The Vet Rehab Summit 2025
Dynamic by Design
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Join us again next year!
Saturday, 31st October 2026
A global online conference for veterinary rehabilitation professionals.
12 hours of CPD. One powerful theme. Unlimited inspiration.
Join hundreds of veterinary rehabilitation professionals from around the world for the Vet Rehab Summit 2025. This year’s theme, Dynamic By Design, explores how movement is more than motion: it’s intention, biomechanics, anatomy, and purpose brought together.
Whether you work with canine or equine athletes at the top levels, or focus on the rehabilitation of patients with pathology, this event will give you insights and tools that can help advance your therapeutic exercise and rehabilitation programs.
What you will learn:
How to evaluate and apply functional movement principles.
Practical strategies for improving therapeutic exercise outcomes.
The latest thinking on equine and canine performance, laterality, and anatomy.
The influence of the canine handler and the equine rider.
Integrated approaches for treating different body systems.
2025 Vet Rehab Summit Line-Up
Was streamed Live on Saturday, 8th November
Each session was packed with clinical relevance, expert insight, and practical takeaways.
12H00 to 13h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
COMBINED
(Small Animal & Equine)
Functional Movement Analysis and What it Means
with Dr. Constanza Gómez Álvarez
13H00 to 14h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
SMALL ANIMAL
(Small Animal Stream)
Recognizing Correct Biomechanics in Therapeutic Exercise
with Anna Lee Sanders
13H00 to 14h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
EQUINE
(Equine Stream)
Dressage Dissected
with Gillian Higgins
BREAK
15H00 to 16h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
SMALL ANIMAL
(Small Animal Stream)
The Impact of Handler Skill on Patient Biomechanics
with Anna Lee Sanders
15H00 to 16h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
EQUINE
(Equine Stream)
Jumping from the Anatomical Approach
with Gillian Higgins
16H00 to 17h30
GMT+2 (South Africa)
SMALL ANIMAL
(Small Animal Stream)
Return to Sport: Progressive Loading and Therapeutic Exercise for the Agility Dog Returning to Sport
with Jana Gams
16H00 to 17h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
EQUINE
(Equine Stream)
Incorporating Classical Dressage Principles into Effective and Therapeutic Groundwork Exercises
with Elin Hernlund
17H30 to 18h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
SMALL ANIMAL
(Small Animal Stream)
Stable vs Unstable Surfaces: What Are We Recruiting
with Jana Gams
17H00 to 18h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
EQUINE
(Equine Stream)
Redefining Laterality in Horses
with Kevin Haussler
BREAK
19H00 to 20h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
SMALL ANIMAL
(Small Animal Stream)
Biomechanical Analysis of the Agility Dog
with Arielle Markley
19H00 to 20h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
EQUINE
(Equine Stream)
The Rider’s Influence on Equine Biomechanics and the Role of Off-Horse Training for Technical Riding Skills
with Maria Terese Engell
20H00 to 21h00
GMT+2 (South Africa)
COMBINED
(Small Animal & Equine)
Fascia at the Core: Linking Neural and Muscular Systems in Therapeutic Exercise
with Tuulia Luomala
Why Attend?:
Earn 12 CPD Hours
Global Accessibility (Join from anywhere)
Live Interaction and Q&A with Experts
Free for Onlinepethealth Members
Replay Access for a Limited Time
Part of Growing, Supportive Vetrehabber Community
Your Lecturers
Dr. Constanza Gómez Álvarez
DVM PhD MRCVS FHEA CVA CCRT
Dr. Constanza Gómez Álvarez is a veterinarian with a PhD in Equine Biomechanics from Utrecht University. She is a Certified Animal Acupuncturist and Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist. Dr. Gómez Álvarez has held academic positions, including Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Biology at the University of Surrey, where she established a biomechanics laboratory. Currently, she serves as a Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge and as an Associate Editor for the Equine Veterinary Journal, focusing on applied animal biomechanics, particularly in species prone to lameness.
Anna Lee Saunders
CPCFT, CSCC
Anna Lee Sanders is the founder of Canine Conditioning Coach and a Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT). With over two decades of experience in human fitness, she transitioned to canine conditioning after rehabilitating her own dog. Anna Lee specializes in form-based exercise methodologies that enhance neuromuscular re-education, aiming to improve functionality, hasten recovery, and reduce injury risk in dogs. Her approach combines evidence-based human exercise principles with canine fitness to support both sport and pet dogs.
Gillian Higgins
BSc (Hons), BHSI, Dip(RM) MSM, ITEC (Equine), MCAM, MIAS, MRAMP
Gillian Higgins is an equine anatomy and biomechanics specialist and a BHS Senior Coach. She offers training sessions aimed at improving equine posture, movement, performance, and musculoskeletal health. Gillian is known for her interactive, hands-on workshops in applied anatomy and physiology, supporting equestrians and coaches in their training and examinations. Her work integrates polework and alternative physical therapy methods to enhance ridden performance across various equestrian disciplines.
Dr. Jana Gams
DVM, CCRP
Dr. Jana Gams is the CEO of Dogs4motion, specializing in canine rehabilitation and sports medicine. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Ljubljana, she is also a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee. Dr. Gams is an active competitor in agility and obedience, and a licensed FCI dog training instructor. She has extensive experience lecturing on canine conditioning and has worked with numerous international-level canine athletes.
Dr. Elin Hernlund
DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVSMR
Dr. Elin Hernlund is an Associate Senior Lecturer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Her research focuses on orthopedic diseases in large animals, particularly horses and cows, with an emphasis on biomechanics and functional anatomy. Dr. Hernlund is also involved in developing advanced motion analysis techniques for lameness diagnostics and serves as the Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Sleip, a company innovating in veterinary biomechanics and AI.
Dr. Kevin K. Haussler
Dr. Kevin Haussler is an Associate Professor at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. His work focuses on musculoskeletal pain assessment, conservative management of spinal dysfunction, and the use of chiropractic techniques in animals. He is a charter diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, a course instructor for the University of Tennessee’s Equine Rehabilitation Certification, and founder of Veterinary Compendium (VetCompendium.org), an online platform advancing interdisciplinary veterinary care.
Dr. Arielle Pechette Markley
DVM, cVMA, CVPP, CCRT, DAIPM
Dr. Arielle Pechette Markley is a veterinarian specializing in integrative pain management and rehabilitation. She holds certifications in veterinary acupuncture (cVMA), pain management (CVPP), canine rehabilitation therapy (CCRT), and is a Diplomate of the Academy of Integrative Pain Management (DAIPM). Dr. Markley focuses on multimodal approaches to manage chronic pain and improve quality of life in companion animals.
Dr. Maria Terese Engell
Dr. Maria Terese Engell is a veterinarian and researcher specializing in the interaction between horse and rider. With a PhD focused on balance and rhythm in equine-human movement, her work bridges veterinary science and postural control. Maria is founder of Rider In Balance, where she integrates clinical insight and research to enhance equine performance, welfare, and rider biomechanics. She collaborates with top athletes and leads innovative research on rider influence and lameness detection.
Tuulia Luomala
PT, APT
Tuulia Luomala is a licensed physiotherapist specializing in fascia-focused therapies for both humans and animals. With advanced training in fascial manipulation, myofascial release, and movement therapies, she co-developed the Animal Fascial Manipulation method and teaches it internationally. Tuulia combines clinical practice, dissection-based research, and a passion for anatomy to explore the dynamic interplay between structure, movement, and performance.
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