Veterinary physiotherapy has become an established component of equine rehabilitation and welfare management. Evidence-based physiotherapy techniques address musculoskeletal pain, movement impairments, and post-surgical recovery in horses.
Musculoskeletal pain is among the most common causes of suffering in performance horses, and physiotherapy provides a non-pharmacological route to pain relief and functional recovery. Horses that receive appropriate physiotherapy after injury return to work at higher rates and with better movement quality than those managed with rest alone. Pain-related behavioral changes — back sensitivity, resistance under saddle, changed gait — often resolve with physiotherapy, demonstrating the direct welfare benefit. Including physiotherapy in equine healthcare planning represents a welfare-positive shift toward proactive pain management.