These range from discomfort while being saddled, and irregularities of gait, such as dragging of toes to the refusal to jump. Chiropractic care looks to the relationship of the spine and the nervous system. Misalignments in the spine can restrict the flow of nerve impulses, or messages, along the nerves pathways, leading to symptoms showing up in other parts of the body affected by this restriction of nerve impulses. This is what chiropractic adjustments seek to remedy by the realigning of the spine, allowing the nervous system to work properly again. The ancient arts of acupuncture and acupressure have been found to as be beneficial to horses as they are to humans.
Acupressure releases the flow of natural endorphins, thereby acting as a natural pain reliever.
In addition, the increased blood flow stimulated by the acupressure brings nutrients to the area being treated and also quickly moves waste materials away. Acupuncture, which most people are more familiar with, works on the premise that energy is flowing around the body along well defined meridians. Needles are inserted into key points in this network to correct any imbalance by stimulating or dispersing the energy flow. The art of Homeopathy uses very diluted solutions of substances to treat diseases which they may actually cause in a higher concentration. Trained homeopaths have to be familiar with over 2000 homeopathic remedies and be able to match the most appropriate for the symptoms.