Lobethal Equestrian Coaching

17/04/2024

24/01/2024

Direct line from the horse’s mouth through the rider’s hands to their elbow - a time honoured rule.

The curse of low hands

In the conversation of hyperflexion and riding behind vertical, I would be remiss, as a biomechanics coach, if I didn’t address the curse of low hands. I see this so often in riders and it is one of the easiest fixes. Just raise your hands!

Low hands will not get you the round, soft horse you’re attempting to create. Low hands are often pulling hands and equally creates a pulling, and resistant horse. If we think of the horse’s mouth anatomy, it is easy to see that low hands put direct bit pressure on the highly innervated lower bars of the horse’s mouth. Some horses will submit and tuck their heads away from this pressure. Some will head toss, bolt, buck and generally show conflict behaviors in an attempt to escape the pressure.

We should strive to keep the bit up in the fleshy corners of the horse’s mouth. We should not attempt to lower the horse’s nose from low reins. As riders we need to learn how to develop the horse systematically to use their bodies to the best of their individual ability. If I asked most riders to do the splits, right now, they wouldn’t even get close. But with gentle daily training it is possible. It is no different for the horse. Be prepared for years of work, not hours or days. To take shortcuts, such as seen with low hands, is to create false collection and this will only serve to damage your horses body. None of us want that.

I promise you, if you raise your hands above the wither and gently bring the bit into the fleshy corners of your horses mouth, they will thank you by softening their bodies and their minds.

We need to stop equating our self worth with the position of our horse’s head. We cannot force collection. I will not think less of you as a rider or a person if your horse’s head is ahead of vertical - no one should think less of you…including yourself ❤️

Note: Thank you to everyone who took the time to write comments. It was a lively discussion but it’s gotten so long (and sometimes off topic) so I’ve decided to turn comments off. I usually try to respond to each and every comment on my posts - yes, even those of you who aren’t so kind. Unfortunately this post got far more traction than I could have imagined and I wasn’t able to keep up. So I apologize if I didn’t respond directly to your comment. Most of the comments/questions are asked more than once so feel free to scroll through the comments to see if your question was addressed. Clearly, this is a very passionate topic for many and one that I will revisit in more detail down the road. Thank you for visiting my page.❤️

09/01/2024

68 year old John Whitaker - "Simply The Best". Christmas 2023

23/12/2023

22/12/2023

Four years ago we suffered severe losses in the Cudlee Creek bushfire. It's been a massive job rebuilding but today the final fence went up and now I feel like our bushfire recovery is complete. Merry Christmas everyone.

21/12/2023

🐴 Here are 15 interesting facts about a horse's brain:.
1. A horse’s brain is relatively small compared to the size of its body, and accounts for only about 0.1% of its total weight.
2. Despite their small size, horses have very complex brains, with a highly developed cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for conscious thought, decision-making and memory.
3. Horses can learn and remember complex tasks, such as navigating a jump course or performing a dressage routine, through a process called associate learning.
4. Like humans, horses have a left hemisphere and a right hemisphere in the brain, each with specialized functions. The left hemisphere is responsible for the processing of logical and analytical information, while the right hemisphere is more involved in emotional processing and creative thinking.
5. Horses have a great memory and can remember specific people, places and experiences for many years.
6. Horses can learn by observation, and often they can acquire new behaviors and skills simply by observing other horses or humans.
7. Horses have a very sensitive sense of touch and can detect even the slightest pressure or movement on their skin. This helps them respond to subtle cues from your rider or guide.
8. Horses can process visual information very quickly and accurately, allowing them to avoid potential hazards and navigate their environment with ease.
9. Horses are social animals and rely on nonverbal communication to interact with other horses in their herd. This communication is facilitated by the horse’s brain, which can interpret subtle changes in body language, facial expressions and vocalizations.
10. Ultimately, like all animals, horses have a unique personality and individual traits that are shaped by their experiences, genetics and environment—all of which is reflected in their brain function and behavior.
11. Horses have a very strong sense of smell and their odor bulb, which processes smells, is relatively large compared to other parts of their brain.
12. The brain, which is responsible for coordinating movement and balance, is also relatively large in horses. This is because horses must be able to move quickly and efficiently to escape predators or navigate through difficult terrain.
13. Horses have a very high pain threshold, which is believed to be related to how their brains process pain signals. While this can be beneficial in some situations, it can also mean that horses may not show obvious signs of pain, making it harder for their caregivers to detect and treat underlying health issues.
14. The hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory, is particularly well developed in horses.. This allows them to remember not only specific experiences, but also general concepts and patterns that they can apply to new situations.
15. Finally, studies have shown that horses, like other animals, are capable of experiencing emotions such as fear, happiness, and anger. These emotions are believed to be mediated by the limbic system, a group of interconnected brain structures that play a key role in regulating mood and behavior.
Info: Megan Bolentini Equine Bodywork

