What IS Equine Acupressure?

By Kelly Howling, for HorseTalk, Spring/Summer Edition

There is a rising trend of riders looking for integrative ways to assist in keeping their equines healthy and performing to their best. Equine chiropractic and massage have long been accepted as complimentary therapies in addition to appropriate veterinary attention. These therapies have paved the way for energy-type therapies that are now becoming more common, including reiki, acupuncture and acupressure.

What is it?

Acupressure is an ancient healing technique that has been used on equines for thousands of years. The person working on the horse presses points on the skin with their fingers, using various rhythms and pressures. This helps stimulate the body's healing abilities and assists in finding and resolving imbalances in the energy of the horse's body, often before physical symptoms become present.

Acupressure integrates several therapies including therapeutic touch, healing thoughts and imagery. It can be used in conjunction with many other therapies such as chiropractic and massage – in fact it is becoming increasingly common for equine chiropractors to recommend some type of bodywork before/after an adjustment.

The Benefits

Acupressure is helpful in releasing muscle tension, promoting circulation, increasing the body's life force energy, relieving pain and balancing and relaxing the body and mind. Acupressure also assists in strengthening your horse's resistance to disease, promoting wellness and maintaining overall health. It can be used for everything from maintenance sessions to assisting with severe issues such as colic, lameness, shock, tying up, behavioural problems (such as anxiety), founder and heaves.

As acupressure is non-invasive, riders can easily be taught a few easy to locate points that they may work on their horses each day to increase the success of the sessions.

Energy Meridians and Acupressure Points

When one first looks at a chart of the over 600 acupressure points on a horse, it can be daunting. The acupressure points may be far from the related symptom on the body, but are connected through the body's meridian system. Meridians are invisible pathways in the horse's body, through which travels subtle energy.

Most of the acupoints are located in valleys of the horse's body, such as between tendons and bones. Once a point is discovered that requires work, acupressure practitioners can either tonify (increase the energy) or sedate the point to help balance the horse's body as a whole (body, emotions, mind and spirit).

Equine acupressure can also work off of ting points. Each meridian ends or begins at the horse's coronet band – these points on the coronet band are called ting points. Some therapists base their entire diagnosis and treatment off of the ting points on the coronet band, since this can affect the energy along the entire associated meridian.

The benefits of an integrative approach to equine care are great and long lasting. Acupressure can be a great tool, both as a preventative measure and in assisting your horse after the fact. Consider adding this increasingly popular therapy to your toolbox!

** The therapies mentioned above are not intended to replace veterinary care. You should always consult your veterinarian when working on an integrative plan to assist your horse.**

Kelly Howling runs EquineAware Horsemanship out of Cambridge, Ontario. Her broad background in training, covering a wide range of disciplines, enables her to solve common groundwork and training issues with many different horse/rider combinations.

In addition to her training experience, Kelly has completed courses in equine nutrition and acupressure, and has received certification in equine bio-energy work. www.EquineAware.com