Equine Physio ~ Career

[Vicky&Beenie]

Im 16 and pretty sure what i want to do with my life. im absolutly obsessed with massage, hydrotherapy, anatomy of the horse, shockwave therapy. and that can only equal one thing - equine physiotherapy.
i realise that you have to do physio training for humans first, then specialize in animals, and...then, well im not sure!
is there anybody you know or you are an equine physio who could give me some advice on how you trained.
im not exactly the brightest crayon in the box but i got C's, B's, A's in my mock exams at the end of last year, so im doing ok.
just want some advice from a person that has been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
Thanks

[emsxx]

Hi there turbotoy,

Another alternative is to do the McTimoney Animal Chiropractic masters degree - it's a masters so you need a science degree before you will be accepted but that could be either a McTimoney or other chiropractic degree or osteopathy, physiotherapy, veterinary, medical or equine science.

It's a long journey to go on but worth it in the end!

[pip]

McTimoney may well be the shortest route. But if it is not a NHS course you would have to pay for it yourself. We looked into training for an Oestopath for my daughter and it was about £4,000 per year for 2 years and then £6,000 for another 2 years PLUS living expenses. All right if you are used to paying for boarding school .............................

Physiotherapy is funded by the NHS, so you don't have to pay fees and get a small bursary while you are training. This doesn't cover everything, but it helps.
Physiotherapy for humans has always been very hard to get into, need good A levels (and don't mention horses!). They also want to see evidence of enthusiasm for the job - volunteering at a hospital, old people's home, etc. Some evidence that you are a "caring person" and in good health. Physios have also been having a hard time getting jobs for the past couple of years. Not because they are not needed, but because the junior jobs have not been funded.

My daughter's friend is a physio and she has been looking for work since she qualified in June. She has just got offered 2 jobs as it happens, so she feels quite lucky, as some of last year's graduates were still looking .............
Most of the physio students were very sporty looking, not surprising really.

However, if you go down this route the job situation may well have improved by then. The best thing would be to ask the University.

As you are still only 16 you have got lots of time to look around and see what courses are available and what the job opportunities are open to you.

[emsxx]

McTimoney is not NHS funded (don't I know it - I'm a student there) but as it is mixed mode learning it means that the lectures are mostly on weekends and therefore most of us work at least part time if not full time throughout the course which helps with a) paying the fees; b) means you can live where you want; and c) means you still get to live a fairly normal life although time is scarce.

Most of the students are classed as mature with mortgages, families, jobs, etc and changing their life. It is a doctorate BSc so very full-on and again, you will need good science A-levels.

If you're not interested in treating humans though then it's a long slog to get on to the animal masters. And also being young, you may want to experience the full student experience of living in halls, etc so a conventional science degree may be better. In fact, if you don't want to treat people at all, your best route may be an equine science degree then apply for the animal masters after that.

The competition is very fierce for the animal course as it's very highly regarded though and I think that they only have around 15 places a year.

[Vicky&Beenie]

thanks very much guys! my godmother is having s physio come round tomorrow to have a look at her horse so hopefull i should get some more advice.
im not very keen on doing humans but if that is what it takes to be an equine physio then i will go for it

[Ann NF]

Kate Barnett ( based in Poole, Dorset, but travels all over our area) is a Chartered Physio for humans and has also trained with the Royal Veterinary College to do animals, especially dogs and horses. She is very good and I`m sure she would give you some more information. Her website is www.newlandphysio.co.uk

[Vicky&Beenie]

that is great thankyou

[ellibell]

Other therapy courses are Equinenergy www.equinenergy.com who use sports massage.I am qualified with them and have also gone on to become an Equine Touch practitioner, and with the EBW I am a level 2 and only 3 modules off the masters.

Equine Design also do a distance learning course that seems fiarly in depth as does Pat Ki.

I would love to go one to do the McTimoney course or an osteopathy course. I looked at the physio route and completed an access course. I decided against it as most couldnot get job after, and I really did not fancy doing 3 yrs training then 2 yrs in NHS then 2 yrs trainng for horses.

To cover helping humans I am inthe middle of becoming a VHT (Equine Touch for humans) practitioner so I can also help to correct rider imbalance as well as working on horses.

I am also finding that the more I learn, to more interesting it becomes. I try to get on at least 2 courses a year to keep my skills up to date too, so really training is constantly ongoing.

[Sue Palmer]

I echo everything Pip said. Have done my 'human' physio degree at Kings College, London, then worked in NHS for 2yrs (which is a requirement for getting on to veterinary physio course at RVC), am now studying part time towards MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy at the Royal Veterinary College, last year qualified as Equine Body Worker with Equinology, so as well as my course am being an RA, a BHSAI, and offering Equine Massage. It's a busy life! Wouldn't change it though!

The website you want to look at as far as physio goes is www.acpat.org, you'll find names there of every qualified animal / veterinary physio who is registered with ACPAT (Association for Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy). I could be wrong, but I think if you're looking at hydrotherapy and electrotherapy as well as the other things you mentioned, then physio is probably more appropriate than osteo or chiro, but in any of the forms of body work I'm sure you can specialise in what you're interested in.

Working on humans first is invaluable for the verbal feedback you get, so that you can relate that to what you are feeling with your hands. So even if you decide to go down a route that doesn't insist you work with people first, I strongly recommend that you at least do a human massage qualification and get some practice in with a few clients.

The course with Equinology (Equinenergy) was excellent - thoroughly recommend it.

Sue

[Pauline]

To be come an equine / animal Physiotherapist you must first become a Chartered Physio (Human) then work in the human field for 2 years before you can do your veterinary course.

[Vicky&Beenie]

im very interested in the equine energy courses. ive had a look at the website and considering taking the courses. what do i do then? it wont lead to physio obviosuly but what other careers involve horse sport massage, sport therapy etc etc? what else can i consider???

[annahindley]

Training in Chiropractic is now funded! I unfortunately had to pay for most of mine, but courses at Glamorgan Uni and Anglo-European College of Chiropractic now both attract state funding....you do have to do people first, and then you can do an animal course, which you have to pay for - about £4000
Good luck
Anna
PS If you go to my website www.equilibriumchiropractic.co.uk, there are links for the above