Essential Equine Therapies, LLC

Mr Sonny says “What’s up?”

Before his massage he was standing unbalanced in his hind end. By the end of it, he was standing more square. His favorite was hip tractions.

I wore Patchouli EO, which he also enjoyed 🩷🐴

The Gelding ripped out some of his stitches last night. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’ve mixed up a specific blend on my own - for skin, tissues, healing, cleansing and bug repelling oils to help the Gelding’s leg.

I glanced at my wellness shelf and pulled out what I had which was a great lineup.

🌱Tea tree
🌱 Lemongrass
🌱 Mendwell
🌱 Copaiba
🌱 Lavender
🌱 Frankincense
🌱 Cedarwood
🌱 Sacred Sandalwood

🔥 See previous posts for thermal images of this Gelding and join the journey.

He ripped out some of his stitches last night and opened up more of the wound. The hope is that this may also deter him from messing with it too much more as it will begin to itch with healing. These oils also help with bug repelling as does the Animal Scents Ointment, which will be applied following the spray in between cold hosing🩷

*Note, lemongrass is considered a hot oil and should be diluted and in smaller quantity for cases like this if chosen to use. The rest of the oils are not hot.

Here’s an example of how amazing lemon grass is, as are all the oils in this blend!

We are gonna track the progress and I’ll share the recipe when I share results, follow along with this page!

🍊ORANGE EO COMBATS GASTRIC ULCERS 🍊

Just doing some evening reading as I search for specifics to help a client horse with a separate issue. 💁🏼‍♀️ (Yes, your therapists still think about your horse even when they’re not at your barn)

I have never come across this in my reference book until now. There are so many natural ways to help heal that God gave us.

🖤🐴 🩷

😳 Are you Stressed?

Today, most of us personally live with some sort of stress - whether we are aware of it or not.

Many don’t feel “normal” if they aren’t under some sort of stress and essentially ‘thrive’ on it.

The repercussions of stress can be quite damaging to the body both physically and emotionally.

Physical pain can also cause stress, especially when it is chronic or ongoing with no relief. This most certainly affects how you feel, act and treat others.

Pause.

Think of how your horse can experience the exact same thing.

___

Stress puts us in a “fight or flight state”. When we are in this state, our body shunts oxygen and nutrients to our muscles and limbs for us to be able to physically flee from the situation. The needed blood and oxygen that supplies our major organs and systems is depleted. Our heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises, respirations increase. Our body releases “stress hormones”. Our ability to think clearly diminishes. When our body is put in this state too often, we can become sick. A prolonged stress response can decrease our immune system and we can become more susceptible to illness and disease.

Examples: high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, autoimmune diseases, decreased memory and poor concentration. Stress compromises our body in numerous ways.

____

Some observable or behavioral signs of stress/pain in Equine:

-Cribbing
-Pawing
-Biting
-Rearing
-Teeth wringing/grinding
-Head shaking/tossing
-Lethargic
-Anxiety
-Weaving
-Pacing
-Muscle spasms
-Weight loss
-Weight gain
-Rushing under saddle
-Fidgeting
-Unable to relax
-Breath holding

💆🏼‍♀️ Massage helps to bring balance between the sympathetic nervous system (the accelerator/fight flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (pumping the breaks/rest and digest)

𝘾𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚𝙖 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙙, 𝙇𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙎𝙈𝙏, 𝘾𝙀𝙍𝙏

I offer Bodywork for Horse & Human separately as well as side by side 🐴🤎

Ouch! This Gelding jumped (and cleared) a fence this past weekend, but sadly, caught his foreleg in the process. Before the stitches it looked quite gnarly, with a chunk of muscle missing as well.

He pulled his drain out all by himself and awaits a follow up vet check this week.

He’s been getting cold hosed on a regular schedule, is mainly on stall rest for the time being and of course, on some pain meds.

Today started documentation - where I will be taking weekly photos with my thermal imaging camera.

The main reason for doing this is to make sure there are no indications of increased or spreading heat over time, which could indicate a possible infection. If any changes are noted, the vet can be alerted immediately.

The dark spots are where the temp is the warmest and the temp is indicated on the bar.

After cold hosing the entire area is cooler except the drain hole and some areas beneath it.

When the wound begins healing a bit more I will muscle tape for lymphatic fluid movement and reduction in swelling.

Goodie bag consisted of my favorite all natural YL ointment for healing as well as to keep the bugs away, along with my SisUgut Blend and Pain Gone Blend that will be incorporated this next week to help keep tummy happy in the process and begin to reduce pain and inflammation naturally.

While he is missing out on the rest of this year’s show season, he is not missing his personality and curiosity. He will get lots of love and attention as we track his journey. Stay tuned!

Partitioning off a section of your pasture doesn’t constitute as a track. That’s a dry lot. 🫠

Learn about track systems and how to help your horse naturally here ➡️ https://www.schaefferbodyworks.com

My friend April Schaeffer Bodyworks gives the low down

Use code CHELSEA20 for main courses

🤎🐴

Schaeffer Bodyworks | Enhance Equine Wellness Today Explore our holistic equine bodywork courses, webinars, and certifications, designed to improve horse health, performance, and well-being in the Midwest.

My instructor was once called out to massage a horse that had been kicked. She chose to image first and due to high heat, she recommended the vet x ray. Turns out, there was a bone fracture. The same happened with her dog. 𝗪𝗼𝘄!

📸 Thermal Imaging 🔥

Did you know I offer this as an add on service to a current session as well as special requests?

Thermal Imaging is amazing to help give insight into what is happening with our horses as well as offering the potential to early detection of issues we would want to avoid.

Some reasons to thermal image include...

📸 𝗣𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺

📸 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀, 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻

📸𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

📸 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆

📸 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀

📸 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀

📸 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀

Anywhere that there is pain, you can bet that inflammation is there!

It only takes about 20 minutes for me to take full body images and you get to have them sent directly to you in an email! You can then use to monitor, track or send of to vet/radiologist for further viewing and diagnosis.

I do not offer haul in for this because hauling in a trailer can create artificial heat in the body.

There are requirements prior to imaging to get the best images possible, to learn more or submit an appointment request ➡️ https://essentialequinetherapies.com/thermal-imaging/