Zorba
12 year old welsh cob x, 14.2hh bay
In the past, Zorba has hunted, jumped, competed in Working Hunter & Ridden Cob classes. Currently not in full work due to problems related to laminitis.

Background History Shelley has owned Zorba for about 4 years. She has competed at local shows. She hacks out and schools regularly when Zorba is in work. Zorba is prone to laminitis and I first began treating him in July 2004, when there was a possibility that Zorba would have to be put to sleep as his condition was failing to improve. Thankfully he has improved although his ability to work has been intermittent. Predominant Element: WOOD has aggressive/bolshy tendencies and can be stubborn,impatient and proud.

Session Notes I treated Zorba once a week during the acute stages of his laminitis and he was initially very weak and fragile energetically, and had lost a lot of weight. he had no "spark" about him although he could still be pushy and when he wasn't in the mood for Shiatsu, he would let me know! I worked to try and increase his vitality, keep the laminitis in check and encourage the body to start healing itself. I am pleased to say that Zorba is now full of life and looking very healthy! It is not possible to say whether the Shiatsu was in any way responsible for his recovery but I know by his reactions, often coming out of the stable bucking and squealing after a session, that it was obviously had an effect. All I know is that when I began treating him, he had been given a very poor prognosis, yet a year later he's still here!

Emmy
9 year old TB x ID, 17.2hh dark bay (black) mare

work
schooling (jumping/dressage), hacking, pleasure rides, local shows (show jumping, dressage, xcountry)

Background history
Angie has owned Emmy from a 2 year old, and was broken in when she was 4. Angie competes regularly at local events.
Horse and rider were involved in a serious incident last year - out on a hack, Emmy was attacked by two dogs and fell over trying to get away. Angie was seriously injured and suffered brian damage and it was initially thought she may not survive. Emmy was believed to have sustained an injury to her pelvis. Angie has now recovered, although she has problems with her balance - this is controlled by medication - and has completely lost her sense of smell and taste. She now rides regularly although, understandably, it has taken time for her to regain her confidence.

Previous complementary therapy
Emmy has previously received physiotherapy and Bowen therapy.

Predominant element type:
WATER

Visual observation
On initial observation, Emmy eyes were clear and bright, with no signs of discharge or puffiness etc. She was alert and listening to me. Weight evenly distributed and muscling even. Hooves were in good condition although she does have typical "TB" feet which need doing every 6 weeks or they start to crack and fall apart. Her coat was glossy and smooth, with no signs of bald patches.
Walking in-hand, Emmy tracks up although she can appear quite stiff and her joints are quite "clicky" (this is the same when she is ridden, and she does take time to warm-up and start moving smoothly and fluidly). Emmy is extremely lazy and will do no more than absolutely necessary! When she's going well she has flowing, "floaty" paces.
During my observational diagnosis, LI seemed jitsu and LU kyo (she does make a lot of noise when she breathes as she's worked, and does have a tendency to cough if given dry hay).

SESSION NOTES:

session two (28th July 2005) Began by palming bladder channel and to my surprise she seemed to relax quite quickly. Percussioned hindquarters and shoulders before moving on to front leg sequence - foot rotations (minimal movement), tendon massage, lower leg pastern-heel stretch, leg swing. diagonal stretch, chest stretch, foot flop, full stretch. Then hind leg sequence - rotations (initially stiff and resistant) and full rear stretch (initially resistant but stretched into it, especially when I took the leg across behind. Objected when I tried to take leg out to side so immediately returned to rear position) and forward stretch. Tail was quite tight and "clamped" - although no objection to tail being manipulated. Full sequence - stroking, walking tail, rotations, full stretch. Really leant into full stretch, so much so she nearly pulled me off my feet! Ended session there as, again, wanted to end on a good note.

after shiatsu

Candy 35 year old Arab x Connemara grey mare Work retired Background history Claire has owned Candy for 18 years, and used her for hacking and schooling, although she is now retired. Candy used to be quite a "speedy" lively pony, who loved life. She was retired due to rotation of the pedal bone caused by laminitis. Candy spends all day out in the field with one other companion. Claire says that Candy still has a "young attitude" and thinks she can still do the things she used to but her body won't allow it (a case of "the mind is willing..").

