02/08/2016
In the February, 2016 issue of Dressage today, on page 64, there is an article about Why is my horses acting so irritable? The thoughtful Emma Hardy, PhD states that through Post mortem studies they have found that the right dorsal colon is frequently the site for inflammation and ulceration.
I am not a scientist or a doctor who can look past the skin and hair of a horse and see the ulceration, I am, however an lifelong Acupuncturist and an herbalist who uses looking, smelling and listening, palpating and questioning to arrive at my diagnosis.
All of these methods work, but for a horse we have to observe more because there is no voice to answer back. So, for the horsemen, observation, listening and palpating tells us so many things.
My horses Deluxe and Ser give me clues about how they are feeling. When I am training my horse, and we are going to the right, sometimes there can be more difficulties, and I am aware and observe these moments. I feel that years of my life studying Medicine has been so worth it. I kept thinking that this reluctance and hardship for the horse going right has now been answered. I thought the difficultly was the intestine. Thank you Emma Hardy for saying so. This does not make me think that the right hind and trouble there is only intestine. Horses do lay in the mother's womb curled one way or the other. I take into account this fact as well.
We, as horseman, must think harder about how our horses are feeling and when you see them struggling, help them. Training must be good and conscious and aware. There are also other answers, not necessarily medicine, but maybe Aloe Vera for irritable gut and ulceration or some laser therapy on the digestive system to help our NOBLE friends.
When I get on and start my walk in my warm up, i can feel so much that the horse is telling me about how he is feeling that day. I have noticed that the 10 to 20 minute walk is ever so important, especially on winter cold days. If i suspect that there is some discomfort in the digestive tract or the sacroiliac i use lateral work at the walk. The sacroiliac is directly over the intestines. Think of how lateral work flexes and extends and moves the intestine while we are in it. This lateral work puts my horses on to my aids and also does a little Yoga through his barrel. We are a continuous whole and so are our horses. The intestines, the muscles, the joints, the mind. If their belly is hurting, how can they execute demanding movements? Some people say they are naughty. I think we must look harder and observe.
In my quest for the perfect digestive system for my horses I give them ground up flax seed, daily and some Opti-Zyme which supports and balances the digestive system. I also treat them regularly, with Laser acupuncture on the major digestive points to keep the organs functioning properly, and I use MOXA on the Kidney, Spleen, Stomach and Large Intestine. Both horses breathe deeply, completely relax, chew, yawn and sometimes sleep when i give them therapy. It is rewarding to help them to feel good and it shows in their enthusiasm to go to work.
I love my Beasties.
February 8th, 2016 Chinese New Year!
