http://iceryder.net/endostick.html
Here's an article by him. I haven't located any website as yet.
Interesting concept. Could this be why grooming is most often calming?
At the track, when I was a kid, a groom, we learned to groom fast and with some vigorous percussion and knew perfectly well it calmed down those high strung TBs. We'd bump the brushes on each stroke, and each stroke tended to be long and hard.
There really isn't a whole lot new under the sun.
I've always "roughed" horses around with my bare hands. That is handled them vigorously. I grab and sqeeze their crest ... seems to be a favorite. I put my heel into the large muscle groups and push to get the horse to lock his legs and stand leaning against my pressure.
I drag the horse's tail back and forth and 'exercise,' it.
I pull their lips, and their nose pad, and even massage their ears.
Like we humans, so loving of massage outselves, need to be told by academics that this has a calming effect?
Well, if it takes a ball on a stick to do this kind of common (for me) 'massage,' of horse, so be it.
Notice that doing those ground stretches and crunches AND folks do with their horses are also calming?
Heck, it's not confined to AND, of course. Lots of people pull horse's leg back to open up shoulders and stifle, and loosen the abdomen.
And it's calming to the horse. It's no wonder our horses, unlike some poor things that are just taken out, ridden and then put up wet.
Strong manipulation by another has a calming effect. What's the big surprise?
Must we have a special tool, or could we not just use what we already have, but simply recognize benefits, or costs from what we do?
Now there is merit in that. And the study of it. Serious study.
So, has there been a study on why, when my wife, a nice strong farm girl, and Curves workout patron, wraps her armes around my chest and back, and squeezes until she gets that wonderful crackle out of my spine?
In fact, it's about time again. I have worked hard in the garden today in 90+ degree (F) weather.
Plus visited Dakota the Morgan today. Want to guess what I spent nearly the whole time doing?
Hint: he was very very calm afterward.
Donald, who is having great fun picking on too much muchness.