Oak Hill Farm

11/29/2024

Makes perfect sense!!

11/29/2024

Love gymnastic exercises!!

Gymnastic Lines---A discussion

One definition---there are no doubt others---“A gymnastic line is a series of fences set at predetermined distances to attempt to obtain predetermined results.”

For example, you might start with something as basic as trotting poles, roughly 4 ½ feet apart, A trotting bounce will be around 9-10 feet for an average horse. A trotting one stride will be 18-19 feet for an average horse, a two stride might be 29-33 feet.

So you might set a bounce to a one stride to a one stride to a two stride, and the distances might be 9-18-19-31, or something like that. You have to watch what is happening and adjust accordingly.
The biggest problem with using gymnastic lines is that setting them up and adjusting them is a LOT of work, constant measuring, hauling standards and rails, changing, resetting, and so forth.

The way someone gets confident with doing all of this? You have to LIVE in a jumping arena. You must know distances. You must have an accurate stride. You must be watchful. You can totally mess up a horse if you get it wrong---You can even cause a wreck. So if you want to become a good fence setter, you must make a commitment, and if you are not willing to become educated, leave it to those who know more than you.

A slightly shorter interior distance might get a horse to land, rock back, and get his front end up faster, whereas a longer distance doesn’t challenge the use of his his knees as much. You just have to live it to learn it, A few will, but many won’t. that simple.

11/23/2024

11-22-2024 Guya enjoying the hidden green stuff!

11/21/2024

11/21/2024

11-20-2024 Guido and Scarlett

11/18/2024

11/18/2024

Very interesting, might have to try these on my horses.

11/18/2024

What a difference in the weather from yesterday's Snowstorm to this morning's Sunshine!! (Short lived though it was!)
Guido enjoyed a short stint of Vit. D exposure!! although I'm sure he would have preferred being able to find and eat grass! 😆

11/16/2024

Another nice Trailwalk this morning, found a new trail and a good hill climb! Creek is running higher.

11/15/2024

Ascot Equine Vets posted this great diagram comparing the bones of the human hand to the horses lower limb, we are sharing because it is such a useful chart!

🖐️ Horse vs. Human Hand – Can You Believe It? 🐴

Back by popular demand! Today, we’re sharing another fascinating diagram – this time comparing the horse’s front distal limb to the human hand - and yes, horses essentially walk on their middle finger! 🤯

📸: Photo credit unknown. DM us for credit or removal

11/14/2024

11-12-2024 Guido looking sleek and healthy!
The Sunshine was such a treat!

11/14/2024

Great exercise!!

𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝗽 - 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗲

This is a great exercise to do in-hand. Walking over a raised pole requires greater flexion in your horse's joints than trotting.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗺
✅ To lift and flex the back, hip, shoulder, elbow, stifle and hock.
✅ Strengthen the muscles and structures involved in engagement, hip flexion and pelvic stability.
✅ Improve suppleness and flexibility through the shoulder, elbow, hip, stifle and hock.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁
🐴 Walk your horse over a pole on the floor.
🐴 Gradually raise it until it's around knee height.
🐴 Encourage your horse to lower his head to look at the pole.

To really see the benefits do this on a daily basis. To help make it eaiser to incoporate this exercise into your daily routine, place the raised pole, or small log in a place where you can regularly walk your horse over it - for example to and from the field.

11/12/2024

11-11-2024
A very wet soggy morning, but in between downpours we did another trailwalk and hill work. Such a good 'leader' :)