 Message from Jim
Hi everyone, Jim here. This month is going by so quickly. Besides getting ready to go to Europe, I am working on the book, working on all the projects that I want to get done on the farm during my short stay at home, I don't seem to have even enough time to drive my team of Morgans.
This week I am off to Danville, Illinois, for the FEI Midwest Endurance Qualifying event for the Alltech World Equestrian Games. It will be fun to help out those that are vying for a spot on the United States Endurance Team! Go team!
I am eagerly anticipating my trip to Europe (UK, Belgium and Ireland) where I will be teaching the whole month of July with Tamara Yates, our Director of Certification and Continuing Education. Read below about one of the interesting venue areas where we will teaching.
I want to congratulate two more Certification Graduates; Tamara Parr from Wisconsin and Sue Gasperson from North Carolina for completing the Certification program. You will read more about them in our next newsletter.
Geoffrey Pfeiffer is helping me in this issue's ASK JIM column and I sent him this question that was posed on the Discussion Forum of our webpage. For those of you working in the Race Horse field, this will be of use.
Hope to see you all across the pond next month! Don't forget to join me on my Facebook page (look up MastersonMethod - one word) for updates during the month!
Like me, enjoy your horses! Jim
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Questions
on Massaging Standardbred Race Horses, answered by Geoffrey Pfeiffer,
MMCP
When is the best time to massage a race
horse? In regard to Standardbred race horses: When is the best time to
massage them; on the day they race, before or after they race or another
day before or after? Just when would it benefit their performance most?
Thank you. Jeanne Z
Dear Jeanne Z: 
I just spent a couple
weeks working in India in March and got to spend some time at the race
track in Bombay and Dehli, so now I am Swami Equinanda...
I
wish I had a crystal ball for questions like these...The interesting
thing about Standardbreds is that they are completely different than
Thoroughbreds. Most TB's can't tolerate racing more than once a month,
while the SB's will go every week and are trained and warmed up in a
much more vigorous way than TB's. About the time a TB is in good enough
shape to run in a race they're also ready to breakdown. The other
interesting thing is that the TB breeding is starting to dominate in the
SB. The old-timers tell me that just in my lifetime the SB head has
gone from jug shaped to looking much more like a TB now. Just look at
the old photos and you'll see the difference a few decades can make. SB's are trotting and pacing much faster than they did a few decades
ago. Meanwhile the TB times haven't changed at all.
So how do
you treat them? With TB's I stopped working on them (even lightly) on
the day of their race because they always ran terribly when I did. Always. It didn't matter if it was a graded stakes horse or a
bottom-of-the-barrel, non-winner-of-a-Ham-Sandwich Claimer.
Sometimes
you can work on them lightly the day before the race, but you really
have to have a good relationship with the horse to have that turn out
OK. My rule of thumb for the TB's is that I won't touch them for a
minimum of 2-3 days before the race. That tells you how much time they
need to recover from a decent Masterson Method™, Myo-fascial,
Microcurrent or Instrument-assisted spinal adjusting session.
My
favorite race prep program is to work on the horse right after their 3
racing speed exercise works before their race. So that usually means
start working on them 3-4 weeks before the race they're being pointed
towards. When they get off the track from their work and have been
cooled down, showered, legs iced, legs poulticed, groomed and fed, then
you can work on them. If you can't get them that day, then get them the
day after. If you can work on them the same day they work, then you
can decrease some of the DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). If you
get them the day after the work or later, then a lot of what you will be
working on is the DOMS. My summary of working on Albertus Maximus
before his Breeder's Cup win that I wrote for Jim's webpage summarizes
this process. It is also a good example of what type of strange little
problems pop up after works and shows that if you don't get it worked
out when it's a small problem, it might become a big problem later on.
I
recommend that they have at least one real racing speed exercise work
after you've worked on them, because if they release well, their entire
stride pattern will change and sometimes that feels strange to a TB and
they might train worse initially as they are adjusting to a more open
stride.
With SB's you can get away with a lot more. They are
much less sensitive to being disrupted than the TB's. You can work on
them once or twice a week and will notice that they're mostly improved
from the work the next day. I'm too gun-shy from my experience with the
TB's to work on them the day of the race. 3 days before is still my
minimum unless I have worked on the horse extensively and the driver
said the horse trained great the next day. Then you know that
particular SB can recover from the bodywork in time to race well the
next day. In that case I might work on them the day before the race
because I have established a good working relationship with that
particular horse. Plus the SB's are being driven at night so it gives
them more time to integrate the work. If you've never worked on the
horse before, give it a minimum of 3 days before the race in case the
horse takes time to recover from having their compensation patterns
disrupted by a lot of releases. If it's a really big race and you've
never worked on the horse before consider giving it even more time,
especially in a TB.
