Sarah Linton

Acupressure

I had acupuncture many years ago when I was recovering after a serious horse accident. I don’t think I would be as fit, healthy and strong as I am today without it. Doctors told me to live on painkillers and within two sessions of acupuncture (with the most brilliant Chinese Acupuncturist Sue Zhi Hong in Hamilton) I was just about pain free! Acupressure works on the same points as acupuncture but is done without needles.

Acupressure is an ancient eastern healing method that originates from Traditional Chinese Medicine. It involves applying pressure to points on the body. Acupressure deals with all aspects of a person or animal as a whole – body, emotions, mind and spirit – not separate parts. The eastern way believes that all aspects of life are intimately intertwined and so when we have balance - we should have good health.

Chi is life force energy - which is the basis of everything, and acupressure stimulates points along the meridians - which are energy pathways for Chi and blood. These points are called acupoints and when stimulated they can either tonify or sedate Chi energy as needed to help balance and heal the mind body and spirit.

In a healthy body, Chi circulates in the meridian and blood vessel system in an ongoing and self-regulating balance of Yin and Yang. In an unhealthy body, Yin and Yang are out of balance, which may cause physical symptoms to arise if the imbalance is not resolved quickly. If an imbalance continues for any length of time, it can cause a more chronic condition.

Acupressure treatments can restore the balance of Yin and Yang in your horse’s body, which helps promote healing. Acupressure helps with many physical and emotional problems.

If I am just doing an acupressure session on a horse, I work along association points along the bladder meridian. The bladder meridian has association points along it which relate to different organs in the body. If I get any reactions on any of those points they could indicate imbalances in the body.

Most of the time when I am massaging a horse and find particular problem area I just choose acupressure points that I think will help that specific problem and work on those. There are so many points over the body it’s hard to remember even half of them. I still have lot to learn.

Sometimes you get almost immediate results from using acupressure, other times it may take a little while depending on what the problem is.