Four Legged Athletes Depend on Chiropractic

The January 9, 2004 issue of the Daily Racing Form carried a story of how race horses depend on chiropractic care. The article begins, "Marty's Zee", now 7, didn't make her first start until December of her 2-year-old year. But she romped by 10 lengths in just her second race, won a stakes in her fourth, and, overall, has won eight races from 25 starts and earned $292,504." The story then went further to explain, "These accomplishments have come despite chronic back problems, and without regular chiropractic treatments, Marty's Zee may never have made it to the races.

The story notes that Marty's Zee is just one of many horses at Golden Gate Fields and other tracks whose careers have been saved or prolonged by chiropractic care. One of the most notable recent examples was the race horse Ten Most Wanted, who injured his back in the Kentucky Derby and, after undergoing chiropractic care, finished second in the Belmont and won the Travers and Super Derby. "Ten Most Wanted's spine got knocked out of line," said his trainer, Wally Dollase, adding that the chiropractic care "really helps."

The trainer of Marty's Zee, Bill Mahorney testified, "I could tell she had a problem when I worked her. I had used a chiropractor with some of my horses before, and I've been using it on her since she was 2. She couldn't have done what she has without it." "When I think it will help a horse, the first question I always ask owners is if they've ever been to a chiropractor," Mahorney said. "If they have, it's usually easy to get them to say yes."

Jerry Hollendorfer, northern California's leading trainer, has used chiropractic with his horses. But Hollendorfer notes that chiropractors can't make a slow horse run fast. "They don't move a horse up that can't run," he said. "It only helps horses reach their potential."