Chiropractic Dependent?

I was reading in an article about a patient discontinuing chiropractic care because her fear of being "chiropractic dependent". Oh boy! I have heard these concerns before. I am not sure where that idea would come from, but I'll explain:
Chiropractic can be like getting an oil change for your car. Regular spinal check ups will help maintain your spine and nervous system to work the best it can. Just like regular oil changes and tune ups for your car. If you don't take care of your car, it will stop working. What chiropractic does is restore the optimal range of motion to the joints and take pressure of the nerves that are around those joints. With pressure on the nerves, they won't be able to work as well as they could. Think of stepping on a garden hose while the water is running. The water is spraying out instead of a nice steady flow. If you want your brain talking to the rest of the body without any problems getting the pressure off of them is highly recommended.
Continued chiropractic check-ups is recommended to help maintain your body. The frequency of your check-ups is dependent on the condition or your spine, daily activities and believe it or not, your work activity and nutrition. I would never consider any patient under maintenance care to be dependent on chiropractic, they know when their body isn't working at its optimal level and want to take care of it.

New Year

Happy New Year to all! Yes it is time for those resolutions. Most of them are to be more fit/less fat, quit or start something. My resolution is to reach out to the community more and share the benefits of animal chiropractic. I noticed the past few weeks that my dog has been slipping more on the ice. Luckily, the ice has melted but he is a little sore in his lower back and hindquarters. Got him checked out and all taken care of.

For you horse owners, please be sure to properly warm up and cool off your horses. Prevention is a lot easier and more cost effective than lameness.

The Importance of Rider Balance

How balanced are you when you are riding? How balanced does your horse feel when you are riding? Does it lean on the bit on one side more than the other? Does one lead come more easily than the other?

Have you considered your horse's imbalance could be you?

You may think you are perfectly balanced but imagine carrying a 10 gallon bucket of water in each hand. One is completely full of water, and the other is empty. Are your shoulders level? Are you walking in a straight line? Is it easy to move? I know that its an over exaggeration of what can happen, but if you are riding your horse and you are imbalanced, this is transferring to your horse. Think of having a 5lb. weight hanging off your left stirrup, and no weights hanging off your right stirrup.

Your horse is sensitive to your seat. If you have a slight lean, or pelvic rotation it will directly affect your horse's balance. Rider imbalance will also affect wear on the saddle. If you are unknowingly unbalanced in your spine and frame you will also create imbalances in your horse. This will lead to subluxation and soreness in your horse, which will affect performance and overall behavior.

Have your trainer or friend watch you sit in the saddle at a halt and check for balance. From the back are the stirrups, shoulders and hips level? From each side, how is your posture? Is one shoulder rotating more forward than the other?

While riding, are your shoulders, pelvis and back bone square and straight? How are your shoulders?

If any imbalances exist, you could be contributing to your horse's imbalance. The best way to relieve your imbalance that is effecting your horse is through chiropractic. Chiropractic treatment will balance your spine, nerves and muscles. Chiropractic treatment is not a one time quick fix, it will take time to achieve proper body balance. Your body took its time getting in that position and will need some time and work to be in better balance. Just call your present or local Chiropractor or ask your Animal Chiropractor (who initially worked on people) for a spinal evaluation.

Call and schedule a spinal examination for you and your horse!

Stacey Reynolds D.C.
Reynolds Animal Chiropractic
Helping to enhance the animal - Human bond
www.reynoldsanimalchiropractic.com

Dirty saddle pads like dirty underwear?

First of all I would like to start off to note that I am not a one time use and wash person, I don't have the amount of saddle pads for that or the time to spend washing clothes.


The other day I was preparing for the schooling show at the barn I board my horse at and I noticed how dirty my saddle pad was. I remember my old trainer consistently ask me if I wore dirty clothes or especially dirty underwear. I would always reply no and so she asked me if I would want my horse wearing dirty clothes...well of course not. She would then show me my saddle pad and I would see how disgusting and caked dirt/mud would be on that thing. Gross!

I ask all of you to take a look under your saddle pad after riding and see how dirty it is or isn't and decide if you would like that rubbing on your back. Caked on dirt can irritate your horse's skin and create uneven pressure points. This irritation can lead to back sores and possible subluxations. Plus it can give you a good indication how your saddle is sitting and wearing on your horse with you on it. Just take a look. We owe a lot more to our horses to give them the courtesy of a clean saddle pad since we prefer to wear clean clothes ourselves.

