Equine Osteopath

1 - WHAT IS OSTEOPATHY

The osteopathic treatment developed by A. T. Still based on the principle that only a living being whose parts have full freedom of physiological point of view may retain an operationally and in good health.

Restrictions of movement may indeed lead to compensatory mechanisms, leading to inappropriate or excessive demands from other regions or malfunctioning of the microcirculation damaging to tissues. Osteopathy must therefore try to diagnose the loss of mobility and remove them through manipulation, so that the body regains its balance and that these shortcomings disappear.

Osteopathy is a manual therapy which allows the treatment of trauma suffered by the organization, the primary lesion and compensation thereunder. It is therefore directed to any horse, colt or retired, convalescent, horse sports and leisure. Whatever the activity or age, a horse can suffer injuries that cause blockages vertebral muscle contractions causing pain of lameness requiring assistance osteopathic ...

Osteopathy is a tool of recent care. Its techniques have been developed in human medicine by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in the 19th century. In the horse, this method of examination and treatment was initiated in France in the 70s, mainly in the racing world.

The Osteopath equine horse by using the various manual techniques to recover his health and his ability to recover physical sports. It restores the balance of the horse's body and restore mobility for its vitality. The therapist is not interested only signs of ill-being of the horse. He considers his environment, his mind and the aim of his rider. Today Osteopathy equine involved in all equestrian disciplines and finds more and more followers of complementary medicine.

In many countries, including Germany, it is common to involve the Osteopath equine preventive and systematic way, for both horses elite sport horses for recreation.

2 - THE INJURY OSTEOPATHIC

The osteopathic lesion that can be also called "somatic dysfunction" could be defined as a lack of harmony at the mobility component of any tissue.

It will define a restriction of mobility of one or more joints or one or more tissues and one or more physiological parameters of movement in their quality and quantity. It is expressed by a decrease of mobility or loss of tissue mobility in an anatomical element (bone, tendons, viscera, fascia ...) and results in local phenomena or phenomena at a distance:

     - sensitivity of muscle or vertebrae,
     - hyper-irritability in behavior modification muscle
     - change in the texture of tissue and muscle and skin,
     - changes in local circulation and exchange between blood and tissues,
     - changes in autonomic and visceral functions.

The nerves of the CNS influence the conditions of tissues and organs throughout the game inhibitions and facilitations.

- An osteopathic lesion:

Is a loss of mobility of an element relative to another maintained by muscle contractions. The blockages are vertebral dysfunction painful benign vertebral segment, such as mechanical and reflex. Any changes to a curved spine is a disease that affects the general posture.

3 - CONDUCT OF MEETING OSTEOPATHIC

How does a consultation ...?
       - Osteopathic examination is always preceded by a general clinical examination, which eliminates the pathologies within conventional medicine or surgery.
       - A dynamic examination is performed horse in motion with two-stage, a circle with two hands on an eight, it helps to highlight the limitations of mobility, and facial muscle tension, spinal dysfunction, one hip higher than the the other ...
       - Then the osteopath to test for tenderness over the whole body: traditional touch and feel proprioceptive (MRP).
      Treatment aims to remove all significant dysfunction with different techniques:
       -structural techniques
       - technical functional
(It is true that, unlike structural techniques, we are going in the direction of the lesion and not against the lesion, they are more gentle methods.)
       - Technical V spread of Upleger.


A meeting of equine osteopathy and canine :

It is important to know that a meeting has three phases :
       -The testings are intended to identify diseases, injuries suffered by the horse and dog.
       - Manipulation, designed to reduce injury and to remove the pain or the trouble it causes.
       - Rehabilitation aims to restore the static and dynamic balance, to avoid the recurrence of this lesion.

After the meeting of osteopathy, it is recommended to grant a few days off the horse and dog to help them recover and regain their balance. I prefer to go there in order to avoid additional stress and fatigue. Therefore, I can travel great distances.

4 - WHEN TO CALL THE OSTEOPATHY

When to call the equine osteopath?

