Date Published: 30 October 2005
Equine chiropractor eases racehorse pain (Australia)
Dr Jim Johnson has two kinds of chiropractic patients ? humans and horses. He followed RMIT University's world-first animal chiropractic program after working as a human chiropractor for 30 years.
The postgraduate program, which is open to chiropractors, veterinary surgeons and osteopaths, is recognised by veterinarians as a viable way of treating animals who might not respond to conventional treatments. It focuses on treatments for the spine and joints and how these might not be working properly and therefore affecting the nervous system.
"Chiropractic treatment offers relief to horses who may not respond to conventional treatments. At the start the horses can be quite standoffish ? especially if they are in pain ? but once they have had treatment and feel better ? they meet me at that gate. They are the best patients anyone could wish for," said Dr Johnson.
Among his equine clients have been well-known race horses such as 'Fields of Omagh', who after treatment ran second in last year's Cox Plate.
Dr Johnson said that treating horses is similar to treating humans.
" Believe it or not, horses are quite similar to humans anatomically and suffer from similar chiropractic issues. Last year, 'Fields of Omagh' was tender in his back and back legs. We found it to be sciatica, gave him two adjustments and two weeks later he went on to place in the Cox Plate."
He said chiropractic treatment gave horses great relief and trainers used his services when a horse is under-performing or lame. Recently, after treatment, two local gallopers who were not running so well won their races respectively and set course records.
Source(s): 
RMIT University, Australia
http://www.rmit.edu.au
