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Finbar

Fin is a nine year old 15hh Connemara X gelding belonging to Lyn Richards who works as an Administrator/ Dispatcher for Griffin Nu-Med, the sponsors of the 2003 Golden Horseshoe event.

Lyn has owned Fin (fondly known as Fat Boy Fin due to his tendency of putting on weight simply by breathing!) for four years and has used him for riding club activities and Novice Endurance (25 miles). He always seemed to be sound in training and during general activities but on two of the early events of this year he had been 'spun' due to the vet noticing a slight unlevelness at the final vetting.

Lyn Palmer, who is an Equine Touch Practitioner in Somerset (as well as the National Co-ordinator and a UK Instructor for The Equine Touch Inc) went to visit Fin to carry out a body balance on the Tuesday before his next Sunday endurance ride. That day was chosen quite specifically as it has been found that the Equine Touch balancing continues to effect changes in the horse's body over the next few days, peaking at Day 5.

Fin's farrier had noticed that during his recent shoeing he had been stiff on the right hind and even though he had only been shod a week or so earlier there was noticeably more wear on the toe of the right hind during Lyn Palmer's initial observations.

A basic Equine Touch body balance was carried out and Fin was found to be reactive in the right stifle, right hindquarter and a little tight over the left shoulder where his right hind imbalance had jammed his saddle up against the scapula. The hamstring 'area of concern' moves were incorporated into the body balance and also the TMJ and lymphatic drainage procedures, appropriate for Fin as during Spring and Summer, he has been known to headshake and during these seasons he wears a nose net which seems to help the condition.

Fin can be bargy and opinionated at times (his owner's opinion is that the X after Connemara probably was donkey!!!) but he is really a sweetheart and after a few moves during the body balance he relaxed and dozed during the processing and observation periods.

The Brendon Hills Event was the following Sunday and Lyn was hopeful that she and Fin would complete for he felt really good to ride after his bodywork. Fin went well on the day and was vetted sound and Graded 2 ……… Lyn was delighted as this was as much as she could reasonably expect due to Fin's pulse rate rarely being lower than 39/40.

Recently Fin went for some schooling with Lyn's Instructor whilst Lyn was away 'crewing' at the Golden Dragon Ride, and it was noticed that he would occasionally go disunited in canter so he is booked in for another Equine Touch session and will go on a 4-6 week maintenance programme over the winter months to make sure that he is up and ready to go next season!

Tallolla

Tallolla is a 4 year old 13.3hh skewbald cob mare. The time had come to break in Tallolla and have some fun with her. I was feeling really excited. But Tallolla obviously thought the time was not right!

One calm summers day as she was peacefully grazing in her usual field a flock of sheep were being herded past her field. This suddenly awoke the flight instinct in Tallolla and she took off across the field attempting to jump out over the five bar gate in her field. The gate was obviously a bit higher than she had anticipated and as she left the ground her chest hit the top of the gate and she somersaulted over the gate managing to get her head and neck trapped in the fence.

As a result of this Tallolla was lame due to a very sore back and a cut to her near fore. I immediately set about treating her injuries and used a reputable local chiropractic to help with all her aches and pains, but unfortunately she did not react at all to the treatment. I was starting to get really worried and wondered what I should do next, then a friend recommended Lyn Palmer an Equine Touch Practitioner.

Lyn immediately came around and gave Tallolla a treatment this was followed by another treatment two weeks later. The effect was incredible Tallolla improved hugely. I am gradually increasing work on the lunge to try and strengthen the muscles and get the back to work how it use to and am hoping to be able to back her, accidents permitting!

Ellie Woolacote, May 2003

Ottie

Ottie is a 14 year old, 16.1hh bay TB x Hannoverian mare whom I have owned since she was 8 years old. She has always been very stiff to the left and moves very wide behind, especially in canter and is generally not very well balanced.

Ottie had her first treatment with Lyn when she was used as a demonstration horse for a teaching course for the Equine touch at Lyn's yard in Westhay. I noticed a difference immediately and over a period of time her regular (usually monthly) treatments there has been a noticeable difference in her way of going backed by improved percentages in her dressage tests.

The stiffness to the left is now hardly noticeable and she seems to work more in self-carriage than she did before rather than plough along on her forehand. She is now much easier to ride and does not get so stressed when asked to do her work, which may have been due to discomfort previously. I would recommend this treatment to anybody as it has made a big difference to Ottie and me.

Lyn King

Budget

Budget is a 16hh TB gelding who competes in Pony Club team horse trials. During the summer Budget seemed to be lame on and off on his off hind leg. I could not quite pinpoint the problem and we managed to get through it with periods of rest. However, I did manage to qualify for the Pony Club National Novice Challenge Horse Trials and Dressage competition in Cheshire.
At our local P.C area dressage Budget went lame again and so he was rested for a week. When I attempted to ride him again he was still lame. I asked Lyn from Equine Touch to come and have a look at him and she gave him a treatment , he seemed a lot better and I rode him the following two days. On the Sunday I took him to our local P.C show and he was very lame again. Lyn looked at him again and noticed that his right hip was about inches lower than his left!! The P.C Championships at Cheshire were only a week away, I was really panicking and in need of a miracle cure!

Lyn treated him twice that day and the following day both her and Neil treated him. We then noticed another problem occurring. As he was putting no weight on his back leg, his front leg swelled up and had a lot of heat in it, so we then had to treat that too!

I managed to start working him on the Wednesday and have him sound for the weekend to take to Cheshire. We managed to come 12th in the dressage out of 29 teams and completed the Horse trial even though we were not placed. I was just thrilled to be there!! He came home sound and is still sound now.

Tara Hayes

Rio

Rio a thoroughbred gelding had been transported by sea from the mainland to Maul on Hawaii. On receiving him, his owner found that he was suffering from stress, would shake and shiver when approached, was unrideable, exhibited areas of pain as well as being unsociable and aggressive when touched. As a result in January 2000 Jock Ruddock was asked to work on him in the hope that something could be done for him.

Rio was treated to four sessions of the Equine Touch by Jock. On the first session he had to be controlled by a handler as the moves were performed. His reactions to the gentle moves over the withers were quite extreme and he would try to bite and kick if the opportunity arose.

On the second session, Rio was much more sociable towards Jock, evidence of chronic pain had disappeared and by the time the withers had been addressed he was in a deep state of relaxation with his head lowered. No sign of biting or striking out whatsoever.

On the third session the changes were even more apparent. This time he relaxed within four moves and dropped off to sleep. Although the horse was in an open pasture Jock was able to remove his halter and lead rope and work with him just standing free. Rio made no move to leave and gave a positive reaction to every move.

On the fourth and last visit when Jock arrived, Rio came across the field to meet him and stood still actually appearing to ask for the work. The owner was ecstatic about the positive changes in her horse, Rio had now bonded with her, he came to her the moment she approached his field and she was now riding him with no problems at all. His whole personality and attitude had changed, he was relaxed, friendly and there was no sign of pain stress, tension or of any anti social behaviour whatsoever.