Equine Raindrop Therapy:

Raindrop Therapy is Good for You,
Good for the Horse,
and Good for the Industry

by Dr Heather Mack

   Seven years ago, I watched a Native American medicine man perform a "Spinal Alignment" on a fellow holistic veterinarian in Minnesota. He used herbs, essential oils and hot water on the spine. Four years later, I got the opportunity to work closely with a Lakota Sioux medicine woman in Idaho, who did a similar healing on a woman with MS. I attended a doctors' conference in Scottsdale, Arizona in March of '99 and observed a woman receive raindrop therapy from Dr. Gary Young, a naturopath and leading authority in the science of essential oils. The patient was in her early fifties, had severe scoliosis and spinal pain. After this raindrop treatment, she grew over one inch, her deviation lessened over 50%, and she was pain free.
   It seemed to me that the universe was guiding me to utilize such a treatment in my own practice. The very next morning, I woke up with a clear vision of how much this treatment would help horses and their riders. Since then I have developed a technique for animals, especially horses, and produced a video that explains clearly how to do the technique yourself.
   This revolutionary therapy is easy to do for your horse. It is beneficial for the person applying the oils and for any animal close enough to smell the oils, as the scent triggers a response within the hypothalamus almost immediately. It is not a cure-all, but it is a wonderful way to keep horses healthy and comfortable in their bodies. It is also a powerful addition to antibiotics when fighting an infection because it assists in strengthening the immune system. It pulls viruses and toxins out of the system and balances the structural and electrical alignment of the horse.
   Raindrop Therapy has been an important addition to my treatment of EPM horses. I use it preventatively before a long trip, for instance, from California to Calgary, and especially when European horses come out of quarantine. It is extremely helpful in boosting the horses' immune systems and helps them to realign with the electromagnetics of a new continent. I suggest all barns carry the oils with them, and have interested owners take part in this treatment. A physical therapist who is familiar with the horse, or a groom, who has healing hands and an interest in the horses' well-being, can also learn and perform this treatment.
   Raindrop Therapy integrates layering of essential oils on or near the spine and down the inside of the hind legs, using vitaflex techniques, with massage and damp heat on the horse's spine. It takes 40-60 minutes to perform, but the oils will continue to work in the body for up to one week. The oils used will reduce inflammation, and are anti-viral and anti-microbial. The principal oils used in this technique are thyme, oregano, cypress, birch, basil, marjoram and peppermint. In this day and age, we must look into higher frequency medicines because so many bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. It is happening in human medicine faster than in veterinary medicine, but it is still obvious that penicillin and Gentocin do not always work as well as they should. Many of the conventional medicines that used to work so well for us are becoming obsolete.
   Linda Allen wrote an article in the Summer 2000 issue of this journal about INTEGRITY. I appreciate the scope with which she sees the industry, as she encourages everyone, from the casual rider, who shows only a few times a year, to the Chefs d'Equipe of the Olympic Teams, to step back and take a look at the role they play in the sport as a whole. She says at the end, "as the century unfolds, perhaps we should band together and make a concerted effort to hold our sport, and all those in it, to a new and higher standard." I enjoy this sport immensely and am so grateful that I can go to shows to compete as well as to treat many of my patients. I love the sport and the horses, and, with great integrity, I share this Raindrop Therapy as well as other holistic modalities with you.
   It is my intent to compliment your primary veterinarian's health care program. To succeed in this industry, it takes a team of professionals: trainers, rider/owners, farriers, veterinarians, physical therapists and horse handlers, who are willing to communicate and work with the same goal in mind. Unfortunately, I have been part of teams where there was little communication. As a result, too much needless work occurred, on everyone's part, because we were not all on the same page. This creates chaos, is a waste of energy, and it is usually the horse that suffers in the end. I chose a win/win in all my relationships with man and animal. If more of us would embrace this concept, the world would be a better place.
   It is your responsibility as a horse owner or trainer to take part in your horses' physical and emotional health. After all, if it weren't for these magnificent four-legged creatures we would never be a part of such an extraordinary sport. Make sure you are aware of what is happening to them and why.

Dr. Mack is a holistic veterinarian who has been specializing in performance horses for ten years. She competes in the jumper division and is available at most of the major west coast shows, including Spruce Meadows, to treat horses. It is her strong desire to create a holistic wellness and training center in Southern California where horses can come for a week or for months to recover from injuries, or just to have preventative holistic treatment while they stay in work, so they don't lose condition. She was one of the first women to graduate from Columbia University, and received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She has dedicated her life to the conscious practice of holistic medicine on animals with her primary focus on sport horse medicine.

Dr. Mack's video or DVD on Equine Raindrop Therapy and The Quick Reference Guide for the Equine Raindrop Therapy Video/DVD is available from Quantum Specialties. Phone Tesla at (605) 722-3325 or e-mail her at quantum@rushmore.com

The video/DVD offers a clear and concise explanation that empowers most horse owners to perform Raindrop Therapy. It also provides an introduction and understanding of essential oils and how they can be used therapeutically. The video/DVD retails for $39.95.

The Quick Reference Guide is something to take along with you to the barn and retails for $15.00.
* Eleven completely laminated pages.
* Sturdy coil binding.
* Simple and easy to read with step by step instructions.
* Illustrations and helpful tips.
* A full page to make your own notes with a wet-erase marker.
* There is also room for notes on the back of each page.

Equine Raindrop Therapy is a simple and powerful treatment for the horse. It enhances the immune system, alleviates pain along the spine and generally invigorates the horse. Tesla also incorporates Reiki into the therapy session as indicated on an individual basis.

Fee: $135.00

This includes travel within the Northern Black Hills (approximately a 60 mile radius from my studio), all Young Living therapeutic grade essential oils and training if interested in assisting and learning Dr. Mack's Equine Raindrop technique. Tesla incorporates Reiki into the 90 minute session.

Individual contracts for extended travel and additional essential oils or energy work with the horse.

Visit http://www.youngliving.com/quantum to order the Young Living Raindrop Technique kit #3137, which includes all the oils you will need to get started.
Distributor or Wholesale Price is $89.50 and Preferred Customer Price is $103.63 and Customer Price is $117.76. All of the oils, which include Aroma Siez, Basil, Cypress, Marjoram, Oregano, Peppermint, Wintergreen, Thyme, Valor, Ortho Ease Massage Oil, and a Massage Oil Base can also be ordered in larger quantities individually. If you need assistance in placing an order call Tesla at (605) 722-3325 or e-mail quantum@rushmore.com