Equine-Naturaltherapy

04/02/2025

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝

For too long, we’ve told ourselves that certain horses are just “difficult.” That some are lazy. That others are hot, quirky, or stubborn. That when they pin their ears, swish their tails, or refuse a jump, they’re being naughty.

But what if we’ve been wrong?

What if every pinned ear, every tail swish, every moment of resistance wasn’t defiance, but pain?

Dr. Sue Dyson has spent her life proving exactly that. And her findings are shaking the horse world to its core.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠

Dyson is no ordinary ex-vet. She is a globally recognized authority in equine orthopedics, specializing in lameness and performance issues in sport horses. Her extensive career encompasses clinical practice, research, and education, significantly advancing the understanding and management of equine lameness. She didn’t just observe horses, she listened to them. And what she discovered was heartbreaking: countless horses, across disciplines, were suffering in silence.

They weren’t refusing to move because they were lazy. They weren’t resisting the bit because they were stubborn. They weren’t stopping at jumps because they were disobedient.

They were hurting.

And no one was listening.

So, Dyson set out to change everything.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 24 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧: 𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩

Her breakthrough came in the form of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE), a revolutionary tool that identifies 24 behaviors scientifically linked to musculoskeletal pain. Through years of research, she proved that horses exhibiting multiple of these behaviors were overwhelmingly more likely to have underlying pain issues. Behaviors we once dismissed, like an open mouth while being ridden, ears pinned back for extended periods, tail swishing in transitions, became undeniable red flags.

The implications of Dyson’s work are massive. If widely adopted, her research could transform equestrian sports, improving welfare standards across disciplines. It challenges trainers to rethink traditional methods, urging them to recognize pain before resorting to harsher equipment or stricter training regimens. It empowers riders to listen truly listen to their horses, to recognize when something is wrong before it escalates to a full-blown lameness diagnosis.

But Dyson’s research proved one undeniable fact: horses showing eight or more of these signs were almost always in pain.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 24 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧

1. Ears pinned back for much of the ride

2. Regularly opening the mouth (with or without contact)


3. Holding the bit tightly or grinding teeth

4. Head tossing

5. Unsteady head carriage (constantly moving up/down or side to side)

6. Reluctance to move forward

7. Hurrying forward in an anxious way

8. Sudden stopping (without rider cue)

9. Reluctance or difficulty in transitions (walk to trot, trot to canter, etc.)


10. Rearing (lifting front legs off the ground)

11. Buckling at the knees or stumbling

12. Repeated changes in canter lead (unasked for)

13. Cantering with an irregular rhythm

14. Disuniting in canter (hind legs on a different lead than front legs)

15. Short, stilted steps instead of fluid movement

16. Hind legs not stepping fully underneath the body

17. Dragging toes or uneven steps behind

18. Difficulty turning smoothly

19. Excessive tail swishing (especially in transitions or changes of pace)

20. One hind limb more active than the other (one pushes, the other drags)

21. Rigid or hollow through the back

22. Gait looks mechanical, robotic, or stiff

23. Sudden kicking out (without clear reason)

24. Reluctance to jump, or jumping awkwardly

If a horse shows eight or more of these signs, it’s not bad behavior. It’s pain.

𝐀 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

Dyson’s findings force us to face a painful truth: we’ve been ignoring our horses.

We’ve blamed them instead of listening. We’ve used bigger bits instead of softer hands. We’ve demanded more when what they really needed was help.

Think about it, when a horse refuses a jump, do we immediately check for back pain? Or do we change the bit and push them harder?

When a horse swishes its tail in the canter, do we check for lameness? Or do we tighten the noseband and insist they “behave”?

For too long, we’ve asked, “How do I make my horse comply?” instead of “Why is my horse resisting?”

Dyson is challenging us to ask the right questions.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠

This isn’t guesswork. Dyson’s research proves that these behaviors are 10 times more likely to appear in lame horses. She’s tested, analyzed, and documented case after case, showing how subtle pain signs lead to serious issues if left untreated.

