Alternative Therapies

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Hiya guys,
Im doing a project at college and im researching alternative therapies for horses, I wondered if you could answer a few questions for me
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Have you ever used any alternative therapies? if so what were they?

What did you use them for?

Do you feel it made a difference to your horse?

If your against using them, why?

Many thanks
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Heather x
 
Both my mares have been for hydrotherapy. One following surgery after getting kicked in the field and an infection in the tendon sheath, and the other for a sethered tendon. It was recommended by our vets for healing. Both had open wounds and tendon damage and both are now fully sound in full ridden work (the sethered tendon has been sound now for 4 years and she is in full work - it was a massive tear and the insurance didnt cover the treatment for the alternative therapy as she had to have so many treatments but they never knew if she would recover) so can only say it was beneficial for both mares as they are recovered fully.

I'd recommend it to anyone, not all vets recommend it but it helped both our mares.

There is a mare on our yard now has damaged tendon from running in the field, has not had any alternative therapy and its not the injury ours had, is taking far longer to heal. Can only say it was good in my opinion. Great for wounds too as well as tendons.

Would definitely use again although hopefully the need wont arise!!
 
I have used homeopathic remedy Thuja to treat sarcoids. It worked very quickly.
I have also used aromatherapy for emotional issues and for cuts and grazes. Id like to think that it worked but I cant be 100% sure.
I also use relaxing and maintainance massages regularly with good results.
Hope this helps x
 
Reiki is a complementry therapy , it runs along side conventional methods
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, i was pulled up on this when i first started my training
 
agreed, when treating horses, complementary therapies are fab, most alternative therapies however, unless given by the owner only, are actually illegal! you need vet consent for ANYTHING such as massage, reiki, acupuncture etc
im a qualified equine sports massage therapist, if used properly, massage can be a fab tool in your box, but is not an alternative to your vet!
 
Yes. A mare I used to own (chestnut one in my pics) had terrible back problems. Vet college said she was being naughty!!! I used equine bowen therapy and after 4 treatments she was fine. That pic was taken after the traetment.
I use herbal remedies, particularly devils claw, instead of bute. I think it gives just as good results.
I have also used homeopathy on many occasions, on myself as well as my Horse (and dogs). In fact, it was a homeopathic remedy that stopped my persistent throat infections. A whole world better than a mass of antibiotics!

Come to think of it I've used most of them at some point. I've had reiki done on a Horse - amazing to watch. Aromatherapy helped the dark bay in my pics with his enormous amount of emotional baggage. Magnets helped to bring down a puffy knee. Currently using a herbal salve to treat a sarcoid where liverpool cream failed. Is working well (allbeit slowly) without the need for sedation to apply it, and a heck of a lot cheaper.

I don't think of them as alternative therapies, I think of them as traditional seeing as they have been around for a lot longer than conventional medicine. I also think that homeopathy, aromatherpy, herbs etc needs to be proparly prescribed rather than bought in boots, with a few exceptions. I have a great book called 'Wild health' which explains how animals is the wild self medicate. Fascinating, and if you watch, you can see domestic animals do the same.
 
So, would i be using the wrong term then describing the therapies im researching?
Which of the ones i have mentioned are Complimentry and which are Alternative?

Thankyou for all your help
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x
 
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