McTimoney
Treatment for Animals
The treatment your animal has received will realign and balance its musculo-skeletal system, restore health and movement, soundness and performance.
General post-treatment advice
It is strongly recommended to give your animal at least 24-48 hrs to adjust to the changes that are occurring. On the day of treatment the animal should not undergo any vigorous exercise or play, and no further handling, such as the farrier, dentist or saddle-fitter.
Some slight adaptation to the normal daily activities, are suggested to allow for the best possible healing response.
Give the animal some quiet time! Dogs may benefit from some time away from their friends, so that they don’t have to express their pack behaviour. Some horses appreciate to being left in the stable with a little hay, however others fret and are calmer out with the others but in their own space.
Horses: Prevent tight turning and small circles for the next few days, no jumping or lunging. Encourage long and low exercises or some pole work to loosen the top line. Thereafter, normal exercise can be re-introduced gradually.
Dogs: Ideally the dog should be exercised in straight lines on a lead, however, some dogs pull on the lead and that’s not desirable. Playing and jumping for toys, and running up and down stairs should be discouraged for some time.
Your animal may appear stiff and sore for a day or two. That is a normal response to the treatment and can be compared to a post exercise muscle ache. Frequent but short walks are beneficial. Their behaviour can change, some animals appear happier or simply more relaxed.
General advice
Horses:
- have your tack checked by a qualified person at least once a
year, or when condition and workload changes
- consider bridle and rug fit
- have your horses teeth checked regularly, i.e. 6-12 monthly
- encourage exercises where your horse is asked to lift and flex
its back, e.g. tummy lifts
- it is recommended to introduce a daily stretching regime
- use a mounting block
Dogs:
- pulling on the lead causes neck mis-alignments which can
influence the whole body. Consider re-training if your dog pulls
on the lead, as pulling produces an adrenaline rush which dogs
get addicted to. Sometimes changing from collar to harness and
vice versa can help. Please beware that some training aids can
create different problems in other areas (Halties)
- dogs benefit from warming up and cooling down, just as much
as we do (consider massage)
- make sure your dog is not left wet for long (towelling coats)
- discourage running up and down stairs, toys such as Frisbees
and jumping in and out of high cars
It is advisable for your animal to have a check-up treatment within two weeks, to insure that the treatment has been effective. 3-6 monthly treatments, depending on activities and workload, are advisable, to ensure your animal maintains good health and performance.