Wyuna Equine Tension Release Therapy

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Wyuna Equine Tension Release Therapy Education and information to enable horse enthusiasts to attain knowledge to help themselves and their horse on their journey together.

Wyuna Equine Tension Release Therapy is all about helping people and horses achieve the best possible results with their partnership. If your horse seems reluctant to move forward, has a shuffly tight gait, is suddenly sour and cranky - he or she may be holding themselves in a pattern which restricts correct movement under saddle. Tight sore backs, swishing tails and a lack of performance may be r

elieved with Equine Tension Release Therapy. ETRT is an addendum which can be used in conjunction with other aspects of horse care and management to help people with the partnership with their horse.

27/03/2023
This is fabulous information. How amazing to be able to discover these things and look for correlation and ways to manag...
14/03/2022

This is fabulous information. How amazing to be able to discover these things and look for correlation and ways to manage our horses

23/01/2022

Is the source of pain distracting us from the actual cause!?

The horse is very good at making compensations for physiological issues. Initially these are good, relieving the structures in question. However, when these compensations become long term, secondary issues can ensue. Very often the secondary issues are more painful then the compensated for causation!

When investigating the discomforts that respond to palpation or indeed diagnostic analgesia, they become areas for primary treatment. However are they the actual cause!?

In the recent webinar with Dr Shultz she stated that "often pain is a lie" and agreed with my research and opinion, looking at the picture more holistically using and understanding the myofascial system can elucidate the timeline of causation.

Below is a relationship that has become the focus of my personal research, with the concurrent pathologies I found associated with negative plantar angles. Poor hind hoof conformation has been linked to pathology along the dorsal myofascial line, therefore research has questioned either the hoof balance or the pathologies along that line as primary. However, looking at the bigger picture, the posture associated with the links is a product of a contracted ventral line!!

Where do the ventral and dorsal lines connect? At the TMJ/upper cervical and the hind hoof. Two major proprioceptive input centres.
Beautifully linking to a previous webinar with Dr Gellman on proprioception and posture.

As we further apply the laws of biotensegrity, and study the myofascial connections we will start to really uncover the true causations of physiological issues in the horse. Holistic understanding means holistic treatment.

A couple (of many) articles for further reading here..

https://www.theequinedocumentalist.com/post/bio-tensegrity-and-farriery-the-foreword

https://www.theequinedocumentalist.com/post/the-unacceptable-norms-of-equine-management-and-the-inevitable-paradigm-shifts

These webinars can be seen at these links...

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/proandpos

https://equineeducationhub.thinkific.com/courses/myofascialkinetic

Fascia - fascinating, very important and so wonderful there is so much research been done on it.
24/11/2021

Fascia - fascinating, very important and so wonderful there is so much research been done on it.

Fascia!- even in the lower leg!

This is the pastern area of the equine leg with the skin peeled back and flapped to the right. As I peeled back the skin the amazing fascia connections were revealed.

Fascia- so much more than a tissue connecting skin to the body. It holds nerves, blood vessels and lymph vessels. It’s a marvellous tissue and is becoming more a household word- as so it should be.

Look carefully under my name- that’s the ungular cartilage that is present on both sides of the foot. And you can see the blood vessels that cover it on its outside.

Grateful thanks to Dr Ivana Ruddock-Lange for showing me the fascinating fascia at her whole horse dissections. Check out her FB page - equine anatomy in layers.

I spent an hour at the weekend massaging my horses pasterns and he loved it.
Just bone, ligaments tendons, blood and lymph vessels, nerves, fascia (now I know!), and skin- no muscles!

http://www.patreon.com/hoofstudies

18/10/2021

Trust me, I want you to be competing.

I want you to be fulfilling your goals, achieving your dreams.

I want you to be doing everything you envisage you and your horse doing in your romanticised day-dreams.

But not at the expense of your horse's wellbeing.

If your horse has movement deficits, if your horse is working under a rehab plan, think:

Does my current training plan support what I want to do with my horse?

If a your chosen professional has told you not to do something...
.. There will be a reason why!

Have a conversation with them about it. Work out a plan to get to your goal!

Don't just ghost your professional, sneak off and do the thing you were told not to do and then be butt hurt if your horse breaks!

Believe it or not, we want to help you!

Such delicate complexity!
15/10/2021

Such delicate complexity!

The blood vascular system of the hoof... I just can’t get over how intricate it is ♥️

The length of the girth completes the correct saddle fit picture. If your saddle fits well but your girth is not the cor...
09/10/2021

The length of the girth completes the correct saddle fit picture. If your saddle fits well but your girth is not the correct fit, it can cause as many problems as a poorly fitting saddle.

**CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS BLOG SERIES**

GIRTH BUCKLE HEIGHT – DOES IT MATTER?

It has been a long-held belief that the position of the girth buckle can influence the rider’s leg position and effectiveness of their leg aid. To limit this, riders can choose a girth which allows the buckles to be fastened so that they do not hinder the riders leg position or effectiveness. This generally means using a short girth so that the buckles are fastened in the region behind the horse’s elbow (A), meaning the buckles are out of the way of the rider’s lower leg.

Previously we have demonstrated the effect that girth design has on equine locomotion (1, 2). In brief, girth pressures are highest in the region behind the horse’s elbow and not over the sternum. When girth pressures were reduced with girth modifications, this was associated with improved gait features. In conclusion girth pressures can have a significant effect on the locomotor apparatus of the horse.

As already mentioned, girth pressures are highest in the region behind the elbow therefore, by positioning the buckles in this region, you are increasing the pressures and consequently affecting the horse’s locomotion. The girth lies over the junction of various muscles: intercostal, thoracic serratus ventralis, descending/ascending pectorals, external abdominal oblique and re**us abdominus all of which are involved in posture and locomotion therefore, girth fit and design are important considerations along with the girth buckle height. The horse will develop a locomotor strategy to alleviate any discomfort caused by, in this case, the girth. Girth pressures are directly related to locomotion with girth pressures occurring every stride therefore, it seems logical to understand why some horses will alter their way of going in response to equipment induced pressures.

As a general rule, the higher the girth buckles can be positioned, the better avoiding the region behind the elbow (B). This does not affect the riders leg position or use of their leg aid therefore, the long-held belief that girth buckles should be low down, is a fallacy and greater awareness of the effects that girth buckle height can have on equine comfort and performance is needed. Girth fit, design and positioning of the buckles should be discussed with a qualified saddle fitter and the effect that the girth can have on equine comfort and performance should not be underestimated.

Hope the above is interesting.

Previous blogs http://www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk/blog/

Please like / follow our page for more blogs and please share to raise awareness.

Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire
Centaur Biomechanics

1. Murray R, Guire R, Fisher M, Fairfax V. Girth pressure measurements reveal high peak pressures that can be avoided using an alternative girth design that also results in increased limb protraction and flexion in the swing phase. Vet J. 2013;198(1):92-7.
2. Murray RF, V.; Fisher, M.;Pfau, T; and MacKechnie-Guire, R. Girth design in galloping racehorses influences limb kinematics, under-girth pressures and force distribution. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2021;53(S55):11-.

Excellent advice in this article as we head into spring in the Southern hemisphere
02/08/2021

Excellent advice in this article as we head into spring in the Southern hemisphere

What is the longest a horse can safely go without food?

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 cob owners 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. Cobs included.

However I’m not suggesting you sit your cob in front of a bale of haylage and say have at it! There is a difference between ad lib and a constant supply. There is much we can do to reduce calorie intake and control weight whilst feeding a constant supply.

The easiest is small holes nets. There are many. Trickle nets, greedy feeders, nibbleze, trawler nets etc. My personal favourite is the Shires Soft Mesh 1”. They don’t cost the Earth, they are easy to fill and they don’t have knots so are much gentler to the teeth. Now often I suggest these types of nets to owners and the owner tells me “Oh no, *** won’t eat out of those” 🙄 this is nonsense. If he was left it, he would. Remember, you can give a normal net and one of these for them to nibble at after. Better than leaving them with nothing at all.

A few other tricks, hang the net from the ceiling/rafters, it’s harder to eat out of a net that swings. Soak the hay, a minimum of 4 hours to be effective. Mix with straw but be sure to introduce the straw slowly and make sure it’s top quality and a palatable type eg Barley or Oat, otherwise they won’t eat it.

Don’t forget exercise. The best way to get weight off a horse is exercise. Enough exercise and they can eat what they want!

And lay off the bucket feed and treats! Horses on a diet require a vit/min supplement in the form of a balancer but that’s it. The odd slice of carrot or swede won’t do any harm but no licks, treats, treacle, molasses, cereal based rubbish. Even if it says low sugar or the marvellously misleading “No added sugar”! Your horse would rather have a constant supply of hay, I promise.

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 for your own situation.

Secondly I am in the UK and this post is UK specific, use some common sense when reading. Yes in warmer climates, soaking hay for 4 hours is dangerous and studies show 1 hour is plenty in hot weather but in the UK’s arctic climate, a minimum of 4 hours is required. Equally the UK feed exclusively grass hay. I can not comment on other types.

