Because acupuncture is truly holistic, we may be able to address two or more conditions all at once showing the power of TCVM. I was working with an older Arabian gelding in Germany. I was primarily called in to address his equine asthma complementary to undergoing conventional treatment. He also has age-related limitations in his […]
When assessing a horse for equine rehabilitation, one of the questions I ask myself is not ‘where does it hurt?’ but ‘what chain of events and circumstances has led us here?’. Yet, the more complex our world is becoming, the easier the solutions we are looking for or so it seems. The same seems to
General Precautions and Acupressure for Balancing Heat Last Sunday, 21 June, marked the summer solstice. The year’s longest day is vital in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is the annual peak of Yang energy, symbolising maximum light, movement, abundance and activity. In the five-element framework, this is the season of Fire which is ruled by
As we have transitioned from the season of spring into summer with its longer, brighter and warmer days, our energy levels and our activities with horses are generally increasing. The challenge can be to still maintain balance and support our horses in accordance with physical and mental demands. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we are now governed by
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