Veterinary acupuncture has been used for thousands of years. As early as 2500 B.C. there were “horse priests” in China utilizing acupuncture to help their equine patients.
There are twelve paired meridians or channels of energy (known as Qi or Chi). Acupuncture points lie along these meridians. Each meridian is associated with an organ of the body. The Bladder meridian is located from the eye to outside of the hindfoot. Along this meridian are “back–shu” points that reflect all twelve meridians. By using these points and some other specific points it is possible to localize and diagnose soreness on the body and legs that may otherwise be very hard or even impossible to find with other diagnostic methods.
We use acupuncture to aid us in diagnosing soreness and lameness issues. It is also a very potent treatment for certain problems including sore back muscles, pain from arthritis and other issues such as anxiety, ovary pain, and even colic.
When used along with Western medical practices and chiropractic, acupuncture is a very important complementary tool to improve the function and well being of your horse.