She’s given us the knowledge. Now, it’s up to us to use it.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠

Dyson’s work isn’t just about diagnosing pain. It’s about changing an entire mindset.

It’s about rejecting the outdated belief that horses must be made to perform. Instead, it’s about creating a world where performance comes from comfort, trust, and understanding.

It means:
✔️ Checking for physical pain before blaming behavior
✔️ Getting thorough veterinary evaluations
✔️ Ensuring proper saddle fit and rider balance
✔️ Prioritizing physiotherapy, bodywork, and hoof care
✔️ Allowing rest and recovery, instead of forcing through pain

Because the best riders aren’t the ones who dominate. They’re the ones who listen.

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲

For years, people said these behaviors were just attitude. They said it was all in the horse’s head.

But Dyson has proven the truth. It’s not in their head,it’s in their body.

And now that we know?

We have a choice.

We can keep ignoring the signs, keep blaming the horse, keep tightening the tack, keep looking the other way.

Or we can finally listen.

For every horse that has ever suffered in silence, the question is no longer: Why won’t my horse do what I ask?

It’s this:

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞?

Just bought this for a good read.

Also makes me question some of these TikTok influencers what their horses are trying to tell them, hmmm🤔👀

https://www.harmonioushorsemanship.co.uk

01/20/2025

You cannot escape ground reaction forces - and what I mean by this is you cannot escape the way the horse's hooves interact with the floor.

Your horse's hoof shape directly influences how they interact with the floor and equally the shape of their hooves directly influence their muscular recruitment and therefore their postural development.

As an example of this, here is a diagram of the horse's superficial retraction myofacial chain. This chain supports the retraction - i.e. the drawing back - of the horse's forelimb via connections from the solar surface of the pedal bone, through the back of the forelimb and shoulder, over the ribcage and over the top of the neck.

If there is loss of development, and therefore loss of depth, in the caudal hoof - i.e. the back third of the hoof - you're effectively creating 'fascial drag' which contributes to shortening the topline of the horse's neck and compression of their ribcage.

You can visualise how, if the heel drops, the whole fascial chain is suckered down.

Creating the appearance of a hollow horse with a short neck and perhaps overdevelopment of the underneck muscles.

Now of course you can bias your training for length and elevation through the neck, flexion through the back and expansion of the ribs; but if your horse's heels are low then you will be creating conflict.

Because you're asking that horse to inflate into restricted fascia which is being further implicated by ground reaction forces.

In doing this, you will contribute towards making movement uncomfortable - which lets be honest, poor training practices already do a good job of this(!)

You will perhaps bias towards the risk of injury or reinjury - which is slightly oxymoronic if you've chosen that movement plan as a means to rehabilitate or develop healthy posture.

Your horse will be spending more time practicing poor posture, which is more time teaching their nervous system that this is homeostasis.

And since movement and emotional health are intertwined, you may also be contributing to a negative emotional state.

Fascial chains do of course work both ways, so you can bias your training for healthy movement and it may help with caudal hoof orientation, but you cannot escape the influence of the ground and so, if you're not including your horse's hoof care within that picture, you are only giving your horse half the chance for success.

-

For this month's webinar, I am delighted to be joined by the wonderful Beccy Smith of Holistic Equine, where she will be discussing what healthy hoof morphology really is, the factors that influence it and what you can do to help your horse.

Beccy is an Integrative Equine Podiatrist who truly considers the whole horse with respect to hoof health. Her keen eye and attention to detail is second to none in the hoofcare sphere and I cannot wait for this webinar!

