Sutton Grange Stables

11/12/2024

06/12/2024

There has been so much going on around the topic of ECVM, this congenital malformation is one we are diagnosing, managing and studying at Denali Equine in partnership with Rexos Inc, under the guidance of the legendary Dr. Sharon May-Davis. We wanted to give you the top ten points on ECVM facts. (Sorry this is long- Well worth the full read!)

1. ECVM is a congenital condition, meaning they are born with it. We suspect it is a recessive genetic disorder because two unaffected adults can produce offspring with it. There are several groups racing to find the genetics behind this condition. More information on the horizon.

2. ECVM is not a fatal diagnosis. However, it can be. It depends on the severity of the malformation and how well the horse can functionally compensate.

3. Radiographs of the lower neck are necessary to diagnose the condition. These radiographs must be clear lateral and obliques of C6, C7 and ideally T1. These can be done in the field for most horses. However larger generators do get better images.

4. Variability: Horses can be either a bilateral or unilateral malformation of C6, which in 52% of C6 cases can transpose either bilaterally or unilaterally. To C7; T1 and the first ribs are variably affected.

5. Studies show horses with transposition of the ventral lamina to C7 are more likely to suffer from clinical neck pain than horses with normal anatomy. In our experience horses with rib malformations have more severe clinical signs than those with normal ribs (no clear studies yet).

6. The bones absolutely do not tell the whole story. However, bones do not lie. They often indicate the level of soft tissue malformations present. The more severe the boney changes- the more severe the soft tissue is altered around them.

7. Clinical picture: all horses are not lame, but they do all have subtle clinical signs. Most often the clinical signs are not limb related lameness (but can be). These horses can show signs of the pain ethogram, rearing, sporadic behavior, abnormal front limb flight patterns (especially with equipment), girthiness, resistance to go forward, doesn’t like physical touch (brushing, blanketing ex). The signs are so variable for every horse!

8. The common things heard from owners/trainers:
* The horse was always bad from the start (this is concerning for the more severe cases)
* The horse was fine until it wasn’t. We find this is from something changed in the program. i.e., was imported, switched barns, changed jobs.
* They don’t understand why the horse is failing quicker than usual as it gets older. As the horse ages the clinical signs become more apparent. The body can only manage for so long. Think of it this way- the foundation was built wrong from the beginning. Therefore, it takes time for the cracks in your walls or floors to show, it then takes those cracks a while before they become a structural problem in your house.
* A minor incident happened and now they’re not ok. Suspect an injury can cause the horse to spiral out of stabilization or have the ability to compensate. An example could be getting cast or trailering event then the horse was never the same. Example, you do not know your house wasn’t built well until the storm blows it over.

9. These horses have significant soft tissue pathology on necropsies. Therefore, no matter what the data is showing us: If the horse has ECVM, is clinical, and other differentials have been ruled out these horses are clinically affected by the ECVM.

10. On necropsies we have found:
* Missing, malformed and fractured ribs
* Abnormal nerve patterns, these nerves can be totally entrapped and compressed by abnormal muscle patterns. The dorsal scalene can trap the large nerves of the brachial plexus within its abnormal paths. The phrenic nerve can get pulled inappropriately and leave impressions within the ventral scalene.
* Abnormal muscles: dorsal scalene, ventral scalene, iliocostalis, longus coli, re**us abdominal, intercostal muscles, serratus ventails cervicis. All these muscles have critical roles in stability, proprioception, and biomechanics.
* Abnormal vascular patterns
* Trachea abnormalities
* Fascial changes

ECVM is currently a controversial and sensitive topic so we thought we would share a few known quick facts to help you understand this issue better. Please go to our website (www.DenaliEquine.com) to find more information and links to the current studies on this disease. We are researching and studying these horses! We are working on several angles of research right now throughout Non-Profit Rexos Inc. If you would like more information on how you can help, please reach out!

DeClue Equine saddlefitting.us

04/12/2024

10 days til he arrives 😍

30/11/2024

Annie’s feet after 3 cycles of no shoes.

29/11/2024

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀

𝘉𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘩, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

I was thinking of this photo I took over 15 years ago when I wrote the post below about choosing a trainer wisely. This rider was not only a trainer, he was a very much admired one. This is an updated version.

Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to caring for and training horses and ensuring their well-being, both physically and mentally. To assist you in this endeavor, here is a practical checklist to help you visually assess a horse's body and identify signs of good or poor training.

Before diving into the checklist, here are some recommendations I have shared in the past regarding selecting a trainer:

💠 Watch numerous lessons.

💠 Focus on lessons that align with your and your horse's level of experience.

💠 Observe the horse's facial expressions, postures, and overall body language not only in the arena but also in their stalls, paddocks, and other environments.

💠 Pay attention to how the horses are cared for, groomed, turned out, and fed.

💠 Pay attention to feet shape and balance, to tack condition and fit. To bit and bridle choices.

💠 Pay attention to warmups and cool down and to how horses are handled before and after a ride.

If a horse appears in pain, miserable, confused, or resigned, it is best to walk away from that facility and trainer (do document and denounce abuse if you encounter it).

Be cautious of the following:

💠 Horses ridden with their necks curled and noses positioned behind the vertical, or alternatively, horses ridden with their necks raised like giraffes, backs dropped, and hindquarters disengaged. Both positions are unhealthy.

💠 Horses ridden with draw reins, side reins, and similar devices.

💠 Green horses ridden in double bridles.

💠 Green horses ridden in postures typical of advanced levels.

💠 Advanced horses ridden exclusively in collection or only in double bridles.

💠 Horses ridden with punitive bits and tight nosebands.

💠 Trainers who restrict neck and head movement and ride with clenched fists, elbows buried into their sides, biceps bulging.

💠 Trainers who rely solely on 4-track work for lateral movements.

💠 Trainers who demand excessive lateral work and frequent changes of flexion without providing moments of straightness and rest in between.

💠 Trainers who attempt to solve issues by making the work harder for the horse instead of easier.

💠 Trainers whose students watch as if it completely normal while their horse is being yanked, hit, whipped, spurred.

💠 Trainers who blame or yell at the horses.

💠 Trainers who shame riders.

💠 Trainers who always end up riding the horse themselves instead of giving a lesson.

💠 Trainers who fail to recognize that each horse has their own unique rhythm, cadence, and tempo, and instead impose their uniform movement standards across all the horses in their care.

Feel free to contribute to this list in the comments section!

It is our responsibility to become the best equestrians we can be and make informed decisions based on research and observation. Developing a keen eye and expanding our knowledge base is how we protect our horses.

The following checklist, which we have also shared in the past, can help evaluate the effectiveness of a training program with the caveat that you have to take into consideration different variables such as how long the horse has been in training with that person, the medical history of the horse, and its previous training.

Here are some things to look for that should give you pause or encourage you. While it is understood most amateurs aren't trained as bodyworkers, a simple pat can also give you a lot of information:

💠 Musculature: Look for full, elastic, and even muscles (swimmer's muscles) as opposed to bulgy and hard or stringy/ropy and dry ones.

💠 Sensitivity and Receptiveness: Does the horse's body have areas that are abnormally hot or cold, and how does the horse react to touch? A flinch or avoidance may indicate discomfort.

💠 Neck Shape: Note whether the horse's neck is wider at the base and gradually narrows towards the poll. If there are hollowed spaces on both sides of the neck and the neck is thinner at the base and wider behind the ears, it suggests the horse has been ridden with unforgiving contact and without being allowed its own balance.

Note that riding in a rigid and restrictive frame often leads to rider complaints about a horse's uncooperativeness and a hard mouth. This often results in an escalation in bit severity and harsher aids instead of an evaluation of the training, unfortunately.

💠 Neck Muscles: Examine the long muscles that run from the head to the shoulder on the sides of the neck, as well as those from the head to the chest. Poor training that forces the horse to hollow its back while raising and bracing its neck can cause poor muscle development and result in the horse appearing ewe-necked. These horses will lack independent balance and tend to fall forward the moment the rider stops carrying them.

💠 Hollow Spaces: Hollow spaces behind the shoulders instead of a continuous apron of elastic muscles linking the shoulder to the back and hind end indicate poor horse conditioning and training.

💠 Unharmonious Bodies: Horses with large bodies but either pencil necks or short and thick necks, horses with weak or hollow backs, horses with underdeveloped hindquarters with hunters bumps, and croups with ski slope angles often reflect poor training.

