Seven years ago, I watched a Native American medicine man perform a
"Spinal Alignment" on a fellow holistic veterinarian in Minnesota. He used
herbs, essential oils and hot water on the spine. Four years later, I got
the opportunity to work closely with a Lakota Sioux medicine woman in
Idaho, who did a similar healing on a woman with MS. I attended a doctors'
conference in Scottsdale, Arizona in March of '99 and observed a woman
receive raindrop therapy from Dr. Gary Young, a naturopath and leading
authority in the science of essential oils. The patient was in her early
fifties, had severe scoliosis and spinal pain. After this raindrop
treatment, she grew over one inch, her deviation lessened over 50%, and
she was pain free.
It seemed to me that the universe was guiding me to utilize such a
treatment in my own practice. The very next morning, I woke up with a
clear vision of how much this treatment would help horses and their
riders. Since then I have developed a technique for animals, especially
horses, and produced a video that explains clearly how to do the technique
yourself.
This revolutionary therapy is easy to do for your horse. It is beneficial
for the person applying the oils and for any animal close enough to smell
the oils, as the scent triggers a response within the hypothalamus almost
immediately. It is not a cure-all, but it is a wonderful way to keep
horses healthy and comfortable in their bodies. It is also a powerful
addition to antibiotics when fighting an infection because it assists in
strengthening the immune system. It pulls viruses and toxins out of the
system and balances the structural and electrical alignment of the horse.
Raindrop Therapy has been an important addition to my treatment of EPM
horses. I use it preventatively before a long trip, for instance, from
California to Calgary, and especially when European horses come out of
quarantine. It is extremely helpful in boosting the horses' immune systems
and helps them to realign with the electromagnetics of a new continent. I
suggest all barns carry the oils with them, and have interested owners
take part in this treatment. A physical therapist who is familiar with the
horse, or a groom, who has healing hands and an interest in the horses'
well-being, can also learn and perform this treatment.
Raindrop Therapy integrates layering of essential oils on or near the
spine and down the inside of the hind legs, using vitaflex techniques,
with massage and damp heat on the horse's spine. It takes 40-60 minutes to
perform, but the oils will continue to work in the body for up to one
week. The oils used will reduce inflammation, and are anti-viral and
anti-microbial. The principal oils used in this technique are thyme,
oregano, cypress, birch, basil, marjoram and peppermint. In this day and
age, we must look into higher frequency medicines because so many bacteria
are becoming resistant to antibiotics. It is happening in human medicine
faster than in veterinary medicine, but it is still obvious that
penicillin and Gentocin do not always work as well as they should. Many of
the conventional medicines that used to work so well for us are becoming
obsolete.
Linda Allen wrote an article in the Summer 2000 issue of this journal
about INTEGRITY. I appreciate the scope with which she sees the industry,
as she encourages everyone, from the casual rider, who shows only a few
times a year, to the Chefs d'Equipe of the Olympic Teams, to step back and
take a look at the role they play in the sport as a whole. She says at the
end, "as the century unfolds, perhaps we should band together and make a
concerted effort to hold our sport, and all those in it, to a new and
higher standard." I enjoy this sport immensely and am so grateful that I
can go to shows to compete as well as to treat many of my patients. I love
the sport and the horses, and, with great integrity, I share this Raindrop
Therapy as well as other holistic modalities with you.
It is my intent to compliment your primary veterinarian's health care
program. To succeed in this industry, it takes a team of professionals:
trainers, rider/owners, farriers, veterinarians, physical therapists and
horse handlers, who are willing to communicate and work with the same goal
in mind. Unfortunately, I have been part of teams where there was little
communication. As a result, too much needless work occurred, on everyone's
part, because we were not all on the same page. This creates chaos, is a
waste of energy, and it is usually the horse that suffers in the end. I
chose a win/win in all my relationships with man and animal. If more of us
would embrace this concept, the world would be a better place.
It is your responsibility as a horse owner or trainer to take part in your
horses' physical and emotional health. After all, if it weren't for these
magnificent four-legged creatures we would never be a part of such an
extraordinary sport. Make sure you are aware of what is happening to them
and why.
Dr. Mack is a holistic veterinarian who
has been specializing in performance horses for ten years. She competes in
the jumper division and is available at most of the major west coast
shows, including Spruce Meadows, to treat horses. It is her strong desire
to create a holistic wellness and training center in Southern California
where horses can come for a week or for months to recover from injuries,
or just to have preventative holistic treatment while they stay in work,
so they don't lose condition. She was one of the first women to graduate
from Columbia University, and received her veterinary degree from the
University of Pennsylvania. She has dedicated her life to the conscious
practice of holistic medicine on animals with her primary focus on sport
horse medicine.
Dr. Mack's video on Equine Raindrop Therapy is available from New Era
Productions. Phone Adina at (760)731-9949 or e-mail her
adina@neweraproductions.com.Dr. Mack can be reached by phone at (760)447-0776 or by e-mail at crazyhorsedr@hotmail.com and appreciates
feedback from you.