During the visit to purchase the horse to detect any mobility problems or injuries. Tips to be compared with those of veterinary and farrier.
      >> In dressage, the horse does not perform the exercises required.
Dressage: stiff neck (do not take the jaws): stiff back in the saddle inflexibility genral; difficult to change pace.
The sitting trot is poorly supported. Defenses exist in transverse and longitudinal loads sudden. The tight circles, the collection and transfer in the leg exercises are difficult if there is back pain.
In the piaffe, it presents a problem because a collection of his post less committed than the other.
Upon transfer to the leg, the head does not move in the direction opposite to the direction of travel.
      >> During the "transition", the horse makes it jerky movements or a difficulty to properly restore a previous.
      >> n a "piaffe" the horse fails to achieve a high elastic trot, or it presents a problem for the gathering because one of his post is not committed enough.
      >> When changing up in the air, the horse returns to trot or not.
      >> When the "spin galloping," he can no longer get his hindquarters.
      >> In the "sale in the leg, the head does not move in the direction opposite to the direction of travel.
      >> He rejects or does not accept the bit.
      >> He does not bend to one side and remains rigid.
      >> Before the installation of "damage" irreversible monitoring prophylactic moves.

Racing (flat barrier): the horse-block collapses, lack of action, galloping hard on one leg does not recover well after a fault ... Racing (Trotting): not online ...
CSO Cross: refuse and / or precipitates in an unusual way; has trouble running short ... Dressage: lack of curvature, are disunited; binding enough, yields easily ...
It does not use his back to the obstacle.
Endurance : recovers more slowly than before ...
Hiking: sags in strapping ; inactivity, losing the moral ...
Western : has difficulty moving her shoulders and / or hips is more regular in his ways ...
In all disciplines:
      >> He tries to bite or kick when she puts the saddle.
      >> Under his hand, he gives the impression of being embarrassed by its jaws, it is hard in the mouth.
      >> He does not trot or gallop over as before, its performance decreases.
      >> The aftermath of contests that are painful.
      >> Some kinds of lameness attract attention.
      >> The horse suffers from neck pain, back pain, back pain, brachial neuralgia, sciatica, functional visceral disorders (through autonomic reflex).
      >> After a fall, a factor extrinsic casual or accidental (trauma, takes to the fox).
      >>In cases of spinal pain resembling visceral pain. Some visceral effect can cause pain that can be confused with spinal pains. This is because visceral somatic sensitivities have common projections.
      >>Finally, periodically, in a preventive purpose and to work the horse in good condition.
      >> Galopeur: loss of propulsion from the hindquarters, no commitment, and its performance decreases.

The reasons for consultation vary:
       - The horse had a fall, got stuck in the box
       - It bends over and is very stiff
       - It has been exploited very hard being young
       - The rider has a physical problem has a hip allowing only certain movements
       - He can no longer perform its support
       - It goes over his shoulder, was deported for later
       - Poor result after foaling

The osteopath can take several roles:
       - during fall / injury / recovery
       - review: monitoring the mare after the birth of the foal (Pre fall, compensation issues addressed by the plumb farrier)
       - Following the passage of equine dentist to adjust the compensation caused by dental problems solved by the dentist (relationship between teeth problems and disorders of posture).
       - monitoring of sport horses to give them a good physical preparation, a good mind, enabling them to improve their performance, loss of joint mobility, muscle, ligament can cause an imbalance in the body that may occur in sport by simple pain, contracture, extending to chronic problems.

Even a foal?

Of course, often fall foals playing. It is important to pay attention to even slight lameness in foals. If it is to grow and develop in good conditions, it is necessary that there is no movement in his spine, her shoulders or her hips.

And for an old horse that can do him good?

It does not handle an old horse as a youth. Less flexible, osteoarthritis often requires techniques "more Zen," I call it "osteopathy comfort. This helps relax the muscles, reduce stiffness, so the pain and improve the functioning of internal organs. This allows it to age more comfortably in his body. Some themselves, regain their youth after a session of osteopathy.
Osteopathic treatment does not replace veterinary care but acts as a complement. Equine Osteopathy does not claim to cure all ailments, but still effective in many cases. It is applied to young and old animals. The horses, with dogs, animals in which the osteopathic techniques are mostly employed.