Putting a horse "on the box" – weird old practice. Ring any bells?

[SusannaF]

OK... many many moons ago I remember watching a documentary series about horse racing. In one of the episodes they showed a trainer "putting a horse on the box" to deal with a health problem or dip in its form. This seemed to involve taking some hair from the horse and putting it in some kind of box with wire (?) in it which was kept in a shed by a somewhat witchy woman.

Now do I sound insane?

Has anyone heard of anything like this, or have I totally misremembered something I saw as a child?

 

[TinselRider]

Think there was a post on this a few months back, will try and find it

 

[Maesfen]

Yes, pretty sure Lucinda Green did it with one of hers years ago, might even have been Be Fair. Don't hear about it so much nowadays.

 

[cindars]

Can remember reading in one of Lucinda Green's book that she did this when one of her horses bruised themselves at a competition, Beagle Bay I think it was. She said it worked.

 

[palomino_pony]

A woman at my yard used to send her horses hair of. I think it was called radionics?? She had to tell her when he was stressy or off colour. Don't really believe it myself - oh and the £25 direct debit each month too????!!!

 

[SusannaF]

Aha! Thank you everyone for the super-fast responses. Radionics!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radionics

That sounds right. It just stuck in my brain and I woke up thinking about it this morning.