27.01.2025 19:00 GMT

Recording available if you can't make the live ❤️✨️

01/19/2025

If you love your horse, then pleeeease let's do two things:

1. If your horse exhibits at least one of the red flags in this picture, lean in! Get curious! 🧐 Don’t "dismiss it and just keep riding" 🙏🏼

2. Learn more about these red flags! We illustrate them in depth in our Free Video-Guide 🎁💐💝 “3 Simple Techniques to Inspire your Horse to Relax and Lift their Topline…for Fun, Guilt-Free Riding”, where you’ll also discover how to condition your horse for rides that ADD to their health, instead of chipping away at it…through cutting edge science, fun skills and...soul 🤗

🖱️Click the link to access 🎁💐💝

01/05/2025

01/05/2025

11/27/2024

Water remains as important for your horse in cold weather as it is in the summer. As a matter of fact, decreased water consumption in the winter is thought to be the primary inducing factor for impaction colic — although there are other predisposing factors such as poor hay quality, lack of exercise, internal parasites and dental problems.

Impaction colic is essentially constipation and most often includes the accumulation of hard, dry f***l material in the colon. The usual signs of impending impaction colic are depression, a decreased appetite, and decreased production and dryness of manure.

Studies demonstrate that you can increase your horse's winter water consumption if you provide access to heated water, but ONLY if that is the only source of water available. As always, if you have any questions about preventing colic in your horse, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information!

11/20/2024

10/12/2024

There is always an underlying reason for “girthiness” in horses.

Gone are the days where that horse at the riding stables was “just grumpy” when you tightened the girth. The practice of “just do it up quickly and watch their teeth!” is archaic, insensitive.

There are so many potential reasons for girth line sensitivity, so before attributing to bad behaviour or making a joke out of the grumpy faces your horse makes to tack up… please consider these and have all avenues fully investigated:

🤍 Digestive discomfort - ie. ulcers
🤍 Pain memory - ie. previous uncomfortable experience with girthing. The primary cause of this behaviour must be proven to be completely resolved.
🤍 Muscle hypertonicity - ie. tension in pectoral muscles and associated structures which make touch in this area painful. This can even be caused by something like poor foot balance. If your horse is even reacting to touch in this area before you even put a girth on, something is amiss.
🤍 Poor girth fit - ie. girth shape does not suit your horses conformation, often causes discomfort after exercise in acute cases and chronic dysfunction in long term cases.
🤍 Faulty tack - ie. cracking to girth leading to pinching.
🤍 Unsuitable girth position
🤍 Poor saddle fit - can lead to referred pain patterns through ribcage.
🤍 Injury - ie. horses that skid to stop in front of a jump, or do the splits when they’re having a little too much fun in the field can strain the thoracic sling structures.

This list represents a selection of different reasons, and whilst not being completely exhaustive it provides a starting point to investigate your horses girth line tension.

09/26/2024

Horses can’t speak, but actually, if you give them a chance to, they have a lot to say! Horses are just non-verbal communicators, meaning they use their behaviors and body language to speak!

Ways your horse may be saying they need help in their body:
❌acting out (bucking, rearing, hopping, bolting, stopping)
❌not traveling straight
❌refusing to go forward
❌biting or nipping with grooming & tacking
❌difficulty with consistent connection in the bride

Do any of these sound like your horse? Don’t ignore what they are saying for too long or else one of you, if not both, have a higher chance of becoming seriously injured!

09/15/2024

I hear this phrase ALL the time and every time I do my heart breaks for the horse in question.

It is a very big misconception in the industry that pain can be ruled out in the horse.

What leads to this statement can also vary drastically from person to person.

The horse might have had a quick muscle palpation, they might have just been scoped for ulcers, or they might have had a very extensive (and expensive!) veterinary work up over days or months.

Regardless, you cannot rule out pain. You might not be able to find a source, but you cannot rule out pain.

Ask any human who has not received an immediate diagnosis for their pain or not been listened to regarding their own health concerns.

Pain does not have a blood test or a specific color or feel.

Pain can be obvious, it can be concealed, it can be complex, it can be poorly understood.

