Hercules’s Journey: Love, Lymphatics, and Letting Go!

The equine lymphatic system is a vital yet often overlooked part of equine health. Recently, I had the privilege of working with Hercules, a beloved horse whose struggle with Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD) had left his veterinarians with no hope. He was scheduled for euthanasia, yet his final days became a powerful lesson for us all.

Hercules displayed the classic signs of DSLD: lameness, swelling, heat, enlarged fetlocks, and instability. Many would have said, “There’s nothing more we can do.” But I believed he still had something to teach. Using a gentle grooming technique to stimulate lymph flow along with a decongestive wrap, we witnessed remarkable changes in just 48 hours. He broke into a sweat along the main lymphatic drains, released a dark stream of urine containing sediment, and his skin became more pliable. Most telling of all, his spirit lifted—he ventured outside, bore a little more weight on his leg, and radiated a sense of peace.

Just days before meeting Hercules, my vet visited for one of my own horses. When I asked about DSLD, he sighed and said with

frustration, “The congestion has no place to go.”Quietly, I replied: “Yes, it does—the lymphatic system.”

Though his loving owner ultimately chose to let him go, Hercules left us a lasting gift: proof that lymphatic stimulation can reduce pain, support detoxification, and restore quality of life—even in difficult cases. Empowering owners with knowledge and hands-on skills like grooming and decongestive wrap is essential. When we shift our mindset from what can’t be done to what might be possible, we open the door to new outcomes for horses like Hercules. Hercules’s journey reminds us that even in the face of loss, there is learning, hope, and a path forward for the next horse.