In 2010 Vicky completed a three-year course in Veterinary Homeopathy and has found that this natural system of medicine hugely benefits the racehorse as it treats the totality of the animal stimulating the body's own healing process. Homeopathy has no side effects or withdrawal periods, which is a great advantage in the horse racing and competition world and is also very cheap and easy to administer. A holistic approach to yard health and wellbeing enables us to combine the best conventional medicine and diagnostics with the gentle and effective treatment of disease and injury using homeopathy wherever possible.
Vet Dr Sue Armstrong who is one of the world’s foremost experts on the homeopathic treatment of animals, works closely with Bryan and Vicky and visits the yard regularly. She says ‘I am passionate about both veterinary medicine and veterinary homeopathy, and it isn’t about choosing between the two approaches as we select what is in the animal’s best interests. My ethos is that each animal should receive a bespoke treatment and after good diagnostics it is about choosing the most safe and ethical treatment with a mind to the long-term outcome.’
To read more about Sue Armstrong and Veterinary Homeopathy click on www.suearmstrongconsultancy.co.uk.
Veterinary physiotherapy is a science based profession, which takes a holistic approach to each patient by providing functional assessment following veterinary referral. Physiotherapy for animals can be used alongside veterinary care to assist in the treatment or long-term management of many musculoskeletal or neurological injuries and conditions. It can assist rehabilitation of the animal, with the aims of reducing pain, improving movement, and restoring normal muscle control and function. Physiotherapy can also be used for performance development of the animal athlete, helping to minimise the risk of injury whilst maximising the performance of competitive or working animals.
Physiotherapy is as important for the racehorses as it is for human athletes and we are fortunate to have two fully qualified Veterinary Physiotherapists on the yard. Vicky Smart and her colleague Kate Stringer examine the racehorses on a regular basis providing routine massage, stretching and treatments as necessary. They work closely with the vets and will discuss cases together to try and find the best way forward in order to maximise the athletic potential of each horse and to help avoid more serious injury down the line. Regular massage, stretching and mobilisations can aid recovery from exercise and performance, prevent compensations from building up - which may in turn lead to injury – and the horses really enjoy the hands on treatments which also aids relaxation and improves rest.
Other treatments available include Laser, Ultrasound, H-Wave, Tens and NMS (muscle stimulation). More recently we have incorporated Arc Equine units on the yard and have found them to be extremely effective.
Our cold water jacuzzi spa and solarium are used regularly to treat minor injuries and aid recovery and are useful additions to the physiotherapy treatments available.
Both Vicky and Kate are members of the National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists (NAVP) and are fully insured and qualified to treat horses. NAVP run Postgraduate and Undergraduate courses in Veterinary Physiotherapy at three universities around the country. More information can be found by clicking www.navp.co.uk