Candy was hit by a car several years ago, which resulted in injury to the ribcage, although she returned to work after the accident.
Claire was advised to put the mare to sleep, because of her age and rotated pedal bone, but refused as she believes Candy still has a good quality of life. I believe Claire is a very caring, knowledgeable owner who knows her horses well, and would not willingly cause her pony unnecessary distress.
Candy is walked out in-hand quite regularly, in order to keep physically active, and to try and prevent deterioration in the joints/mobility etc. Candy apparently enjoys this activity and I believe she is the sort of pony who needs both mental and physical stimulation, and a "purpose" in life. I get the impression she was quite a "busy" lively pony when she was younger.
Candy is prone to laminitis and is kept on restricted grazing.

Previous complimentary therapy
Shiatsu (Helena Goody)

Personality
Claire describes Candy as "fairly chilled", sociable and friendly

Predominant element type
FIRE

Visual observation
When I first saw Candy she was quiet and dozing contentedly. Her eyes were bright, with no signs of puffiness, redness or swelling etc. Her weight was evenly distributes although she appeared slightly "pigeon toed". Her hooves showed laminitic ridges but were otherwise in good condition (ie: not brittle or unevenly worn). Despite being quite sleepy, Candy was aware that i was there, and didn't appear to be in any pain. There were no signs of recent injury, although she did have an old scar on her near-side hock. her coat was quite woolly, dull and coarse, but there were no bald patches. Candy has typical age-related muscle atrophy, and had no real muscle-tone.
My initial impression was that candy appeared quite tired and depleted of energy. I really felt like she needed warming up. I felt like I just wanted to give her a cuddle, so a nurturing treatment was needed.
LI was up and TH and LU were depleted. (TH and LU were more kyo than LI was jitsu, so these were my main areas of concern). Obviously because of her age and condition, I had no intention of doing any stretches or rotations etc, anything that involved her having to stand on three legs (Claire told me that sometimes her stifle doesn't lock when she is standing, and she nearly falls over). I felt her too frail to be pulled about and just wanted to nurture her and get some energy circulating.

Session one 9th May 2004 This was my first session with candy (she had apparently had Shiatsu before, although the practitioner is not someone Jill or I have heard of). I began by holding the yin tang until she lowered her head, than began the body-wipe using firm but gentle, fairly slow sweeping strokes, and she began relaxing immediately. I worked the Bladder channel, which felt quite empty, fairly slowly and gently until I got to BL36. I worked down the leg to the ting point quite briskly, then worked the channel again, this time using elbow pressure. I could really feel her leaning into the pressure and several times I thought she was going to fall over. This time I worked down the hind leg more slowly, pausing to hold BL60/KID3 (BL60 activates entire channel, alleviates pain by relaxing sinews, also used for stiff neck and lumbar pain. KID3 is a source point, nourishes kidney yin and yang and benefits the lung).

I then did some work on Candy's face, working the bladder points around the eyes, GB1 around the ear to GB20 to try and alleviate any stiffness (GB20 activates the channel, alleviates pain, benefits the head/neck). Whilst I was working the GB channel around the neck, my partner noticed energetic movement in the Gb channel down the hind leg. I also massaged around the cheek and jaw line, and around the mouth before working on the ears. I then palmed down the front of the shoulder (and around the front of the chest, incorporating LU2) and then down the girth area, before working the LU/HT/HP channels, by wrapping my hands around the inside of the front leg and leaning my weight away. I finished by working all the ting points on the front feet, then I closed her down.

when I returned to the yard two days later to treat the other two horses, Claire said that candy had been looking and walking much better, and that she had noticed a definite improvement overall. Claire said she was "very impressed" by the effects of the Shiatsu. The first thing I noticed when I saw Candy was that she appeared taller than when I had treated her! I had used my elbow to work the bladder channel, but when i saw her this time she looked to tall to have comfortably used elbow pressure!

