Holistic Approach...what exactly is it?

Herb testing a horse diagnosed with COPD.

Many people often ask me what I mean when I say I am a holistic horse practitioner. The word is still absent among some humans, so to apply that word and practice to horses is still today, even more rare.

According to The American Holistic Health Association, Holistic or better yet, "Wholistic" means, “The art and science of healing that addresses the whole person or in this case horses, body, mind, and spirit. This approach has been in my life over thirty years and has flowed into how I treat and heal my animals and family. In the last few years I have been working hard to make my business as holistic as I am, working on certifications in homeopathy and my masters in herbs.

Today homeopathy is seen as an "alternative" life style that includes herbs, homeopathy - curing like with like, acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic work, massage therapy and other natural methods that focus on healing on a level that looks at every aspect of all animals and people. There are some who integrate westernized medicine with the holistic practice and there are some who do not.

Holistic medicine and treatments do not focus on illness or disease but rather symptoms to get to the real issues that are causing what we see or feel. What exactly does that mean? It means, those that practice alternative medicine or therapies aren't going to sway away from surgery if needed but, when practicing holistically, we aren't going to run and grab the nearest antibiotic without knowing the cause of what is going on. We are going to use homeopathy, clean food (nutrition), bodywork, etc. We are going to look at each horse or person as an individual and approach them as a whole.

Unfortunately, the holistic approach is still looked down on by many conventional doctors and veterinarians for ways which I have yet to understand but, some are crossing over and understanding there are better ways to treat and HEAL us and our pets and not just suppress the symptoms that we display. In order to heal holistically we need to look at more than medical history. We need to focus on nutrition, environment, genetics, stress factors, symptoms (when they started, what makes them better/worse, etc.) and a slew of other critical information. Of course, sitting down with a person is a bit easier than sitting down with a horse or any animals. So, how do we do this with a horse? We can look at much of the above mentioned of course but, we might not know their genetic background or all their medical history, so that means we have to use methods that will gives us as much information that we need in order better treat and heal the symptoms displayed. So we are going to need to take some steps when gathering the symptom information.

We can do a blood test, specifically a CBC blood test and get a slew of answers but, in most cases, a blood test only happens with serious conditions that have already become major issues, so, maybe you'll be given an antibiotic and a blanket term illness, yet the issue will come back and the steps just repeated. There is no healing in that process only suppression of the symptoms. We can do an herb test, which is a great way to find out what our horses need even if it seems nothing is wrong at all. This method is extremely new to the horse world thanks to Jody Webb, founder of Wild Horse Products, and has proven to be an amazing way to heal or manage certain problems naturally. By implementing the herbs chosen into their diet, in most cases unless there is something very serious happening like cancer or other organ issues, we can see amazing results as the horse gets what it needs. Each horse, like human, is individual and that is the focus and by retesting every few months, our horses will let us know what changes are taking place.

The biggest difference between conventional and holistic medicine is the approach to the healing methods that are used. Holistic practitioners look for the least invasive way in treatment. For instance, if your horse has a twisted gut, clearly surgery is a must but, if your horse has colic issues that happen more frequently then some, sticking a needle of banamine may relieve the colic but, it's not focusing on the root cause. However, looking at diet, environment and stress factors and doing an herb test would be a good start. Same goes for hoof issues. Hoof cracks, lack of growth, flares, constant abscesses come from something deeper, like nutrition, pain shifting the way the weight bears on the foot, body imbalances and that's just to name a few areas to look at. The approach could be herbs, homeopathy, bodywork or a combination

What I have learned as a holistic horse practitioner (a person actively engaged in an art, discipline or profession) is that if an issue is not addressed right away, natural remedies can delay treatment so we must pay attention to anything different that horses show us and we must do this everyday. They speak to us in ways that need to be monitored. Their poop, the look in their eyes, their movement, their eating, drinking, that list goes on. When they speak we must listen. Any change must be caught at the start. Once we know, we can start using the proper holistic therapies to start the healing process and incorporate what is needed. This applies to humans as well. As I always say, everything stems from the inside, diet, proper forage based and herbs instead of processed "one-size fits all, is always the best start when it comes to our horses.

I know my words can anger some people, especially other professionals but, being raised this way and watching people and animals not be treated at a level with healing in mind drives me crazy. Truth is, it's not easy for many to step away from the "old school" ways but, once you do and see the results, it's truly amazing. So research some naturopaths, homeopaths, holistic doctors for you and your pets if you feel like you are not getting the results you desire. I mean, it can't hurt right? Treat yourself and your animals with the best foods, herbs and environment physically and mentally, after all we deserve it! That's not asking to much, is it? For more information on my holistic practice, check out the website and read about herbs, homeopathy, essential oils and why barefoot, bodywork and The Wild Horse Diet play such an intricate part in the "whole" horse approach.

~Thanks for reading

Debbi

The Natural Equine