“To us a horse is a horse, whatever his fame or fortune – and each is totally equal and deserving when it comes to ensuring its health and well-being.
“This training is a type of ‘joint intensive’ for the hands-on equine therapist who is experienced as a practising, complementary practitioner. It will help you to truly understand and feel the structures that you are working with, while helping the horse to approach the closest to correct skeletal realignment it can achieve, this side of adjustment by a qualified osteopath.
“In our treatment, there is something we call ‘intent’. This is where we apply the techniques with the intention of enabling healing. We imagine ourselves inside the tissues being treated, and then bring about positive change.
“This is why an intimate knowledge of anatomy is desirable, the knowledge that we are going to use every day – knowledge with a purpose to it. Once learned, we don’t forget it because we keep it in mind every time we pick up a foot or touch a horse.
“Another side is being able to influence horse behaviour, knowing how to control their movements and make it possible to apply our techniques.
“Against this background, as a working equine therapist, you can advance your practice by achieving a higher level of assessment, plus a comprehensive understanding of joint function and pathology.
“By learning about areas such as forensic osteopathy and lesion patterns, you can approach the horse with a viewpoint that has evolved from that of your primary modalities. As a result, you can work effectively as a complementary therapist to improve the horse with an approach that is wholly different to that of the vet, chiropractor, physiotherapist or other members of equine care team.”