TradiE-Questrian

24/04/2025

Bend and flexion is often underrated, under used and over looked.

23/04/2025

I don't stable my horses unless necessary like vet care or if I ever did show.
Top reason, I don't have the time or motivation to do stables daily.
Secondly, I don't have pasture so I'm not preserving the ground. I have ad lib meadow hay out all the time.
Finally, they're horses. We already do a lot of unnatural things with them as it is!

Turnout is one of the most polarizing topics in modern horse keeping. So, let’s skip the debate. We’ve gathered some results from veterinary science, peer-reviewed journals, and international welfare assessments. These are real numbers, from real studies, so you can make strategic decisions rooted in evidence, not tradition.

-A 25% reduction in soft tissue injuries was found in adult horses turned out for at least 12 hours daily, compared to those kept in stalls greater than 12 hours daily. (Reilly & Bryk-Lucy, 2021)

-Comparing turnout duration, a study found that horses with only 2 hours of turnout exhibited significantly higher energy levels, anxiety, and behaviors such as rearing, bucking, and fence running, whereas horses receiving over 12 hours of turnout were more likely to walk, graze, and remain calm. (Hockenhull & Creighton, 2010)

-Foals receiving inconsistent turnout (9 to 23 hours per day) had 4.6 times more musculoskeletal injuries than those with 24/7 access to turnout. Furthermore, for every extra acre of turnout, there was a 24% reduction in injury risk. (Brown-Douglas et al., 2022)

-A study on 2-year-old horses found that those kept in individual stalls required more time to get used to training activities and showed more unwanted behaviors, like resistance or agitation, than horses kept on pasture. The stalled horses needed an average of 26 minutes of training time, while the pastured horses needed only 19 minutes, to complete the same task. Additionally, the stalled horses were more likely to show unwanted behaviors during training (8 instances on average compared to just 2 for pastured horses). (Rivera et al., 2002)

-Stall-kept livestock experience a higher incidence of hoof-related issues, including uneven hoof growth and lameness, while those with access to turnout demonstrated healthier, more balanced hoof development. (Black, R.A. et al., 2017)

-A European welfare study using the AWIN protocol assessed 315 horses in group-housing turnout systems. Only 2.3% of these horses exhibited signs of lameness, compared to lameness rates as high as 33% in stalled horses across various studies. (AWIN Welfare Assessment, 2023)

-Within just one day of moving from group turnout to individual stalling, equine cortisol levels spike, and their white blood cell count shows significant changes, including a 25% increase in neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and a decrease in infection-fighting cells like monocytes and T cells. Additionally, behaviors indicative of stress, such as oral manipulation, neighing, pawing, and apathy, became evident in most horses within a week. (Schmucker et al., 2022)

-Horses with regular turnout showed higher heart rate variability, indicating improved balance in their autonomic nervous system and greater stress resilience. (Rietmann et al., 2004)

-Welsh ponies who received daily pasture turnout in a herd exhibited fewer stress-related behaviors, were significantly calmer, less fearful, less reactive, more interactive with humans, and more adaptable in learning tasks compared to ponies housed in impoverished environments (stalls with limited turnout). Even three months after the study, ponies in the enriched group retained these positive behaviors and demonstrated higher curiosity and superior learning performance. (Lansade et al., 2014)

Can you find a single peer-reviewed study that shows horses kept stabled 24/7 are sounder, healthier, or happier than those with regular turnout? Even the most finely tuned, performance-focused horses are still horses. Just like any other, they require room to roam, stretch their legs, and engage in natural behaviors such as grazing and socializing.

It’s important to recognize that no horse truly dislikes turnout. If a horse resists going outside, it’s due to improper conditioning, previous negative experiences, or being overwhelmed by a sudden change in environment: what’s known as "flooding." Horses who’ve been confined for extended periods or who’ve never had proper exposure to outdoor spaces may react with anxiety or reluctance. These reactions stem from fear, not from an inherent dislike of turnout. With patience and gradual exposure, every horse can be reconditioned to embrace the outdoors. After all, instincts tell them to roam, graze, and move, it's in their nature.

