Horse chiropractor
For Performance Horse & Rider
Precise, discipline-specific treatment for sport horses
I'm Nika Vorster, a horse chiropractor who has spent over thirty years with performance horses, in the saddle as an amateur flat jockey and a Great Britain dressage representative at Prix St Georges, and on the ground treating horses at the top of their sport. I treat every horse as the athlete they are.
Book an assessmentWhere I've worked
I've been closely involved in the treatment, maintenance and support that took these horses to the top level.
My approach
No two horses are treated the same
I assess and treat horses from a perspective that very few practitioners have, because I've spent my life on both sides of the partnership. I understand what each discipline asks of a horse's body, and how much the rider influences the way that horse moves.
I take a systems approach, which goes well beyond the subjective, static conformation assessment most horses are given. I start with the horse's history, environment and management, then assess them standing and in movement, so that I can work out which problem is the primary one and which are the body compensating for it. That distinction matters, because treating the compensation gives a horse a few good days, while treating the cause is what changes how they perform.
I never work in isolation. I work as part of the horse's team alongside the vet, the trainer and the farrier, because a full multidisciplinary approach is what keeps a performance horse sound and competing.
Every treatment is tailored to the individual horse, reassessed before I leave, and followed by a clear aftercare plan.
What I offer
Every treatment draws on whichever of these the horse in front of me needs, and most horses receive a combination.
Chiropractic
Precise, gentle adjustments that restore normal movement through the spine, pelvis and limbs. For the performance horse this means a freer, more even stride, better straightness and the ability to use their whole body, so power from the hindquarters carries through instead of being lost to restriction.
Physiotherapy and soft tissue work
Hands-on soft tissue work, trigger point therapy and fascial release to ease tension and restore elasticity in the muscles. This helps a horse recover faster between training sessions and competitions, improves suppleness and range of movement, and reduces the muscle tightness that so often leads to compensation and injury.
Class 3B laser
Laser therapy uses red and near-infrared light, which passes painlessly through the skin and is absorbed by the cells beneath. That light helps the cells produce more energy, improves circulation in the area and calms inflammation, which together support the body's own repair of muscle, tendon and ligament. For the performance horse this means less soreness after hard work, a quicker recovery between sessions, and tissue that's better prepared for the next effort.
What my clients say
"Nika has improved our horses no end. Incredible understanding of the horse as a whole and very thorough."
Kate Jones
"Nika has hugely improved Reggie's field exertion body issues. He always enjoys his treatment and I'm so grateful that Nika always takes the time to set up post treatment stretches, exercises and hands on techniques to help me to help my horse on a day to day basis."
Karina and Reggie
"Nika never fails to amaze me, I have a very sensitive horse who always responds so positively to her treatment."
Samantha Allday
About me
I'm Nika Vorster, an equine chiropractor, physiotherapist and performance specialist, Masters trained at the McTimoney College of Chiropractic in Oxfordshire and registered with the Animal Health Professions' Register (AHPR).
I treat horses across the UK, Ireland, Asia, Australia and the UAE, and I'm the founder of Women in Horses.
Horses have been the steady thing in my life since I was a child, and they taught me to listen before I act, which is still the first thing I do with every horse I meet.
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Treating worldwideUK, Ireland, Asia, Australia and the UAE