Thirdly, yes 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.

Fourthly, 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.

Finally, straw can be fed to horses safely, introduced very slowly, with fresh water always available, plus a palatable and digestible type of straw which will depend on your area. Again many horses in the UK are bedded on straw and most of them eat it. This is not a new concept to us.

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.

Everything is connected - from front to back, side to side, top to bottom. This is a great visual to show how, for examp...
14/07/2021

Everything is connected - from front to back, side to side, top to bottom. This is a great visual to show how, for example, a problem in the hind leg can affect the neck and vice versa.

This is a fabulous visual and explanation
07/07/2021

This is a fabulous visual and explanation

Do you want to learn how to connect your horse to your breathing so you don't have to use the inside rein to slow down your horse? Then join the FREE masterclass True Connection! Click the link to join the webinar:

https://trueconnection.lucieklaassen.com/webinar-tc

In this Masterclass I wil also share
✔️ The secret gateway to the heart of your horse
✔️ Why horizontal and vertical balance is essential
✔️ How to work together based on energetic aids
✔️ The importance of spinal alignment
✔️ Invite your horse from connection to collection

Picture 1:
Asking for bend or to slow down with the INSIDE rein

Pictture 2:
No pullng on inside rein, just connect your horse to your breathing and open hand in direction of circle. Asking for bend by touching the ribcage at the girth area ('inside leg aid').

25/06/2021

“Soundness does not always mean the horse is not in dysfunction”

24/06/2021
This is an excellent article about bits and just like saddles not one size or type fits all
23/06/2021

This is an excellent article about bits and just like saddles not one size or type fits all

A bit is only as harsh as the hands that hold it - true.

If the rider is good enough, it doesn’t matter what bit the horse has in - false.

Usain Bolt could not have broken those world records if his running shoes were too tight. Cristiano Ronaldo would not have won champion league titles if his boots were too large. Lewis Hamilton would not be a 7 time world champion if he didn’t fit perfectly in his car.

Horses are not one size fits all. They might have large tongues, low palates, fleshy lips or knife edge bars. They might have a dry mouth or produce excessive saliva. They may freeze with the bit or they might fidget constantly. Some have a very small interdental space leaving almost no room for a bit, and some have their first cheek teeth ahead of their lip corners. I generally tell clients that they can choose the cheek pieces but the horse gets to choose the mouthpiece of their bit.

But that choice goes deeper than their individual anatomy. Horses are living, breathing, feeling animals that have preferences. Some horses prefer tongue pressure, a lot of horses hate palate pressure and open their mouths to escape it, some will put their tongue over the bit if there is any tongue pressure, where others will throw their head if the bars are pressured. The horse gets to have an opinion on where their bit acts too. A happy horse will be an easy horse.

Anyone can make these assessments. You don’t need any specialist equipment. Just experience, and an understanding of what is normal, to know how your horse varies from the “normal”. If in doubt, ask your EDT, vet or a bit specialist.

A little about the bit mouthpieces, there are 4 main types, straight bars, single jointed, double jointed and multi jointed.

Straight bars - a mullen mouth will act mostly on the tongue with a little lip corner pressure. Often straight bars will have a port for tongue relief. The bigger the port, the more tongue relief so the more pressure is placed on the bars and lip corners whilst less is applied on the tongue. Straight bars do not have palate pressure when fitted correctly but if the port is too large, it will hit the palate. Straight bars are very still by their nature. They are good for horses that mess with the bit a lot, crunch the bit, put their tongue over (with an appropriate port for tongue relief), or sit behind the bit, over bent. They are not good for horses that are strong or lean.

Single jointed - these act mostly on the bars and corners of the mouth and less so on the tongue surface. But they squeeze the tongue from the sides in a nutcracker action, and the joint can hit the horses palate. This will cause the horse to open its mouth to escape that palate pressure. There are some anatomical single jointed bits which curve with the horses mouth and reduce these side effects. Being more mobile than a straight bar, the horse is less likely to lean. Better suited for those that dislike tongue pressure but are too strong for a straight bar.

