Equine Guelph presented its first ever integrative therapies workshop in May to a full house at the Ontario Veterinary College.
Minds were engaged from the start with Dr. Brad Hanna’s thought-provoking introduction. Entrenched in evidenced-based approaches, first impressions might have been that the OVC professor was going to debunk the notion of integrative therapies all together. That initial reaction quickly turned into unanimous nods of agreement throughout the lecture hall, filled with horse owners eager to learn more about complementing their horse health programs.
Hanna took everyone on a journey through time that left the audience in no doubt of the need for best scientific practices and meticulously recorded statistics. By the end of his talk, listeners knew of many criteria to look for in valid studies. Hanna set the tone to keep an open mind but gave the audience tools to assess credibility.
Bone cracking myths were dispelled as Dr. Scott Hie, a chiropractor, went on to educate everyone about what an adjustment is, and when it is useful.
Restriction and lack of motion were the symptoms Hie stated reasons to see a chiropractor – but not before seeing a vet. He explained an adjustment as a high velocity, low amplitude thrust. He also let everyone know that chiropractic is not an option when there is severe heat, swelling, lameness, or open wounds. Participants interested in learning more about how the joints are connected were encouraged to consider Equine Guelph’s anatomy course or seminars.
A high level scientific talk ensued when Dr. Wendy Pearson, of the University of Guelph, took the stage, outlining the potential of a new breed of “super mint” to reduce inflammation and aid in the treatment of arthritis.
The audience was shown the complexities of biochemistry through a presentation explaining how components within cells are interacting.
Equine Guelph Director, Gayle Ecker summed up that lecture by stating, “If my chemistry professor was this passionate, I might be in a different field today.”
The search for symmetry followed with a hands-on talk by Holly Barnett, a massage therapist. With over 80 modalities of recognized massage, her speech left the audience wanting to learn more about trigger points and how to relieve those pesky knots.
Barnett instructed horse owners to “look for symmetry” and gave many tips on how to palpate and stretch horses to help combat what can become a vicious cycle of pain and muscle contraction.
Lastly, and going into overtime, Jackie Vandenbrink, M.Sc. Equine Nutritionist, gave the audience food for thought. No one was concerned about staying late when she started serving up sound advice for feeding your herbivore a forage-based diet. Vandenbrink emphasized, “Good management should stimulate good digestion.”
Vandenbrink stressed the importance of looking at the whole picture and not reaching for one magical powder. If a vet, chiropractor, or massage therapist finds a physical problem, talking to a nutritionist to improve the feed program can be an important part of the solution.
Good quality hay was discussed at length.
Vandenbrink said that hay is not a balanced diet and does not mimic grazing in the wild. Four-month-old hay does not contain the higher levels of Vitamin E that can be ingested on a well-maintained pasture.
She suggested turning horses out on pasture as a great way to buffer the gut, guarding against ulcers.
“A well functioning hind gut is a source of nutrients for the rest of the body, not only in calories but also in B vitamins, electrolytes and fluids,” said Vandenbrink while discussing the importance of fibre.
The participants were given plenty of information to digest. Feedback from the workshop, indicated horse owners are champing at the bit for more of that type of information.
The evening of integrative therapies was made possible through a memorial contribution by family members of Rosalie Logan. This tribute honored a noted horsewoman and shared her love of the horse with other horse lovers. Rosalie believed an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure and Equine Guelph was pleased to facilitate this workshop. Equine Guelph thanks all attendees for their generous donations which help to develop future educational opportunities.
Equine Guelph is the horse owners’ and care givers’ Centre at the University of Guelph. It is a partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry, and government – for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit www.equineguelph.ca.
