Until recently, complimentary therapies were not given their due credit as science favoured synthetic drugs hailed as panaceas.

Due to complications and side-effects associated with modern medicine, focus is returning to natural remedies along with hands on techniques such as massage, aromatherapy and acupuncture.

This u-turn is demonstrated by the number of herbal supplements available to calm horses and improve their state of mind. Many shampoos, fly sprays, etc. are now aromatherapy based and made from natural plant extracts.

Holistic therapy encompasses the mind, the body and the spirit ... the very essence of the personality (and never a truer word said than with our equine friends!) ... in other words "the whole".

There is nothing quite like a happy horse ... and there is nothing quite like an unhappy horse!