Double jointed - there are 4 types, peanut, french link, Dr Bristol and barrel. All double jointed bits share pressure equally across the tongue, bars and lip corners.
A peanut is smooth and rounded so very gentle. This is generally the ideal starting place when starting along the journey to find your horses ideal bit, or as the first “grown up” bit for a youngster.
The french link has a plate which sits flat on the tongue, the edges and joints can cause more uneven tongue pressure than the peanut. This bit takes very little space between tongue and palate, suited for those with large tongues and low palates.
A Dr Bristol plate lies opposite to the tongue, meaning the plate edge digs in the tongue making it quite a harsh bit, even in gentle hands. A horse can not move into the riders hands for a true outline with this bit.
Barrel bits act as a straight bar when in action but each side moves independently. Barrel bits can come with ports to offer more tongue relief. These are ideal for horses that like a straight bar but become confused and require the reins to work independently to understand the rider clearly, or perhaps lean on one rein in a straight bar.

Multi jointed - apart from the chain bits which I won’t mention, these are mostly Waterfords with many joints across the mouthpiece. These act equally on the tongue, lip corners and bars. Be careful when choosing these bits as the cheaper versions have joints on the lip corners which nip and bruise. Better quality Waterfords have short straight sections for the lips. Lots of joints prevent the horse from taking hold of the bit. Good for those that lean or are strong. Keep in mind they can prevent the horse from moving into the hand for a true outline due to the mobility of the bit. Similar to the French link, the joints can cause uneven pressure across the tongue and those joints tend to make these bits chunky so not ideal for those with big tongues or small mouths.

Other considerations -

Bit material - horses with dry mouths find stainless steel very uncomfortable. A horse needs a moist mouth to be comfortable with a bit in their mouth. Warmer metals like sweet iron encourage the horse to salivate and makes them more comfortable. Copper rollers or other mobile parts can encourage a horse to mouth the bit and produce saliva, but may also encourage the horse to mess and fidget with their mouths and heads. Some horses hate all types of metal and prefer the softer feel of nathe or plastic. These need to be inspected very regularly as they are easy to damage and can have sharp points. The plastic/nathe bits are very good for those that over bend or sit behind the bit.

Over salivating - some horses produce large amounts of saliva. This is uncomfortable and distracting for the horse. Consider sitting in the dentists chair desperate to swallow, it’s not a pleasant feeling. These horses need a bit that remains as still as possible and does not encourage salivation to be comfortable.

Bit positioning- the old advice use to be you should see 2 wrinkles in the corner of the mouth when the bit is in the correct place but this varies between bits. For example, a straight bar needs to be a little lower than a jointed as a jointed bit lays lower on the tongue so needs to be a little higher at the cheek. Some ponies, in particular shetlands and welsh ponies, have shortened noses with normal sized teeth which brings the first cheek tooth forward of the lip corners. These need the bit to be lower than normal. Those with very fleshy lips will also need the bit a little lower to allow space for them. Be sure to part the horses lips with the bit in place and check the position in relation to the lips, teeth and tongue.

Bit thickness - the fleshier the horses mouth and larger the tongue, the finer the bit needs to be to fit between the tongue and palate, too thick a bit and the horse wont be able to close its mouth. Thicker bits tend to be gentler as the pressure is spread further, where the horses mouth has space to accommodate.

Bit width - if a bit is too narrow, it will pull the lips into the teeth and cause internal bruising (even when the teeth are perfectly smooth and rounded) or cheek and lip ulcers (if the teeth are sharp). It can also cause external nipping if a loose ring. If the bit is too wide, it will not act on the intended areas of the mouth and the bit can slide across the mouth. Generally speaking, with the bit pulled tight across the mouth, a little finger sideways on should be visible each side, no more, no less.

Bitless/hackamore bridles - some horses have no/almost no space for a bit. With big tongues, low palates, short interdental spaces and fleshy lips, some horses just can’t comfortably take a bit and may prefer an alternative.

Bit rings - eggbutts are better for horses that sit behind the bit and over bend, loose rings are better for horses that lean or take hold of the bit.

Cheek pieces - there are many many options for cheek pieces, gags, drop cheeks, full cheeks, D rings, Pelhams etc etc. Once you have found the mouthpiece your horse likes, you can find a cheek piece that suits you and the horse for the discipline you are in and your capabilities. But the horse chooses the mouthpiece.

Please remember to make sure your horse’s teeth are perfect before messing around with their bit. Get a BAEDT qualified EDT or a dental trained vet to check out your horse. Do not assume you would know if your horse is in pain. They are very good at hiding pain and humans are very poor at picking up on their subtle signs.

EDIT - it has been brought to my attention that the Dr Bristol has been used incorrectly for the last century. Apparently according to the patent, the inventer intended the bit to be used the other way up which makes the bit a more ‘anatomical’ French link and would be a gentler bit.

