During your horses first Shiatsu session they may be very curious about what is happening. They may become defensive, or nervous or impatient. On the other hand they may be very passive and quiet. During the session I will be looking out for signs of apprehension – raising of the head, ears pulled back, eyes widening and becoming intense, skin twitching, tail swishing, breathing short. However, you are more likely to see sure signs of relaxation and enjoyment –
- Eyes half closed
- Head down
- Ears to the side
- Heavy sighs
- Relaxing the lower lip
- Nuzzling
- Yawning
- Rolling back of the second eyelid
- Licking and chewing
Subtle responses usually indicate an area of tension is being worked on that the horse is blocking, and that I am successfully using a technique that is bypassing the horses unconscious need to protect the area.
Larger responses usually indicate some level of release of tension in the horse.
Heavy sighs, yawning, licking and chewing, shaking the head and stretching are positive signs of tension release. Particularly repeated yawning and rolling back the second eyelid are the biggest indicators of a large release of tension.
So what causes these positive signs of tension release ?
Endorphins are neuropeptides (chemical messengers) within the brain with morphine-like properties. They suppress pain and regulate the bodys natural response to stress. These natural analgesics are released during Shiatsu and acupressure, and are partially responsible for the relaxation response.
However the key to Shiatsu is Fascia. Every nerve, muscle, blood vessel, organ, bone and tendon is covered in it, and it was put in our bodies to enable the body to know where things should be and what they should be doing.
Fascia has no form of its own – it takes the form of whatever it is covering – it binds together tissues. Muscular pain moves along fascia between the muscles, and when the muscles become tight they tangle the facial envelopes. Once this happens it causes the body to readjust along the fascial planes, causing compensatory issues elsewhere in the body. Shiatsu can be used to ease and release these effects !
If you would like to know more about Fascia I recommend reading The Spark In The Machine by Dr Daniel Keown.
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