The Importance of Rider Balance

How balanced are you when you are riding? How balanced does your horse feel when you are riding? Does it lean on the bit on one side more than the other? Does one lead come more easily than the other?

Have you considered your horse's imbalance could be you?

You may think you are perfectly balanced but imagine carrying a 10 gallon bucket of water in each hand. One is completely full of water, and the other is empty. Are your shoulders level? Are you walking in a straight line? Is it easy to move? I know that its an over exaggeration of what can happen, but if you are riding your horse and you are imbalanced, this is transferring to your horse. Think of having a 5lb. weight hanging off your left stirrup, and no weights hanging off your right stirrup.

Your horse is sensitive to your seat. If you have a slight lean, or pelvic rotation it will directly affect your horse's balance. Rider imbalance will also affect wear on the saddle. If you are unknowingly unbalanced in your spine and frame you will also create imbalances in your horse. This will lead to subluxation and soreness in your horse, which will affect performance and overall behavior.

Have your trainer or friend watch you sit in the saddle at a halt and check for balance. From the back are the stirrups, shoulders and hips level? From each side, how is your posture? Is one shoulder rotating more forward than the other?

While riding, are your shoulders, pelvis and back bone square and straight? How are your shoulders?

If any imbalances exist, you could be contributing to your horse's imbalance. The best way to relieve your imbalance that is effecting your horse is through chiropractic. Chiropractic treatment will balance your spine, nerves and muscles. Chiropractic treatment is not a one time quick fix, it will take time to achieve proper body balance. Your body took its time getting in that position and will need some time and work to be in better balance. Just call your present or local Chiropractor or ask your Animal Chiropractor (who initially worked on people) for a spinal evaluation.

NAVICULAR SYNDROME

A common complaint among horses with a different approach

The navicular bone serves two purposes. The first is that it acts as a shock absorber and fulcrum for the flexor tendons. The second job of this bone is its ability to help turn on and off blood flow to the coffin bone and hoof.

Symptoms of Navicular Syndrome are: Front leg lameness, inability to go down hill, hesitant to turn, and weight shifted behind front legs.

Common causes are shoe or hoof trimming issues. This syndrome is not genetic but rather acquired. A very common problem that goes unstated is that of poor biomechanics of the rear legs, pelvis and low back leading to Navicular Syndrome. The horse normally carries 65 percent of their weight on the front legs, but when the low back, sacroiliac or pelvic bones do not move freely there is a weight shift and increase in weight bearing on the front legs. This weight shift will cause strain on the Flexor Tendons of the front legs and eventual chronic inflammation of the navicular bone. Chronic inflammation leads to a breakdown of the navicular bone and eventual disease. This alteration in the front hoof will necessitate a change in shoeing and or trimming, but this is just a treatment for the symptoms and not the elimination of the cause. Your Vet will also prescribe anti-inflammatory medication.

You may be asking yourself what else can be done; well having an Equine Chiropractor evaluate your horse after your Vet has seen him is paramount to getting at the possible cause. If there is a Subluxation in the aforementioned regions then the chiropractor may be able to help eliminate the cause of this syndrome. The best time is of course is long before a Navicular Syndrome occurs. Keeping your horse well balanced with periodic chiropractic evaluations, massage, stretching and farrier visits is the best way to prevent Navicular Syndrome and to keep your best friend healthy.

How Do I know if My Horse Needs Chiropractic Care?

Some conditions which may indicate a need for Chiropractic Care:

• Back, Neck, Leg or Tail pain.
• Injuries resulting from slips, falls or training.
• Performance or movement problems.
• Sudden changes in behavior or personality such as bucking, refusals, crabbiness.
• Refusal to pick up a lead.
• Cinchy behavior.
• Sluggish performance.
• Uneven pelvis or hips.
• Sensitivity to touch.
• Inability to engage the hindquarters.
  
• Difficulty bending or flexing the body or poll.
• Frequent show schedule.
  

These are just some common conditions that may indicate your horse should see a trained and certified animal chiropractor. You should always check with your vet on any lameness conditions, as your