Of course, there are times when limiting a horse's movement is necessary, such as during health issues or transportation. In these instances, it’s crucial to understand the physiological and psychological changes that occur so we can minimize stress and discomfort.

Turnout is a biological necessity. To support our horses’ overall health and well-being, we must prioritize their freedom to move. After all, a healthy, happy horse is one that has the opportunity to be just that: a horse.

22/04/2025

I recently saw a post that triggered me and was one that I could relate to.
I was infuriated and motivated to help. I offered my help and shared that I had a similar experience.

Then came a message from my horses breaker. Fueled mostly with boasting about sharing almost decade old videos and messages, insults and rumours, it was water off a ducks back.

Except for one comment
'You've couldn't even rise to the trot'.

Why this hurt is because it came from a woman who knew I was not long recovered from a caesarean.
Of course I struggled to rise to the trot!

As far as I know, they haven't carried children themselves, but they are having a laugh about it with other trainers.
Who in their right mind laughs at a new mums body that had major surgery!?

You don't have to have had children yourself to know the struggle.

We came out the other end and we are so much better for it and I'm thankful for that.

10/04/2025

What's worse than not recording a session?

06/04/2025

Forgiveness and holding space for someone's growth is the least we can do and it doesn't cost us anything. We have all unintentionally hurt horses and we've wrongfully placed blame on others out of our own ignorance.

I can't agree that world title and Olympian riders specifically haven't seen better along their journey with what resources they have available to them, have gone down the road of wilfull ignorance.

Don't expect forgiveness, but do forgive and relate to others when they are confronted with their own ignorance because it is a difficult and embarrassing place to be. On the other side, it's exciting and you welcome the next challenge to your beliefs.

We are published! Please share 💕

Many thanks to our fabulous production team, excellent writers and all those who support Concordia and share Our Principles.

Issue 12 includes articles on horse riding and training, care and management, but also a fabulous feature on forgiveness - articles that may also appeal to our non-horsey friends, so please share far and wide 🙏

Free to read online and also free to download as a PDF, go to https://concordiaequestrians.org/magazine/ where you can also read our archived magazines and publications.

We are proud of our contribution to making the world a better place to be a horse.

06/04/2025

Today's reminder to empty your horses worry cup.
1- Identify when they get worried
2- Identify when YOU get worried
3- Repeat that step until you're both comfortable and confident.

It could be something as little as walking from their head to their shoulder (which sometimes isn't little at all. There might be anxiety or anticipation of you in being in their drive line) or as big as standing at the mounting block.

The bonus of emptying the worry cup- you help take away anticipation.

01/04/2025

'You've had one years experience 30 times over'.

🚩 in trainers and coaches is saying 'I have x amount of years experience in horses' to assert themselves.
Green flag is 'I have x amount of years building my toolbox and expanding my knowledge'.

18/03/2025

Step 1- pick up the leg
Step 2- pull the leg back

How cool is this dude! Today's session was something else 🦄

18/02/2025

This video is so cool and amazing for so many reasons!

This is a prime example of a horse that has excellent proprioception, a great balance of curiosity and caution and an owner who is a bridge between the horse and the environment.

This is the horse you would lable as the reliable horse that never let's you down.

Let's start with the owner being the bridge. Notice how she's not screaming, calling her horse back, making 'woo woo' calming noises? She's just there, quiet and calm (probably sh****ng herself on the inside. I know I would be!) while the horse investigates? She's trusting her horse to respond appropriately to this situation. Being the bridge leads into the horses sense of self preservation, caution, curiosity and proprioception.

Cautious horses without curiosity generally flee and avoid situations.
Curious horses without caution generally approach stimuli without consideration of its environment, often resulting in getting hurt.
Proprioception is awareness of oneself, self movement and body position. Proprioceptors are a sensory receptor in the muscles, tendons and joints.

With a good balance of caution and curiosity, good proprioception follows.
This horse is able to preserve so much energy, it's body is telling you what the mind is thinking, and you can almost anticipate the horses next move.

This is a horse that has been mindfully trained with someone who took the long way to a short cut!

