Physiotherapy for horses and other equines has developed into a recognized discipline that improves welfare by detecting and treating musculoskeletal problems, supporting recovery from injury, and improving performance horse comfort.
Musculoskeletal pain in horses causes chronic welfare harm that is often attributed to behavioral problems rather than physical discomfort. Horses ridden through pain show learned helplessness and behavioral suppression over time, meaning the welfare problem can become invisible to owners who interpret compliance as willingness. Physiotherapy interventions that identify and treat pain sources produce dramatic behavioral improvements, revealing the scale of undiagnosed suffering. The welfare benefit of regular physiotherapy assessment as preventive care - catching developing problems before they cause significant pain - is significant and underutilized.