Thermographic analysis of chiropractic care on the back health of Mangalarga Marchador horses.

INTRODUCTION: Poor saddle fit can cause back pain and lesions in horses, highlighting the need for preventive therapies. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of chiropractic treatment on the backs of Mangalarga Marchador horses using infrared thermography to monitor thermal changes associated with saddle-induced overload. METHODS: Physiological, environmental, thermographic, and chiropractic parameters were evaluated in 13 horses subjected to a standardized 25-min exercise session. Animals were assigned to either a control group (GC, n = 6) or a chiropractic treatment group (GT, n = 7). Assessments were conducted at five time points: pre-exercise (M0), immediately post-exercise (M1), 1 h post-exercise (M2), 1 h post-chiropractic assessment (M3), and 48 h post-assessment (M4). Saddles were also evaluated thermographically before (S0) and after (S1) exercise. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS: No differences were observed between the groups in the clinical variables evaluated. Mean dorsal and dorsal-midline temperatures were higher in GT at M1; in both groups, these values were higher at M0 than at M3, suggesting a thermal reduction over time. Saddle thermography showed an average increase of ∼1 °C in quadrant 5, and 31% of images exhibited asymmetries and tunnel contact with the horses' dorsal midline. A chiropractic evaluation revealed vertebral subluxation complexes in all horses, primarily in the cervical and lumbar regions. CONCLUSION: Infrared thermography identified saddle-related thermal asymmetries, with no changes in dorsal thermographic patterns after a single chiropractic session. Findings should be interpreted considering the study design and sample size.