To facilitate the approval of consent for musculoskeletal therapists/physiotherapists please complete the form below if you are either the treating therapist or owner of a horse or horses. We hope to have a response emailed to you within two working days of receiving your request. Consent will be emailed to the requesting individual via the email address submitted in Section 4. Should consent be declined we shall contact the therapist or client by telephone or email explaining our reasons.
Please note the following important conditions set out by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons which were updated by the College in November 2020:
1. Under current UK law, musculoskeletal therapy can only be performed by a suitably qualified individual as part of a vet-led process. Animals with illness, disease, or pathology can only receive treatments from therapists under the approval of a veterinary surgeon. Under this rule, lame horses or poorly performing horses must first have been examined by a vet before the vet can approve musculoskeletal therapy.
2. Healthy animal do not require veterinary referral for maintenance care by a therapists, though the horse does still need to be registered with a veterinary practice. As such, therapists and horse owners DO NOT need to contact a veterinary practice to seek approval for this care when a horse is not ill or injured.
3. Musculoskeletal therapy/physiotherapy is interpreted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as encompassing all kinds of manipulative therapies, including chartered physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, and animal therapists. All therapists must be over 18 years of age.
Further useful guidance on musculoskeletal therapists has been produced by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) which can be accessed here.
