou

All I know is you have to be a human physio for a couple of years first, then requalify. Equine dentistry is another good option, the few I know are sought after and make a healthy living.

I don't know where you are, but have a look at Hartpury College, near Gloucester - specialist equine courses galore. There are probably other places, but I know this is meant to be good.

I have a great physio for my horse and she definitely makes a good living from it, her house/yard is to die for.

I pay £50 per visit as a minimum (luckily only have her once or twice a year).

Thankyou.

We're in Somerset so Gloucester is fine. I think they may offer courses at Cannington which is just down the road. Mitchy - she knows she will need to qualify as a human physio first, doesn't seem to bother her. Dentistry - aha! That's an idea. The only thing she knows about equine teeth atm is that they can bloody hurt!

You need to be fully qualified as a human physiotherapist before you can train as an equine physiotherapist. She could also consider becoming a bloodstock agent, hunt servant, saddler, course designer etc, etc.

Thanks callisto. I think a nose round a website for Hartpury or even Langford college might help. There are obviously more options.

You could always talk to some horse physios and see how they got into it. I'd have thought they would need some veterinary training as well if they are going to be respected - and therefore referred - by vets. I agree thought that Hartpury etc offer great courses. I think Warwickshire college also do good hands on equine courses.

It can be a good job - our physio drives a new Range Rover so imagine it pays ok - but reputation and trust are hard to acquire and I suspect the big money is only at the elite level ie top racehorses and competition horses.

As regards horse dentistry there are plenty of specialists but all the vets in our area offer dentistry as an extra now.

I've never met a poor farrier but I can't persuade dd that it's the career for her unfortunately!

I wanted to be a horse physio but never really got supported in it by anyone so it never happened. You do have to train as a human physio first, which is probably good, because that way you have the qualifications to work in a much broader area too. It would probably help her to get BHS stages too so that she has some horsey qualifications too. It is possible to do this alongside A levels as an evening course.

I use the word too - too much

BHS stages??

Gawd! I will have to look into it more. Thanks.

Therapeutic Riding Instructor!!
Just spent an amazing week volunteering at a centre in Israel. The whole range off physical disabilities can be helped. Unlike RDA, they work with emotionally challenged people, troubled teens, the mentally ill and aren't just leading them around like they're on beach donkeys. They do qualification courses.

Now that bring back memories! " aren't just leading them around like they're on beach donkeys" - Mum used to help with 'Riding for the Disabled' as it was then called back in the 70s . Thanks for the idea. Sounds fascinating.

erm, RDA in this country is not just leading kids around on ponies! We work with physically disabled, learning disability, autism, hard to reach learners - kids who are excluded from school, those with mental health issues, children in local authority care, those at risk of offending - the list goes on and on! (and then there are the volunteers we work with, many of whom can have issues like the clients - our work with volunteers is huge) Admittedly, ours is a large centre and has a very diverse range of clients. Image is still such a problem for RDA and I am so passionate about what we do and still folks think this (not a criticism of any of the posters, just a neglect of RDA being able to get the message over about the work we do. I could go on about this for ages! What a fantastic opportunity to go to Israel though.

Back to original poster, there are opportunities to be a hippotherapists, ie a human physio using horses for therapy for their patients, not teaching them to ride. Not many paid positions but very worthwhile and RDA is desperate for them.
It is now possible to have a career in RDA as there are more large centres and there is a good progression for qualifications and training. If you want any details, just ask. I came in through primary school teaching, others have worked on ordinary yards.

I was going to say that about RDA but I've only seen the one ds goes to. They are very small (only 3 ponies) but ds's class of severely autistic children go and they get them playing games etc to improve their confidence/balance/communication skills etc.

want to be a hippotherapist now

See small helmets post!
Did not mean to knock RDA in any way. The British model differs from the German/Swiss model (more strictly hippotherapy- horse used as clinical apparatus) in many ways. The centre I visited takes from both schools of thought and expands upon them. Where they have the most unique and outstanding expertise is (no surprise) PTSD and recovery from traumatic injuries. Our UK MOD is studying their methods at the moment.

Another anecdote- I met many British children there who come during the holidays because they aren't getting enough out of their local RDA. One girl has been lead around for years at her's over her and her mother's objections. In Israel, she was walking and trotting all on her own.
Ormirian,if your daughter is interested in therapeutic riding instruction, she should read up on all three models. The centre in Israel -INTRA- offers qualification courses.

Thanks horsemad - I wll suggest it to her. I think she is open to any and all suggestions as long as they contain horses!

just read back my post and it sounds if I am a hippotherapist - am not would probably would have done it if I had known about it earlier. Am a qualified RDA coach though. Sad if there are still RDA groups where people are just being lead around. Our clients do a varietyof activities depending on need and ability -hacks, jump, canter, vault, ride, drive, games, dressage, competitions. The coaches need some help from more experienced coaches to get more ideas and lift their expectations of what riders can acheive with the right support.

also see Harper Adams University College - animal behaviour and vet nursing undergrad degrees, and a Masters in Vet Physio, in conjunction with national association.

link

also, there's an event to explore career opportunities, which involves partner colleges too: HEC

Ds does get led around, but that is because he refuses to hold the reins.

I seriously think hippotherapist might be the next job for me. Are there any on here?

should add there will be lots of our clients on a lead rope but should not mean lessons can't be fun, stimulating and therapeutic too! I would love to be a hippotherapist but don't think it is a serious proposition for me to go back to uni now, plus the course nearest me costs about £9,000 - not that I have looked into seriously or anything! You could always find a group which has one attached and go and help if it is the more physically therapeutic side which is interesting. i have really enjoyed seeing the one near me working.

I had a great equine chiro for my mare. Like a physio, she had to qualify on people first. Seemed more lucrative than being a stable girl, and she took on other animals as well.

There is an excellent lady based in the South West who runs training courses for equine physio. Can't for the life of me remember her name at the mo but I will look it up.
The lady was one of the pioneers of serous equine physio in racehorses and she has trained many people that now work in the industry. There is a huge call for physios in the racing world so your DD could definitely make a good living. Some of the larger stables will employ their own physics, rather than freelancers, so if you can get on that bandwagon you're sorted!