The cranial rhythm
We have all heard of the heart rhythm
and respiration rhythm, but not many
people know about the cranial rhythm.
The cranial rhythm is the flow and
motion of the cerebral-spinal fluid as it
journeys through the horse’s body.
The cranial rhythm is a discreet,
muscular pulse originating within the
cranium that produces a detectable
pulsating rhythm within various zones
in all body tissue throughout the entirety
of the equine body.
Every horse lives and subconsciously
responds to his cranial rhythm and his
core-link is believed to operate as the
primary life force, distributing energy
through various areas of the body.
It is thought that if a horse’s cranial
rhythm is upset then so too is the sense
of emotional well being. Depending
on each individual horse, the cranial
rhythm operates between 8-14 pulses
per minute. The cranial rhythm operates
individually, irrespective of the cardiac
rhythm, it also operates individually
irrespective of the respiration rhythm.
The cranial rhythm is far more gentle,
softer and slower pulse than that of the
heart beat.
Common causes of Cranial
Sacral malfunction: Excessive
ranges of motion beyond the horse’s
recognised levels of ability, breeding
in relation to work and muscle type,
bad/ disrespectful riding, bruising, falls,
injuries, scar tissue, tack, conformation,
postural tension and emotional tension.
What Cranial Sacral Therapy
treats: Head shaking, head injury,
after a fall, Temporal mandibular joint
dysfunction, behavioural problems,
respiratory problems, locomotory
problems.
October 2015 • Issue 25 • Everything Horse Magazine
The history of Cranial
Sacral Therapy
The therapy was originally called
Cranial Osteopathy and then later
Craniopathy, Cranio Sacral work
and originated for humans only
from the ground breaking work
carried out in 1900’s by Osteopath,
by Dr. William Sutherland. Dr.
Sutherland, who is referred to
as the father of Osteopathy, was
the first to sense the minute
movement that is called the cranial
‘wave or rhythm’. This rhythm
is different from the heartbeat
and the respiratory rate but is
still measurable by scientific
standards. It can be palpated by a
skilled therapist anywhere on the
body and moves between eight to
fourteen cycles per minute. The
work was taken forward and called
Cranio Sacral Therapy by Dr. John
Upledger and ‘Visionary Cranio
Sacral Work’ by Dr. Hugh Milne.
Then the work was taken forward
and into equine care and treatment
by the internationally renowned
American, Maureen Rogers, who
was a pioneer in the field of Equine
Cranio Sacral Therapy.
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