McTimoney Treatment

 

The McTimoney treatment of animals derived from the chiropractic treatment of humans as practiced and taught by John McTimoney since the early 1950s. The McTimoney method is a relatively gentle form of treatment which is happily accepted by most horses.

 

A consultation will start with an in-depth palpation to locate areas suffering from muscle tension and discomfort and also to identify skeletal asymmetry, which can lead to the above and to other symptoms including unlevelness, difficulty bending and poor performance.

 

Then a gait assessment will be performed, generally consisting of walking and trotting up in a straight line. In certain cases an examination on the lunge or under saddle can be beneficial, especially if Gudrun feels the need to rule out underlying lameness issues or if the horse displays more subtle symptoms that can only be seen when the animal is worked. Gudrun's experience as an equine vet means that specialised procedures such as flexion tests and nerve blocks can also be performed at this stage and should veterinary referral be necessary, this can happen straight away without delay.

 

 

The next stage of the treatment is generally the adjustment of skeletal misalignments. This entails a series of very quick, but light adjustments, encouraging the horse's skeleton to return to a symmetrical state. If you would like to know what misalignments are and why they have an impact on performance, please click here.

 

Very often, the treatment of misalignments will automatically result in the release of muscle tension. If there is residual tightness, soft tissue techniques can be applied as required. Both sports massage and soft tissue release therapy can be helpful in this instance.

 

Gudrun has also had training in acupuncture which can compliment skeletal adjustment and soft tissue techniques, allowing her to give a rounded approach to your horse's health requirements.

Gudrun Dean (Wallis)

Mag.med.vet., MRCVS

MSc Animal Manipulation 

MMAA, BEVA

  

  

  

07789743439