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Diana
Thompson is the former editor of The Whole Horse Journal. What
is Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupressure? Traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM) has been using various methods to create health and cure
disease for over 4,000 years. The TCM system is based on the concept of rivers
of energy called qi (chee) moving through the body. Qi is considered to be the
energy that activates all living things. Qi is responsible for all of the
internal processes of our bodies including the circulation of blood, lymph and
other fluids. TCM
practitioners have mapped out specific pathways (called meridians or channels)
where qi flows within the body and along its surface. There are 12 major
channels most of which are named after the organs of the body (Lung, Large
Intestine, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small Intestine, Bladder, Kidney,
Pericardium, Triple Heater, Gall Bladder and Liver). In
TCM, health is seen as a result of the correct movement of qi in the body while
illness or pain is seen as a result of incorrect movement, blockage or
deficiency of qi. For example, the Lung qi is responsible for maintaining the
health of the lungs and the operation of the immune system. The Lung qi needs to
flow downward to bring oxygen from the environment into the body. If the Lung qi
is not moving in this correct flow, a horse may not be able to get enough air.
He may wheeze, cough or have poor endurance. The
Liver qi is responsible for moving qi and blood around the body. This flow
greatly affects the health of muscles, tendons and ligaments as well as the
reproductive system and the emotions. If the horse has a blockage or a
deficiency in the flow of Liver qi he may have chronic muscle, tendon and
ligament tightness, inflammation or reoccurring injury. He or she may have
reproductive difficulties or be irritable or angry. Acupressure
points are places where the qi energy concentrates on the surface of the
horse’s body. By placing our fingers or palms on these points and using
specific techniques we can increase or decrease the flow of qi along the length
of the meridian. This not only helps maintain the health of the horse, it can
profoundly improve it. The points can also be stimulated with various light,
laser, ultrasound and other electrical machines, magnets and the herb called
Moxa. Acupuncture is the use of a needle to stimulate an acupressure point. This
treatment method involves breaking the skin of the horse and is limited by law
to a licensed veterinarian. Acupressure be used by the massage practitioner, horse trainer or owner to:
END Equine
Wellness With Diana Thompson Acupressure
Eases Pain and Improves Health By Diana Thompson I am always amazed at the powerful influence acupressure points have on our horses’ physical health and emotions. Acupressure points are places on the outside of a horse’s body that, when stimulated with fingertip pressure, are known to influence the function of the internal organs, muscles, bodily processes and emotions. There is actually an increase in electrical conductivity of the skin at these points. Dr.
Allen Schoen, a veterinarian with extensive training in alternative therapies,
says acupuncture (stimulation of an acupressure point with a needle) has a
healing effect on all major systems of the horse’s body. The nervous system,
musculo-skeletal system, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system,
reproductive system and cardiovascular system can all be influenced. This can
bring about assistance with healing from a variety of diseases and chronic
health issues. For the show or working horse, Schoen explains that acupuncture
can provide relief from pain and muscle spasm and reduce inflammation. I
recently gave an acupressure lesson to the owner of a thoroughbred mare. Years
ago, when her owner purchased the mare following a race track career, she was
cranky and hard to touch. Now twenty years old with painful hock arthritis, the
mare greeted us with her teeth barred and ears pinned back.
The horse’s owner wanted to see if acupressure or massage could give
the mare pain relief. When the owner stroked her neck and then tried to brush
her, however, the horse moved impatiently and then threatened to kick. Since I
value my health, I decided not to start with massage as it involves sliding my
hands over the horse’s body. Acupressure allows me to place my fingertips
gently on specific points and stay put. This
horse was not only physically uncomfortable, she was emotionally agitated and
irritable. I placed my fingers on acupressure points known to calm the Spirit
and ease pain. Within two minutes, the mare sighed, lowered her neck and head
and gradually fell asleep. Over the next twenty minutes, I showed the mare’s
owner how to quietly stimulate acupressure points that are known to ease hock
pain, calm emotional agitation and support immune system function. The mare
remained napping, her lead rope loosely draped over her back. She only gave a
half-hearted frown at us now and then as we moved around her body to various
points. The owner was delighted that she had something she could do to help her
mare’s pain level and continue their relationship. Another
horse that received help from acupressure was a young gaited horse. Within the
past two weeks, the gelding had been shipped from his lifetime home in Missouri
to a ranch in California and then moved on to his new owner in Santa Rosa. This
gelding was a very kind fellow. He was coping with the recent move as best he
could by doing whatever he was asked. The stress was taking its toll, however,
as the normally calm horse was startling at noises and quick movements. His lips
and chin were puckered up tight, his nostrils were pinched close together and
his breathing was shallow. I
counted the number of breaths the gelding was taking per minute. The rate was
18-20, almost double the count of 8 to 12 breaths per minute considered normal
for a healthy resting horse. It was almost as if he were slightly panting.