04/09/2023

It's amazing what love, care, commitment and training can do.

Anyone want to buy this??! No??? Too bad, he is sitting 8th post XC at Burghley (4* and one of the toughest tracks in world)... See - diamonds in the rough are worth finding!!!!

EDITED FOR CLARITY: to those who think this horse is at my place or I had something to do with him, no. I shared it in a tongue-in-cheek fashion to point out most people would overlook this scruffy light chap - who is now a sleek shiny eventing machine competing at top level internationally. Thank goodness someone gave him a chance. Next time you see a scruffy individual, take a 2nd look!
Also, to those who think this horse jumped around Burghley looking like this - what sort of planet do you live on????? 🤔🤔🤔 he wouldn't have been allowed at the first trot up, let alone to have a saddle on!

30/08/2023

Beezie Madden is an exceptional rider and her appraisal here is good advice for every one jumping. Horses need to be able to stretch their neck over a fence for their balance, or else they will hollow their back.

Beezie Madden reviews a video of a horse and rider and explains that a light seat allows the rider to stay with the horse's motion.

14/08/2023

If you travel your horses rear facing, this will never happen.
Front facing floats should be phased out for horse welfare reasons.

The owners of this mare had urged others to check their safety mechanisms are fitted correctly after this terrifying incident
Read more in comments below

13/07/2023

Feed hay, then more hay, and then more hay again. Here's why.

For all of my friends that own, train, or care for horses. This is a MUST READ...

What is the longest a horse can safely go without food?
Answer from a veterinarian-
More and more I see horses and ponies stood for long periods of time with no hay or haylage. Usually under the guise of a “weight control diet”. So how long can a horse be without food before damage is done? And what damage is done?

For those with a short attention span, I’ll give you the answer to begin with - 4 hours, maximum.

Why?

Horses are grazers. They are designed to eat constantly. They have no way of storing their acids and digestive enzymes, they’ve never needed to. They have no gall bladder to store bile and their stomachs release acid constantly, whether or not there is food in the stomach and intestines.

A horses stomach only holds approximately 8-15 litres. Depending on the substance eaten, it takes on average 4-6 hours for the stomach to completely empty. After this, the acids and enzymes start to digest the inside of the horses stomach and then the intestines. This causes both gastric and intestinal ulceration. It has been estimated that 25-50% of foals and 60-90% of adult horses suffer from ulceration. But I won’t go into detail about this, there is a lot of information around about ulcers.

So is that it? Are ulcers the only concern?

No, having an empty stomach is a stress situation for a horse. The longer they are starved, the more they release stress hormones, cortisol predominantly. Cortisol blocks insulin and causes a constantly high blood glucose level. This stimulates the body to release even more insulin, and in turn this causes fat tissue to be deposited and leptin resistance. Over time this causes insulin resistance (Equine Metabolic Syndrome). All of these mechanisms are well known risk factors for laminitis and are caused by short term starvation (starting roughly 3-4 hours after the stomach empties). Starving a laminitic is literally the worst thing you can do. Over longer periods, this also starts to affect muscle and can cause weakness, and a lack of stamina so performance horses also need a constant supply of hay/haylage to function optimally.

