When Emma Kirby APAM first began studying to be a physiotherapist, she didn’t imagine that her future patients would primarily be four-legged. 

After completing a Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of South Australia in 1998, Emma began her career in general hospital physiotherapy before moving into private practice. 

‘I was always interested in anatomy, biomechanics, sports, endurance and running, so it felt natural to jump straight into physio.’ 

Although Emma enjoyed working with human clientele, she was simultaneously pursuing her passion for animals through equestrian eventing, endurance riding, dog agility and sled dog racing. 

It was this combination that revealed a significant gap in animal treatment therapies. 

‘There was massage, there was chiro and there were medicinal remedies prescribed by vets, but I thought, “Why not more?” 

When I began treating my own horses, I could see I was making a significant difference. It seemed obvious that animals would benefit from physiotherapy.’ 

In 2000, after considering going into veterinary medicine, Emma decided to undertake a master’s degree in animal physiotherapy at the University of Queensland. 

Initially, she introduced animals into her client rotation by treating friends’ animals alongside her own. 

‘After building my skills, I gradually thought, “Okay, let’s give it a crack and see if we can make this part of my career.”’ 

For a decade, Emma saw a mixture of human and animal patients before she eventually transitioned into seeing animals exclusively. 

While she has been known to treat cows, alpacas and the occasional cat, horses and dogs have become her primary clientele. 

Emma’s equine patients are a mix of eventers— dressage, show jumping and endurance—and general riding. 

A particular highlight of her career was working the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. 

She also treats agility dogs, while balancing working in a veterinary clinic a couple of days a week treating dogs post-surgery. 

However, moving into animal physiotherapy doesn’t mean she has stopped caring for humans entirely.

‘When you treat animals you can end up working with people even more intensely because they are more invested in their animals than they are in themselves. 

You even sometimes see correlations in the presentations of the animal and the owner.’ 

Emma finds purpose and joy in the outcomes she sees in her patients. 

‘Generally, the animals are quite receptive to physio. When they come in, they have no idea who you are or what they’re doing there. 

If you give them a bit of time, they relax—even the more aggressive dogs—and they’re great to treat. If they come back in, they’re usually pulling their owner into the room.’ 

Emma doesn’t regret any of the years she spent treating human patients. ‘Treating people first was one of the best things I could have done. 

When you work with humans, you’re receiving verbal feedback and you’re figuring out by touch and observation what feels right. 

When I moved to working with animals, I transferred that skill over to them. 

Animals can’t verbalise so you’ve got to observe their movements, posturing and body language and then also navigate by feel.’ 

Always passionate about animal care, the physiotherapist, who has owned several working dogs and horses, encourages emerging physiotherapists to undertake a similar path. 

‘Develop your key skills with people first, then get to know animals and how they move. 

Get among them, get an idea of what a healthy animal looks and feels like and learn their body language to increase your knowledge.’

Check out the APA Animal National group here.