Not Just a tolerate, but we got there require another four slices to Pretty Picture continued... A good wash later, and Toby’s old bridle was taken eventually. Getting the bit in his mouthawkwardly and apart. Sick of Felix’s mucking about, the decision to when someone sleeps was easy as wakes up of bread with it pie – I just gave him a bit with a numb arm. and gobble was made - it was time to go back to the bread bin; – the bit was it In the veterinaryhow human field the infrared imaging science of thermography shows in. By November 2009 Jean was watching is amazing and much less scary things are when Sugar and Ann on in a squad class at the thermal patterns of the body on a today with the throat bread is involved. So, we began specifically designed camera. Infraredbit was already buckles upwork one side so once The radiation Sydney International Equestrian Centre is em ‘Head y al l o b Felix’ I commanded gently, holding itted b down j ect s and the am o unt o f radiatio n incr eases w ith tem perature, lash. it was in I just did up his buckle on the otherin the (SIEC) with Clemens Dierks, then side which allows for variations in temperature topressingwithin the horse’s body. When be seen down the halter with one hand and gently and presto! BridleDecember saw to push my luck with on. I decided them compete Prix St seen on between the camerawith the other. He put his the cooler background and later, and took himatfor a walk around his ears warm images stand out against head the noseband Georges and Inter I Werribee. Sugar went degrees of down. Thiswarmthas good a place visible within any, so he was and coolness are to start as the animal. the paddock. His Grand Prix level inon under the and has halter was left January 2010 bridle continued to go from strength to him get T herm o graphy is a to o l that giv that. o ve ral pict gist the b got a nice hunk of bread for e s anHe gotl the ure o fprettyo dy, o f ten highl ightingso I just led him on that and letstrength. throughout, affected Thermography may not have been the quickly. areas that may not have been identified as areas of concern. It isto the feel of the bridle and bit. We even got a used not just about “hot spots” but about thermal balance. In many instances it is a cold area wee (unasked for, medium won’t be picky at thisto return but we that allowed this mare point]) I began with the same command, and then quickly to work but it highlighted - for all those (oedema, reduced circulation) that is the key in helping to pinpoint the problem. trot out of Felix. The training session was finishedand looped the throat-lash over his head and positioned involved - where the problem was on herm o graphy w il o f ten sho w the it, in pro em to e so that ther than the day. it T behind his ears.l He didn’t likeprim ary factb lhe gotb the m ew here o good note forallowed them to see the response she had where the horse is presentinglook that he how the body is compensating for a sore. It shows usually gets to the treatment. wide-eyed, flared nostril Unfortunately for me, things didn’t proceeded quite problem and it is often possible to backtrack from the current problem to the original Jean could not be the ‘terrible outcome as planned. It seems Felix has hithappier with thetwos’ of injury. for Ann treat a horse as, “One of my horses. I was once told toand Sugar and says essentially, Just add bread happiest moments was So m etim es co m parab l e areas m ay b e therm al l y sym m etrica l ( eg b o a 1000 pound toddler. I had not realisedwatching Sugar th sides o f the until recently her Equitana and over C5C6) but with temperatures raised significantly from the surrounding thatcompete in has GP Freestyle athis head neck the bit slid how accurate is. Felix taken it intojust before Sydney 2011. I last saw her tissue suggesting in without further investigation. him that he doesn’t actually have to swear she smiled at me.” Christmas and I walk when I say walk, T herm o graphy no t ul additio n the diagno stic noticing b y itsel f do esyearsdiagno se b ut is a usef been found inhe can just stand still. Not much I can do about it. toolbox. However over 30+ many patterns have to be consistent making him walk around in circles and I have been About Jean Koek with specific conditions and specialist thermographic veterinarians will diagnose. shortly before doing something stupid, but quickIn 1994 Jean left the corporate world, became This is happening more and more frequently around the world. thinking distracted him: a full slice of wholegrain Beware the an EMRT™ and human Bowen practitioner and encountered thermography. For several years she T he aim o f a therm graphic eva uatio n is to this until felt waved under his o nose. We l practiced highl ight theIkey thermographic points was involved with a as well thousand poundpractice. human IR clinic in BrisbaneEurope o f the hoenough to lput the ner/ trainer and suppo on, turning rse to enab e the o w brow band back rt team to identif y areas o f co nce rn brazen an animal She travels to the US or and be pro-active into a headstall. most years to further her thermographic education, the ‘bridle’ back in treatment. toddler and is a long time Equitana educator and general speaker. Thermography an headstall went on, I managed The first timeis the excellent early warning system but one of the difficulties therm o graphers f ace his ears, ca m era indica was nonef tooe rn l o ng b ef o re there up as a solution – essentially combining is that the and Felix tes areas o co nc backing him to squash both of For more are on letting me fiddle about with them. Getting a minor punishment with a sneaky solution to onthe keen any classical clinical symptoms. This often leads to the thermographic findings information being ignored. However, if the animal or person continues with its existing regime, problem, backing him up in the direction Thermo--graphy of the gate the headstall on turned into hoopla with Felix’s ears. more often than not the thermographer gets to think “I told you so”. Never of course contact Jean on – but it is slow going. I was given some advice from Although we were quite good by the end of the hour Email: w o ul d they say so ! my Mum again. It was “You’re too soft” jeankoek@ in essence, we spent on it. Having gone through four slices of M any o f the dif f erence s to o nl y sl ight b ut as the so ng go es, ittl e she b the Parelli toast-bread I decided are replace the ‘practice’ bridle “ f ro m l but things,is iggoing to walk me through hotmail.com things grow”. very shiny in-hand bridle, sanz nose groundwork process. It worked for Toby the TB, so with Felix’s with any luck Felix will get the idea too. Continued band. Apparently this was so vastly different as to WHAT IS THERMOGRAPHY? April/May 2013 - Page 56