Hello,
I was recently watching this video (mentioned in the title of this post) and I couldn't help thinking that the methods used looked very abrupt and fast. I have little or no knowledge about these methods but in my humble opinion I thought that the way the procedure was done seemed very aggressive. I cannot deny that it definitely seemed to work but I have always been told that everything to do with the horses anatomical well being (e.g. stretching the front legs out to release the skin caught in the girth) must always be done gently and slowly so as not to damage the more delicate tissues in the horses body.
I was particularly confused when the man pulled the horses front legs sharply in a horizontal direction. I have been told by many people NEVER to do this (I know I would never do it anyway as I am not an acupuncturist, but I was told never to pull the horses leg away from his body sharply when picking out feet etc.).
I also saw that the man working on the horse appeared to dig his fingers into the soft part of the horses nose (towards the horses chin from where the noseband would usually sit) at 7.50 minutes.
I am perfectly open to new methods and this one certainly seemed to work but I was just thinking that it contradicted a lot of stuff that I have been told in the past, I wouldn't be doing these procedures (obviously) as I am not a person qualified to do so, but I can't see how it would be different for a qualified or unqualified person to do something that (apparently as I have been told) is or could be damaging to the horses muscles, tendons, ligaments etc.
I am in no way saying what he was doing was wrong (as I have no idea about these methods at all) but if I had the privilege of being a horse owner I would find it quite distressing to watch.
However I can't deny that it did work, but could someone explain, if they could, what happened in the video? And why such an abrupt method was used? :)
By the way, I do understand that the purpose of the title 'don't do this at home' is self explanatory and that I would never do any of this at home but surely I wouldn't have been told not to do it for a reason (like it might hurt the horse?) :) Thanks
Abi
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Alternative Therapies - Acupuncture Don't Try This At Home
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Is there a link to this vid that you could post, Abi? It's hard to comment on something unseen.
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Are you sure it was acupuncture? Because that is when you set needles just under the skin. This sounds more like acupressure which is about massaging and/or stimulating certain pressure points on a body.
Done correctly, it does work as the cramped muscle will relax eventually and give the horse release from pain and tension. (This is the short and simplified version!)
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Since I haven't seen the vid, I can only guess at what you saw when you speak of abrupt methods. A therpist might "snatch" at a leg to - if I remember correctly - help things to get back in their proper position. (Again, simplified version!) Just like a naprapat or chiropractor does for humans, but our tendons, ligaments and muscles are not as big and strong as horses' (that weighs ten times what we do), so more force is deemed necessary.
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As for pulling tendons etc I've been told by professional therpists that it is very hard for us humans to apply enough force to overstretch a muscle or tendon in a horse - but, as always, it's in the hands that do it.
Its on here Kicki on the lessons tab - it's called Alternative Therapies - Acupuncture; 6 lessons. I watched these ages ago and there were things I wasn't happy with; it's interesting you have brought this up Abi - I will look at it again
Hi. I've revisited the videos in question. Having owned a horse with back pain and was lucky enough to find a great man, Richard Arthur, who worked on him and totally changed the shape of his spine -so I know something had been done, I would say this - look at the horse! The most reactive he gets is mild surprise when his hips are straightened. His ears are never laid right back flat on his neck, his feet for the most part hardly move and the groom holding the lead rope does very little. He even licks and chews at one point. My horse had repeat treatments over a number of years, usually in four or five fortnightly visits so he most certainly knew what was coming. He was always very relaxed and would stand loose for the treatments which involved putting muscles into spasm, flipping up vertebrae that were out of alignment. I understand why you did not like what you saw but what you saw was not an everyday occurrence but the horse receiving help. The horse has recognised that what is happening is helpful ( because he feels improvement ). No, you should not try this at home - only trained people should do these things. Human doctors are usually very gentle but if your shoulder is dislocated it is necessary to apply force, in the right way, to put the joint back. Please watch the series Walter Won't Go Forward. Here you have a horse which potentially could end up being put down as his behaviour has become unacceptably dangerous. Monty applies the giddy up rope which, together with his other tools, works like a dream - but he has to be proactive with it to get the job done. Yes, in day to day dealings with horses movement should be slow and calm but not in every situation. If you and your horse are out for a ride and bees start to swarm above your heads then you get the heck out of there. It's that or be stung really badly. Exactly that happened to my first pony and I many years ago. We galloped a hundred yards on a tarmac road. Not best practice but we were both ok and so were the bees. Life throws all kinds of stuff at us. Horses need to react really violently in the wild to avoid being eaten. They kick and bite and throw themselves onto predators, feet first if they cannot simply run away. Listen to what Monty says. What he does not advocate just giving in so that we can be nice. Sometimes we need to be more proactive. I hope this helps you understand a little better. Take care. Jo
yes indeed JoHewittVINTA, sometimes force is needed to correct something that is drastically wrong.
My mare had terrible muscle spasms through her neck, between her ribs & her loins & quarters when she was a baby, she was in dreadful; pain - I know as i've suffered the same thing, so i was the only one who knew she was in pain & not a vile natured horse!
The vet couldn't find it, even though when i rode her he said she's tracking up well. I said she always does, but she's smashing me to bits up here! - it's not his speciality - he wanted me to put her on 3 Bute a day, a huge dose, & work her hard to see what happened! It was the very thing i didn't want to do, but followed instructions.
I rang him back to say she'd just had a huge muscle spasm that almost blew her off her back legs! "Oh my God, you'd better get a physio out to see her!" was his reply.
Physio came, had to try to trot her up, she hurt so much she grabbed my shoulder, only lightly with her teeth as she had no other way to say it hurts!
Physio used machines to really whop the muscles & get them jumping to get some blood flow back into them as they had closed down!!!
She also used her hands to really get into the quarters muscles.
Libby's little face after was so lit up, she was so much happier even if the physio didn't like us!!!
She wanted me to school her & hack her out on the buckle of the reins - errm, she's only a baby, just started & very quick, reactive scared Arab X, she's not yet done much at all! Very spooky & tense, so thats going to be a bit of a problem!
I'm not quite sure what her problem was with me & my lovely mare,. but i did look her up & she is a happy hacker, sop i guess she has no experience in starting youngsters???
Anyway, that aside, she did a good job on Lib & i used my TENS machine on her which she loved & very slowly, we got through it, but, it did need a lot to get the blood flowing through the muscles again, so yes, sometimes force is needed.
Thank you all very much, this has been very helpful. I personally have never seen a horse having physio done (or acupuncture) so seeing it for the first time was a bit surprising :) however, your comments and opinions have helped me understand that it was beneficial in the end.
Thanks,
Abi
vicci,
Thanks for the clarification! I had actually forgotten about that lesson and didn't relate the question to it.
Very welcome Kicki, I've done it myself a few time ;-)