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BNyBVGnhi/

17/02/2025

Join me on my study journey on equine sports massage therapy 🐎 As I learn, I want to share.

Consideration of the Horses Back

The horse's back is where we sit, and it wasn’t evolved to carry excessive weight. It holds a lot of weight when ridden and is responsible in assisting the transfer of information of balance, stability, movement and flexion between the hindquarters and the front of the horse. The condition and confirmation of the back influences how the horse carries itself and the rider and influence on the other muscles. The spine has a complex network of muscles, vertebrae, ligaments, and tendons that need constant manipulation to ensure correct formation and growth to help keep the horse in optimal health and increase the longevity of their ridden career and life.

The back of the horse connects to other areas such as the neck and hindquarters. It can be considered the bridge of the horse, passing information from the hind to the front and visa versa. The back needs to be supple and free moving for the horse to carry itself in a frame without force to build up muscles correctly to avoid unevenness in the horse. The hindquarters need to have free range of movement in the back to drive the horse forward, step under itself and work off its hind end. The head and neck are what the body follows so we need the back to be strong and aligned to carry out the task whether it be jumping, dressage, cattle work, barrel racing, cart, and many other disciplines.

Confirmation of the spine impacts the performance, soundness, longevity of their career and comfort in retirement. The longer the back, the more movement between the vertebrae, the weaker the back. Long backs are often sought after in dressage and jumping horses for the flexibility and range of movement, so it is important that the back, barrel, wither, and loin sections are all in proportion. Another area where confirmation needs much consideration is the lumbar vertebrae. The loin gives the horse the range of movement to bring power from the hind quarters. The more the horse can engage the hind quarters, the freer moving the front will be. Too long in this area can mean weakness in the hind and too short can mean restrictive movement and flexibility.

Although a shorter lumbar may mean stronger, it can also reduce the use of the hind end, making the horse work hard on the forequarters. The horses with shorter backs should be encouraged to stretch and lengthen their backs early in their working career because the dorsal spinous processes are smaller in short backed horses. Discs sit between each vertebra acting as a shock absorber, making these vital parts of the horses back. When short backed horses do not stretch and lengthen themselves out, the space between the processes can close up and lead to bony changes such as kissing spine.

At rest, standing and grazing, the front bares the most weight on the horse so it’s important that we can build muscle and encourage carriage from the hind. Too much use of the forequarters can create a lot of lameness in the front and weakness in the back, limiting the horse’s range of movement and performance.

Looking deeper into the back and beyond the workload, the back also supports the weight of the internal organs. The health of the tendons, ligaments, muscles, and discs are equally important as the confirmation. The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system that runs through the vertebrae with a complex network of the peripheral nerve systems that branch out along the spine, relaying information back and forth from the back to the brain. The skeleton as a whole supports the body and provides somewhere for muscles to attach, therefore muscles, ligaments and tendons should be kept in optimum condition to help protect and preserve the spine and condition the back appropriately to the individual horse.

20/01/2025

'Casual handling' the performance horse.

You want the top performance horse or the futurity horse so you can win competitions. You want the top performance horse for your child to compete successfully but most of all, you want that top performance horse because it's educated.

If you only want to compete in the arena for ribbons and money, a performance trained horse is the horse for you. All you need is the EXACT same routine, handling, seat, hands and cues as the trainer.

The performance horse is a horse educated to a high level in one discipline. They are an athlete where their performance results are demanded by the judges who want to see the fast gallops, the high and clear jumps, the intense focus of a liberty horse, the big sliding stops, fancy transitions, flashy moves, even if you have your horses drop nose band done up as tight as it can go, other pieces of tack helping keep them 'together', the spurs and the harsh bits in their mouth. We've seen the Olympic horses! They generally have a hard focus on the rider because that is where their clarity and answers are. They perform but how they feel about it is often not taken into consideration.

That top performance horse isn't likely to be educated with a solid foundation.
That top performance horse isn't likely trained to be versatile.
That top performance horse is likely trained with very precise cues.
That top performance horse has likely been punished for asking questions and searching.
That top performance horse has been trained into obedience.
The performance horse won't dare put a hoof wrong while you are riding with clarity and consistency.

