Steph's Equine/Rider Coaching

29/08/2025

Letting everyone know I am currently away until the 10th September
If there's any need to contact please message here on Facebook or Whatsapp me during this time.

See you all when I return!

05/08/2025

Some great tips for float training if your horse struggles getting on and off

Float Training – Balance – Activation of the Hind

Does your horse walk halfway into the float and then suddenly stop, just before the hind feet reach the ramp?

This is often related to the horse lacking full-body awareness. They consciously place their front feet but aren’t truly aware of where their hindquarters are. The hind end kind of just ‘tags along’— or perhaps they remember struggling with balance during float travel in the past.

Targeted exercises can help improve your horse’s body awareness, which in turn increases balance. This is not only important for float travel but also for your horse’s overall performance and well-being.

This article focuses on developing muscular balance, enabling your horse to remain steady and comfortable while the float is moving.

But First: The Basics
Keep in mind that a float is a confined space with no obvious exit, which can trigger your horse’s natural flight response. Before doing float-specific exercises, it’s important to first build confidence and trust outside the float.

A great place to start is by creating a narrow passage between a fence and a row of barrels. Lead your horse through the passage slowly (you are standing outside the passage). Start with a wider space, then gradually narrow it. Teach your horse to move through it calmly, step by step, and eventually to stop and stand in the middle—perhaps while being brushed for a few minutes.

Exercises to Improve Muscular Balance
Here are some ideas to help your horse become more aware of its hind end and build better balance:

Leg Awareness:
Stand next to your horse and gently tap one leg to encourage them to move just that leg, and just one step. Be patient and reward any try. Repeat this with each leg—first stepping forward, then backward, and eventually sideways.
This improves both communication and trust and teaches your horse to place each foot with intention.

Step Over a Log:
Ask your horse to take one step over a log. Practice moving forward, standing with the log between the front and hind feet, stepping backward, and moving sideways with the front and back feet on different sides of the log.

Controlled Narrow Spaces:
Use barrels or a portable yard to create a narrow but open-ended pathway. Ask your horse to walk in slowly, step by step, then stop and rest in the middle. Once comfortable, close off the exit and repeat the process. Eventually, ask your horse to back out, slowly and calmly.

Trail Training:
Go on trail rides over varying terrain—uphill, downhill, soft, hard, and uneven surfaces. Let your horse walk over tree branches, puddles, or steep inclines instead of going around them. This helps develop a wide range of muscles, strengthens tendons and ligaments, and improves balance.

TheraBand Training:
Using a TheraBand across the hindquarters—whether in-hand or under saddle—can help your horse become more aware of their hind end and naturally engage their core. Studies have shown that these exercises can reduce spinal rotation and improve stability.

Seesaw Exercise:
Start by having your horse walk over soft, giving ground—like a mattress without springs—to prepare for seesaw work.
Then, build a seesaw large enough to allow for a slight sidestep. Begin with some support under the ends so the movement is minimal. As your horse becomes comfortable with the shifting surface, reduce the support until the seesaw can fully tilt as their weight shifts from one side to the other.

These exercises are not only helpful for float confidence—they can also deepen the bond between you and your horse, build trust, and promote physical balance and self-assurance.

As always, take your time. Move in small steps and never ask more than your horse is physically or mentally ready to give. And most importantly—do it with friends! It’s more fun, and you can support each other along the way 😊

🔗 www.sonovettherapy.com.au
Visit our page for more articles, tips & ideas!

01/08/2025

Happy Horses Birthday to all the horses put there! 🎂🥳 Luna is 16years old and she is the youngest of all the wong horses.....how time just flies so fast!

30/07/2025

✨️ Throwback to Boneo ShowJumping April 2023 ✨️

I'll be looking at some comps later in the year as the weather warms up a bit. Can't wait to be back out there in my pink show jacket once more!
Supported by .equestrian

23/07/2025

Double trouble 😅 Luna loves looking at herself

20/07/2025

Successful day out with Luna! It's been 1 and half years since we've ridden out and feels so good. Back on my girl and getting our fitness up to be ready for comps later in the year.

19/07/2025

Salt is still such an important part of a horses diet even in winter. My horses get salt all year round and adjust depending on workload etc

18/07/2025

Luna enjoying her dinner with her brand new feeder and of course it had to be pink 😂 🩷 Thank you again Total Animal Supplies for this amazing prize

15/07/2025

This and also calling out to continuously correct your trot diagonal 😅

🚨 INSTRUCTOR REALITY CHECK 🚨
Things They Don't Tell You About Teaching Riding:

🎓 "If you can ride, you can teach"
REALITY: Being a good rider ≠ being a good teacher. Pedagogy, psychology, and communication skills matter more than your last show ribbon.

📱 "Students will respect your time"
REALITY: You'll get calls at 10 PM asking about tomorrow's lesson and texts asking if "light rain" means lessons are cancelled.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 "Parents will appreciate your expertise"
REALITY: Dr. Google and YouTube make everyone an expert. You'll defend basic safety protocols to parents who "know better."

☀️ "Work outside in beautiful weather"
REALITY: You'll teach in 100°F heat, freezing rain, and hurricane-force winds.

💔 "Share your passion with others"
REALITY: You'll love seeing breakthroughs but watching students quit due to money, fear, or teenage drama will break your heart repeatedly.

🏠 "Great work-life balance"
REALITY: Weekends and holidays are your busiest times. Date nights happen on Mondays (if you're lucky).

BUT HERE'S THE TRUTH:
Despite all this, when a scared kid gets their first canter or an adult conquers their fear... when you see that spark in someone's eyes as they connect with their horse...

You remember why you chose this impossible, beautiful, crazy career.
The hard parts make the magic moments even more precious.