Session two 2nd June 2004 Claire said that Candy showed definite improvement after the last session, but had "gone a bit downhill" in the last week. Apparently the pony had got down in the field and had to be helped up as she was unable to get up herself. She had "filled legs" for a few days afterwards, and Claire believes that she has not been lying down since this incident. Visual observation Candy appeared quite bright and alert, and her coat wasn't as dull and coarse as previously. her joints were quite "clicky" when she walked.

My eye was initially drawn to her belly, where all the energy was centered (summer grass!) although she was still quite "ribby". Bai Hui point was depleted,and the TH channel was very prominent on her neck (extremely kyo). Again I felt she needed a very nurturing treatment.

Session notes
I worked the bladder channel, first using palm pressure, then using elbow pressure to the lumbar region and palmed down from there to the ting point, working BL36 (activates the channel, used for relaxing sinews, relieving pain od sacrum/coccyx/lumbar, atrophy of lower limb and stiffness/weakness in legs) BL60 (activates entire channel, used to alleviate pain by relaxing sinews, stiff neck) and BL64. Noticed definite energy movement along the channel (held pressure to tonify channel). Candy showed a definite reaction when i was on the TH Yu point. I also worked KID1 for vitality (KID1 also used for lower limb pain and swelling).
I then palmed the TH channel down the neck and shoulders, working TH14 (used for pain of the shoulder joint), I held this point for a while and actually felt it 'filling up" under my thumb as the energy came into the area (this is the first time I have experienced this! It felt quite amazing, like something was coming up under the skin and pushing my thumb out of the hole! Now I know what I am meant to experience when tonifying a very kyo point). I continued working the channel down the leg, working TH5 (used for "treatment of diseases caused by deficiencies", strengthening original chi, pain and weakness in shoulder and foreleg), TH5 (activates channel, also recommended for "pain of the hundred joints") down to TH1 (activates channel, used for elbow/shoulder pain).

(I worked the TH channel not just because it was depleted, but also because it warms and protects the organs, and assists with defensive chi, which I think this pony needed as she was very low in energy. The TH is responsible for directing the original chi from the Gate of Vitality to every organ and channel of the body. The Triple Heater thereby helps "warm the organs, sustain the heart and energize the brain". TH is beneficial in cases of chronic debility, coldness etc)

I then held my palm over the Bai Hui point as it looked depleted. I also worked inside the front leg (LU, HP and HT channels) using both hands, with my palms on the inside, leaning my body-weight away. I massaged the tendons of the front legs and worked round the ting points (HP9, HT9, LU11, LI1, TH1, SI1). I then palmed down the GB channel in the hind leg (GB channel used to treat tendons, ligaments and general stiffness), working GB34 (activates channel, used for its function of benefiting sinews and joints, spreading liver chi, atrophy of shoulder and thigh), GB40 (source point, used for alleviating pain and benefiting joints), GB44 ("treat the mother to nourish the child" -wood mother of fire). I also massaged the muscles/tendons of the hind leg to release any tension, aches or pains. I then percussioned the hindquarters to release energy/get energy moving.

I finished the session with the tail sequence, which Candy seemed to appreciate, especially the full stretch. Then I closed her down.

(I received a text message from Claire saying that since the treatment Candy had begun to lie down again, and had shown tremendous improvement. I was extremely pleased, not just for my own benefit - in that it proves that what I did was effective - but also for the pony's benefit. It's horses like her that are the reason I want to be a Shiatsu practitioner. To be able to help is reward in itself!)

"Before having Shiatsu with Donna, Candy was having trouble getting up after rolling. Occasionally we had to physically lift candy to get her up. After this I believe that Candy didn't lie down again. After candy's first session with Donna, she was very relaxed and content. I also noticed that she was walking much better. Since having more sessions with Donna, Candy has greatly improved and is able to have a roll and get up by herself. She enjoys trotting round with her pony friends. I believe Donna's work on Candy has improved her quality of life. A happy and content pony makes a happy owner" Claire McCarron