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Dorn method, Equine Ortho-bionomy, & Acupoints 
alignment in motion

I forget what I was doing but somehow I found this site about The Dorn Method.  Wow!  This is a keeper!

Since it worked so well with me, my first thought was 'What about the horses?!'

So I took this concept and the Equine Ortho-bionomy concept and have incorporated it into my daily warmup.  At first I thought, "O, I'll only do this a week or so" but it is so enjoyable, I continue to do it regularly.  The horse's respond immediately with the biggest release about half way through one side.  It is a wonderful, wonderful thing.

What you'll need

In a word, what you need is a cooperative horse.  In many words:

• a horse that is ok with being ridden at the walk
• the ability to steer the horse with either your seat or one hand or an area where steering isn't necessary
• a horse calm enough that you can get out of position while you're on it's back.  You want to stay up there by balance.  There's no hanging on, so it's really helpful to have good balance yourself and  a horse that's willing to play along.
• some flexibility!  (this will improve.)
• optional: ability to ride 'bareback'
  I haven't tried this with a saddle. Theoretically, in a saddle you could at least be able do the withers and the lumbar area, and if you're perceptive you could do the areas under the saddle, too, but I imagine it would take a high degree of perceptivity/receptivity.  If your horse is ok with bareback (just use a saddle pad to stay clean if you want!) then I recommend that as long as you can stay safe. 
• optional: a closed arena w/ a track the horse can follow; a track the horse will follow
  I find this easiest if I can put the horse on a track it knows.  I have a track around the property that weaves in and out of trees and over things and this works really well.  It is well defined and I can do minimal steering because the horse has an idea similar to mine about where we're going. 
  Alternatively, I can use the track in the arena although this requires more steering. 
  Sometimes I do this on a circle.  If you are a perfectionist, this may not be the preferable choice -- especially for starting out.  Your horse is more prone to wander a bit and if you've got some kind of idea in your head about staying on the circle and keeping straight or any other gremlin in there, you will end up getting caught up in how to ride well and that will kind of spoil it.

What do to

Basically, you attend to each vertebra along the horse's spine.  You can do one side first and then the other side, or you can do the front end on both sides and then the back end on both sides.  Your choice!

• Hop on!
• Head onto your (mostly straight) track.   
• To do the right side of the horse, (track right if you're in a ring or round pen)
  • hold your reins either in the left hand -or- hold the left rein w/ loose contact and the right rein long
  • You'll begin at the withers and work your way along the right side of the horse's spine, about 1/4" from the midline, using your right hand, from the withers to the tail.
  • For points in front of the lumbar, you'll bring attention to the point as the left foreleg contacts the ground and swings back for 10 strides or more.
  • For points along the lumbar and in the sacrum, you'll bring attention to the point as the left hind leg contacts the ground and swings back for 10 strides or more.
  • As you work your way back from the withers, you will get to a point where you've got to put your hand behind you.  To do this, swivel through your spine as if you're doing a right hand turn or a position right.  This may have your horse thinking it's time to turn right!  So here's where your steering will matter.  If nothing else, hang onto the left rein. If it totally falls apart, skip the area behind you until your horse is more on board with what you're doing.
• To do the left side, switch reins (switch to the left track if you're in a ring or round pen) and use your left hand along the left side of the horse's back from withers to tail.

For me, this now takes about 2 laps/side.  When you start out, let it take longer, of course, and be happy with even doing a little bit.  The horse will enjoy it and so will you and it will be easy and natural to add in more points as the comfort levels increase.

If you're doing this in a round pen, circle to the right to do the right side to make it easier on yourself and your horse.  Eventually you can circle left and do the right side; however, it takes a bit more coordination.

the original image was found on http://www.ucd.ie/vetanat/images/image.html   and provided by Prof. Pat McCarthy (Australian).  I would love to find the original book this illustration came out of!

To bring attention to a point:  (using the right side as an example) 

There are two ways to bring attention to a point.  One is the way utilized by the Dorn method and the other is the one utilized by Equine Ortho-bionomy.  If you use the Dorn method, check out their website and maybe get their book.