Been there? What reality check would you add? 👇

06/07/2025

Busy weekend! Balnarring Pony Club yesturday and Wyena Horse & Pony Club today. It was lovely meeting everyone and all riders rode really well!

28/06/2025

🐴❤️

Things your riding instructor wants you to know:
1. This sport is hard. You don't get to bypass the hard…..every good rider has gone through it. You make progress, then you don't, and then you make progress again. Your riding instructor can coach you through it, but they cannot make it easy.

2. You're going to ride horses you don't want to ride. If you're teachable, you will learn from every horse you ride. Each horse in the barn can teach you if you let them. IF YOU LET THEM. Which leads me to…

3. You MUST be teachable to succeed in this sport. You must be teachable to succeed at anything, but that is another conversation. Being teachable often means going back to basics time and time and time again. If you find basics boring, then your not looking at them as an opportunity to learn. Which brings me to…..

4. This sport is a COMMITMENT. Read that, then read it again. Every sport is a commitment, but in this sport your teammate weighs 1200 lbs and speaks a different language. Good riders don't get good by riding every once in awhile….they improve because they make riding a priority and give themsevles opportunity to practice.

5. EVERY RIDE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. Even the walk ones. Even the hard ones. Every. Single. Ride. Remember when you just wished someone would lead you around on a horse? Find the happiness in just being able to RIDE. If you make every ride about what your AREN'T doing, you take the fun out of the experience for yourself, your horse, and your instructor. Just enjoy the process. Which brings me to...

6. Riding should be fun. It is work. and work isn't always fun.....but if you (or your rider) are consistently choosing other activities or find yourself not looking forward to lessons, it's time to take a break. The horses already know you don't want to be here, and you set yourself up for failure if you are already dreading the lesson before you get here.

7. You'll learn more about horses from the ground than you ever will while riding. That's why ground lessons are important, too. If you're skipping ground lessons (or the part of your lesson that takes place on the ground), you're missing out on the most important parts of the lesson. You spend far more time on the ground with horses than you do in the saddle.

8. Ask questions and communicate. If you're wondering why your coach is having you ride a particular horse or do an exercise, ask them. Then listen to their answer and refer to #3 above.

9. We are human beings. We make decisions (some of them life and death ones) every day. We balance learning for students with workloads for horses and carry the bulk of this business on our shoulders. A little courtesy goes a long way.

Of all the sports your child will try through their school years, riding is one of 3 that they may continue regularly as adults (golf and skiing are the others). People who coach riding spend the better part of their free time and much of their disposable income trying to improve their own riding and caring for the horses who help teach your child. They love this sport and teaching others…..but they all have their limits. Not all good riders are good coaches, but all good coaches will tell you that the process to get good is not an easy one.

📝 Kimberley Reynolds

📸 Max & Maxwell: Equestrian Photography

16/06/2025

Management of older horses is so important to keep them sound and happy :)

Is Your Horse Feeling Stiff? Spotting and Managing Signs of Arthritis ☔️🐴

As the weather cools down, many horse owners notice that their horses aren’t moving quite as freely as they do in summer. A little extra stiffness coming out of the stable or yard, longer warm-ups, or reluctance to canter can all be early signs of arthritis.

Arthritis (also called osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease) is very common, especially in older horses, off-the-track Thoroughbreds, and horses who have had an active competition life — like many in Pony Club! The good news is that with the right management, many horses with arthritis can continue to enjoy ridden work and a good quality of life.

Here’s what you need to know.

🦴 What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a condition where the smooth cartilage that protects a horse’s joints breaks down over time. This leads to joint inflammation, pain and reduced flexibility. It is a progressive condition, but with early diagnosis and a good management plan, its impact can be reduced.

🦴 What are the signs?
Some signs of arthritis can be subtle — especially in the early stages — but things to watch for include:

✅ Stiffness after standing still (e.g. first thing in the morning or after travel)
✅ Taking longer to warm up under saddle
✅ Reluctance to canter or jump
✅ Uneven movement or mild lameness
✅ Swelling or heat around a joint
✅ Behaviour changes — grumpiness, reluctance to be caught, resistance under saddle

If you see any of these signs, don’t just put it down to age — it’s worth getting your horse checked by a vet.

What can you do about it?
1. Veterinary diagnosis and treatment
Always start by talking to your vet. They can:
▪️Confirm diagnosis — and rule out other causes of lameness or stiffness
▪️Assess severity — and recommend the right treatment options
▪️Administer joint medications where appropriate
▪️Advise on appropriate joint supplements if helpful

2. Keep your horse moving
One of the most important things for managing arthritis is regular movement:
▪️Daily paddock turnout is ideal — avoid long periods of stabling or confinement
▪️Keep your horse in light to moderate regular work if they are comfortable — exercise helps lubricate joints and maintain mobility
▪️Long warm-ups and cool-downs are essential in cold weather

3. Manage their weight
Excess weight puts extra strain on joints. If your horse is carrying too much condition going into winter, now is a good time to work on achieving a healthy body condition score.

4. Provide comfort in the paddock or stable
▪️Shelter from wet, cold winds
▪️Deep, dry bedding in stables

5. Use appropriate supplements — with care
There are many joint supplements on the market, but their quality varies. Your vet can advise on evidence-based options, bearing in mind that supplements work best as part of an overall management plan — not as a quick fix.

Arthritis is very manageable — but the earlier you act, the better. Many Pony Club horses, including older schoolmasters, go on competing and enjoying life with a well-managed arthritis plan.

If you notice any stiffness or changes this winter, don’t wait — talk to your vet and start a plan. Simple adjustments to exercise, weight management and paddock routine can make a big difference.

And remember — movement is medicine! Keeping your horse gently active through winter is one of the best things you can do to support their joint health.