The Ripple Effect of Alignment: How Animal Chiropractic Transforms Lives Across Species

By Dr. William Ormston | DVM, CAC, DVETHOM | Founder, A.C.E.S.Advancing Animal Health Through the Power of Chiropractic Alignment.

In this conversation, Dr. O sat down with two exceptional chiropractors - Dr. Molly Hamilton, a food-animal and equine chiropractor from Iowa, and a dedicated chiropractor from New York - Dr. Janette Pena, who has blended animal chiropractic into her longtime human practice. Together, they revealed how a single adjustment can shift everything: from an animal’s movement and health to its attitude, behavior, and even its future.

Animal chiropractic isn’t a specialty reserved for performance horses or sore dogs. It’s a universal principle—restore connection and remove interference—and the body does what it is designed to do. Whether on a cattle farm in Iowa or a peaceful barn in New York, the nervous system rules every function of life, and a clear spine can change an animal’s entire path.

Both guests shared powerful, real-world examples of how chiropractic impacts animals in dramatic and deeply meaningful ways.

A Horse Hit by a Truck — and Saved by an Adjustment

Few stories illustrate the power of chiropractic like the one shared by Dr. Molly Hamilton. One morning she received a devastating call: her young horse had escaped, been hit by an F-150, flipped through the air, and was standing in shock—barely able to move, heavily injured, and teetering on the edge.

Instead of panicking, Dr. Molly palpated him, assessed his frame, and made one specific adjustment to his atlas.

What happened next was nothing short of remarkable.

The horse’s eyes brightened. He began to move. He was eating. He was drinking. Within days he was walking. Within months, she was riding him again. Today, he competes—strong, balanced, and alive because his nervous system was given the chance to do what it was built to do.

“A single adjustment changed the entire trajectory of that horse’s life,” she said. “That was the moment I knew I was meant to do this work.”

A Morgan Gelding Restored by Connection

Dr. Janette shared a similar story—this time with her own Morgan gelding. After a trainer landed improperly on his back, the horse shut down emotionally and physically. He wouldn’t move, wouldn’t bend, and wouldn’t cooperate.

One specific adjustment was all it took to restore the connection between his brain and body. Within minutes, the gelding moved more freely. By the next day, he was back to himself.

“If I hadn’t known what to look for, that horse would have spiraled,” she explained. “Instead, he healed. Chiropractic made that possible.”

When the Nervous System is Clear, Animals Thrive

Both guests emphasized what every principled chiropractor knows: symptoms often appear far after dysfunction begins. Less than half a percent of the nervous system perceives pain. That means by the time an animal shows discomfort, the interference has been building for far longer.

Chiropractic allows early intervention—often before the owner even notices a change.

Clear nervous system = better adaptation. Better adaptation = better health. Better health = better behavior, better performance, and better quality of life.

From barrel horses to show cattle, from barn cats to working dogs, animals respond because chiropractic honors the intelligence already inside them.

Food Animals, Show Animals, and the Power of Efficiency

Dr. Molly shared how chiropractic care impacts livestock in real, measurable ways. Adjustments improve:

• Rate of gain

• Feed efficiency

• Stress response

• Mobility

• Temperament

  
  

Farmers watching their animals move more freely—and grow more efficiently—quickly become believers. For show animals, alignment can mean a smoother gait, a calmer presence, and a competitive edge.

Chiropractic doesn’t replace veterinary care; it strengthens it. When veterinarians and chiropractors work together, animals receive a fuller picture of health.

Connection: The Foundation of All Healing

Throughout their stories, one word kept surfacing: connection. Connection between the brain and the body. Connection between practitioner and patient. Connection between species we care for and the people who depend on them.

As Dr. O often says: 

“Healthy animals are happy animals. And happy animals thrive.”

When the spine is clear, the nervous system can express life the way it was designed. That single change ripples outward—to families, farms, trainers, and entire communities.

If you’re a veterinarian, chiropractor, or student interested in learning how to provide chiropractic care for animals, visit Animal Chiropractic Education Source to learn more about certification.

Subscribe to All Creatures Every Spine to catch every episode of Animal Chiropractic Clinic Chatter — and discover how chiropractic is changing the way we care for animals, from pets to livestock.