"Alignment is critical for proper functioning of all body systems. This is not new knowledge; Feldenkrais knew this, Alexander knew this, chiropractors know this. Without it we compromise first one system and then another - neurologic, circulatory, immune.
It was proven long ago that germs don’t cause disease but diseased tissue allows germs to reproduce, causing disease. A body in balance, mind, and spirit is a radiantly healthy body.
There are other important pieces to the puzzle in healing, and those are addressing chemical muscle memory - which you may better know as associative memory. The horse’s brain, just like ours, stores memory chemically and electrically of movement. We call this habit.
Horses only know the past and the present; if pain, fear, or tenseness are a part of the “wiring”, then new “wiring “ must be set up in the brain to operate from (to become habit).
Sage is an example of a very beautiful being trapped in a body that hurts physically. Learning can only occur when we have relaxation and are pain free. The owner knew something was wrong and continued to search for the answer. Sage is a very stoic horse that hid much of her problem and compensated fairly well. My exam showed she had a twisted pelvis, contracted neck, and severe constriction at the first 2 cervical vertebrae which was probably long standing.
Which came first and which was a result of compensation? Everything is attached in the musculoskeletal system so it all has to be addressed. Sage literally was neurologically disconnected in her lower lumber spine. The lumbar (lower back) and upper cervical (neck) are [meant to be] strongly connected. She didn’t really know where her back feet were. It would be like if your legs fall asleep and then trying to walk on them before the circulation has returned.
This is not an uncommon finding in horses I see. Sage also has a lot of muscle memory of fear and pain in her neck most likely from her first training to tie before the owner got her. This has to be dealt with for the physical to release and correct or the posture will just go back to habit. A new “neuronet” must be set up in her brain that she can operate out of to say “I can move this and it moves freely and relaxed, not painful”.
Think of it like a computer, inserting a new software program. This then accesses new areas of DNA which in turn creates new proteins to produce new healthy cells.
Sage’s aftercare consists of positional stretches and some Tui-na (Chinese Medical massage) for the owner to do. Human studies show it takes 40 days to hardwire a new neuronet, from the start of new neurogenesis (yes, new neurons can and do activate in the brain throughout life) to being cemented as habit.
This time is important in allowing the old memories (which are merely a program turned to rerun) from the pineal to dissipate.
Sage’s evolution to radiant health will be like peeling the layers of an onion. As we resolve certain, physical, mental and emotional issues then we will get to other covered layers that will have to be dealt with."
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