In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), meridians (Jing Luo) are the body’s energetic pathways through which Qi (vital energy) and Blood circulate throughout the body. In horses, these channels connect internal organs and other physical structures such as muscles, fascia, tendons, skin, sensory organs, etc. They link the body into an integrated, coherent, interdependent whole. […]
Acupuncture points or acupoints are specific spots on the surface of the horse’s body where a practitioner applies stimulation to assess and address certain conditions. In Chinese, acupuncture points are referred to as “Shu Xue” which means ‘communicating holes’. Shu translates as transporting, distributing or communicating; and Xue means hole, outlet or depression. From a
Tendon injuries in horses are common and commonly feared due to long recovery and rehabilitation periods and susceptibility to re-injury. Tendons and ligaments are fibrous connective tissues essential for stability and movement. They are primarily composed of collagen. Tendons attach muscle to bones while ligaments attach bones to other bones. The tendons most commonly injured
One question that naturally arises when working with equine acupressure and other TC(V)M modalities and horses is: why do we address the “Gallbladder” even though horses do not have a Gallbladder? Traditional Chinese (Veterinary) Medicine, in general, is based on a very different way of thinking and viewing the world than our Western approach. It
Reflections on Equine Bodywork in the Age of AI Farmer, author and environmentalist Wendell Berry once wrote that “the next great division of the world will be between people who wish to live as creatures and people who wish to live as machines”. We live in a moment of extraordinary technological acceleration. AI-powered diagnostic tools,
In the one week since I published the first part of this article, spring has noticeably picked up speed. The evening stretches are getting longer and even the cooler temperatures do not feel as harsh anymore. Birds are ever more active and just the other day, I happened to meet a grey wagtail in the
There is a particular quality in the air as February has been calmly and quietly sliding into March about to move from late winter to spring. The birds are taking up their songs, days are lengthening and we are eagerly waiting and watching for grass starting to grow. In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), this
It is my personal belief that we owe it to the horses in our care to apply and strive for best welfare and management practices. Though, we all know that the practise often looks different, be it due to overriding monetary interests and gains, a lack of knowledge, education and/or resources, or a myriad of
It often seems that our horses’ health problems come out of nowhere and from one day to the next. He was doing so well yesterday! While in fact, most issues that demand our attention and prompt us to act are secondary. They often started much earlier in a different place of the body than where
When we practice acupressure and acupuncture or myofascial release, we commonly address tender or painful sites on the horse’s body. But what is the basis for this and what is the difference between modalities, if there is any?