💠 Back Muscles: Examine the muscles that run from the withers to the croup alongside the spine. A protruding spine, sharp declines towards the ribcage, and flat, hard muscles lining the spine all indicate training issues and/or saddle fit issues.

Educated riders understand that forced postures, such as excessively rounding or riding inverted, hinder the horse's ability to develop an elastic topline and engage the back correctly.

Remember, riding the whole horse in a good posture with the right rhythm, a soft, upside U shape throatlatch, supple poll and nose IN FRONT OF THE VERTICAL is key to developing a healthy musculature in general. Strive to promote impulsion (healthy tempo and rhythm), suppleness, straightness, and balance during every training session and choose your trainer wisely.

Here as some recommendations for useful information because when you know better, you can train better.

𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲’𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗿. 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝘄𝗮𝘆 & 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/improvedhorseperformance

𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗥𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗯 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 – 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗿. 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘇

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/equinewellnesscourse2013

𝗜𝗻-𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘇: 𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻-𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/inhandlessonswithmanolo

Online:

www.drkerryridgway.com

Crookedness and fascia:

https://ivcjournal.com/fascia-and-why-its-so-important/

Low Heel/High Heel Syndrome:

http://www.endurance.net/blogger/RidgewayLowHeel.pdf

The Crooked Horse Syndrome:

https://cms.arr.de/uploads/pdf/DrRidgway_Laterality.pdf

Streaming Videos

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲

https://learn.kathleenaspenns.com/courses/TrustedPartners

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲: 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹? 𝗜𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆

https://learn.kathleenaspenns.com/courses/the-nervous-horse

28/11/2024

Gem barefoot. How are we going? She lost some height being on hard ground. Right front is slightly more upright than left front. I’m making small adjustments weekly/fortnightly to prevent angles growing out too much.

17/11/2024

There are a few of you who I try to help with this issue….

15/11/2024

08/11/2024

Oh my gosh. THIS!! This is what Marie and Jose Mendez Equestrian have always taught. Why most of the ride time is stretching. At any given moment in a collected movement if the horse goes behind the vertical you should be able to push your hands towards to mouth and in that instant the gullet opens and the nose goes back out to correct BTV

To train it you must be able to stretch the neck out on a longer rein with the nose reaching forward, in all paces and in all movements or changes of bend/direction.

A dressage test lasts up to 10minutes max, you don’t need to ride your horses in collection for hours during your ride, it’s done in bits and pieces and always must be stretched after asking for collection to allow the muscles to recover from it.

You should be able to give the rein at any moment in time and your horse follow that.

If you watch the free walk in most dressage tests (even at the Olympics) the horse usually curls its nose under when the neck is down. It indicates that training is not good and the horse is not being ridden in the right contact. Then if you continue to watch the rest of the ride you will probably start to notice a short neck and tense facial expressions and riders holding on with reins and legs to keep it there.

THM asked Hubertus Schmidt: Can you tell you are working in the correct way, if the horse is always ready to take the rein and stretch and go long?
“That is one way to check that you are on the right way – in the high collection you must be able to stretch them so they follow the bit and they are not stuck up there. In every situation you must be able to stretch them – even a piaffe or a pirouette, even then, I must be able to do it. Okay if I do it for a longer period of time, they will lose the self carriage and come more on the front legs, but I must be able to do it because 90% of the horses are too short in the high collection, they are not really using the back, they come up and short by themselves, and the rider can’t make them longer or deeper.”

08/11/2024

Refreshing to have an honest answer. Not surprised at all.

If you take your blinkers off once you see it you can not unsee any of it.

02/11/2024

Klaus Balkenhol, the renowned dressage master. Shares several words of wisdom .

1. On horsemanship:
“Good riding is about doing as little as possible, but as much as necessary.”

2. On training:
“You cannot force a horse to do anything, but you can teach him through patience, consistency, and fairness.”

3. On respect for the horse:
“The horse is always willing to give us its best; it is our responsibility to treat it with the respect it deserves.”

4. On balance and harmony:
“Dressage is about harmony, not domination. The horse must be willing to offer you what you ask for without force.”

5. On a rider’s approach:
“True dressage is not just about technical skill; it’s about understanding the horse and building a partnership where you are both equal partners in the dance."