A body worker performs stretches on Jule Drown’s Paso Fino broodmare, Porcelana. “I’m impressed with [the body worker’s] knowledge of anatomy, physical therapy, and equine health care,” says Drown.

Natural health care for horses can relieve stiff muscles and aid damaged hooves. Massage and other natural health care works to tone back muscles and loosen stiff shoulders in your horse.

A Bundle of Problems
When I bought Porcelana a year ago, I knew she had some problems, but I naively didn’t recognize the severity of their cumulative effect or the need for immediate health-care attention. At that time, she was pregnant following the birth of two foals in two years. She’d received little exercise for years, her teeth were likely neglected, and her hooves hadn’t been trimmed and shod properly.

As soon as Porcelana was mine, I had her teeth floated and started riding her lightly, although she turned out her left front leg. Three months later, I removed her shoes for good. My natural hoof trimmer was dismayed at the horrible shape my mare’s hooves were in (toes way too long, heels not level), but assured me that she could gradually correct the hooves over a year or so. We concluded that I should temporarily stop riding my mare.

After Clementino was born, I found a veterinarian who had a passion for horses, communicated well with people, and was open-minded about various treatments. He found that Porcelana could hardly walk because of pulled suspensory ligaments in both front legs. He gave her collagen injections and directed me to use medicine boots on her front legs.

Despite these treatments, Porcelana didn’t improve. At the next examination, my veterinarian said it was critical to trim more toe off her long hooves to relieve the pressure on her ligaments, which the hoof trimmer then did to my vet’s specifications. My mare’s overall appearance still didn’t look good to us, so it was suggested that I schedule an appointment with an equine body worker.

A Collaborative Approach
The body worker gave Porcelana a therapeutic massage and performed stretches. Concerned about my mare’s serious lack of muscle tone and her lethargic appearance, she advised me to consult with my veterinarian about immediately weaning Clementino (then almost 6 months old) to enhance Porcelana’s nutrition. Further, she suggested I begin hand-walking Porcelana to build up her strength and muscles.

My veterinarian concurred, so I initiated the new regime. Slowly but surely, Porcelana began to improve. After three months, my vet checked Porcelana again. Her suspensory ligaments were healing nicely, and he gave me the okay to begin light riding.

The body worker also returned. I’m impressed with her knowledge of anatomy, physical therapy, and equine health care, which she’s learned through a lifetime with horses, augmented by specialized training and her association with two holistic veterinarians. By the second session, Porcelana was moving more fluidly than before.

The body worker has also taught me simple exercises to perform on Porcelana daily to loosen the mare’s stiff shoulders and tone her back muscles. She’ll provide annual preventive maintenance to help Porcelana maintain her range of motion, structural balance, mobility, and flexibility.

Today, Porcelana’s legs are rehabilitating nicely. She’s muscling out, due to regular riding and ground work. She ran like the wind when I rode her down a sandy wash this afternoon. Her successful turnaround demonstrated to me the value of a collaborative approach among multiple equine-health providers.

One Owner’s Viewpoint

Considering the beneficial care Porcelana has received from these providers, in addition to the veterinarian, I was surprised to recently learn that Arizona statutes (as well as other states’) declare it unlawful to provide care to horses unless the person is a veterinarian or a licensed veterinary technician working under the direct supervision of a vet.

Of course, I want only well-trained, skilled people who come recommended to work on my horses. Although I’m sure Arizona’s statutes were enacted to protect horses’ health, they seem to ignore the role of the horse owner in choosing their horses’ caregivers.

Organizations supporting animal owners now exist in many states, in part to modify these kinds of laws. For example, the Illinois Alliance for Animal Owners Rights (www.iaaor.org) persuaded the state legislature to approve an amendment to the Veterinary Medicine Practice Act, allowing animal owners to legally use "natural healers." I’ve just joined the Arizona Alliance for Animal Owners Rights (www.azaaor.org), which is working to duplicate Illinois’ accomplishments.

I hope that as states change their existing laws to allow horse owners more options in terms of their horses’ care, more horses like Porcelana will benefit.