Dr. Eve Capkanis, owner of Blue Star Chiropractic in Amherst, approaches each horse following a pattern. “First I want to create a relationship of trust,” she says, “to let the horse know I’m doing something not ‘to’ her but, rather, ‘with’ her. I observe the horse’s breathing, her attitude, and how she holds her body before I find my way into feeling the spine, hooves, and upper chest. A horse will often drop her head, snort, yawn, or close her eyes to express the release of tension as she feels the relief of a chiropractic adjustment.
“When I first saw Alberta, she was in bad shape emotionally and physically,” says Eve. “She stayed away from the other horses except the horse she arrived with when she came to Blue Star Equiculture Draft Horse Sanctuary.” (Eve volunteers at Blue Star.)
Alberta, a six-year-old Belgian, came from the Camelot Horse Auction in Cranbury, New Jersey. Her past is unknown.
“The first time I approached Alberta, I felt a bubble of energy surrounding her,” says Eve. “I could only get so close to her. I respected her space and created rapport at the edge of her bubble of safety. I knew this was significant so she wouldn’t feel threatened by my presence, and I ended our first session there, without touching her. Our second session, I felt the same bubble around her but I wanted to get closer so I could check her spine. I respected her and took her lead in our engagement. When I felt her guard drop, I knew it was okay to take a step forward . . . and Alberta took a step toward me. I took another step, so did Alberta. I was able to scratch her withers and put my hands on her. I took a few chiropractic contacts and she dropped her head and took a deep breath. During our third session, I was able to pet and interact with her. I got the feeling she wanted me to know she was okay. I watched as she walked to another horse in the herd, began grooming the horse’s withers, and turned back to look at me as if to tell me she was okay now.”It’s possible to do healing work from afar: “It doesn’t have to be hands-on,” says Eve. “It’s important to meet the horse where the horse is with love and respect to build a rapport. I didn’t ask anything of Alberta — I allowed her to set the pace in our interactions.”
Eve has been a chiropractor for 20 years. She graduated from Hunter College, in New York City, and received her doctor of chiropractic degree from Life University, in Atlanta. She’s been working with horses for four years.
“Chiropractic addresses the root cause of disease as opposed to fixing symptoms,” says Eve. “It’s most effective when utilized on a regular basis, just as we use other treatments, such as the dentist, to maintain health. Think about how the body heals a cut or a broken bone,” she says. “Our bodies have an innate intelligence to be self-healing. The brain and the nervous system are the master control systems; the spinal cord is the delivery system for that communication. Physical, chemical, and emotional stress and trauma can disrupt the nerve impulses from the brain to the rest of the body. This impairs the body’s communication process, causing the symptoms of disease.
“In horses, as with humans, symptoms can be problems with digestion, behavior, limited motion, and pain. Chiropractic care reduces nerve blockage in the body and restores optimal communication between brain and body. When chiropractic care is received regularly, it supports the resilience of the body, making it more adaptable to life’s stresses.”
Nicole Birkholzer, who lives in Westhampton, called Eve for help with Jesse. “My thirty-two-year-old Percheron gelding had a debilitating hip injury that left him with little control over his hind end,” says Nicole. “His hips swayed left to right at the walk, and he couldn’t lie down because he didn’t have enough strength to push himself back into the standing position.
“Eve worked with him, and after the first session, Jesse’s body was more in alignment. He must have felt good because that night he decided to take a nap. When I came out to the barn in the morning, he was down and well rested, but he couldn’t get up. He tried several times, but his hind end just wasn’t supporting his efforts. I made an emergency call to Eve; she came right over and treated Jesse while he was lying in his run-in shed.
“A short while after Eve left, Jesse gave it another try and, lo and behold, he made it,” says Nicole. “All in all Jesse needed five adjustments to realign his body. After that, he no longer swayed, and walked and even trotted through the pastures.”
Says Eve: “I make sure a horse knows I don’t view him as a thing to be controlled, that I respect him, and that I’m there to help.”
(read the full article at Massachusetts Horse Magazine)
