Dr. Myk Bray and Nancy McNary, MA combine their talents and expertise to rhythmically balance horse and rider together by developing a synergy of biomechanics paired with kinesthetic balance of equine and human partners for optimal performance. And they accomplish all of this in a way that the horse and rider team can become self-sufficient in maintaining the process. Based in San Diego County’s Del Mar area, they call their technique KIEPBalance; Kinetic, Integrated, Equine, Postural Balance.
When Myk and Nancy go into a barn they are consultants addressing correct biomechanics. “We don’t go in to change people’s training styles,” explains Nancy. And because they’re dealing with the balance of horse and rider they work with teams in any discipline: dressage, hunters and roping, to name a few. It’s all about balancing the horse and rider together through bodywork and exercises and everything is tailored depending on the muscular needs of horse and rider.
Myk explains that often a rider develops an imbalance to compensate for some other issues in the horse and if it’s only the horse being corrected the complete cycle will remain off balance. “You need to work on both the horse and rider simultaneously to achieve true balance.”
While Myk is a human chiropractor as well, he earned his equine certification and performs neuromuscular release on horse and rider. The beauty of this approach is that when muscle tension is released, the body will self adjust and then the adjustment will hold. This is what allows Myk and Nancy to ensure their clients that in most non-chronic cases, after the initial three to four visits to get things going, their services may only be required one to three times a year. “Our goal is that this be maintained on your own,” says Nancy.
As an accomplished trainer and rider, Nancy works with the horse and rider on bodywork, in addition to training and exercise. Their clients include horses that are relatively sound but whose riders would like to see improvement in their performance and way of going. KIEPBalance can, for example, help a horse move from 3’6” hunters to 3’9” hunters by simply rebalancing the team.
Nancy recounts a more extreme example that they faced recently: “There was a rescue mare, 500 pounds underweight, striking, kicking and biting. The nervous system is always the first one to the party and Myk had to bring the nervous system down first before we could help. She was a real mess; lame in both shoulders, bad stifle and a sore back. Within 55 minutes we had her in the round pen completely sound, head dropped and relaxed.” The key, Nancy explains, is “balancing the body both physically and emotionally.”
Mary Asher Fitzpatrick and her horse Glad Dancer are clients of the KIEPBalance system. “I’m extremely happy and grateful for my horse’s current health care through KIEPBalance,” says Mary. “Instead of a Band-Aid, he gets true healing through natural remedies and bodywork. KIEPBalance has enabled my horse to attain and maintain correct stability, strength and vitality.”
The Balancing Process
The KIEPBalance team first evaluates the horse and rider by interviewing the rider and completing an overall physiological analysis in addition to an anatomical body evaluation. Then they observe the horse’s biomechanics while on the ground and while being ridden.
Once the evaluation is completed, restoration is attained by a combination of bodywork that includes rebalancing muscle structures and correcting posture for both horse and rider. The rider is directed in correctly using their body’s biomechanics to influence the horse. It is through appropriate use of the rider’s core muscles that rebalancing occurs, thus balance between rider and horse can be achieved.
Continued Active Rehabilitative Exercise (C.A.R.E.) is a unique aspect of the KIEPBalance program that no other program offers. This ongoing involvement of the rider in the progress of the horse’s physical development and rehabilitation is accomplished through specific exercises for both horse and rider in addition to nutritional balancing and KIEPBalance rechecks as needed.
Myk completed his bachelor of science in medical technology and sports medicine from Northern Illinois University in 1993 and went on to earn a doctorate from Palmer West College of Chiropractic. As a certified fitness instructor through ISSA and one who has both trained and competed professionally over the past 20 years, he has invaluable first hand experience with human athletes. This, combined with his love of animals, drove him to pursue extensive clinical training in sacro occipital technique, clinical nutrition, sport rehabilitation and applied kinesiology which benefits both four and two-legged patients. “I value true health, which only occurs when there is no interference within the course of the body’s ‘master communications system,’ the nervous system,” says Myk.
Nancy began her life with horses as a young girl involved in the United States Pony Club. With a solid foundation in horsemanship and horse management, she competed successfully nationwide in three-day eventing through the Intermediate Level and in dressage through Prix St. Georges. Nancy trained extensively with numerous fine instructors including the former U.S. Olympic team coach Jack Le Goff, Olympic gold medalist Tad Coffin, and Pan Am Games gold medalist Mike Huber. Her love of learning and training has always pushed her to pursue new and various avenues for improvement in performance and health for both horses and riders including earning a masters degree in education, working with Chris Irwin, studying Reiki, and taking Equine Athlete classes at UC Irvine. She is also studying bio-energetic synchronization technique and bach flower essences.
For more information contact Myk Bray, DC, CFT and Nancy McNary, MA via e-mail at KIEPBalance@yahoo.com or phone at 619-770-8765 or 619-456-7460 or visit the website at
www.optimalhealer.com.
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