Horse rehabilitation therapy covers a range of equine injury or trauma situations, and salary is commensurate with the type of horse, therapy and duties involved. An equine veterinarian is at the top of the pay scale, while a horse rescue worker might earn minimum wage. Rehabilitation might require a horse to be laid up for several months at a barn -- with daily hand-walking, actual physical therapy, or a combination of rest and rehab.

Equine Veterinarians Equine veterinarians specializing in rehabilitation occupy the top salary level in this field. However, even relatively high salaries might be misleading, as many equine vets are not salaried but own and operate private practices or partnerships. Depending on the region, salaried equine vets often earn over $100,000 annually as of publication. Even those equine vets practicing in areas with lower overall compensation earn approximately $80,000 each year. Vets working on the rehabilitation of the most valuable animals, such as racehorses and top show horses, can expect to earn more than if practicing on the average horse. Although most vets work on all types of equines, owners tend to spend more money on the rehab of a horse that might return to racing or showing or has a value in the breeding shed.

Equine Physical Therapists Equine physical therapists usually do not have veterinary degrees, but they might earn undergraduate degrees in animal or equine science. Salaries for these practitioners vary widely according to experience and education. The annual starting salary is approximately $29,000, with the average annual salary about $36,000. However, as equine physical therapists move up the credential ladder, earnings increase. A top therapist with a doctorate in biomechanics or a veterinary degree might earn $100,000 or more. Many equine physical therapists are not salaried, but conduct private practices.

Rehabilitation Therapist This person often works in an equine veterinary hospital, using therapies such as lasers, ultrasound, massage, hyberbaric chambers and other modalities. Besides traditional medicine, the rehabilitation therapist may be skilled in alternative treatments such as acupuncture and chiropractic. Salaries vary upon the particular skill set and training of the therapist. While the average salary is approximately $36,000, highly skilled therapists might earn as much as $62,000.

Grooms After the veterinarian makes the diagnosis, basic equine rehabilitation might fall to the horse's owner or groom. While the owner is not paid for taking care of her own horse, the groom might receive extra money for specific tasks outside of normal care. This could include hand-walking, leg-wrapping, hosing the legs, administering medication and other specific treatment ordered by the veterinarian that can be done at the home stable or lay-up farm. Because an injured horse is often stall-bound for long periods, the groom might need to clean the stall several times a day. For grooms, hands-on horse experience is more important than education, but this is job done for love of horses rather than money. Grooms might earn approximately $20,000 per year, but can also receive perks such as housing in or near the stable, often a mobile home or small apartment.

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