Bella’s first taste of watermelon rind.
We Westerners have only recently started to appreciate the importance of diet in medicine. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, food has been an integral part of medicine for thousands of years.
In Chinese Medicine, summer heat is seen as an external toxin that can have a multitude of negative effects on the body. Watermelon rind is a cooling food with many medicinal properties. I often use it in horses that are prone to excess internal heat, but it also helps to counteract the negative effects of very hot weather.
My Bella has a fire constitution, so runs a bit hot at the best of times. I am treating her with watermelon rind to help her stay cool over the coming days.
Pilates day for Bella
Fitness, suppleness and strength are the best defense against strain, degeneration and injury.
I love in hand work for suppleness and strength through the horses back. As a very big horse, Bella doesn’t have a naturally balanced trot. If left to her own devices she would much rather stick her head in the air, keep her body rigid and move only her legs! This is why I use a loose pessoa training aid to lunge her in trot. By gently encouraging her head down and giving proprioceptive feedback around the hindquarters, she is encouraged to lift her belly and balance her trot.
How are you improving your horse’s strength and fitness this winter?
Hill work on the water treadmill
For healthy performance horses, the best defense against injury is fitness and strength. This needs to be balanced with wear and tear which can shorten athletic lifespan. The water treadmill is an excellent tool to improve fitness and strength without increasing wear and tear on joints or soft tissue structures, when compared to other forms of intense exercise.
Bella (in the video) is a showjumper that is moving up the grades and needs to get stronger to be able to safely jump the bigger fences. The water treadmill at Rhoden Rehabilitation is invaluable to her training program. And she absolutely loves her sessions!
Pony showing de-qi
De-qi, sometimes seen as licking and chewing, is an external sign of the systemic effects during an acupuncture treatment.
Etoile is flourishing after Traditional Chinese Medical treatment
Etoile presented initially to Equine Integrative Medicine on 13 Oct after prolonged Western medical treatment failed to resolve his problems. He had become extremely unhappy both in his work and in the stable. He was aggressive and unhappy to the point of violently attacking his grooms and owner. His owner did not observe any of his usual playful behaviour, and he had withdrawn within himself.
He had severe back/shoulder pain, resented being touched and would not move forward at all during exercise. He was completely unable to do his job!
In order to bring his body back in balance, he was treated with acupuncture, laser therapy and herbal medication. His owner has also worked extremely hard on a rehabilitation program, and made appropriate changes to his hoof management and diet. Today was his first time under saddle, and the happy pricked ears say it all!
Equine Integrative Medicine takes a holistic approach to getting horses happy and comfortable in their work. And although the results are not always instant, they are well worth waiting for!
Fireworks cause severe pain an suffering
Every year we see horrific injuries to animals as a result of people setting off fireworks. I urge the public to put a stop to this harmful practice.
If you have horses and you fear for their safety, talk to your vet about mitigating measures.
Acupuncture improves gait and symmetry
Chatcho continues to blow us out of the water with a lot of TLC from his owner Ellie Jenkins and regular acupuncture treatments. He was previously retired, but is making a ‘better than ever!’ comeback.
At Equine Integrative Medicine, each individual treatment is tailor made for the horse at that point in time. At his most recent session, Chatcho was treated to improve comfort in his neck and allow more freedom of movement in his lateral work in addition to his usual back and hindlimb treatments. Looking at that trot, we think he approves!
Acupuncture is proven to improve gait and symmetry in horses. Call or text Karin at 07367596697 for bookings.
😎 I now also offer Laser Therapy! 😎
The spectacular Chatcho is another acupuncture success story. As an older gentleman, he had been struggling to stay comfortable enough to do his job. After 3 acupuncture treatments, he is completely sound and loving his work. We can’t wait to celebrate your red rosettes special boy! Ellie Jenkins Sarah Jenkins
Apache can barely keep his eyes open during his acupuncture treatment at Rhoden Rehabilitation
Acupuncture causes the release of many beneficial biochemical mediators, including endorphins (the body’s own painkiller) and serotonin (happy hormones in the brain). The patients clearly approve!
The lovely Lemon is strutting his stuff, giving us a small glimpse of greater things to come. Lemon originally presented to Rhoden Rehabilitation for water treadmill exercise. He had chronic hindlimb, pelvis and back pain that was so severe that he would get cast in his stable, unable to get himself up.
He was also very anxious and while he tries to be a really good boy, he would have extreme over-reactions to everyday things.
Lemon was treated with acupuncture for pain in his back, pelvis and hindlimbs, as well as his anxiety. Acupuncture is a fantastic modality to treat chronic pain, and Lemon is a great example! This is him trotting after just two sessions. He is also much happier and calmer. Good boy Lemon!Lucy Woods