Let’s not forget horses are living, breathing and feeling animals. We talk about this stress reaction like it’s just internal but the horse is well aware of this stress. Door kicking, box walking, barging and many other stable vices and poor behaviour can be explained by a very stressed horse due to food deprivation (we all have that Hangry friend to explain this reaction). Next time you shout or hit a horse that dives for their net, remember their body is genuinely telling them they are going to starve to death. They know no different.

But surely they spend the night asleep so they wouldn’t eat anyway?

Not true. Horses only need 20mins REM sleep every 24 hours (jealous? I am!). They may spend a further hour or so dozing but up to 22-23 hours a day are spent eating. So if you leave your horse a net at 5pm and it’s gone by 8pm, then by 12am their stomach is empty. By 4am they are entering starvation mode. By their next feed at 8am, they are extremely stressed, physically and mentally.

Now I know the many are reading this mortified. I can almost hear you shouting at your screen “if I feed my horse ad lib hay he won’t fit out the stable door in a week!!”

I will say that a horse with a constant supply of hay/haylage will eat far less then the same horse that is intermittently starved. They don’t eat in a frenzy, reducing the chance of colic from both ulcers and over eating.
Don’t forget exercise. The best way to get weight off a horse is exercise. Enough exercise and they can eat what they want!

Written by Vikki Fowler BVetMed BAEDT MRCVS

A few edits for the critics-

Firstly, feeding a constant supply does not mean ad lib feeding. It means use some ingenuity and spread the recommended amount of daily forage so the horse is never stood with out food for more than 4 hours. I am not promoting obesity, quite the opposite, feeding like this reduces obesity and IR. This can be done whilst feeding your horse twice a day as most horse owners do. Just think outside the box. Hang a hay bag or hay net*is one solution. Every horse/pony and situation is different, but this is a law of nature and all horses have this anatomy and metabolism. How you achieve this constant supply is individual, the need for it is not.

*the use of hay nets in the UK is very very high. I’d estimate 95% of horses I see are fed this way and very very few have incisor wear or neck/back issues as a result. Yes, feeding from the ground is ideal, but a constant supply, I feel trumps this. Again with ingenuity both can be safely achieved.

Final finally 🤦‍♀️ and I feel I must add this due to the sheer number of people contacting me to ask, feed your horses during transport!!! I am astonished this is not normal in other countries! Again in the UK, we give our horses hay nets to transport. We don’t go 10 mins up the road without a haynet and a spare in case they finish! Considering we are a tiny island and we rarely transport even 4 hours, we never transport without hay available. I have never seen an episode of choke due to travelling with hay available. If you are concerned, use a slow feeder net so they can’t take too much in at once.

If you get to the end of this post and your first thought is “I can’t do this with my horse/pony, they’d be morbidly obese”, you haven’t read the advice in this post thoroughly.

Thanks Trish!!

30/06/2023

The secret to happy horse ownership, is finding a horse that loves doing what you love to do.
If you're struggling, read this.

A long time ago, I wrote an article for Eventing Connect called ‘Quitting to Win’. My wonderful boss at the time Tracy Giesler allowed me to write with a completely free hand, and so I did. This piece got the most views and shares of anything I have ever written. It is a chapter in my book- (the book is a collection of previously published articles written by me, so I never feel I can state that I WROTE A BOOK per se. ‘Myself and my much more talented best friend shoved together a publication of sh*te I had previously spouted’ is more accurate.)-and I’m going to share it with you here.
I hope you enjoy meeting ‘Ted Bundy horse’ 😁

Chapter 22

Quitting to win.

The world is full of incredible examples of triumph over adversity, of sacrifice and of unimaginable effort and dedication. From their first days through to their finest hours, athletes, refugees of war and Wall Street bankers all have their inspiring stories to tell. The sporting world is no exception, and the eventing world in particular is full of tales of those who COULDN’T, but who somehow still DID. There is a unique and much admired toughness attached to the people involved in this game. Boyd Martin,Shane Rose,William Fox-Pitt and even Michael Jung are just a few of the many available case studies, that can demonstrate how digging deep and never ever quitting will reap its own reward. For these riders, performing superhuman feats of endurance is just a thing that you do. The only problem with aspiring towards this approach to our equestrian pursuits is that occasionally, we forget that quitting or giving up on a thing can sometimes be the best solution.

