About Level 3: Equine Cranial Decompression

In Level 3 Equine Cranial Decompression we work on manually releasing the the cranial bones to relieve horses from past head traumas, most often from a pulled-back when tied incident. Compression of the cranial bones leads to horses that spook or are hard to bridle, recurring uveitis, headshaking, TMJ, heaviness or resistance on one rein, and even the ability to gain weight, assimilate nutrition, or digest properly.

How do the cranial bones affect all of these areas? First and foremost we have to consider that the brain, hormonal, and glandular centers are all housed in the horse’s skull, and if the skull has been compressed, that can lead to unnecessary pressure and lack of blood flow to these areas that regulate metabolism, hormones, thought, emotions, and more.

Some cranial bones also hold the eyes in place, and if these bones are crushed or shifted, it could be affecting your horse’s vision leading to spooking, or inhibiting proper circulation leading to uveitis.

And when a horse experiences cranial compression, it often affects one side more significantly than the other, usually the side they pulled back on the hardest when they were tied. This compression cascades from the poll, through the bones around the eyes, and into the TMJ and jawline. This misalignment may be what’s making your horse heavier or resistant on one rein. It can also make it difficult for them to chew side-to-side as they are meant to, and instead, they chew up and down which creates hooks and waves in the teeth and often requires costly dental floating as a temporary fix. It also means they won’t process their food and thus their nutrition properly and can even cause digestion problems.

Since it requires very specific techniques with a delicate touch, Level 3 is only taught in person and is not available as a home study course.