Good Racing Luck to y'all.
May your
Jockey or Driver be making more money by having your horse win than
having your horse loose.
May the Stewards actually run the race
they wrote for your horse.
May your times in the Winner's Circle
be many.
May your time spent healing horses be a blessing to you as
well as the horse.
Geoff
Editor's note: Geoffrey works at the
Rehabilitation Center (Equine) of Southern California, primarily on TB's
from the track. Geoffrey can be emailed by clicking here=>
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Success Story from Lori
Dinkelmann
Hello, Jim,
I wanted to let you know of some dramatic success I've had with one of my horses since attending both your weekend and 3-day advanced seminars in Tryon, NC last month. My 12-year old endurance mare, Penny, is the kind of Arabian that gives Arabians a bad name: fidgety, nervous, and ultra sensitive. Our trainer that broke her didn't like her, our farrier didn't like her, and even we had a hard time with her personality. She has outstanding performance bloodlines, is a super athlete, and she is a pleasure to ride. That is what redeems her obnoxious behavior.
This week I got a chance to work on her with the Masterson Method™. I knew the farrier was coming the next day, and I wanted to see if my first session with her would be reflected in his visit.
Since Penny has always been the kind of horse to pull back when she's tied, I assumed she would have some issues in her poll and neck. She was super fidgety during our entire session, trying to avoid dealing with her issues I was finding. I have worked on quite a number of horses in the last few weeks, and I've encountered nothing like her behavior. She could not settle and be still, even after 90 minutes. I got a few releases in her poll and neck despite her attempts to avoid me. I released T1-T6, and with each vertebra got full head and neck shakes. She was resistant to my working her shoulders, but did let me work them a little.
As soon as I moved to her sacroiliac joint, she perked up with blinks and I got several releases out of her and on the point of her hip. She did drop both her hips for me but had to stop there, as I began to lose her as my husband started feeding the horses. I didn't make it to releasing her hindquarters with her legs. Though she didn't get a full head to tail session, I hoped what I did would make some difference with her.
The next evening, I returned home from work with a message from my farrier who had come that day. He asked, "What did you guys do to Penny? She stood quietly as she was reshod on all four feet and never fought or pulled her feet back or pulled back on the crossties like she usually does. She was a totally different horse."
Wow, Penny has always been the bain of a farrier's existence, and I am so excited that the work I did with her the night before really made a big difference in her attitude. I call it the Masterson Miracle with her. This is thrilling, and I cannot wait for more dramatic success stories to come. Thank you so much for teaching me your gift! Lori Dinkelmann
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Caption Contest
 It's time, once again, to send in your captions! This photo was taken during the Phase I, Certification Course at Stanford University's Red Barn. You can see the student filling in her notes....now what's that horses doing?
Winner receives a Whole Horse DVD of his or her choice! (Out of the set of 7)
Jim's funny bone gets tickled with all the entries, so send them in! Email them to: MastersonMethod@lisco.com |
Discussion Forum Question Posted:
Got an answer?
 I've been reading a book (The Tau of Equus) that has been an enjoyable read - and - posed a new thought in my head. I know we've all been told about the "how and why's" of colic, be it nutrition or sand or what have you. How about stress? In particular, stress that is chronic enough (chronic being length in duration and severity) - it actually causes the small intestine to inflame- which in turn - leads to colic. Perhaps also related to "flight or fight" mode?
The stressors of a horse can be numerous - one of which is the 'emotional status' of the horse's owner/rider/trainer. The book discusses an "emotional resonance" that happens between horse and rider - thus also - if said owner/rider/trainer is having an 'off day'; the horse will resonate, possibly causing stress - leading to colic.
In hind and foresight - I've told myself this does make sense (physically, physiologically, hormonally, mentally, emotionally) and it's possible I can relate this to cases I've seen - and it's really too bad that horses can't reach for the foods (like chocolate!) we all love during time of stress!- HA! - However, I would like the feedback of some others on the forum and of course Jim's team about this idea of stress (emotion resonance) --> colic!
Thanks! I look forward to hearing from everyone (or whom ever posts)! Have a great and enjoyable day!
Go to the Masterson Method Website, Discussion Forum under the category "Other" Colic Stress Related and post your reply! |
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Seminar
Calendar
July 3 - 4
Bristol, UK Seminar FULL
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
July 10th - 11th
Shropshire, UK Seminar
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
Contact Pen Gunter for
Booking form and information:
Tel: 07974 250098 or
penny@equinesportstherapy.co.uk
July 17th - 18th
Helchteren, Belgium
Only 1 spot left!
