Chiropractic & Chinese Medicine Saved My Mare’s Show Career
I purchased my beautiful imported Hanoverian mare, Ruby when she was 3 years old. She had just won champion mare honors at her breed inspection back east and carries some of the best bloodlines Germany has to offer with Olympic champions in her ancestry. I had all the hopes and aspirations an enthusiastic horse owner could have. She was a kind and sensitive 3 year old but a bit nervous and reactive at times so I carefully started her training slowly as a 4 year old, working on her confidence in her rider and primarily trail riding her. During her 5 year old year I began showing Ruby at Training level dressage with good results. Ruby is a pretty girl and the judges really like her.
You can imagine my dismay when Ruby inexplicably began to suffer mild bouts of colic. She was just not quite right with a vague tension or stiffness in her movements that I couldn't quite put my finger on. In addition, without much exertion she was easily winded. She also at this time would come into such heavy miserable heat cycles. I had to put her on Regumate hormone therapy during the summer months to keep her comfortable. She eventually suffered colic severely enough that she had to be rushed to Pilchuck Veterinary clinic and was put on IV fluids for 2 days. One of the most difficult parts of this experience was the inability to find a clear diagnosis. By this time we had tried everything Western medicine had to offer, blood tests, ulcer treatments, soaking her hay and adding magnesium to her diet, probiotics, worming program ect.. and nothing had proven to be a solution to our dilemma. Her training and show career had slowly come to a halt and I was deeply worried I might lose my beautiful mare.
Then my Vet. Dr. Finn began to treat Ruby with chiropractic, acupuncture and Chinese herbs. The main purpose of the treatment was to help balance her endocrine system to function properly and to eliminate built up toxins within her body. Within 3 treatments there was considerable improvement in her movement and a much more relaxed expression in her general demeanor. The next spring her heat cycles were completely normal, she no longer needed the Regumate. At her last show in 2008, Ruby received a "9" on one of her movements and a total score on her test that was well into the 70's to earn her high score of the show at her level.
Ruby is now the robust and powerful "German girl" she was always meant to be. She moves with the full fluidity and grace of her breed and lineage. Ruby is happy and healthy in her world and that is what matters most.
Dressage Trainer – Kim McGuire
Socks Testimonial
When I got Socks in the spring of 2004 she was in need of a lot of work. She had very little hind end or back strength. She could not jump fences from a close distance without going over her shoulder and contorting herself to clear the jump.
With a combination of chiropractic, acupuncture, bodywork, shockwave therapy, and a consistent conditioning program Socks has far exceeded my expectations. Socks has been showing successfully through the 4' jumpers.
Recently she won a high jump class at 5’. She was champion and reserve champion 2 years 2007 and 2009 at 4' jumpers. I credit Dr Christin Finn with giving her the ability to respond to my conditioning program.
Dr Finn’s has a unique ability to view horses from various perspectives (vet, chiropractor, dentist, structural engineer… the list goes on). I truly feel Dr Finn can fix any problem with her integrative approach to equine medicine.
I am certain that without the regular bodywork Socks wouldn’t have been able to jump consistently at 3’, let alone 5’.
Submitted by Lindsey Fletcher
