The Piano Keyboard of Equus
Along a horse’s back or spine, is what can be referred to as a piano keyboard. This keyboard is an interface between Acupressure TCM and Osteopathy, including Craniosacral Therapy, Applied Kinesiology (AK), Chiropractic and Neurology. Often when I’m demonstrating on a horse at a clinic, students will tell me it’s as if I’m playing a piano on a horse, tuning it and then listening to how it sounds afterwards. Because healing is as much of an art as it is a science, I’d like to offer you a profound and yet simplistic way to assess a horse’s metabolic, structural, emotional and spiritual function. This process is very doable, and the more advanced one becomes, the more tools you have to address dis-ease.
Each note on the keyboard corresponds to a specific organ, meridian or neural component and is surprisingly easy to work with.
The horse’s body works in a highly tuned symphony of systems and structures which flow in a perfect harmonic balance. Therefore, learning how to read or play this working comparison of a piano keyboard allows one to assess a vast array of disorders in the horse. The analogy of “Notes Out of Tune” applies fully here.
The keyboard corresponds to the Bladder Meridian Association Points (see image below) which exists bilaterally along the spine, primarily from just behind the scapula T8 and into the sacrum. Between each vertebra will be a specific note (left/right) and reflect vitality of an organ, meridian, nerve and always the impingement of that vertebra and spinal dura tube within it.
To assess each note/acupoint- start by using either a retracted ballpoint pen tip, a needle cap or a fingernail, and “flinch (fast downward pressured strokes) different muscles on the horse to find the sweet spot between too deep and too light. Essentially, how strong do you press on each note of the keyboard.
If challenged too deep, any tissue will react in spasm. Likewise, any dysfunctional tissue will not react to inadequate tissue palpation. Once you’ve found that sweet spot in a variety of areas, go to specific association points along the spine.
Example – Liver
Flinch test T13 or T14 left and right (caution, as liver is often highly reactive and holds deep emotions of anger). If only the right points react, then the issue will be on one or both of the two right lobes of the liver.
In Craniosacral Therapy you’ll find that the spinal cord motility is absent on the right side at T13/14 as well.
Chiropractic vertebra assessment will find that T13 and/or T14 will be pulled to the right and it’s the organ/meridian dysfunction that is the true deeper causation. Often times the primary reason why chiro doesn’t hold is because this is not addressed.
Applied Kinesiology AK and Massage will find that the pectoral major sternal muscle is in dysfunction as its aligned and dominated by liver and liver meridian.
Osteopathically you’ll find the specific area where the right liver is in spasm. This is done actively by physically flinch testing directly over the liver (caution) and observing the exact focal point of liver inflammation. This is also done passively by learning to feel the discordant heavy energetic wave that emanates spherically from a small energetic cyst in the liver lobes. In my experience of clearing over 200,000 organ issues, the metabolic issue will have a focal point “Energy Cyst” that is the causative factor. By clearing this metabolic/energetic disturbance the organ and meridian returns to vitality (unless there are additional cysts), the pectoral major muscle balances, and then one can adjust the vertebra and glide the spinal dura tube back to full motility.
Another super common example is one that over 90% of horses in the USA, Europe, Canada & Australia display- its R Stomach @T18, Diaphragm @T12 and R Liver @T13/14.
These are always in play with EMS and our neurotoxic feeds since 2014.
A reactive right stomach with reactive right diaphragm indicates a right diaphragm spasm and a right-side dominant stomach ulcer-always. In short, this is because the diaphragm has spasmed the right gastric vagal nerve and thus the downstream cascade of acid issues. Therefore, clearing a gastric ulceration is clearing the diaphragm spasm- stomach is along for the ride.
This is one of the purest examples of Osteopathic assessment and treatment. Students longing to Certify as IET Osteopathic Practitioners must be able to clear any stomach ulcer and diaphragm spasm or they’re not ready for certification.
“Proof is in the puddin” or results.
I hope you’ll find efficacy with this central assessment method, I encourage you (if you have passion for it), to reach out to an experienced practitioner and observe this at a deeper level or take a class that dives deep into its effectiveness.
