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When we met Geronimo, he had spent
his 21 years as a work horse and Quarter Horse stud
on cattle ranches in Northern California. We were told
he needed dental work, and he should never be ridden
with a bit - he had always been ridden in a bosel. Because
he was physically healthy and appeared to have a high
opinion of himself, it didn't occur to us at first that
he needed any particular help.
We did know that it was a struggle
to put the bosel on him or to groom him around the head
area. In fact, touching him around his mouth was nearly
impossible. It became a battle, and he was stronger
and more determined than we were. He would fling his
head, turning it from side to side and push the human
away in any direction. If he was restrained, his behavior
became worse, and he became more agitated. Attempts
to worm him turned into wars, even though we were using
the WormCheck
wormer which all of the horses like. We began looking
for another way to approach him.
September 2001 We scheduled
a Raindrop
Technique session for Geronimo, just because we
didn't want him to feel left out when the other horses
received the aromatherapy. We were surprised to observe
that he relaxed during the sessions and that certain
areas of his body, particularly the hocks, appeared
to get relief. (He was obviously used for roping and
the hocks are stiff.) We began scheduling monthly sessions
for Geronimo because he so obviously enjoyed the experience.
In each session the essential oils
were applied all over his body, and in some sessions,
there was significant attention given to his head and
his mouth area. This was a gradual process that facilitated
him allowing us, ultimately, to touch his mouth area.
October 2001 Geronimo was examined
by a local vet who is an equine dental expert. The vet's
opinion was that Geronimo had never received dental
care in his lifetime. The amount of work necessary to
restore a healthy bite to the horse was so extensive
it had to be scheduled at the vet's state-of-the-art
facility.
November 2001 Animal communicators
working with us during the initial Raindrop
Technique sessions interpreted that Geronimo had
spent a lifetime watching the horses around him be given
care that he was never given - particularly dental care.
An incident was described when, at
a young age, the bit became caught in his mouth, causing
considerable damage before his owners discovered it.
The owners didn't want the vet to learn of the accident
and their oversight, so they excluded Geronimo from
regular dental care. We had the impression that it took
nearly a year for his mouth injury to heal. The description
of this incident fit with the habit of riding him in
a bosel and his aversion to being touched around the
mouth. It also fit with the vet's opinion.
December 2001 We scheduled
the appointment to take him to the equine dentist's
facility. We told him when this was going to take place
as well as what to expect. When we arrived at the vet's
hospital, he cantered out of the trailer into the barn.
We expected that even though the physical
teeth had suddenly been aligned, it would take some
time for him to clear the emotions he associated with
his mouth, probably shame as well as pain. We began
quietly and gently touching him on the face every day.
February 2002 On this particular
session, we intended for Geronimo to be the first horse
to receive the Raindrop
Technique but it turned out that he was last. By
the time we reached his stall, he had become uncontrollable.
The more we tried to restrain him so the work could
begin, the more dangerous his behavior became. Thankfully
the animal communicators were present.
The impression was that Geronimo had
spent a lifetime being excluded from the care and treatments
he had seen the horses around him receive. He was traumatized
by the incessant waiting, always wondering if he would
be included but ultimately always being left out. The
dental care was one example. This explanation fit his
current irrational behavior, especially since he is
normally easy to handle and quiet.
The other impression we were given
is that he was traumatized by being separated from the
other horses. This fit with his history as a stud and
having an aggressive behavior around horses - he was
probably set apart from other horses most of his life
and currently he spent daytimes alone in pasture. We
began applying the essential oil blend, Peace
& Calming, around his face and on his neck so he
would calm down.
After this session, we applied Peace
and Calming every morning before taking him away
from the other horses in the barn to his solitary pasture.
First he smelled the oil blend, then we applied it to
his face and on his neck daily for nearly two and one-half
months.
March 2002 By this time he
would allow us to place a hand on the side of his mouth.
It has taken about four months of touch and the Raindrop
Technique before we could place hands on either
side of his mouth without resistance. We believe he
had to acclimate at his own pace and learn to accept
acknowledgement of the attention.
April 2002 Geronimo now leaves
his stall each morning without needing the Peace
& Calming oils, although we offer them from time
to time. He allows us to place both hands on either
side of his mouth without fighting the touch or the
attention, and he allows us to groom him there. It's
rare that he throws his head around now, although that
behavior does surface from time to time when he's waited
too long for dinner. We are beginning to work inside
his mouth to prepare him for worming without a fight.
At JustRehab for Equines, we
help horses heal. Please contact us for more details
at info@justrehab.com
and remember to include your daytime and evening phone
numbers.
If you would like more information
on the specific products or services we use in our rehab
work, please see www.HorseShopOnline.com.
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