Considering that it was not a hot day, the elevated rate was definitely a sign
of stress. The horse was not showing any signs of colic or other pain, however,
so I told the owner I thought his increased breathing was part of his response
to his new environment. The
horse’s owner had called me for help with saddle fit. Upon seeing the
horse’s jumpy state and elevated respiratory rate, I asked her if we could do
a few minutes of acupressure first. In this case, I chose points that influence
a horse’s respiratory system and fear level. While the first point started the
calming process, the second two points I tried brought about dramatic changes. The
gelding lowered his head, then deepened and slowed his breathing. Pretty soon,
his eyes were blinking and he settled in for a much-needed nap. I directed his
owner to keep her hands resting on the points for as long as the gelding wanted.
After about five minutes, the horse woke up. His chin and lips were now relaxed,
his breathing had returned to normal and he calmly walked around the barn as if
he had not been spooking just minutes before.
One
of the things I appreciate about acupressure is how easy it is for horse owners
to learn and apply. All you need is some education and the desire to use your
hands to help. You don’t need to purchase any high-tech machine or worry about
the side effects or no effects of chemical or nutritional products. When you use
just your hands to stimulate the points, you cannot cause harm. With
a bit of time and study, owners can learn how to use acupressure routines to
calm the nervous or angry horse, ease back, hock and foot soreness, strengthen
the back and hindquarters, and improve immune function. You can also learn to
use acupressure (in addition to appropriate medical care) when your horse has a
fever, respiratory infection, hives, shock, colic or injury. b Acupressure points can be stimulated with your hands and fingers, various light, laser, ultrasound and electrical machines, needles (acupuncture), magnets and the herb called Moxa. Acupuncture is the use of a needle to stimulate an acupressure point. This treatment method involves breaking the skin of the horse and is limited by law to a licensed veterinarian. END
By Diana Thompson I have been inspired to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) because of the amazing results I have seen in horses. Sore back muscles, bouts of colic, seasonal allergies and poor digestion have responded beautifully to acupressure and Chinese herbs. Horse owners don’t need to enroll in years of study to learn some acupressure, however. Here are two valuable and safe equine acupressure points. These points are two of approximately 90 points I teach in my Hands-On Horse Care® workshops that horse owners can use to relax their horses, relieve tight, sore muscles, and improve performance. Calm and Relaxed Traditional
Chinese Medicine (TCM) bases many of its health care practices on an internal
system of energy in the body referred to as “Qi” or “Chi”
(pronounced chee). This energy runs in invisible rivers through the body
known as meridians and extraordinary vessels. One extraordinary vessel is the
Governing Vessel. An acupressure point known as Governing Vessel 24 (GV 24) is
on the midline of the head just below the base of the horse’s forelock.
Acupressure here helps the horse relax. It helps the horse stay calm in
stressful situations such as farrier or veterinary appointments. It can be used
to calm the nervous horse before training or calm the horse who is anxious at
shows. When used on a regular basis, GV 24 can help the chronically frightened
horse come to emotional balance. Restart The Heart Nicknamed
“the resuscitation point”, Governing Vessel 26 (GV 26) has been proven to
restart breathing and heart function in animals in cardiac arrest who have been
technically “dead” for several minutes.
How To Use Acupressure Most
horses enjoy gentle acupressure on GV 24 and relax quickly with its use. To
apply acupressure to GV 24, place the flat surface of your fingers on the point
and press with very light steady pressure. Remain still for at least 30 seconds
to allow the horse to adjust to your touch. Once your horse begins to quiet, you
may slowly increase the pressure. Watch the horse to make sure he or she is
completely at ease with the amount of pressure you are using. Signs your horse
is benefiting from the work include deep breathing, a lowered head posture,
closed or droopy eyes and overall relaxation. If your horse holds his breath,
raises his head, fusses or moves away from you reduce your pressure and just
hold gently on the point. Once
the horse starts to relax and show signs the point is working, slowly move the
skin and underlying tissues around in a one-quarter to one-half circle and then
pause. Do not slide over the skin as you circle. Plant your fingers and move the
skin and hair gently. Alternbate your touch between holding steady pressure and
moving. If your horse does not like the movement, only use the steady pressure.