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Click here for Flier
Contact Linda Gould: linda@woofsandhoofs.be
Or phone: +32 478.21.22.08
July 24th - 25th
Dublin, Ireland
Couple spots left!
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
Contact Sheaffe Monteith:
Shantocentre@gmail.com or call: +353 (0) 87 203 4236
July 26th - 30th
Dublin, Ireland FULL
5-day, Phase I Certification Course. Prerequisites Apply.
Read about course description.
Click here for Flier
For more information Contact Us
641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon
August 1st
Dungannon, Co Tyrone, Ireland
One-day Masterson Method™
Click here for Flier
contact Sheaffe Monteith:
Shantocentre@gmail.com or call
+353 (0) 87 203 4236
August 14th-15th
Little Compton, Rhode Island
One spot left!
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
For more information and registration: Ron Bouchard; 860-564-7759 or email him at:
Equisportmt@spcglobal.net
August 21st - 22nd
Three Forks, Montana
(30 min W. of Bozeman)
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar Workshop
with Tamara Yates.
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
For more information Contact Us
641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon
Sept 4th-5th
Palo Alto, California
Stanford University Red Barn
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
For more information Contact Us
641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon
Sept 6th - 10th
Palo Alto, California
5-day, Phase I Certification Course. Prerequisites apply.
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
For more information Contact Us
641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon
October 2nd - 3rd NEW
UK Seminar (45 min N of Heathrow Airport)
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Contact us for more information and booking form.
Priority given to those continuing on for the Phase I course.
October 4th - 8th NEW
UK Phase I Certification Course
(45 minutes N of Heathrow Airport) Prerequisites apply.
Read about course description
For more information Contact Us
October 22nd, 23rd, 24th
Tryon, NC (near Asheville)
3-day Advanced Course
Taught by Tamara Yates
Read about course description
Contact Us for more information
November 6th-7th
Terrell Texas,
(40 minutes East of Dallas)
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Click here for flier
For more information Contact Us
641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon
November 13th - 14th
Pendleton, IN (heated barn!)
(45 min NE of Indianapolis, IN)
Masterson Method™
Weekend Seminar-Workshop
Read about course description
Click here for Flier
For more information Contact Us
641-472-1312, M-F 9am-noon
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Tip of the Month, by Debbie Dederick, MMCP  There is a rich potential for many
powerful moments during treatment sessions using the Masterson Method™.
Consistently two of the most important
moments I have with the horse are at the very beginning and the end. The massage
points at the scapular attachment to the trunk might be easily forgotten in
the tool bag of techniques however they are perfect for opening and closing.
At the beginning of a session, I
rest my hand lightly over the massage
points at the scapular attachment to the trunk on one side. These points seem to be soothing rather
than reactive therefore the contact acts as a nice bridge for us to begin our
work. Touch to these points gives
me a moment to center and the exchange of information of how well the horse can
give permission for touch and trust begins for me then.
The ending of a session is
important for both the horse and me. Often the horse has never had such an experience of tension released
through kind and purposeful movements. The horse will be in a "zone" and I will be very affected by that time from
the intimacy of the exchange and length of time spent with the horse. I need to be able to emotionally and
energetically let go of the session, close the circle so to speak before I move
onto another horse or even just move back into the cognitive space to write up notes. Briefly resting my hands on both
shoulders on the massage points at the
scapular attachment to the trunk gives a moment for the horse and I to
figuratively bow to each other and unlink from the session.
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Endurance Champ
Jim with Stagg Newman and Stagg's horse, "Jayel Super" at the Tryon, NC Weekend Seminar-Workshop. "Super" has competed in nearly 3000 miles of endurance competition, has completed 19 hundred-milers, won quite a few, and has 13 Best Condition awards. What an amazing horse and rider combination!
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From Jim's Photo Scrapbook:
Jim's Morgan horse team, Anabelle and Jeremiah pausing in front of the pond on Jim's farm - take a look at how deep the alfalfa is! Truly up to their knees in food!
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A Big Thanks to
Nancy Fenton
Our office couldn't run without her! Nancy is in charge of all the registrations of our seminars, all the posting of DVD's and all the financial invoicing and reporting.
As if she doesn't have enough to do, in her spare time she helps with registrations of various Jack Russell Terrier Trials!
If you have taken a seminar or bought a DVD, or had Jim work on your horse, you have come into contact with Nancy, whether you know it or not!
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