Jasper has had some back problems over recent months, which we have been able to attribute to his saddle being out of balance causing too much pressure through the back panels with both the saddle & the rider’s weight being centred here, this had led to pain & tension through the muscles in this area.
Jasper has not been ridden for 2 months whilst we have been trying to get to the root of the problem & once we had discovered the saddle was at fault, I had to order a new saddle which has taken time. During this time he has been living out 24/7 & continued his regular shiatsu sessions.
During his latest session Louise noticed that his muscles are no longer in spasm, & he was much happier to have this area touched. She did however recommend that it would be beneficial to have a mctimoney chiropractor out to see Jasper before I started working him again so that any underlying skeletal misalignments could be sorted too.
I have seen a mctimoney chiropractor for my own back problems for many years so knew first hand how beneficial they can be. The Animal manipulation has developed over the past 40 years from the human form of Chiropractic treatment. The treatment is holistic in that it treats the whole body & is a non invasive therapy.
Mctimoney chiropractic treatment is based on the principle that for the body & its organs & various systems to be functioning correctly & at their optimum it is essential that the skeletal system be in the correct alignment, any misalignment however small can be responsible for negatively affecting both the natural range of movement but also the underlying organs & their functions, it aims to realign the musculoskeletal system, restoring health, performance, mobility and well being.
McTimoney Chiropractic is a technique used to manipulate misaligned joints throughout the whole body but particularly in the spine and pelvis, which produces an effect at that joint and to any muscles which are attached to that area. The chiropractor uses their fingertips to ‘palpate’ or feel the incorrectly aligned joints of the spine and pelvis, which contribute to areas of muscle spasm and cause compensatory actions in movement. These problem areas are treated using the hands of the chiropractor to produce precise and rapid manipulations which will correct these misalignments and reduce the resulting muscle spasm. In addition, the treatment may also involve joint mobilisation and/or soft tissue manipulation in order to restore normal function to the areas under treatment.
All chiropractic practitioners should seek your veterinarians approval before they commence chiropractic treatment on any animal.
Initially they will assess your horse, usually on straight-line movement at walk and trot, and then on ability to turn tight circles and on backing up. The chiropractor may also want to see the horse being lunged or ridden under saddle before checking over chiropractically. The horse is then assessed while standing square in an area of level concrete or flooring – this is very important in assessment of the position of the pelvis, which makes up the hindquarters of the horse. Treatment is done in the horse’s stable on a bed of shavings or straw. Aftercare usually includes rest and/or limited exercise for a few days. Several treatments may be required and yearly or six monthly check ups are advised to help achieve optimum work performance.
Jasper & I had Samatha Barrett our local Mctimoney Chiropractor out last week & after her assessment there were several adjustments that Jasper required. Mostly through the left side of his body. One of his major problems was his pelvis on the left side was 2″ lower then on the right, Sam was able to adjust this & made several other adjustments through the vertebre through his neck & back on the left & through his ribs on both sides.
Jasper was actually completely unfased by the short sharp movements required & stood quite calmly for the treatment. Sam was happy that Jasper didn’t require any further follow up with her & that as he is regularly checked by Louise with his Shiatsu treatment & only in light work, the adjustments should settle correctly & we would be able to contact her in future if we felt he needed more work.
Until next time
With Love
Fiona & Jasper