What does it take, to become an Animal Biomechanical Professional? You mean aside from the literal blood, sweat and tears? I wish I was joking, but dogs bite, working on horses during Summer is fun (hot!!!), and the assignments…oh the assignments…
I’m currently just over 2 months shy of completing the ABM course, providing I complete all my coursework and pass all my exams until then, along with 14 other professionals that I’m now incredibly stoked to call friends. That’s the thing, we’re all professionals already, we’ve all spent 4/5/6+ years at University to become Chiropractors, Osteopaths, or Veterinarians.
We do this because; a) we’re crazy, b) we’re complete nerds who always need to know more, c) we know that biomechanical work can not only improve our lives, but the lives and function of our four-legged compatriots too, or d) all of the above.
For the past 18 months, our lives have consisted of working our full-time jobs (for some of us that means running our own clinics and businesses), taking time off work to attend classes and workshops, studying anatomy, conditions, techniques, and skills that may be foreign and confusing, and then making sure assignments and tests are all completed on time!
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that it’s HARD to become an ABM professional. For me, this is harder than when I went to University, because now I have real-life to deal with. When I was at University, that was my life. But the rewards? So worth it. To see the old, arthritic horse wander around with a little less discomfort because you’ve taken away some of his pain and increased his mobility. Or the dog that had surgery a few weeks ago and is becoming stronger and more athletic thanks to the rehabilitation program you wrote.
That’s what it takes to become an Animal Biomechanical Professional.