If you asked Chatgpt to write this episode, it would likely make it sound like a romance novel or a fairy tale.
For actual equine veterinarians who have begun their animal chiropractic practice, that rendition might be close to the real thing.
For every other equine veterinarian, the days are long and the challenges are numerous.
Equine animal chiropractors often have days that are full of success stories, and happy clients. Getting a 5 star Google review is routine.
A big reason for this is that in equine chiropractic, the horse is actually the one producing the results. The animal chiropractor is simply there to open the doorway for the result to happen.
As a matter of fact, I just got off the phone with a horse woman who would like to do animal chiropractic specifically because there are not enough equine veterinarians in her are in Georgia. When veterinarians are spread thinly, it is hard on horse owners and twice as difficult for veterinarians to handle the case load.
When equine veterinarians come to Lab 2, they are overjoyed that they have been able to help more patients in less time as a result of animal chiropractic. This means they can serve more clients in their immediate area.
Many equine veterinarians are quiet, shy, and undervalued doctors who deal with horse owners who are rough, hardened by a long life of having to prove themselves over and over both in the show ring and amongst their peers. When a veterinary treatment fails, often horse owners blame the vet. Many a time I have had clients who would no longer use my services because I was the only person who would come in the dark of the night to euthanize their equine companion.
It became a pattern: If an owner asked me to euthanize a horse, they would change veterinarians, as if that could change the way they managed their horses. The veterinarian often is burdened with the life long errors made by the owner in part because they were not educated in actual prediction of health or prevention. (For more on that check out my book, You are the Weather, How to predict your animal's health.)
Animal chiropractors are able to navigate this territory because the success nor the failure falls on their shoulders. When the horse succeeds, it was able to do it. When it failed, it was likely also able to improve.
While having an animal chiropractor in your community is not the same as having an equine veterinarian, an animal chiropractor can help horse owners in a lot of ways to keep them from having emergencies. What a bonus for the equine veterinarians in the area.
When horses are well adjusted, they make better decisions. They have better immune systems, and they also perform better.
If you are an equine veterinarian, or a horse owner, finding an animal chiropractor for your area will be a benefit to all.
Send your next hired veterinarian to Animal Chiropractic 101. Find a chiropractor in your area who loves horses, and encourage them to take Animal Chiropractic 101.