What or who is the 'back person?
This post is prompted by an email I received from a client asking if what Amy and I do (as Chartered Physiotherapists) and what Alison does (as an Osteopath) is the same as what the 'back person' does.
My first thought was that I'm not explaining my role well enough to my clients! My next thought was how confusing it is for the average horse owner to know who to call to assess and treat their horse. Hopefully I can give you a bit more information here...
One of the questions I'm often asked is 'what's the difference between a physiotherapist, a chiropractor, and an osteopath?' My answer is that although we all start from different training backgrounds, our aims are all the same, to help the horse to be more comfortable and to perform more easily. The most important thing, in my opinion, is whether that practitioner is right for you and your horse, and here you have to at least partly trust your instinct. If you don't like what they do, don't ask them back!
Whilst qualifications are by no means the be all and end all, they can play some part in giving you confidence that the person you are paying is doing the right thing by you and your horse. The titles 'Osteopath' and 'Chiropractor' are protected titles, so if your practitioner is an osteopath or a chiropractor then you can be confident that they have at least completed recognised training. This doesn't necessarily, of course, mean that they are good practitioners, but it's a good start!
The title 'Physiotherapist' is sadly more complicated. Whilst in the human field it is a protected title, if it has an animal related word in front of it then it is no longer protected (e.g. Animal Physiotherapist, Veterinary Physiotherapist, Equine Physiotherapist). This means that anyone can call themselves a Veterinary Physiotherapist and set up in business, even with no training or qualifications at all (in fact, I was told of someone today who has done just that). To be sure that you are employing someone who is a qualified Physiotherapist, you should look for the word 'Chartered'. You can find your local Chartered Animal or Veterinary Physiotherapist at www.acpat.co.uk.
There are of course many other practitioners helping horses, ranging from massage therapists to reiki, and plenty in between. Some of these therapies are self regulating, many aren't. Again, trust your instinct, and do your research. Word of mouth is very powerful, although it's worth remembering that just because a certain practitioner didn't get on with one person isn't a guarantee that they won't get on with you.
As for what or who is the 'back person', any of these people can be given that term by horse owners! Chartered Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, and Chiropractors have trained for a minimum of 3 years (most of them longer, I took 7 years to qualify as a Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist) and will have a BSc in their subject, and probably an MSc as well. None of the other therapies have such rigorous training in order to qualify.
I hope this helps a little, please feel free to drop me an email if you have any questions or comments.
Sue
P.s. If you'd like to arrange for Amy or Alison to visit your horse for assessment and treatment then email me today.
p.p.s. If you'd like to do more to help your own horse physically, take a look at Horse Massage for Horse Owners, available as a book, DVD or course.
