Last Friday Stacy the animal chiropractor and Peggy the Reiki Master/animal massage therapist met at the barn where Peggy keeps her horse. Besides being stricken with Barn Envy, I got to observe the amazing effects of body work in action. I even got to help a little.
Peggy's horse is a Thoroughbred that she got from rescue. He was bred to race but wasn't fast enough, and was lucky enough to get funneled into rescue channels and picked up by the most dedicated horse owner imaginable. He's tall, dark, and handsome, and Peggy is learning dressage with him.
First, let me get the Barn Envy out of the way: Box stalls. Padded floors. Heated barn. Heated indoor arena. White never-fade post-and-rail-look vinyl fencing. Horse girls who come and bring the horses in, feed, clean the stalls, sweep the aisles. I used to be one of those girls. It's a wonderful life.
Peggy's horse dragged his feet a little when he walked, and seemed stiffer turning to one side than the other. Stacy also noticed a whole host of other little issues during her inspection and evaluation, which was thorough and painstaking. We watched him walk in straight lines and circles, trot in lines and circles, make tight turns, and she evaluated the range of motion of each of his legs.
Then came time for the adjustment. Using only her hands, and with 2 large foam blocks to stand on, Stacy adjusted the horse's pelvis, sacrum, and all the way up to and including his neck. Peggy's horse is a complete gentleman, and a willing, curious patient.
When he walked off after the chiropractic work he no longer dragged his feet. His strides were long and fluid and solid. Turning was immediately easier. His back looked different, even to my untrained eye.
After a rest and some hay, he got a massage from Peggy, who always includes acupressure in her work. By then the other horses were coming in to be fed, but our patient stood peacefully in the barn aisle, loving every minute of his treatment.
The instructions were to give him a couple of days off work afterwards, and in 2 weeks we'll do it all again, and see what progress has been made. I can't wait!
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