Ting Points, Hoof Balance, and the Whole‑Horse Connection

Have you ever felt like your horse keeps needing bodywork for the same issues? Tight back, uneven movement, persistent stiffness, no matter how often you address them?

For many horses, the missing piece isn’t higher up in the body at all.

It starts at the feet.

What Are Ting Points?

Ting Points are powerful acupressure points located at the coronet band, right where the hairline meets the hoof. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these points sit at the end of the meridian pathways.

Because they’re at the endpoints, Ting Points have a strong influence on:

• The nervous system

• Circulation

• Muscle tone

• How information travels through the body

You can think of them like electrical switches. When they’re clear and supported, information flows smoothly. When they’re stressed, that signal becomes distorted.

What Are Ting Points Used For?

In bodywork and acupressure, Ting Points are commonly used to:

• Improve circulation to the limb

• Reduce tension and pain

• Support proper movement patterns

• Help regulate the nervous system

• Address issues that appear higher in the body (neck, back, shoulders, pelvis)

Because every meridian runs from the foot into the body, what happens at the Ting Points doesn’t stay local. It affects the whole horse.

Why Hoof Balance Matters

Hoof balance plays a critical role in how Ting Points are stimulated—or stressed—every single day.

When a hoof is imbalanced, the horse loads that foot unevenly. That uneven loading creates constant pressure and irritation at the coronary band, right where the Ting Points live.

Over time, this can lead to:

• Altered signaling through the meridians

• Compensation patterns up the limb

• Increased muscle tension

• Reduced joint mobility

• Changes in posture and movement

Even small imbalances can have a big effect when they’re repeated with every step.

How Hoof Imbalance Affects the Rest of the Body

This is where things often get confusing for horse owners.

You may notice:

• Recurrent neck or back tension

• A pelvis that won’t stay level

• One shoulder that feels consistently tight

• Bodywork results that don’t seem to last

The body can be released, stretched, and softened, but if the feet keep feeding the nervous system conflicting information through stressed Ting Points, the horse is pulled right back into compensation.

This is why some horses feel better immediately after bodywork… but revert within days or weeks.

The foundation hasn’t changed.

Why I Look at the Hooves and the Body Together

Hooves and bodywork are not separate systems. They’re partners.

Balanced hooves help keep Ting Points healthy. Healthy Ting Points support clear communication through the nervous system. A regulated nervous system allows the body to move, adapt, and heal more effectively.

Feet → Nervous System → Whole Body

When all three are addressed together, changes tend to be more lasting and more meaningful.

Supporting Your Horse from the Ground Up

Every horse is an individual, and there’s no one‑size‑fits‑all approach. But when recurring issues keep showing up, it’s often worth stepping back and looking at the bigger picture.

If you’re curious whether hoof balance, Ting Points, and body compensation might be connected for your horse, I offer:

• Equine bodywork

• Barefoot trimming

• Whole‑horse consults that look at posture, movement, and feet together

Sometimes the biggest changes happen when we stop chasing symptoms and start supporting the foundation.

If you feel like your horse is telling you something isn’t quite right, that’s a good place to start listening.