This is confronting and fascinating all at the same time
21/06/2021

This is confronting and fascinating all at the same time

Tight nosebands are just so harmful for your horse.
14/06/2021

Tight nosebands are just so harmful for your horse.

For those people who still insist in tying their horses mouth shut!!!

The Temperomandibular joint (TMJ) is “The joint with the most proprioceptive nerves in the horse’s entire body".

When the horse’s lower jaw cannot move, it cannot, therefore, ‘transmit’ accurate positioning data to the horse’s body, which results in poor movement and performance.

TMJ dysfunction reaction in horses are as follows:
Balance may be impaired
Ability to perform lateral movements will be impaired
Range of motion of the cervical vertebrae will be impacted
Contraction of the long hyoid muscles can put other muscles into spasm and tension
The horse wants to ‘go behind the bit’ to relieve tension in the muscles between the hyoid and the scapula and/or the sternum
It sets the stage for a hollow back
It shortens the horse’s stride

STILL Want ot tie the horses mouth shut?

This study along with a similar one by Dr. Sue Dyson is an important advancement for all horse owners, practitioners, tr...
11/04/2021

This study along with a similar one by Dr. Sue Dyson is an important advancement for all horse owners, practitioners, trainers etc.

NEW BEHAVIOUR ETHOGRAM CAN HELP YOU RECOGNISE WHEN YOUR HORSE IS EXPERIENCING DISCOMFORT OR PAIN

Pain and discomfort behaviour in horses can be very subtle and can often go unrecognised by horse owners, equine professionals, vets and caregivers.

Catherine Torcivia and Sue McDonnell – from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine – have just published a new ethogram (catalogue) of equine pain and discomfort behaviours based on decades spent evaluating the behaviour of both normal and physically uncomfortable horses at their referral hospital and within a research context.

The ethogram includes 64 specific discomfort behaviours in eight categories: posture and weight‐bearing; limb and body movements; head, neck, mouth, and lip movements; attention to area; ear and tail movements; overall demeanor; altered eating or drinking; and vocalisations/audible sounds.

The researchers believe that the ethogram is a relatively complete catalogue of behaviours that could be used as a reference to recognise discomfort in horses, both for general husbandry and for clinical veterinary assessments.

The team said “When assessing discomfort in horses, it is important to observe remotely. Regardless of how well‐trained a caretaker may be in behavior observation, if discomfort behavior is interrupted by their presence, information regarding the horse’s condition is lost."

The behaviours listed are based on thousands of hours of study and each behaviour has been assessed repeatedly. When watching film of a horse to assess their comfort level, the team considered the first occurrence of a potential discomfort behaviour as an indicator to continue watching for any repetitions. “We would not consider a single occurrence of any one behavior to be conclusive evidence of discomfort.”

The team also stated that “Before making a judgment about the causes of a behavior, or what a specific behavior might indicate regarding discomfort, it is important to be sure that it was not an isolated event with an alternate explanation.”

If you see any of the behaviours catalogued in this study performed by your own horse (or indeed any horse you know) do call a vet to give them a thorough check over.

This is a truly fantastic resource for every horse owner, equine professional or caregiver. There have been some wonderful studies in the last few years looking at the body language and behaviour of equines in pain and now this comprehensive catalogue gives us yet more valuable information to further the welfare of horses worldwide.

The paper is free to access and shows the full catalogue of behaviours, each with an illustration and a link to one or more videos of the behaviour described.

The paper is here: Torcivia, C.; McDonnell, S. Equine Discomfort Ethogram. Animals 2021, 11, 580. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020580

So often misunderstood - the correct bend through the horse's body. Often the rider thinks the horse is bent correctly w...
11/04/2021

So often misunderstood - the correct bend through the horse's body. Often the rider thinks the horse is bent correctly when in fact it is only their neck that is bent and you can see from the picture on the left hand side how the body is totally out of alignment as this is the incorrect bend. Compare the LHS picture to the RHS and see how on the LHS the incorrect bend has ramifications on the correct way of going in the horse's body from the head all the way down to the hind legs and everything in between.

For the folks asking about bend and how to get it: this is the essence of classical dressage. Teaching your horse to be straight, and to bend through athletic development and systematic education. Asking what aids to put on to make a horse bend is sort of like saying, what magic words can I use to make my body flexible, strong and symmetrical? You have to develop those things. That is what classical dressage was made for.

Learn about classical dressage, and learn about biomechanics to understand and how the equine body works, develops and why.

Some excellent resources: Walter Zettl, Erik Herbermann, Egon von Neindorff ,Gerd Heuschmann, Alois Podhajsky

They all have great books available.

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