Well, I was practically bed bound with severe pain 24/7, so it didn’t make much difference. A year later and I can finally move. Still do not have a huge range of motion but I can get through my day.
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I’d be willing to bet that was a Graston tool and yes those often leave bruises and hurt but it’s supposed to be great for breaking up scar tissue and the like.
Well I finally got to use it on the big red beast today. Granted I did it as part of a deep grooming/mane pulling/tail conditioning session while he got shod. So probably not the best time to try it, but I rarely have time for extra things otherwise.
He seemed indifferent over his hip but jumped a little as I went over the same spot on his high hamstring, on both sides, a little below the point of his butt. So I assume there was something super tight right there that needed to be broken up. He only jumped out of surprise once on each side.
Going over his back got some licking and yawning. He loved having his neck done and was leaning in to me. I think it was more than just an itchy neck and he did some chewing there too.
All and all seemed pretty cool and he enjoyed it. Will see if there’s any noticeable difference in riding him.
I have no idea how to use it on myself. I tried on my neck and it seemed like I was just scraping my self with a curry comb. Didn’t help neck pain that particular day.
Will try on the jolly gray giant next week.
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Ah, yes, that is what she called it.
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When I ordered my human posture prep I got two on a whim. Then the last time my farrier came out his wife had just had a knee replacement. I asked him if he’d ever heard of it or used it on his horses and he said his wife used one on hers. I sent him home with the extra human one. He came out to replace a pulled shoe today and said his wife has been using it around her knee. Said she went from only being able to get a 70 degree bend to a full 90 degrees in just a few days after she started using it.
While we were waiting for some putty to set I pulled it out and was using on my mare. He watched her for a bit and said he was going to have to start using it on his weanlings.
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Chatted with Dr. Bona yesterday! I’ve been trying to order a couple of the human version, but the website insisted I use PayPal and I wanted to use my debit card. She emailed that I could just call her and order them through her, so we finally connected – she is in Bluebell, Pennsylvania, and I am in Northern Virginia, so since she shipped them out yesterday, I’m hoping to have them next week.
She sent me several videos including some that have not been shared on this thread – if I can figure out how to share them here I will do so later. I tried the horse one on my head – I have multiple trigger points since I’m a terrible nocturnal clencher – and it did help but the rubber prongs are pretty hard, so I’m looking forward to really working myself over when I get the human version 
Apparently she is a horse, human, and dog chiropractor - and works on her clients with the posture prep tool as well as doing chiropractic adjustments. My Whippet absolutely loves it, but since she is basically a zero body fat type, I think the human one will be more comfortable for her.
I am dealing with a lot of tightness in my deltoids, though – I use it on my mare for between 15 and 20 minutes a day, five days a week and it’s really causing repetitive muscle strain in that specific area of my upper arm. DH suggested I stand on a stool (because it’s easier to use the tool when I am not pushing in an upward direction), but that seems a little tippy when working on a horse, and I usually do it in her stall, which is deeply bedded with mats so not the most stable platform. I do use it on my own deltoids and try to get DH to do it as well; it does help, but this is the one “downside” for me. (Sometimes I wish I could pay someone else to do it to save my hands and arms, but I already pretty much do everything for my horse including stretching, corework, bodywork, the Masterson method, etc. – I find it much cheaper than having to hire practitioners, and Ms mare feels pretty darn good. 
I have chiropractic/acupuncture done on her twice a year, and the doc says she feels great other than having tight hamstrings and a little lumbar tightness, and both of those things have improved a lot with the Posture prep so it’ll be interesting to see what he says next time he’s out.) Worth the pain to me because my mare loves it, and it has made a definite difference in her neck, back, and hamstrings. What a wonderful invention!
Also, the saddle fitter was out to fit my saddles on Tuesday, and after going over her remarked that my horse was better muscled, more symmetrical, more comfortable in her stance than 99% of the horses she sees. I took that as a big compliment since I work so hard at all of this, but it was also validating – and I think the Posture prep tool has helped with everything!
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I’ve only had mine now for a couple weeks BUT, our bodyworker is coming out tomorrow. I haven’t told her about the PP but Im curious to see if she notices anything different due to using it regularly. I have noticed that I’m getting better extension when I stretch his back legs…his left in particular which is usually the tighter of the two.
