| Definitions |
| Acupoint . a specific energy point on the body. This applies to the human, equine, canine and feline species. |
Acupoint Therapy, Acupuncture, Acupressure . Different ways to work with acupoints for evaluation and treatment of specific health conditions. Acupuncture refers to inserting a needle into the body at the location of the acupoint. Acupressure refers to applying finger pressure to the body at the location of the acupoint. Acupoint Therapy refers to applying various external stimuli to the body at the location of the acupoint. |
To fully master acupuncture and oriental theory takes at least 4 years of intensive training. For some practitioners, it is a life long pursuit, as oriental theory represents a vast body of knowledge with many different specialties. |
In the US, veterinarians may attend animal acupuncture continuing education training programs, which consist of 4-6 sessions, each session being 3½ days in duration. The sessions are generally spaced several months apart. At the end of these training programs, the veterinarian has mastered a pool of evaluation and treatment acupoints that they can incorporate into their practice. In the US, only veterinarians are permitted to insert acupuncture needles into animals. |
Acupoints can be used for evaluation and treatment by equine therapists in many effective ways. The evaluation acupoints are extremely useful in determining primary versus secondary problems. They can help the therapist target their treatment areas with greater accuracy. For example, if a horse has a slight lameness behind, using an acupoint evaluation can help one determine: |
| Which side of the hindquarters? |
| Is the problem in the hip, hock or stifle? |
| Which aspect of the hock or stifle is involved . medial or lateral? |
| The Acupoint program is very challenging. It requires students to perform a great deal of memorization. Presenting the program into two sessions gives students more time to work in detail with each concept. |
Students that have a good understanding of equine anatomy are the best candidates for this program. If an applicant does not have a background in equine anatomy, we encourage them to take the Equine Sports Massage Program prior to taking the Acupoint program. |
| Equine Acupoint Program Highlights: |
| Session 1 . 5 days |
| Explain key concepts of oriental theory in uncomplicated ways that students can easily understand and in terms, which are meaningful to them for their own health care and that of their animals. Including: |
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| Qi . the body's life force |
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| Yin/Yang . the concept of balance of opposites and the interdependent aspects of everything in the world: hot/cold, black/white, wet/dry, male/female. Explore how this concept of balance can be applied to the body's health. |
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| Five Element Theory . The 5 categories of the natural world: |
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| Fire-Earth-Metal-Water-Wood |
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| Explain how the properties and mutual relationships of the 5 Elements are used in Oriental health care. |
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| Discuss the 5 Element Personality traits and how they can be applied to horses & riders to promote better teamwork and understanding. |
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| Location of the 14 major energy channels on the human and on the horse |
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| Location of the begin and end points of each of the 14 energy channels on the human and on the horse. |
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| Circadian clock of energy flow. |
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| Head-To-Tail Equine Evaluation Protocol |
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| This protocol will help pinpoint the following musculoskeletal conditions: |
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| Shoulder, Knee, Tendon, Fetlock, Hoof, Hip, Hock, Stifle, and Back Pain |
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| Session 2 . 5 days |
| The emphasis of Session 2 is on hands-on practice! |
| Review key concepts from Session 1 |
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| Teach students specific, effective .cookbook. treatment protocols for common musculoskeletal conditions; |
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