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The horse scents guide
to good health
08/08/2000
Anyone
who knows horses knows they love mints. Even the smell is enough to get
them excited. So when Julie Stephens puts a bottle of peppermint oil underneath
her pony's nose, it's all Hobie can do not to snatch the bottle and chomp
the whole thing.
"You do get some funny responses," she says. "Sometimes a
horse will curl its nose up, sometimes they'll try and take it from you.
Depending on the oil, they might just have a quick sniff then walk away."
For those horses for which she recommends a particular oil, the benefits
can be significant. Just like humans who've tried aromatherapy, spreading
an oil around the horse's muzzle, on its head or down its neck and chest
can help them get over trauma, relieve lung problems, arthritis and lameness
and counter emotional and behavourial problems.
Aromatherapy for horses is becoming increasingly popular.
However, Julie says it doesn't get to the root of the problem so she combines
it with applied kinesiology, a technique that tests muscles to find out
where the body is out of balance.
"Aromatherapy is fine but there may be other issues involved, such
as nutrition or psychological problems. I would much rather balance a person
or a horse first, then find out which oils are best. You get a more holistic
picture."
Kinesiology is based on the principle that muscles are related to specific
organs because they share a lymph vessel or acupuncture meridian. "When
the muscles are balanced and the energy to these systems is restored, the
organs sharing the same system are also helped," explains Julie.
By doing simple muscle tests, Julie can find out which muscles aren't working
properly, and which are 'switching on and off' as required. She can also
work out what the body requires and what it's intolerant to. Then, applying
essential oils can make a difference, as can changes in diet or, in the
case of horses, feed supplements.
Julie explains: "It's all to do with energy passing through the body.
With complementary therapies what you are trying to do is have a free flow
of energy around the body and break down whatever is causing blockages.
"If there are blockages you start to get a build-up of problems that
can manifest themselves in diseases. Kinesiology means I can choose oils,
flower remedies or homeopathic remedies, whatever the body requires."
Julie became interested in complementary therapies when she was successfully
treated by Darlington homeopath Pam Bracken for shoulder pain which stemmed
from her breaking her back in a riding accident aged 13, and from depression.
"I decided I wanted to do the same, to help people who had been suffering
for years when there was a treatment that could bring them some relief,"
says Julie.
She went on to do a foundation course in applied kinesiology, then discovered
that the same techniques could work for horses. Having shown and bred Welsh
ponies for 17 years and coming from a family of horse lovers, it was inevitable
that she became interested in the equine side. Now the part-time clerical
worker and mum of two has set up in business and is helping both horse and
rider.
Asking a horse to co-operate in the muscle testing is, of course, impossible.
Instead, Julie 'balances' the owner first, then uses a sample of the horses'
hair to re-balance the animal too.
First, I had to lie down on a bed at her home in West Auckland, County Durham,
then she set to work testing the strength of my muscles by holding a limb
and pressing it down, lifting it up or pulling it out. My job was to resist,
to try and keep the limb in place.
Different limbs and movements represent energy meridians running through
the different organs.
Sometimes I succeeded and my arm or leg stayed exactly where it was while
Julie tried to move it for a couple of seconds. But for other organs the
limb would be spongy or she'd be able to move it quite easily.
Worryingly, she identified several areas where the muscles were switched
off - ie not performing as well as they should be - spleen and pancreas,
small and large intestine, kidney, gall bladder and liver.
The next step is to wake the muscles up so they perform properly. To do
this, Julie rested samples of different vitamins on my right cheek (apparently
the energy flow can go through plastic containers and glass bottles), or
asked me to press on the back of my neck.
The pressure on certain points and different vitamins did seem to strengthen
the weak muscles as she tested them a second time.
Vitamins A, B complex and beta carotene seemed to have a positive effect,
suggesting a deficiency.
She also tried some food samples; they showed possible intolerance to sugar,
wheat and tomatoes and that I was dehydrated.
Finally, to re-balance me, by asking me to put pressure on the pulse in
my wrists while she tested my limbs again, Julie said I was storing too
much energy in my bladder. From this, a few sweeping movements up my body
from my feet was meant to get the energy flowing more smoothly.
With me back in balance, it was my pony's turn. I'd brought a sample of
her mane with me and it was placed on my naval. Julie set to work testing
the muscles again.
Amazingly, there were differences in the results. For instance, my arm swung
loosely when she tested the pony's brain. "It's funny, I often find
that when I test the energy running through their brains," laughed
Julie. Some horse owners won't be in the least surprised.
Next came the intestine test. The pony's were apparently spot on, unlike
mine. "That's because she doesn't put the rubbish down there like you
do," Julie joked.
Like me, the spleen and pancreas appeared weak, as did her spine, gall bladder
meridian (horses don't have gall bladders), liver and lungs. The lungs didn't
surprise me at all as she often develops a cough during the winter.
For that, Julie suggest a garlic feed supplement and eucalyptus oil for
the pony to sniff. Milk thistle is a natural detox for the liver while fenugreek
contains vitamins A and E which could help. For her spine, Julie recommended
massage around her neck and poll.
How the placing of a horse's hair on a re-balanced body to identify poor
energy flow works is something of a mystery. "It's big," says
Julie. "It's just out there in the universe, you just have to go with
it. All I know is that it works, I don't try to analyse it too much."
To prove the point, she's awaiting samples of hair from a relative's horse
in Australia to show that distance is no object.
Owners do not have to be balanced, though Julie recommends it. "When
you start riding you're always told the reins are like telegraph wires and
that they can sense if there's something wrong with the rider. There's a
two-way flow of energy. To get the ultimate performance between horse and
rider it's good to get them both balanced, especially if you're riding at
top level.
"For me, it's fantastic to be able to help people and horses. I've
found my niche."
 Veterinary
permission must be given before Julie will carry out her treatments.
An equine kinesiology balance costs £35, while for humans it's
£25. For more information Julie can be contacted on 07974 110098
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