Equine Iridology

annt2027

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Hi everbody,
Just wondered if you could give me your opinion/s on Equine Iridology.
This is a non-invasive procedure which claims to detect physical/medical problems from markings in the Iris. Iridology is being used in the general medical profession with remarkable accuracy, and I have read several case studies of Iridology being used on Horses, and again, the accuracy of this procedure is/claims to be 100%.
Would you pay for a qualified EI to examine your horse?
Have you employed the services of an EI, and what was your opinion on their findings?
Cheers guys.
 
Well, i am a qualified EI, so im biased!

I orginally got in to it because i had a horse that was *off*,not lame, not poorly looking just not himself. I exhausted vets/chiro's etc and eventually got Ellen collinson out to look at him-he had a mild kidney problem and after changing his mangement and some of her herbal remedy he was back to normal!

i was so intruiged i decided to qualify.

to be honest i dont do a huge amount of it work wise, but i regularly check on my horses and friends horses just to see how the body is coping/healing etc, if there is a problem or issue.

im fully prepared to be poo-poo'ed now!!!
 
Why do you want it done out of interest? In all honesty I wouldn't bother! It's not backed up by any proper scientific research, and I'd be quite wary of someone who claims to be 'qualified'... How much do you have to pay for the examination? Sorry to be negative... Hope your horse is ok
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Sorry I am very sceptical of things like this. I think it is a waste of money and there is no scientific proof they can tell anything of any relevance from looking into a horses eyes. I suggest you call your vet and ask what their opinion is.
 
I find EI a really interesting subject. Can I ask you how a person becomes qualified? Is it through attending courses or distance learning/exams. It's something I'd be very interested in training to do myself but no idea where to start.
 
it is interesting, and it's another tool to have.
i had Ellen visit me the same day as my McTimoney chiro, and they both said exactly the same things about specific horses, which gave it more credibility imho.
i have studied it a little (American home study course), just enough to be able to do my own horses and see major things brewing perhaps.
certainly young horses seem to have very clear, un-lined, un-marked irises whereas older horses have more patches, lines, etc, so there may well be something in it, i'm not 100% sure.
some people have very distinctive features in their irises which make me think "uh oh" but i've never said anything to anyone about it...
 
Had a lady called Catherine Edwards out to my horse, she trained with Ellen Collinson. It was very interesting. My mare is very tight in her left hind, had chiro out and vet who both couldnt find anything just muscle tightness. Got a muscle manipulation lady out who done a lot of work but after a month or so she was very tight again so was recommended Catherine. She came and done her thing and said that my horses Spleen was very inflammed and that was stopping her tracking up on her left hind and she was altering her movement to try and work 'correctly' and that would cause tightness. She also told me that my horse has a very bad sugar intollorance and to under no circumstances give her anything that contains mollasses. Since changing her diet she is a lot more settled in work and looks tons healthier.
Know I think about it was it her spleen or pancreas
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??? Left the write up up the yard
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!!!!!!!!!

Edited to correct my dreadful spelling
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I have had experience with several iridologists - both in Australia and the UK - all allegedly very good and 'qualified'. In all instances in was an employer paying - I wouldn't spend an old penny on one.

One diagnosed 'a problem with the left front' - when a HUGE splint that you could see from 100 yards away was drawn to her attention, she said that was probably it. Another diagnosed 'muscle spasms' in a horse with uncontrolled and intermittent bucking - and prescribed - amongst other rubbish - stinging nettle tea. The horse was put down 3 months later as it was downright dangerous and was post mortemed - it had a massive brain tumour!!

I could go on with another dozen examples of mis-diagnosis and other bo**ocks from iridologists - but you get the picture.
 
(This is a copy of a reply I gave on another forum)

I would always suggest a look at PubMed when considering diagnostic processes.

In this case, the following pop up:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10213....&ordinalpos=19

and in particular:

http://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/118/1/120 (which has the full text available for free)

Systematic reviews look at all the research done to date, and then analyse the trials to see how fair they were (e.g. whether there could have been bias etc.)

The best conducted trials seem to suggest that iridology is not an effective diagnostic tool, although as with all alternative medicine further research is probably needed.

Might be worth a read before you part with your cash, then you can make your own mind up either way
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