This month I've chosen Mack as my case study to share.  It's been 2 years since I worked on Mack, but as a fledgling 'bodyworker' he taught me so much.  And even today, as I work on a new horse, I continue to learn.  

Mack is a member of the Madison Mounted Patrol.  Originally a trail horse when he was purchased for the Madison Mounted Patrol.  He did a good job his first year, but due to several circumstance of tack and new officers learning riding skills, he wound up with a back injury.  He was put off-duty to heal and during this time I was allowed to donate my time to do bodywork on him.  

The injury caused multiple areas of restriction, combined with Mack's own thought process of...if I move that way it will hurt.  Even though the injury was healed.  It took a lot of patience and 5 sessions in all to bring Mack to a point where his flexibility was restored.  His mind was still healing and the next step was to begin his training again, from the ground up, and help him build a new perspective in his new job.  The outcome of all of this was that Mack is now a proud officer in the Madison Mounted Patrol team.  Look for him at the Midwest Horse Show demos put on by the mounted patrol. 

That's Mack's outcome, my path of learning on the other hand is on going and taking much longer...I suspect it may take my entire lifetime to achieve...I sure hope so.   I continue to allow the horses to lead me to new layers of learning and understanding. This has expanded my thinking and skills, my intention, and my intuition as I find new ways through gentle touch, communication, and patience to help the horse by listening to them, as they help me give them my best work. 

A Trace of Winter, affectionately called Trace, Purebred paint, this lead mare was much loved and cared for...but due to our vicious Wisconsin winters her quality of life was deteriorating. We had a winter storm that dumped snow, which wasn't unusual or a problem, but unfortunately it started with rain. Forming a layer of ice beneath an innocent layer of fluffy snow.  Trace fell when hoofs came into contact with unseen ice.  The vet was called and the outcome was not good...her pelvis was fractured.  The vet shared that she was the 6th horse she had seen that week with a fractured pelvis. All the others were put down.  

Trace was more then just a well loved mare, she was her owner Tracy's first horse, and a horse of great character and even more will power.  To be put down, was not an option as long as Trace had the will to live...and she did. 

I was called to work on Trace in the spring.  She was healthy and strong, but unwilling to venture out to graze with the herd.  Would stand near the shelter, with a look of "don't touch me", in her eyes.  Her body was tight and she was unsure and worried that if she moved too much her pelvis would hurt.  So she didn't...move. 
I have to be honest, I had never worked on a horse in this condition before, and Trace started by teaching me with the very first session.  I had worked releasing tension in her neck and shoulders before even attempting work on her hind end.  As she had never had this kind of work she was leery, and she made me earn every release.  But we had made progress.  However, when I asked for her hind leg, she was wary.  Finally she allowed me to lift it, but was so unsure of her pelvis, proceeded to immediately lay over on her side.  The side I was holding the foot.  It was eerie how she simply slid down onto her hip and lay at my feet.  Not the impression I wanted to make...but a lesson learned.  We stopped there for the day with follow-up in one week. 

With her next work, I was much more respectful of what she told me, and as I lift hind legs, I was quick to place and get them back on the ground. We chipped away her restrictions and after her second work, her owner reported she had begun to move out to graze.  

We knew we were making progress the day Trace's owner reported that she nearly had a heart attack from what she witnessed.  Trace had been getting work by me for a month, and had rejoined the herd grazing each day. She had begun to reassert herself as lead mare, and as she grazed along the barn that afternoon...it happened.  What we affectionately call a B-52 horsefly began to circle over Trace...Tracy could only watch as she knew what it intended.  It dove in to land on Trace's back and with a huge buck, Trace sent it packing....Tracy saw the hind end lift into the air to chase off the horsefly, but knew when it came down, chances were that her legs would crumple under her...But they didn't.  Trace came down with a resounding thump, trotted forward a few steps, and went back to grazing contently.  She recovered from the incident much faster then her owner. 

Trace was after 5 sessions free of restriction and only limited in movement, as was fitting a horse her advance years.  Her quality of life was restored and oh, yes...she was lead mare once more...putting the other 9 in the pasture regularly in their place. 

I had a wonderful session this weekend on Koko, equine partner of Wendy Z. Koko has been diagnosed with ringbone, and Wendy recently had his front feet injected, to make Koko more comfortable. The ringbone prior to the injections had caused increasing discomfort for Koko and resulted in him seeking different ways to carry his body to avoid putting undue pressure on the areas that hurt. His pain now gone from the injections, his body still held the tension, and caused imbalance of movement.

Shoulder areas, as well as back, and lumbar were quite sore.  However, because of the pain in supporting sore feet, Koko was also not so sure he wanted his front feet picked up.  Working slowing and releasing gently, but deeply, I addressed areas of restriction and areas that supported the restriction.  Never forcing or pushing, but seeking a relaxed state throughout.  Fidgeting would result just before a large release of tension, but it was never stressful, it was more a need expressed by Koko to move, to allow it to happen.  I kept a gentle hand on him and simply moved with him each time. 

After 2 hours we were finished, Koko was soft, relaxed, and a little sleepy.  His owner Wendy Z. remarked, "I can't believe it, I've just seen my horses body change before my eyes." She was very pleased and could feel a difference in Koko's movement even while leading him. She stated in an email the next day, "I’m still floored by what took place yesterday. Not only did I see a difference in him, but I felt it." She continued by saying, "He was emanating relief when I walked him around the indoor after your work."  Wendy also shared in her email that she observed Koko from a window over looking the paddock several hours later, "Koko was in a very playful mood....doing some neck wrestling with his gelding buddies....nice to see."

This is a perfect example of combining the best of science, in using veterinary medicine to address the ring bone pain, and bodywork to release the residual tension from the muscles to give the best resulting comfort for the horse.   So often horse owners feel they can only "pick one" mode of addressing issues with their horse, but I'd encourage you to discuss treatment options with your vet, and work to combine traditional and alternative modes. With the ultimate goal of all involved, to bring about the best quality of life, for your equine partner.  

A registered quarter horse, who became unridable after slipping in the pasture, hyper-extending the right front shoulder.  She had proper veterinary care from them beginning, but due to the severity of her injury, was allocated to pasture buddy status. As the years passed, 6 by the time this picture was taken, she had become less and less willing to move around with the herd. Laying in the pasture most days, unwilling to lower her head to graze and to move more then necessary.  

She was scheduled to be euthanized on June 1, 2010.  I was contacted over Memorial Day weekend by her farrier who was also a friend of the horse owner.  We were given 1 month to bring about change, if after 1 month she was not better, and her quality of life was not improved, she would be put down.  

The muscle contractions associated with her injury had built up over time, and along with the compensations she had made to avoid using the leg more then necessary, she had also built muscular restrictions and imbalance throughout her body. My first visual of this mare, was her being walked toward me down a barn isle.  Her front legs were moving like pegs, attached at the shoulder, swinging stiff gated swinging in an arch out to the side, as she rocked back and forth to walk. 

Working on her twice a week throughout June, and into July, good results were achieved.  She began grazing and moving with the herd after the first work.  Venturing futher and further into the pasture after each subsequent work.  By the 5th session, she felt good enough to buck at the sassy gelding in the adjoining enclosure.  Her gait showed marked improvement and her body was moving more smoothly. The injured shoulder still brought about a arch to the swing in her gait on that side, but the rest of her body was relaxed and moving more in balance.  Her comfort was notable, from her willingness to have her session, to her interest in treats and activities around her.  Her eyes more soft and placid as I worked on her.  

She is still a pasture pet and unridable, but her quality (and length) of life is much improved, through bodywork and massage.