| I took my three year old Warm-blood gelding "Archie" | | | | Lacerated gums from sharp tooth edges |
| to the Chiropractor a few days ago. He was a little | | | | Unable to hold food in the mouth while trying to |
| touchy in some areas of his body and I suspected all | | | | chew it |
| wasn't right with him. It was his first time out so I wasn't | | | | Weight loss coming from the above mentioned |
| sure how he'd react. | | | | items |
| Just as I thought, Robert Humphries (horse | | | | Head tilting while being ridden |
| Chiropractor extraordinaire) took one look at the side | | | | Uneven muscle tone in forehead & neck |
| of his face and knew immediately that his jaw was | | | | And the list goes on... |
| "out". After further examination the verdict was that | | | | Once Archie's hips were re-aligned there was an |
| Archie's poll and hips were also out of alignment. | | | | instant release of tension in his body, and immediately |
| Robert went on to explain that when a horse is "out" in | | | | there was a difference in his attitude. He lowered his |
| the poll, it seems to make them confused and a little | | | | head and his eyes softened as you would expect in |
| "skatty". | | | | someone really relaxed. He gave a big sigh of relief. |
| "Horses just don't understand why the tension or pain | | | | "There is always a good reason for a horse's bad |
| is there" he said. | | | | behavior" Robert said "The mental attitude only comes |
| I could relate that to Archie as he was having trouble | | | | after the physical is hurt - NEVER the other way |
| settling down and his head was always up in the air | | | | around. Horses just aren't made like that. A horse will |
| and he just didn't want to relax. | | | | always react to pain. " |
| So, the first re-alignment was with the poll. It happened | | | | "So if he has a sore back from a badly fitting saddle, |
| smoothly and quickly and Archie wasn't in the least bit | | | | then you can expect him to want to buck or run or |
| perturbed. Then the jaw - and this was just as easy. | | | | rear in order to get that saddle off. If you put a burr |
| "Re-aligning the jaw is most important because if the | | | | under your saddle, you'd get the same result. Then, |
| teeth don't meet properly, when the horse chews the | | | | once the pain is there and you don't do anything about |
| teeth are worn lopsided and this then creates sharp | | | | it - the horse will associate pain with the saddle and |
| and overgrown edges. This has a snowball effect on | | | | before long he'll hate being saddled up and the "love |
| so many other areas." | | | | hate" relationship with your horse begins". |
| Poor digestion from improper chewing | | | | |