Dr Bill Ormsted published this article. If you reside in New England please contact me at 617-472-0661 Dr Bruce or email me.
Everyone with a new foal wants to know when they should have him checked by the chiropractor.
Chiropractic subluxations are thought to be caused by three major factors: stress, toxins and trauma. Your newborn foal has just experienced two of these in a big way. Birth is very stressful for both mom and baby. The newborn requires a slight period of no oxygen to be able to switch from passive living in the womb to an active life outside. Birth itself is probably the biggest trauma that most living creatures experience.
I recommend that all newborns be examined by a certified animal chiropractor as soon as the owner is able to handle the baby. The most common subluxations I see in newborns occur in the pelvis and in the upper cervical region. These subluxations will definitely affect performance as the foal ages and, if left unchecked, can turn into a real problem when you start riding this horse in a couple of years.