Remain in contact for one to three minutes. With some horses, the longer you
stay on the point, the deeper they relax. Other horses will enjoy several
minutes of contact and then become restless once they have had enough. Due to the location of GV 26 on the upper lip of the nose pressure may cause a ticklish “forget it!” reaction by the healthy horse and only be useful when the horse is sick, in shock, or in pain due to colic or injury. If you are using GV 26 during an emergency apply deep vigorous pressure. END Qi
Deficiency Interferes with Training One
dictionary defines the word deficiency as meaning “lacking in something
necessary (as for completeness of health)”. True to this definition, in
Chinese medicine, the horse who has what is called a Qi (pronounced Chee)
deficiency lacks good health and is not able to respond well to training. This
horse is usually not sick with an acute disease but is not very healthy. The
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) system is based on the concept of rivers of
energy called Qi (chi) moving through the body along pathways called meridians.
This energy runs all of the internal processes of the body. When a horse has an
energy or Qi deficiency, one or more basic functions of his body will be
operating poorly. One
of the problems that can occur when the horse is experiencing a Qi deficiency is
that he or she lacks stamina and endurance. The horse may appear physically
weak, undeveloped, slow or have poor coordination of the body, especially the
hindquarters. What is frustrating for trainers and owners alike with this
situation is that the horse does not improve even when he or she participates in
a regular fitness and training program. In
order to build fitness, the stress of a workout must stimulate the body to
strengthen itself. The deficient horse does not have enough energy to respond
sharply - physically or emotionally - during a single workout or a series of
workouts. Unlike a healthy horse, the deficient horse does not respond to
consistent work with improved fitness and coordination. In fact, if the horse is
deficient and an ambitious work program is undertaken, the horse will most
likely fail to meet any performance goals. The horse may also become ill or
injured from the additional stress. The
Qi deficient horse may have a poor immune response. He or she may be prone to
respiratory infections or other acute disease. The horse may develop
long-lasting (chronic) respiratory problems, infections or skin issues. These
chronic situations can be very frustrating for all involved as the Qi deficient
animal may not respond to standard Western medical treatment. During
digestion, food should be broken down into nutrients the body can utilize.
The
horse who is experiencing a Qi deficiency may have poor digestion. The food
isn’t being assimilated properly. You might see bloating of the belly, gas, a
tendency towards a wet or loose stool, diarrhea and in some cases constipation.
Horses with food allergies may have Qi deficiency issues. You
might also see a horse who has Qi deficiency suffer shortness of breath. One of
the horses I have seen with this condition takes rapid shallow breaths during a
training session; another horse with Qi deficiency pants from time to time on
trail rides. A
horse whose Qi deficiency is affecting his mental process may seem slow or dumb
because he “doesn’t get” or is very slow to get the connection between a
training cue and what he is supposed to do. This can be puzzling because on
every other level it seems as if the horse is cooperating. He is not actively
resisting or reacting to your cues, but he is slow to learn and has poor
retention of what he learned from day to day. Western
medicine routinely offers worming programs and nutritional supplements for the
horse whose health is marginal. While this approach is helpful, it may not be
enough to boost the horse to full health. Chinese medicine uses acupressure and
herbs to help horses overcome problems due to Qi deficiency. Acupressure
points are places on the outside of the body where the energy pathways come to
the surface. Fingertip pressure on these points influences the flow of energy to
the internal organs. The acupressure points that are used to reverse Qi
deficiency keep a steady flow of energy running
through
the body. This supports the internal functions of the horse and helps a horse
who is unwell due to Qi deficiency regain his health. As
an extra bonus, these points can be used to strengthen the horse and help him
stay healthy, strong and injury-free as you carry out your riding activities or
competitive events. One acupressure point that is famous for its strengthening
ability is Stomach 36, known as the “Three Mile Point”.
It is known for its ability to improve digestion and strengthen the
lungs, increase muscle strength and endurance. Stomach 36 is used to prevent and
treat colic (with appropriate medical care). It can also be used to strengthen
the stifles and hindquarters and increase the will to live in the older horse or
one who is sick or injured. END
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