• For the thoraces, place your right hand on the horses back about 1/4" to the right of the spiny process, starting at in front of the withers.
  • As the left foreleg swings back, bring attention to the place where you've got your hand.  
    • In the Dorn method, which is closer to chiropractic, there is the idea of physically guiding the body into alignment.  I don't recommend this unless you're a chiropractor because this isn't your body.  If you do press into this area, only do so with the intention to 'wake up' this part of the horse's body.  You've got more contact, but you're not moving bones into place or anything.  The horse's body will move the bones if that's the correct thing for the horse's body.  (I know, that sounds weird until you get used to it happening.)
    • In Equine Ortho-bionomy, your awareness is all you need; however, the hand in place helps you to focus and get information about what's happening in the horse's body.  And you will actually rhythmically increase the pressure to heighten that awareness.
      In your mind's eye, create a picture or sense or awareness of whether or not the wing of the vertebra is high or low on the right side.  It doesn't matter if you see anything or actually feel anything.  Simple trust you've got a correct idea and then pay attention to what happens.  What happens will provide you feedback about how correct your idea is.
      If the wing of the vertebra is high, provide slightly more physical contact while emphasizing in your mind that it is high. 
      If it is low, provide slightly more physical contact while emphasizing in your mind that it is low. 
      This is the Ortho-bionomy concept of supporting the pattern that is in place.  It provides feedback to the nervous system and the nervous system self-corrects the horse's body.  (Yeah -- I just skimmed over a lot of things about how that works...)
  • Do this for at least 10 strides.  Count and attend each time the left foreleg swings back for 10 steps of the left foreleg.
  • As you work your way along the spine, you will be going into more of a position right.  At some point you'll have to put your right hand behind you.  When this happens, you will want to have swiveled through your spine so that your chest is pointing to the right.
• For the lumbar and sacrum, continue placing your hand about 1/4" from the midline
  • As the left hind leg swings back, bring attention to the place where you've got your hand.
  • Do this for at least 10 strides.  Count and attend each time the left hind leg swings back for 10 steps of the left  hind leg.  This occurs every time your right hip goes back.
  • By the time you get to the sacrum, you will most likely be behind vertical and unless you're a gymnast your legs will probably be ahead -- this is where you want a cooperative horse!  This is a little precarious anyway, so you don't want your horse being ornery to make it even more risky.  Be careful.

Some notes:

Here's a picture of a horse's spine, from above, to give you an idea of where the bones are.  I have noticed on my own horse's that there's not a lot of room between the shoulder and the spiny process.  I imagine that indicates the chest is 'low' in the shoulder girdle and we need some crossing over exercises to help with that. 

As you're doing this, you are also releasing muscles and activating Acu points.

The muscles involved are the longissimus dorsi, which runs the length of the back, and all the many intertransversarii and interspinales muscles.  These are tiny muscles that help with the alignment and articulation of the vertebra and they  are the dickens when they are tight.  When you get into the sacrum, the glutes benefit, too. The benefit comes from the gentle press/release done in rhythm to the walk.  Releasing the muscles allows the bones to articulate in a more fluid and coordinated manner.  

The press/release done in rhythm to the walk also activates Bladder Meridian acupoints along the spine.    Activating the Bladder meridian acupoints will help to clear the Bladder meridian -- always a good idea to have a clear and flowing meridian, AND since it's the Bladder meridian and the Bladder meridian has Shu Points, you're giving the horse a whole body tune-up.  To explain, the Shu points relate to both the meridians and their physical organ name sakes.  (The meridians cover a lot more than the physical organs.)  So when you clear BL13, you've helped to clear out the Lung meridian AND the horse's lungs.  As you work along the spine, you'll do the Pericardium, Heart, Gallbladder, Liver, Spleen, Stomach, Bladder and Kidney.  (Also some other 'conceptual' areas ...)

Soooo -- this is a winner, folks.  Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you!

The original image was found on digicoll.library.wisc.edu; text: Das Pferd, Tafel 20 Other Title: The horse Dittrich, Herman These are images of a dorsal view (from above) of a whole skeleton, a dorsal view of the caudal part of the skull, a ventral view of the sternum, a view of a transverse section of the tail and dorsal view of the pelvis displaying primarily components of the axial skeleton Ellenberger, Wilhelm, Hermann Baum, and Hermann Dittrich. 1898. Handbuch der Anatomie der Tiere für Künstler. Leipzig: Dieterichsche Verlagsbuchhandlung.

The original image is at http://www.horse-doc.coml

 

And remember, I'm always available for appointments! 

Cheers!

L

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"The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities." 

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