There are certain things, like gastric ulcers, that can be definitively ruled in or out as a SOURCE of pain with a gastroscopy.

But it is the horse’s behavior that says whether pain is or isn’t present. And unfortunately, very often pain in the horse is not a simple thing to diagnose and cure.

When a trainer, owner, rider, or vet says “we have ruled out pain” it is often an invitation to train the horse with harsher methods to overcome performance or behavioral problems.

If the horse refuses to do something, doesn’t cooperate, struggles with tasks, has a change in behavior, or exhibits behaviors that have been scientifically studied to indicate pain in the horse (such as the equine discomfort ethogram and ridden horse pain ethogram)….ALWAYS keep in mind that just because it can’t be located, DOES NOT mean a horse is not in pain.

08/31/2024

“Put the horse first.

Easy to say. Hard to do.

Putting the horse first requires commitment. It requires integrity. And patience. And energy. And money. And oh, does it require time.

Putting the horse first means earlier mornings and later nights. It means quality feed plans and the best hay that you can buy. And extra brushing so that coats gleam and manes and tails shine.

Putting the horse first means that you buy three extra bags of shavings for your stall at the horse show (yes, I know they're expensive!!), because even though you can "get by" with two, you want to do right by your horse. If you don't want to stand on concrete all weekend, why would she?

Putting the horse first means that you have a good working relationship with a quality equine vet. It means that every horse gets the best quality of care that you can afford to give it. Your performance horse is an athlete. Treat her like one.

And when your vet says, "Rest her for 10-14 days," be generous and give her the 14. Even if it's inconvenient. Even if you've aleady paid your stalls and entries. Even if it's the last thing you want to hear.

Putting the horse first means that if you've been rained out of the arena for two weeks and your horse isn't fit, you don't haul to the horse show. You choose to be fair to the horse and keep her home, instead.

It also means that if you haul three hours to the horse show only to find that the ground is dangerous, you load up and go home. It takes discipline, but you don't jeopardize what you want in the moment for the long-term confidence, health, and soundness of your horse.

Putting the horse first means that no saddle, no halter, no buckle, no trophy, no paycheck comes before the well-being of your equine partner. No matter what.. And it ain't an easy row to hoe.

Many will ride. Many will compete. Many will win. But few will be horse(wo)men.

Don't just be a competitor. Be better”

Written by Jessica Lash.

08/30/2024

08/18/2024

Letting the horse look at the jump, sniff it, stand near it, these are all things that decades ago, when I first started jumping I was told to never allow.

The idea back then was that a horse had to “just deal.” And if the horse quit at the jump, the horse was “being bad,” and needed to get a good smack with a crop.

But most of the time---not all, but in many cases---the reason that a horse quits is because of some sort of insecurity or fear or spookiness, and instead of punishing the horse, a better strategy is to try to get the horse to not be afraid, If a horse refuses out of fear, does whacking the horse, which adds fear to already existing fear, make a lot of sense?

Now, sure, sometimes a horse needs to be told to go, but generally a better first way is to try to let the horse have a “no big deal” attitude about what it’s being asked to do. Going back to that “old” way, I was also told this: “You have to make that horse more afraid of you than the thing he’s scared of.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some version of that over the decades.

And while a horse does have to be taught to stay in front of the aids, the first step is to create confidence about that, and there are lots of ways to do this that work better than fear of being punished if he doesn’t, one of which is tons of trail riding with a brave and steady horse as a leader, so the younger or greener horse learns that it all that stuff it sees out in the wide world is not something to be afraid of.

So, generally, if a fence looks different, let him have a look first. If he stops, maybe let him look some more, or follow a braver horse. Some horses seem to be brave right from the beginning, and if so, lucky you.

But others are more spooky, and these usually need many more baby steps. Letting them have baby steps is often smart training, not a weakness or a surrender, and that’s something I had to learn as I unlearned what I’d originally been taught.

08/16/2024