Stress Point Massage: Massage technique based on the methods developed by Jack Meagher in the 1970's. The 25 muscular stress points in the horse are checked for muscle spasms and pain. Using this criteria as a guide, we can find the areas of tension and spasm using our hands. Stress Point Massage treats the cause of the problem instead of the symptoms.
Location of the 25 common stress points
Myofascial Release: Fascia is connective tissue, spread from head to hoof in a three-dimensional web. It is the thin white membrane you see on a skinless chicken breast! It sheathes every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel and organ, down to its respective cellular level. The fascia system supports, stabilizes, and cushions and is responsible for movement. Over time, this fascia system can tighten as a result of various trauma (tendon strain, chronic lameness compensation, or repetitive injuries). The purpose of Myofascial Release is to restore connective tissue to a healthy state. It is a hands-on technique that restores pliability to restricted soft tissues, restoring length to the tissue. If left untreated, overtime it slowly affects the quality and quantity of motion available to the horse.
Acupressure & meridians: Specific points (acupoints) along the meridians are manipulated to restore the healthy flow of Chi (life force energy). Meridians are analogous to the electrical energy running through the wires in your home. A "kink" in the wires will result in a "short circuit" or blockage of energy or Chi.
Muscle spasms: Each muscle consists of two ends (anchor and insertion) and a "belly". The anchor end is a fixed attachment to a bone, and the opposite, or insertion end, moves the part of the skeleton to which it is attached. In between these two ends, the belly provides the power. The point of maximum stress is usually at the anchor end of the muscle. When muscle fibers incur a trauma (overstretch, overuse, or overload) the body's first response is a tightening or shortening of the stressed point in the muscle. The shortened fibers are not able to release and stretch to their full length, and with continued use they begin to shorten further by building an edemic contraction, or "knot" Edema, the liquid in a blister, is a healing fluid but is also a tissue cement. More and more muscle fibers get glued together and as the spasm enlarges the pressure it cause makes the horse respond by resisting certain movements. The horse may also exhibit noticeable behavior and attitudinal changes. A muscle spasm cannot be dealt with by simple rest. If the horse is active while a spasm is present, his condition will worsen. The solution is to break up the spasm with massage, at the exact spot, to help the horse's body begin to heal itself. A spasm needs three things to release it: Direct Pressure; Cross-fiber Friction; and Compression with proper follow-up exercise.
Pre-event massage: Performed 30-60 minutes before the event begins. A quick evaluation of the horse is performed followed by a massage to increase circulation throughout the body and increase flexibility.
Post-event massage: Performed approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the event. The goal is to return stressed muscles to their original length, and help the body eliminate lactic acid to prevent undue fatigue and soreness.
Reiki: Pronounced Ray-Key. The word Reiki is Japanese in origin, and refers to "Rei" which means Universal, and "Ki" which is the dynamic life force that animates all living things and resides within us. It's equivalent is the Chinese "Chi". Reiki is a powerful healing energy that surrounds us all. It is an ancient healing art form where the healing energy passes through the Reiki practioner and this energy flows freely through the animal's body.
Pranic Healing: "A comprehensive system of natural healing techniques developed by Master Choa Kok Sui that utilizes “prana” to treat various illnesses. Prana is a Sanskrit word for “life-force”. This invisible bio-energy or vital energy keeps the body alive and maintains a state of good health. Physical touch is not necessary because the practitioner applies PRANIC HEALING™ on the energy field rather than on the physical body. The practitioner realigns the whole energy system to help initiate specific biochemical changes to accelerate the body’s innate ability to prevent, alleviate, and heal a wide spectrum of physical, emotional and mental ailments. Students will learn to scan and cleanse auras, self- healing, distance healing and Meditation on Twin Hearts. In Pranic Healing™, you learn the basics of working with your energy aura, including learning to "scan," or feel the energy, to "sweep," or clean away congested energy, and to "energize," or supplement areas in your aura that have a pranic deficiency. You begin by learning to activate the energy centers, or "chakras," in the center of your hands. This enables you to become sensitive to prana and scan a person's - or your own - energy field to identify blockages and then cleanse, energize, and revitalize the area with new prana. Pranic Healing™ has been taught to doctors, nurses, massage therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, shiatsu practitioners, and many others in the healing field. It has allowed them to heal confidently and consistently in the shortest learning time possible. These professionals find Pranic Healing™ very effective and easy to apply." from the Healing Arts Center course synopsis