“Charlie” also get her one for her horses for Christmas because he thinks they are so great!
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Shayney has taken a sudden large aversion to the tool. I don’t know if it’s extra dry out and it’s too staticky or what, but she went from being ambivalent/not liking, to hating it. She doesn’t like it ANYwhere.
She still enjoys her metal curry though, so it’s not a sudden skin sensitivity.
She knows better than to kick out no matter what I’m doing but her face says it all.
I’m going to give it a rest and go back to my normal PT stuff, and try again in a week or so.
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I’ve found that my mare is more sensitive now that she’s freshly clipped; when I use it on the clipped areas, I have to use lighter pressure, though she still enjoys it. The back half of her is unclipped, and she is very yaklike so I have to dig a bit deeper.
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My dog ate mine.
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She’s unclipped this year. I regret it when we have sweaty workouts lol
Have you by any chance tried it after a ride instead of before? I did that this week and both of my boys preferred it.
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I did! My late mare was weird like that, so it was one of the first things I thought of.
I’ll try it again in a couple days.
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My mare prefers it before, and my gelding likes it better afterwards. They’re all different!
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My mare was really pissy about having the PP on her hamstrings last night, where she was previously loving it. I ended up using the laser on that area instead and she clearly relaxed and loved it. She was happy with the PP over most of the rest of her body. So this time it was a good diagnostic, though I think she’s just sore because she’s using herself more correctly. She is seeing the bodyworker today, so we’ll see what she thinks.
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Yesterday my TB was more accepting of the PP after I “warmed him up” with scritches using a jelly curry on his itchy spots (neck/chest). He’s not very touchy-feely so I think getting him in the right mood to enjoy grooming first allowed him to be more relaxed about the PP. I got some yawning etc before reaching the wither area, which was an improvement. I experimented with using a little more pressure, slowing down, and not doing as many passes over each spot. I think lighter pressure might sometimes just be ticklish and annoying. I tried to use it again briefly after our ride too but by that point he was ready to get turned back out with his friends and be left alone. Baby steps!
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You are spot on!!! It will likely be somewhat painful to those who need it the most. At least at first.
I had the Graston technique done on my left ankle for some extreme scarring after three reconstructive surgeries. It hurt so bad and the PT had to go so light with the tool that I could barely feel it at first or I would cry with pain. Eventually, the PT could get in deeper and it made a HUGE difference to my recovery and mobility. I would say that if your horses are very negative to it at first, they probably need it the most. Just be patient, go light for a while. Add pressure gradually. This tool has made a big difference with all of my horses. Pledge to give it six months.
One of my young horses was abused and flipped by a colt starter. When I found out about it and he came home, all of his muscles were spasming. It has taken a year and a half (using pharmaceuticals–robaxin–chiropractic, bemer, massage and now Perfect Prep) for him to recover to the point where he is moving again like he did before he went to be started. With this guy, he danced in the cross ties the entire time I was using the PP at first. Now, he sometimes dances when I do the first 1/4 of his body and then he relaxas and drops his head. So we are still working toward complete recovery (but very close). You have to be patient. My horse that is retired and has no issues, stands still for the PP and goes to sleep. My 3 year old that has just come back from the colt starter reacts negatively when the back half of his body is being PP’d. I figure he needs it the most there, but less pressure. This doesn’t replace the Bemer. I do the Bemer after.
If your horse has tight or spasming muscles, using robaxin and PP together seems to be a good combo to get them recovered faster without as much of a pain response.
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I bought three, one for myself/my horses, and the others as gifts.
I started to use it on my one very grouchy horse, and he was reasonably accepting, which for him is a plus. Baby steps!
I have injured my shoulder and have started to also use it on myself (the horse one) gently.
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Dr. Bona added a gift to my order (for two human PPs) - a dog PP!
Nice little Christmas surprise
I did a jump school on Friday, and my mare was jumping out of her skin!, she’s also moving better; this thing is a miracle. Of course I am still suffering from a lot of deltoid pain from using it (I’ve been using the human one on myself to the extent that I’m able; I had my daughter work on me last night.)
One of my students has been using it on her OTTB Warhorse (he is moving more freely and stretching!, and after seeing her use it to amazing effect, 7 of her barnmates at her boarding barn bought them!!) I should be getting a kickback from Dr. Bona… 
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