One of my barn friends let me know that she had a Equine Chiropractor coming to the barn on Sunday, so I decided to jump in on her appointment and schedule a session for both Tesla and Porsche. I've seen amazing responses from both girls using the Masterson Method so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to give bodywork a go and see how they liked it :)
Wow. Just Wow. I'm 100% glad I made those appointments. My equine chiropractor was Dr. J. She comes up to the area quarterly for chiro clinics. She's been adjusting C's horses for awhile, and is very decorated. Straight off the bat, Dr. J commented that both girls were barefoot - and that their feet looked amazing and balanced (Hard work pays off!!)
Tesla went first, and had some bodywork done a few years back. Tesla's reaction was immediately to relax and lean into the movements. Needless to say, Dr. J loved her :) Her chin was super floppy and wiggly and her eyes got very soft. Dr. J felt thatsome most of Tesla's tensions were emotional (no shocker there, LOL). She tends to ball up at the canter - and Dr. J felt that might have been a protective mechanism to overcompensate. By the end, Tess was putty in her hands.
Right away, Dr. J could tell Porsche was going to have a different response to the adjustment. (No shocker, since Tess and Porsche have very different personalities). I was super surprised that Porsche, who has been looking and feeling amazing had some very strong reactions (i.e. bucking) to the adjustments. Dr. J asked if this was a usual response for her, or if she had been giving me any indications that she wasn't feeling 100% and I said no the Porsche never tried anything under saddle, and she had been looking/moving/feeling great. Dr J. got thru the session (despite the opinions), and Porsche was licking and chewing and trying to make friends with Dr. J. by the end. We talked a bit more about her history (being an OTTB, ear twitching, starting gates) and Dr J felt that some of what she was working through might have been from her track days - her shoulders were crazy restricted, as well as her left hip. Dr J. said chiro brings up any previous traumatic history, and that Porsche was finally releasing stuff she had locked away from her wrong-side-of-the-tracks upbringing.
Both girls got to roll in the round-pen afterwards, and I did a lot of walking around the property with Porsche to help her settle into this new good feeling throughout her body.
Needless to say, after seeing the results, I'm going to do some reading up on bodywork to see if I can add it into my routine to help keep both girls comfortable.
Have you tried bodywork/chiro or even acupuncture? How did your horse respond?
Wow. Just Wow. I'm 100% glad I made those appointments. My equine chiropractor was Dr. J. She comes up to the area quarterly for chiro clinics. She's been adjusting C's horses for awhile, and is very decorated. Straight off the bat, Dr. J commented that both girls were barefoot - and that their feet looked amazing and balanced (Hard work pays off!!)
Tesla went first, and had some bodywork done a few years back. Tesla's reaction was immediately to relax and lean into the movements. Needless to say, Dr. J loved her :) Her chin was super floppy and wiggly and her eyes got very soft. Dr. J felt that
Right away, Dr. J could tell Porsche was going to have a different response to the adjustment. (No shocker, since Tess and Porsche have very different personalities). I was super surprised that Porsche, who has been looking and feeling amazing had some very strong reactions (i.e. bucking) to the adjustments. Dr. J asked if this was a usual response for her, or if she had been giving me any indications that she wasn't feeling 100% and I said no the Porsche never tried anything under saddle, and she had been looking/moving/feeling great. Dr J. got thru the session (despite the opinions), and Porsche was licking and chewing and trying to make friends with Dr. J. by the end. We talked a bit more about her history (being an OTTB, ear twitching, starting gates) and Dr J felt that some of what she was working through might have been from her track days - her shoulders were crazy restricted, as well as her left hip. Dr J. said chiro brings up any previous traumatic history, and that Porsche was finally releasing stuff she had locked away from her wrong-side-of-the-tracks upbringing.
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| Much better than running in circles :) |
Both girls got to roll in the round-pen afterwards, and I did a lot of walking around the property with Porsche to help her settle into this new good feeling throughout her body.
Needless to say, after seeing the results, I'm going to do some reading up on bodywork to see if I can add it into my routine to help keep both girls comfortable.
Have you tried bodywork/chiro or even acupuncture? How did your horse respond?
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