There are two accupressure points that work great for mild colic cases -gas
colic types. They are intestinal points (makes sense) and fairly easy tofind.
Start either from the top of the "swirl" at the flank, the top pointwhere the
hair splits and goes two directions, or from the bony protrusions of the
pelvis bones just above that point. I place my thumb gently on one of those
spots and go both forward and back 1/2 a hand span (3-4 inches). The points to
treat are within about 6 inches of each other, usually just slightly above the
level of the pelvis bones. Do gently pressure for 30 seconds to 2 minutes,
increasing the pressure as the horse allows. Some will take quite a bit of
pressure, while others want very light - start light and let the horse tell
you what works for him! I sometimes treat each one separately; sometimes do
both at the same time. I sometimes use even pressure, and sometimes use a
slight pulsing, and other times do a gentle "rock" between the two. Again I
try each and see what the horse seems to respond to.
Please note: I never get an appreciable reaction in these points unless the
horse is colicky, so don't expect to be able to locate them when your horse is
well! When treating, I expect reactions such as softening eye, licking and
chewing, passing gas, slightly deeper breathing or a sigh - the same type of
release indicators I want from other massage work.
Treat both sides, noticing whether the horse seems to respond more to one than
the other (I find they usually do, and that is something I want to tell the
vet if I end up calling one) Then let the horse be for at least a couple
hours, and treat again. You're stimulating the digestive system, then let it
alone to do its job. I generally don't do more than 3 treatments in a 10-12
hour period.
Please note this is only for horses showing mild discomfort - not for one
indicating severe pain. I've used it successfully on probably a dozen horses.
Only one showed no benefit at all after a treatment and seemed to be in
increasing pain. I called the vet immediately and he found she had a moderate
impaction. I have found it especially useful in those horses who do mild colics in
response (in my opinion) to barometric pressure changes - they gas colic when
a storm is moving in. Hope this makes sense!
Stacey
You could try Nancy Zidonis' website on equine and canine acupressure http://www.anmlacupres.com/books_and_charts.html
With a bit of imagination, you can also use human acupuncture charts, and work out which are the equivalent sites on horses etc. The meridians follow pretty much the same paths in humans and animals relative to body landmarks. Given horses have no collar bone and a few extra ribs, you can still get close enough for most purposes.
She also writes: "Finally, are meridians and chakras related?" Yes. Chakras tend to relate to the human adrenal system, and meridians to the nervous system. Both are avenues for the transmission of energy from our subtle bodies to our physical body. Chakras are a bit like transformers. (Please sir, what are subtle bodies...)
Richard Gerber's book, Vibrational Medicine (Bear and Co, Santa Fe, New Mexico.) is a thick one (550 pages) but probably the best I've found on the subject, very detailed, and as close to a "scientific" explanation as anything I've found.
I suggested to Nerelie that she contact the Australian dean of Touch for Health for information about muscle testing workshops. In the United States, the url is http://www.tfh.org/ to locate instructors near you.
Please let me repeat. I don't believe science has as yet appropriate tools for making complete "scientific" explanations in the territory it occupies at present, let alone in this area. Whenever I see scientists approaching the field of alternative/complementary medicine, they remind me of Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady singing reproachfully: "Why can't a woman be more like a man?"
Scientists with Ph D's failed to predict the effects of thalidomide; they failed to predict the effects of nuclear testing on servicemen hanging around in the vicinity or they didn't care; ditto Agent Orange. They failed to predict the number of women who would die as a result of using third generation contraceptive pills, and so on. They are hopelessly divided on subjects like fluoride and aspartame.
There is a wonderful story of God being sighted rushing past the pearly gates one day, dressed in a white coat. St Peter explained to curious bystanders that God like to play doctor occasionally.
There is an understandable temptation to say, "When I'm dealing with something as precious as my horse, or my child, or my family. I want to understand. I want a "scientific" explanation so I will be "sure", so I will know what to do. And in huge areas of care, doctors and vets offer in my opinion by far the best option.
But when they insist that complementary therapies meet "rational" standards of proof, they rule out methods of treatment (homeopathy, etc) that have been shown for years to be effective and harmless. Janet Travell was effectively sidelined by her medical colleagues for years because anatomical knowledge could find no explanation for the patterns of pain distribution associated with myofascial trigger points. She was in her late eighties before the breakthrough was made and she received the belated recognition that her success in diagnosis and treatment should have earned her forty years previously.
Sorry if I'm ranting a bit. There are theories about complementary therapies, but they are just theories. If you start working with any complementary therapy you will begin to make personal discoveries that often depend on developed intuition rather than rational process. And if intuition is feminine, then I am 250 pounds of whiskery femininity.
Dave
