ENGLISH TEXTS
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WELL- BEING OF EQUINE ATHLETE:
OSTEOPATH, MASSAGE THERAPIST, SHIATSU AND ACUPUNCTURIST
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OSTEOPATHY“ Osteopathy, by definition, is a set of manual techniques aimed at preserving or restoring the mobility of the body’ s various structures.”
— Pauline Duval
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PAULINE DUVAL
By Mégane Martins
You’ ve probably come across her in a stable yard or at a stall— Pauline Duval is well known in racing stables and Normandy stud farms. An osteopath since 2009, she treats and supports equine athletes to enhance their comfort and well-being.
Galorama. How has the practice of osteopathy evolved over the past ten years?
Pauline Duval. Osteopathy, by definition, is a set of manual techniques aimed at preserving or restoring the mobility of various structures of the body. It has been practiced in humans since the 19 th century, with its founder being the American physician Andrew Taylor Still( 1828 – 1917). In France, these techniques began to be applied to horses in the 1980s by Dr. Dominique Giniaux. Since setting up as an equine osteopath in 2009, I immediately noticed that osteopathy was already widely adopted among many professionals in the horse world, whether in breeding, training( both trotting and galloping), sport horse stables, or even leisure horse settings. For me, the most significant development in recent years has been the shift toward using osteopathy as a preventive medicine, not merely a curative one.
G. What do you think explains the growing use of osteopathy among professionals? Is it an increased awareness of horse welfare for better performance? A better understanding of these methods?
P. D. I believe this growth mainly stems from the latter point. Although I am often called to treat horses displaying discomfort or locomotion issues identified by clients, many horses are also presented to me with the goal of preventing these issues from arising. This ap- proach aims to enhance comfort and, therefore, the animal’ s well-being- now acknowledged as a key factor in the pursuit of performance. You only have to look at how elite human athletes are monitored: physiotherapy, physical therapy, and osteopathy are integral parts of their preparation, alongside regular training.
G. What are the benefits of applying osteopathy to horses?
P. D. The benefits are numerous. By restoring good mobility to the body’ s various structures, osteopathy enables the different systems( musculoskeletal, visceral, nervous, lymphatic, and vascular) to function properly. An osteopathy session can, for example, relieve back pain, correct an asymmetry, or reduce organic pain when aggravated by posture problems, among other things.
G. How do you adapt your approach for different types of horses?
P. D. The frequency of sessions varies greatly from one horse to another. Regardless of age, a horse presenting an identified problem will be treated. When it comes to regular follow-up:
• Stallions generally receive two osteopathy sessions per year, one at the beginning and one at the end of the season;
• Mares are treated once a year, between foaling and covering;
• Foals are seen either a few
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