We somehow all seem to want to be the rider that manages to wrestle with some feral gnu of a horse on a daily basis, and who calls it a victory when there are no blood wounds and nobody died. Lots of us fondly imagine that our unique and individual approach-sculpted from many years of the life so**my that is horses-will be the method that transforms a lethal train wreck horse into an Olympic athlete. Most professional riders are very quick to identify the horses that are not worth persevering with, and the passage of time lifts the scales from the eyes-no matter how talented a horse is, he is useless unless he is willing to find a way to work with you. Riders just setting out on their journeys in the sport are quite often found riding sensible and genuine horses who might not set the world alight, but who will give their riders a valuable and safe education on the good days and also the bad. So what goes wrong in the middle?

Eventing is a hardcore sport, no one would disagree. It is also a cripplingly expensive way to pass the time. Riders with a few miles on the clock and an eye on the long game seem to be the perfect target for 'those' horses. You know the ones. The horses that 'find' you. Sort of like stray cats. The category choice of 'those' horses is quite large. There are the off the track thoroughbreds, which are often affordable and tend to look athletic and sharp. These horses cause prospective purchasers-with heads full of Neville Bardos and Summon Up The Blood-to go weak at the knees. There are the obscenely talented horses with either absolutely no brain whatsoever, or those who are Ted Bundy reincarnate, that we just KNOW we can sort out and make good. There are horses that are too big, too strong, not brave enough or not really sound. There are horses that won't listen, won't try or that try too hard. The main weapon in a professional rider's arsenal is to be able to get on a large number of horses and to inspire those horses to want to perform to the best of their ability for their rider. However, those of us riding and competing a far smaller number of horses which we also prop up with our day jobs, tend to take a slightly more personal approach. We end up trapped in the script of the film 'National Velvet'. A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing. And so the trouble begins.

We find ourselves in possession of the next Olympic superstar. Sure he has his difficulties but oh wow! Look at him trot! We have a little more time to invest in Ted Bundy horse than the top riders do. We are tough and determined riders, and we can cope with equine arial acrobatics and any wilful resistance. We anticipate building a bond with this horse that is SO STRONG, that he will go through the fires of hell for us in a headcollar just because we asked him to. It becomes so personal and so emotionally intricate and we believe in this horse with all that we have, even when the evidence to support that belief is frankly lacking. Somehow, our undying and unfailing faith will be the magic key that unlocks the door, and sculpts this unsuitable animal into a sub 20's double clear machine that Michael Jung himself will beg you to ride. We just get so.....blind? Before long, you find yourself slightly dreading your impending dressage lesson on Ted Bundy horse, and feeling like its a victory when he didn't buck you off. Again. You don't want to take him for a hack, because he intimidates other road users and he can't cope if it's windy. You don't really want to go cross country schooling, because Ted Bundy horse takes on an Exocet missile-type quality in a wide open space, and you can't for the life of you find a bit strong enough or a process safe enough to stop him. You aren't enjoying showjumping anymore, but if you manage to trot around the 2'6" class and stay in the actual arena-perhaps even jump some of the fences-well then it has been a good day. You lose sight of the supposed bigger picture intended for Ted Bundy horse, because the everyday goals are such a traumatic ordeal to achieve. However, you can't quit now! He's your dream horse and he will take you places! It would be unfair and disloyal to stop.You are best friends......

If this sounds familiar, then you have GOT to STOP. You have got to realise that it is absolutely right and proper to put your needs and requirements ahead of those of Ted Bundy horse. It is ok to say "This isn't what I had expected, and it is making me miserable". It does NOT mean that you have failed, or that you are not good enough or tough enough. It is not a poor reflection on you at all. Riders need to be quite honest with themselves. This sport costs so much money and it takes up so much of our lives, so is it not therefore a priority to find a horse that makes this sacrifice as pleasurable as possible? Does it really matter what he looks like or how he moves? And if you do still somehow end up with Ted Bundy horse, is it not more sensible to realise that he isn't for you? That perhaps he would be better suited to a different rider or even a different vocation? When you really look at this properly, you will see that you are not failing at all. You are in fact winning. You are making a decision that will improve your life. Chances are, taking the weight of Olympic expectation from the shoulders of Ted Bundy horse will be doing him a favour, too.

Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule. There are the middle of the road riders who click with a nutter horse and who end up at Rolex. There are cheap lame horses who come sound and stay sound. There are horses who lack talent but who make up for it in heart and brain instead, achieving the unachievable. There are riders who improve immeasurably on one horse, only to fall apart on another. Overall though, we owe it to ourselves to be honest when things aren't working, and to be OK about deciding to make a change for the better when needed, without feeling guilty or hopeless. You have to pick to be happy, and that can mean learning to know when to let go. Sometimes you have to quit to win.

Written by Christa Dillon

(For anyone interested, the book is available on Amazon, in print and as an E-book. It is called ‘Red on the Right’.

25/06/2023

The malfunction of a bridle is handled very well by this rider and horse who have obviously trained through grids without using her reins. The trust between horse and rider is very evident here.

In addition to jumps, we always have poles and a grid set up here to teach horses to jump with enough confidence that they don't need to rely on their riders for rhythm, speed or line, and to help riders improve their seat and ride without interfering with the horse too much.

03/06/2023

A good explanation of what
“Inside Leg to Outside Rein”
really means.

The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here’s why.

31/05/2023

Glad we don’t use this system now - or maybe we should 😅

08/05/2023

Look how happy this horse is because he is allowed freedom of his neck. Every rider should aim to interefere as little as possible during the approach, take off, flight, landing and departure.

Bill Steinkraus - his style is timeless and epitomizes the American forward seat. Bill participated in five Olympic Games: He won the individual Gold Medal aboard Snowbound at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City; he obtained two Silver Medals in Team Jumping - first in 1960 and again in 1972; and also won a Bronze Medal in Team Jumping at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

Bill was a catalyst for my career and one of my greatest mentors. Watch Bill’s beautiful style and more footage of the U.S. Equestrian Team on our site - link in bio and stories!

24/04/2023

We've all had that one horse that was so special to us. I hope this helps those of you who are grieving. 🥹

Crossing the Bridge.

I stood beside your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying; you found it hard to sleep.

I whinnied to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
"It's me, I haven't left you. I'm well, I'm fine, I'm here."

I was with you at my grave today; you tend it with such care.
I want to reassure you, that I'm not lying there.

I walked with you toward the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I put my head against you, nickered and said, "It's me."

You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know that I was standing there.

It's possible for me to be so near you every day.
To say to you with certainty, "I never went away."

You sat there very quietly, then smiled; I think you knew.
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.

And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I'll gallop across to greet you, and we'll stand there side by side.

I have so many things to show you, there's so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out...then come home to be with me.

19/04/2023

Terrific display from a talented combination at Hickstead.

17/02/2023

**SOLD**
I bred this mare for myself but she is going to be too big for me and so she is reluctantly for sale. PM me for further details.

25/11/2022

Please - do not break in your horse before 4 years of age, nor jump them before the age of 6 - if you want them to live a long, pain free life without kissing spine.

30/10/2022

14/10/2022

Grazing time is important in managing the risk of laminitis. Around the hours of Sunrise are the safest after a moderate/warm temperature night. Compliment this with a low sugar and starch feed program with CEN. 🌅

Did you know, the NSC% (sugar and starch) of pasture is lowest at sunrise.
By mid-morning, photosynthesis produces NSC (sugar and starch) in pasture. 🤔

As the day progresses through the afternoon the sugar and starch content rises to become highest at Sunset. 😯

BUT The Overnight Temperature Is The Key:

If the temperature overnight is moderate to warm, NSC is used by pasture for growth and decreases throughout the night. 💫

If the temperature overnight is cold, the NSC is stored in the pasture and may not decrease enough to be safe for a horse prone to laminitis.

22/09/2022

Kissing spine may be genetic.

Researchers discovered a connection between Chromosome 25 and the presence of kissing spines in horses.