Wellness

The Alternative Healing Modality of Equine Positional Release™

What horses can tell us in movement evaluations:

To begin, Equutelechy evaluates the character and physical movements of the horse. A diagnosis will be ascertained and a course of exercises and additional support given, with the intention to assist the horse to move towards harmony while returning it’s body and emotional responses to homeostasis, naturally. To evaluate the horses’ way of going, Equutelechy implements a new, holistic modality, called Equine Positional Release, developed by Zarna Carter of Australia, which assists the horse in releasing compensation patterns by non-force movements, bringing about a symbiotic relationship of physical body and inner-calmness.

What is EPR?

Equine Positional Release (EPR) is a manual therapy based on the principles of non-force and movement away from pain to achieve joint stabilization, soft tissue repair and postural re-education. Developed by Zarna Carter, EPR is adapted from Ortho-Bionomy: an innovative approach to positional release techniques incorporating the mechanism of self-correction, the body’s natural ability to heal. EPR combines the principles found in Homoeopathy (like cures like; less is more) and non-violent horse handling with manual positional release techniques to achieve structural alignment and soundness.

How does EPR work?

EPR uses movement and body position to stimulate a natural reflex found in muscles and joints. This reflexive ability is part of the nervous system and is called proprioception. It is initiated by touch, movement and positioning of the body. When the body is moved into a comfortable position away from pain or discomfort, the natural response is for the body to relax and re-balance. This in turn helps: muscles relax and return to their normal tone, joints to return to alignment, blood circulation and nerve supply to improve, reduce pain and tension, recovery from performance, improve healing from injury and illness.

What can EPR help?

EPR works with the whole body, the horse as a whole. Range of motion, flexibility, strength and endurance all improve once the body can move more freely. Comfortable, pain free movement under saddle or in training will improve attitude and behavior. EPR can be used to prevent injuries and to aid in the treatment of injuries including muscle, joint, neck, shoulder, back and leg problems; hoof problems and rehabilitation; problems with movement and gait patterns and reduced performance. Working holistically with the horse and rider improves attitude, understanding, behavior and performance, along with the horse-rider partnership.

Equine Positional Release© by Zarna Carter

How EPR ignites the “bond” from the Equutelelchy perspective

The inner-connections between horse and their human are available through the prescribed exercises required to reset the physiological systems. During the course, an altered state can come about accessing the social nervous system. This is where a true bond is established.  Mutual trust is also developed from assisting your horse to restore homeostasis in its musculo-skeletal, limbic and nervous systems by this non-force method. EPR affects the proprioception in the nervous system, engaging the limbic system and receptor sites to reset and return home.

Ultimately, in this deep inner-connected space between horse and human, we have found a profound pathway to an inner-aligned life-way with your horse acting as the guide to “truth”.  You and your horses true nature is discovered, which emerges during the course of exercises from the horses’ feedback. Healing or homeostasis returns by co-creating in a synergistic bond in the nervous system with your horse. While in this bond, it is possible to give the horse replacement patterns for healing that are more accepted, because the horse feels better and will remember that pattern on their own. This begins to influence the human to change to the new ideas they have discovered while in a connection of ‘gravity in the heart”. While in this inner-space, an exchange is illuminated, inspiring each other to release the past thoughts and evolve.

The Horses’ Perspective in Homeostasis

With the horse, being a prey animal, they will express truth from their perspective. This is because the horse has no frontal lobe in the brain to analyze, only respond to whether it will live or die. The connection between you and your horse becomes an equal exchange; the ego and agendas, with which we humans try to influence the horse, are removed from the conversation. This is only plausible when the human can consciously, with intention and no agenda, interact with the horse at their level, (putting the horse first).

To introduce this methodology to the horse, Equutelechy uses Young Living Essential Oils. The horse accepts the energy of the oils (being 100% distilled plant material), because they work synergistically with their bodies. They are an alternative replacement for many allotropic medicines for pain management, emotional release, and re-patterning. Theses oils work with the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus and hypothalamus in the brain, working in the emotional field.

Young Living Essential Oils are concentrated natural extracts, with properties of antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and hormone balancing effects. They have also been proven to have a positive influence on the central nervous system, reducing pain, releasing muscle tension and supporting emotional wellbeing.

They work symbiotically with the horse because they are natural plant materials and can penetrate the cell membranes to enhance cellular function. The essence of each oil should always be presented to the horse via holding the oil under the nostrils to evaluate whether they feel it is congruent with their need at that time.

During the course of implementing Equine Positional Release™ exercises, there is an opportunity for the human to follow the feel of the physiological pathways the horse accesses to restore homeostasis in its body. This gives the human insight into them by feeling that inner-connection through feedback from the horse. You begin to expand your senses, acquiring new spatial awareness from the natural order contained within the ancient rhythms encoded in both horse and human. This is possible by translating the insights coming through the horse by combining intuition and logic, or intuitive logic.

At this point, we introduce the “Guide Wheel” and “What Horses Need You to Be” as a chart reference for you to work through with groundwork courses with your horse. This is done on your own at your pace with your own horse. Documenting your journey will bring greater clarity about yourself, your beliefs and “what’s holding me back”, to mention just a few things!