Caring for animals is both our profession and our passion

As physiotherapists, we are trained to consider the whole individual—not just an injury in isolation. None of us are defined by a cruciate injury or by back pain. We all have roles to play in our families, our work, and our communities, and our experiences and injuries affect how we are able to live those roles.

The same is true for animals. Our horses and dogs have roles within their families and daily lives. They may be working partners, companions, athletes, or simply bring joy through their presence. Whether it’s helping with day-to-day routines, like collecting the newspaper, or competing at the highest level, they need to be able to perform functional activities comfortably.

A whole-body approach means we look at more than just the site of injury. We consider:

• The animal’s environment and daily routine.

• Their fitness and lifestyle before the injury or condition.

• The factors leading to and contributing to the issue.

• What has changed since the injury occurred.

• What the animal and their owner would like to return to.

This comprehensive view may include addressing nutrition, equipment (such as saddles, harnesses, or leads), handler techniques, and the animal’s emotional well-being. Every single element matters in supporting true recovery and long-term health.

Physiotherapy is a science-based, evidence-led, professional qualification.

We don’t just rely on “what feels right.” Our work is guided by clinical reasoning, proven techniques, the best available scientific evidence, and ongoing measurement of our progress. 

Research in animal physiotherapy is constantly evolving. We take responsibility for staying up to date with new advances and are always prepared to reflect, re-examine, and refine our methods as fresh evidence emerges. We actively ask for feedback from owners and the wider veterinary team, and reassess our patients regularly.

Our aim is always the same: to achieve meaningful, measurable improvements in health, comfort, function, and happiness

Physiotherapy is an art as well as a science.

Our patients, no matter the number of limbs they have, are living beings with thoughts, feelings, needs, motivations, fears, memories and distinct experiences.

We want animals to have positive experiences with us and to build genuine, ensuring that they will get the best results from our work. Equally, we want to understand our owners’ concerns and beliefs, so that we can support them and work with them towards common goals.

We invest in learning from professionals in animal behaviour science, allowing us to optimise our interactions with our patients and provide safe, comfortable, therapeutic environments and experiences.

Physiotherapists are trained as allied health professionals.

While you can approach us directly without a medical or veterinary referral in many situations, we are highly educated in working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

We know that no single professional can know everything. Vets, farriers, saddle fitters, dentists, trainers, behaviourists, and physiotherapists all bring different, vital expertise to the table.

Working together ensures that each animal receives the best possible care, with every aspect of their well-being considered. Our team members seek and enjoy a collaborative approach, for the best results.

Physiotherapy is about more than healing injuries or restoring structure. It’s about supporting an animal to enjoy a full, healthy life. It’s not enough to simply reduce pain or restore basic function — we want our patients to thrive.

That means seeing a dog choose to run joyfully across a field, not because adrenaline helped them to overcome pain, but because curiosity and playfulness drew them there. It means hearing that a horse has started to enjoy being around their humans again and is eager to engage. Owners often tell us they hadn’t realised how much their animal had stopped doing — whether it was jumping onto furniture, fetching toys, or playing with companions — until physiotherapy helped them regain those instinctive behaviours.

This is what we mean by a full life and a good life: not just the absence of ill health, but the presence of positive emotions, vitality, comfort, and joy.