General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Naturopaths and the creep of pseudo-science [View all]riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)A treatment either works or it doesn't.
A horse has a sore back and won't tolerate a saddle. The vet does some chiro and acupuncture after which you can put a saddle on. Horses have a brain the size of a walnut - they can't rationalize "oh that woman stuck needles in me and so NOW I'm feeling better". They don't have the ability to "fool" themselves that suddenly they feel better because of a treatment.
It either works or it doesn't.
If it doesn't work, nobody's going to continue that treatment without a result. Sport horses aren't pasture ornaments - people have paid a shitload of money for a horse they want to compete with and learn on.
FWIW, horses have very specific ways of communicating when they're getting relief or they're relaxing - licking, chewing, sighing, yawning. The next time a horse of mine raps his knees on a fence and I'm applying arnica gel to the area, I'll let them know Humanist_Activist - the great equine expert - tells me that their relief-response isn't possible.