Using Microcurrent to Gain Trust of Rescue Horse

A rescue horse named Oliver was brought to me for therapy and training the end of July 2019, when he arrived he was extremely skeptical of anyone touching him other than his owner who had owned him for about 2 years. When he was rescued from auction there was no information given about him, but he did have an unusual gait in the hindend. Oliver’s owner had veterinarian out to check him over and he was diagnosed with fibrotic myopathy on his left hind. When he walked his left leg would kick up underneath himself unnaturally and then slap the ground. His back would also arch up and contract unnaturally while he was moving. The first time I tried to work with him he didn’t want to be caught and was terrified of me touching his back and hindend, he even kicked out towards me out of fear. I didn’t know how I was going to work with him let along hook him up to the microcurrent with all the wires and hands on work to help his body!

I decided the safest approach to help keep Oliver calm was to use the Silver Knit Gloves with the Best-Vet on Low Relax. I wanted him to learn that human touch could feel good and that I was trying to help him feel better, I wasn’t going to hurt him or put him in scary situations he wasn’t ready for. The first 3 treatments I stayed up by his neck and shoulders because these were the areas he was most comfortable with me touching. By the 4th treatment he gave me a small nicker when he saw me approaching his stall to do our next microcurrent session! When I was finally able to touch his hindend, I understood why he was so guarded. Poor Oliver had horrible scar tissue running the length of his hamstring and the muscles felt like tight guitar strings. 

I have done a lot of all body micorucrrent sessions using the Back Pad and Leg Wraps because his whole body has been compensating for this injury for quite some time. I also use the roller on his hindend to help break up the scar tissue, as well as the SoundWave (Qi Machine). For the first time since he has been at my barn he was able to buck while he was turned loose in the arena (Week 7). When he first arrived he could hardly trot or canter for any length of time due to how compromised his body was, now he is frisky and happy to move around on his own. He still has a way to go and we don’t know how far we will get but he is more sound, happier, and much friendlier than he was before! His scar tissue and bound up muscles are better but will take time to undo this much damage. We are now able to introduce him to new things on the ground to help build his confidence and trust in people working him. I can honestly say we wouldn’t be this far this soon if it wasn’t for the microcurrent! Being able to use these therapy tools has immensely helped Oliver trust people again, it is nothing short of a miracle! 

Oliver’s Microcurrent Schedule – 3x Per week:

• Week 1 & 2 – Microcurrent Glove Work w/ Best Vet
• Week 3, 4 & 5 – All Body – Back Pad & Leg Wraps w/ Best-Vet (wetting the whole left hindend including inner & outer leg, hamstring & stifle to help draw current to compromised area) + Light Therapy with SL-50 Laser 1-2x a week.
• Week 6, 7 & 8 – All Body – Back Pad & Leg Wraps w/ Best -Vet + Roller on Hamstring 1-2x a week & SoundWave (Qi Machine) on Hamstring 1 -2x a week