If you are a horse owner, you have probably already heard about alternative medicines. Osteopathy, shiatsu, acupuncture, aromatherapy, acupressure… So many disciplines that are sometimes difficult to distinguish. Here is a review of the main alternative medicines that can treat horse diseases.
Osteopathy
Formerly reserved for sport horses, osteopathy has gradually spread to the vast majority of horses. Animal osteopathy can be useful in prevention or in response to a discomfort observed in your horse. When an osteopath comes to meet your horse, he will ask you a series of questions that will be useful for his diagnosis. He will then observe your horse standing still, walking and trotting. If necessary, he will then manipulate the contracted or displaced areas of your horse to restore balance. He works primarily on soft tissue, joints, energy flow and primary respiratory movement. At the end of the session, the equine osteopath will give you a report which will be a real “roadmap” to put your horse back to work following his manipulation.
Shiatsu and acupuncture
Shiatsu and acupuncture are alternative Chinese medicines that aim to restore the horse’s energy balance. Shiatsu is practiced without needles, through various pressures applied to the horse’s body. This alternative medicine is mainly used for prevention, to strengthen the horse’s immune system, to make the tissues more flexible and to eliminate toxins. It is not uncommon to see horses almost “falling asleep” during these sessions since the goal is to achieve muscle relaxation. Acupuncture also has pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to the release of endorphins and hormones that act on pain.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses essential oils to promote the mental and physical well-being of the horse. Added to base oils, essential oils are used for massage or diffusion near the horse’s stall. In particular, Bach flower is often used for nervous horses or in circumstances that can cause particular stress in the horse (transport, competition, etc.). However, this alternative medicine is not recommended for broodmares.
Acupressure
Like shiatsu and acupuncture, acupressure is based on a mapping of the horse’s body into pressure points, to be stimulated in order to obtain different results. Acupressure aims to achieve relaxation, eliminate pain and muscle stiffness, backaches and headaches among others.
In conclusion, many alternative medicines have appeared and can treat various diseases of the horse or relieve it of certain ailments. However, a clinical examination by your veterinarian is always preferable if your horse presents a discomfort or an illness, so you should not eliminate traditional medicine, but complement it with techniques that have proven themselves.
