Physiotherapy is an increasingly evidence-based component of equine welfare management for musculoskeletal pain, rehabilitation from injury, and performance horse maintenance.
Equine physiotherapy occupies an important niche in welfare management: it provides treatment for musculoskeletal dysfunction that medication alone cannot fully address, and it identifies performance-limiting pain that may be missed by routine veterinary examination. Horses with back pain, muscle asymmetry, and movement restriction often benefit from physiotherapy alongside or following veterinary treatment. The welfare value is highest when physiotherapy is integrated into a collaborative team approach — veterinarian, farrier, and physiotherapist working from a shared assessment — rather than used independently. Horse owners should seek chartered or certified practitioners with demonstrable equine-specific training; unqualified practitioners can cause harm through inappropriate techniques. Physiotherapy also plays a preventive role: regular assessment of performance horses identifies developing issues before they cause significant welfare problems.