"A workshop for graduates wishing to work with horses"

These were the words ringing in my ears as I studied to complete a diploma in Craniosacral Therapy and continued my work as a Chartered Physiotherapist in the rural surroundings of South Lanarkshire. This workshop was designed to introduce the concept of Equine Craniosacral Therapy to those who have completed a diploma in craniosacral therapy and have fulfilled the requirements to become Registered Craniosacral Therapists.

My thoughts revolved around the fact that I had not had contact with, ridden, or worked with horses before.

Two trains of thought helped me arrive at a decision:
Firstly................the workshop will provide a unique learning opportunity to explore whether this area of work was something I could pursue and develop.
Secondly, there would always be a question in my mind..................... if I did not attend the workshop, I would never know the answer to my questions!!

Having made the decision to attend the workshop, I was advised to make sure I was familiar with being with horses – learning how to handle/lead them and learning to recognise subtle signs of a horse’s attempts to communicate pleasure and relaxation ie relaxed lips and mouth; yawns; lowered head; and also signs of discomfort; fear; irritation such as a head held high; a tight mouth or clamped tail.

I was able to get some excellent instruction, and I was carefully trained to approach a horse so that the horse was able to see me and not be startled.
After getting some valuable instruction in this kind of awareness, I was able to attend the workshop feeling relaxed about being in close proximity to the horses, and able to concentrate fully on what I wanted to learn.
During that first workshop, I experienced a very positive outcome in a horse I was working with which was noted by others in the training team. A further workshop attended a year later plus a large amount of reading has supported this experience and further increased my confidence in working with horses.

Near the end of last year I wrote the following:

November 2008

I have just paid a visit to Saugh’s Farm where I was given an opportunity to explore and share my therapy skills in a wonderful environment where I perceived a pouring out of love and care for both people and horses.
In this environment I observed the interaction (my own included) between horse, owner or therapist; some participating easily, comfortably and willingly; others encountering resistance.
I was encouraged to add my own craniosacral therapy skills ‘to the mix’, and began to see and experience – through my craniosacral therapy assessment - the way in which both horses and owners (seen individually with their permission and cooperation) began to process issues going on within themselves.
When working with the horses, one horse might have been communicating the following: “Leave me alone, please”; or: “I’m not sure about this, but hang in there, and I might be able to work with you”
(At other times previous to this visit, I have experienced immediate recognition and eagerness in the part of the horse to participate: “Yes, please – get on with it – this part of me wants attention”)
Where I experienced uncertainty but willingness to try, I perceived great emotional sensitivity and the need for space but reassurance. Here I was rewarded with delicate softening; lots of big yawns; increased lightness (observed by the owner); and an enormous expression of explosive energy (happy galloping around following a session).

Individual therapist/rider craniosacral therapy sessions that I participated in during this visit appeared to offer the potential for increased self-awareness and also perhaps greater personal perception or understanding of human and horse interaction.

This whole experience has certainly supported my belief that craniosacral therapy has the potential of offering significant benefits to both horses and their owners/riders.

The question is bound to arise: “What is Craniosacral Therapy?” and “How is it applied?” and “What happens during a therapy session?”

Craniosacral Therapy is described as a ‘hands-on’ therapy which assists the body’s natural capacity for self-repair.
When a person or child is being treated, the recipient usually lies down or sits comfortably (fully clothed) while the therapist’s hands make a light contact with the body – either the feet or the head or any part of the spine and body.
The therapist is trained to ‘listen to the body’ using sensitive hands and is able to identify and help to relieve pain or tension held there.

The therapy has been developed from discoveries made about the body’s subtle physiology made by osteopaths in the USA around 100 years ago.

These findings revealed that all cells in the body express a rhythmic movement which is fundamental to life – this can be called craniosacral motion.
Cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes and cushions the brain and spinal cord, expresses this motion in a tide-like ebb and flow. Bones, organs and other structures in the body follow their own subtle patterns of movement which a trained therapist is able to perceive.
There has been an evolution of these discoveries over the years into a unique style of deep listening which is practised by all trained craniosacral therapists.

You may ask: “How does Craniosacral Therapy Work?”

The body’s tissues contract in response to physical knocks or emotional stress. Any contraction that remains in the body restricts the body’s functioning and this may give rise to physical disorders such as back pain or emotional disorders.
The therapist’s hands are used to amplify the pattern that the body is holding and this provides an opportunity for the body to let go of its restriction. One of the benefits of the therapy can be an increase in available energy which has been required by the body to hold itself in contraction.

When working with horses, approach to the horse has to be negotiated in a different way, since the horse cannot say to the therapist what is wrong or ask any questions! Therefore the horse is approached with a very light intention and subtle communication signals are looked for – those that the horse uses naturally with other horses to signal contentment or discomfort. When the horse recognises the therapist’s intention, there is movement of the body towards the therapist; a light greeting; and lots of signals of pleasure and relaxation.

January 2009

I have just been experiencing what it is like to work in a group of horses who spend a lot of their time together – I was advised by the horses’ owner to be careful to protect my own space by being strongly aware of my presence and boundaries, in order to avoid being pushed or bumped into; and then I found the horses took it in turns to come near to me and invite some therapy for themselves with one horse going away and coming back for more a little while later. The session ended with all horses standing peacefully - appearing very relaxed and no longer negotiating their pecking order with each other as would be normal in an open space.