That top performance horse is educated to a high level is going to win blue ribbons and trophies 🏆 💙
That's it.

So what is 'casual handling'?

Casual handling is just that. Casually handling the horse without always being conscious of what you're communicating to them, being aware that you're communicating with them at all, generally fumbling with the rope, reins or seat and changing up routine. Casual handling a horse is the ability to be versatile in any environment and situation.

The 'casual handlers' are those of us who are amateurs, non pros, hobby riders and also professionals in a different discipline.
A horse with a good solid foundation should typically be able to cope with casual handling such as change in routine, 'muddy' cues, off timing, different riders and have the confidence to search and work through obstacles that don't quite make sense to them.

You will find that the performance horse has had their strengths built on and their weaknesses suppressed. As the 'casual handlers' who buy that performance horse, it is our job to build that solid foundation and introduce a partnership. Our horses will still try their hearts out for us and they can still win us blue ribbons, we just remove a lot of the obedience and build up their confidence.

You don't need a high level of obedience to make a performance horse and you won't undo their ability to move by helping them to feel better about work.

10/01/2025

Discussion:

Let's talk iron!

Inspired by a recent post and some comments, I thought it would be good to discuss high levels of iron in a horses diet.

Below is a 3 day before and after photo of a 35 year old mare after she was moved onto a property with clean bore water. The lighting on the photo isn't great but you can see the difference in the texture of her coat after 3 days.

Yes, a horse will drink the water, if you don't provide them with options.

Yes, a horse will 'do fine' if you're supplementing correctly or not seeing the health complications.

High levels of iron have been proven to have detrimental health complications on horses and precautions such as a filter system should be considered.

But it's not just the water they drink, it is also the bore water used to water the pasture. It's also the grass they eat.

Below is also a link with information on the effects of too much iron in a horses system. Just because your horses aren't dropping dead from the iron in the water, doesn't mean they're as healthy as they can be.

https://madbarn.com/high-iron-horses/?srsltid=AfmBOorv8TItmB14BurgEM7_dMI-f2_FG9bW4b6WOSgUsNVcm_Ojpneq

08/01/2025

Someone said to me today 'She doesn't do anything with her horses' in a negative tone like it was a dig.

Now I'm frightened to let anyone know I don't do anything with my chickens!

If no one has told yet, you don't have to do anything with your horse outside of providing husbandry

27/11/2024

I heard two things that stuck with me recently. I forgot what the first one was 😂 but I was recently at a master-class with a highly talented horsewoman who attended the master-class with me.
All she said was 'it's sad to not see other horse people at my level here'. She's well within her skill set to say that.

I also saw another post about a recent clinician who is also an exceptional horseman where people (including myself) said they'd absolubtly fence sit but not necessarily participate with a horse. Not because they're 'too good' but because we have enough skill and knowledge to put things into practice at home.

So at what point are you 'too good' to go to clinics as a participant or fence sitter and attend master classes? When you design a program that let's you and the horse speak a human language and write the 'how to frolic into the sunset on horseback tackless for dummies' book.

You get to a point where you decide which method of training you align your values with, whether it be science based or not and this can alter your methods at any point of your training. How much you explore change is determined by your humility.

Does this mean your incapable? Absolutely not. Does this mean you're not as knowledgeable as you thought you were, not necessarily. Quite often is just a different perspective, seeing something much deeper than you originally thought or hearing something differently.

So, at what point did you become 'too cool' to fence sit?

23/11/2024

The power of reading good books is enough to make you restructure your approach to training. Maybe a little, maybe a lot.
Words might not mean a lot to you at one point in your training, but you will have met a horse or two in-between reading books only to find more subtlety or profundity messages.
Obedient horses may win you blue ribbons, but the memory of a horse with spirit will last longer 🧡

04/11/2024

These two beauties are currently in training to find their special humans. 💖

18/10/2024

Testing out the sand for our Liberty demo at Wandering Camp Out Weekend!
This is my second year back and I've been so excited 😁
Can't wait for tomorrow 🦄