Buqi keeps freedom in old joints

Arthritis

stiffness in horses and aged horses

Wesley - A high mileage young 16 year old

High mileage and happy Wesley.

 

  • High mileage ex-eventer/all-rounder/dressage horse
  • stiff hindlegs and perhaps arthritic changes
  • magnificent stretches
  • lying down mid-session
  • snoring!
  • a real character who plays endlessly

Wesley is a high mileage young 16yr old. In his day he was a teenagers dressage, eventer, all-rounder competing and working at a reasonable level. He knows all the movements, counter-canter, pirouettes, medium trots and canters, but his body is certainly high mileage. He has an adorable character and a boy buddy who he plays with in the field for endless hours. This horse has character.

I first met Wes two summers ago and Buqi has been part of his ongoing healthcare plan! Initially he presented as having some difficulty in the right hip and lower back. He is the only horse that I have worked on who I had to leave part way through because he laid down and started snoring! - which resonated through the whole building! I was sure at this early juncture that he was dealing with some arthritic changes behind. During the early sessions he would shift from hind leg to hind leg, relax very deeply (to the point of lying down – twice!) and yawn copiously. He made some magnificent stretches through the jaw, neck and back in the early sessions.

There were a few months where I didn’t see Wesley for Buqi and it was then that it became obvious just how much the Buqi really helped him. When we re-instated the sessions he was again shifting the weight behind throughout the initial sessions to ease some discomfort in the lower back. After each session the back looked visibly changed and the shape appeared lifted and more supported. Sometimes, when he has been struggling in the past and during ridden sessions he would shift from foot to foot in halt. He has ceased doing this currently and looks and feels stronger to ride.

During the session he is sometimes a little cheeky. He finds it a little difficult to come away from his hay, and connect in with his own body, into deep relaxation/meditation. If he is really disgruntled about this he will give me a little nip! But he always relaxes deeply and he so obviously reaps the benefits of a regular monthly session – not least so that he can play more avidly with his buddy in the field!