Two Strides Forward Equestrian

02/07/2025

Horses are not designed to be ridden 🐴

I am not saying we shouldn’t be riding horses, I am saying we need to be more aware of the fact that, left to their own devices, horses are unlikely to develop the strength and balance needed to carry a rider in a healthy way. It can feel frustrating and demoralising when we keep having soundness issues with our horses, but what if it isn’t just down to bad luck and there may be more we can do to prevent it?

Because horses are big and strong its easy to think that carrying a human on their back is no big deal but unfortunately, while horses can compensate for things fairly well when they’re just being a horse in the field, by adding a rider and starting to do any sort of training we are putting a great deal of strain on a likely already compromised body and forcing the horse to develop unhealthy movement patterns to cope.

If we add in the effects of a lack of species-appropriate lifestyle (friends, freedom, forage), poor nutrition, badly fitting tack, inappropriate training and the whole host of other challenges we have to tackle as horse owners, then we can run into problems very quickly.

Success in training is often judged on compliance, showing off a newly backed 4yo popping fences after 2 weeks under saddle and claiming how easy they’ve been with no thought for the fact that, with just a few weeks of training, there is no way that horse is physically able to carry a rider and carry out those activities without significantly compromising their posture. The same goes for older horses who have been off for a long time, being pulled in and lunged in circles then sat on with no thought given to conditioning their bodies slowly until they’re ready for a rider.

It is easy to be pulled into the “that’s just how they are” narrative because it is so common to see horses with very compromised bodies. Horses with saddle shaped dips in their back and weedy necks out competing every weekend. We're sold that narrative that we can build the right muscles with more riding, but you cannot strengthen the right muscles if the horse is not yet able to carry the rider without compensating. You will just be strengthening their compensations.

Often times what we think of as conformation is actually postural and can be improved, even if the horse has "always been like that".

It can feel extreme to step back and stop riding for a while when we discover our horse needs to be developed differently from the ground up, especially if your horse has been in a high level of work and you feel you just have some niggling problems. But the truth is, we can’t fix the foundation if we keep damaging it again every time we ride. Your horse cannot develop a new way of moving if you keep forcing him to use his old compensatory patterns because he has no strength to find another way yet. And if we don’t fix the foundation they will break down eventually. 🐴

Please enjoy the silliest photo of my horse Dan showing his “perfectly functional for horsing but not for riding right now” body.

www.lshorsemanship.co.uk

www.patreon.com/lshorsemanship

02/02/2025

Hi friends,

You may have noticed my pages have been a bit quiet lately.
This has been a deliberate choice on my part to spend less time and energy on social media. Over the past few months my reach has become more and more abysmal, and I know many of my fellow small business owners have been experiencing the same. It takes a lot of time and energy to write and curate posts for followers, so to have the majority of my followers not even see them is frustrating.

In addition I am very concerned about the direction Meta seems to be heading as a company, that directly conflicts with my values as a business and as a person. I prefer not to feed that machine any more than I absolutely have to. (Although with the terrible reach I am not sure how much benefit there actually is to maintaining an active presence on these platforms these days).

I have also been experiencing some major health challenges, and although I am still coaching regular clients, I am not actively advertising or currently seeking new clients. I am hoping to be able to welcome a few new clients in the Spring. I will also likely not be holding any clinics this year, although that may change.

While on the one hand it has been challenging to have to pause the progress of growing my business, it has also been interesting to take the opportunity to slow down in rhythm with the season. To take the time for rest, introspection, and the practice of being content with what is, rather than always striving for what could be. A valuable insight for life and for horsemanship.

I will continue to post here, even if infrequently. I appreciate everyone who has followed along this far, and taken the time to read and interact with my posts.
I also have an account over on Bluesky now, feel free to follow me over there for periodic (and much briefer) content: https://bsky.app/profile/twostridesforward.bsky.social

12/31/2024

🎉2024 Roundup 🎉

Just a short mashup of clips from the last year (note to self: get better at getting footage of lessons and clinics!)

I am so grateful to each and every client and horse I have worked with this past year.
Clinics included Mindful Horsemanship with the Vimy Western Riding Club, Happy Landings at Mountainview Farm, Pony Club Camp up island, and several Equine Facilitated Wellness workshops at Valour Farm. It was a huge variety of topics drawing on a wide range of my skills and experience. Each clinic was unique and they were all fun and inspiring in different ways.

I am so proud of each and every person I’ve worked with on a regular or semi-regular basis who continues to show up for their horses, keeps learning to listen to them on a deeper level, and be willing to take the time it takes to have a balanced relationship with their equine partner.

A holistic approach to horse training and care is not just an approach that I teach, but one I embody daily as well. I know well the struggle of trying to do right by your horse despite all of the financial, mental, energetic and time constraints that make it so hard.

Over the last year Keagan has made huge strides in his healing journey, with diet, daily group turnout, enrichment, ulcer treatments and protocols, osteopathy treatments, regular bodywork homework, BTMM, regular vet and farrier care, mineral panels, supplements, applied kinesiology, and nervous system regulation work all being parts of the puzzle. I have continued my own education with a wide variety of courses, books, podcasts and clinics to not only help Keagan, but also to better serve my clients.

This year has also thrown me a pretty big chronic health curveball, which has meant having to reassess my hectic schedule and strive for better work-life-rest balance going forward. This means that I will be somewhat limited in the coming year as far as taking on new clients, but I will continue to coach my regulars. I will also only be teaching clinics if asked to do so by a club or facility who is also willing to handle the organization/registration. Creating, planning, marketing, registering and implementing clinics on top of my regular full-time schedule is more work than my body can currently handle.
I will likely also be a bit quieter on the social media/blog/magazine article front as that all takes quite a bit of time and energy. I appreciate all of the engagement I have gotten across all platforms this year.

A huge thank-you to all of the clients, colleagues, social media followers, magazine readers, friends and family who continue to support me and my business. And of course a special thank-you to the horses, who continue to be so gracious in their teaching, and so inspiring in their readiness to heal their minds and bodies. They are the heart of it all.

Happy New Year!

Helgi 💕

12/28/2024

Holiday dish of supplements, and fresh ground flax, served over a bed of alfalfa and garnished with candy cane and molasses flakes 🤌🤌🧑‍🍳
What special treats did your horses get from Santa’s kitchen this year?

12/24/2024

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
I am so grateful to every client, colleague, mentor, and horse who I have been privileged to work with over this past year.
I am taking the rest of the year off from teaching to spend some quality time with family, and I look forward to seeing everyone again in the New Year! 🎄

12/06/2024

🧠🧠🧠
We discussed this in great detail at our mindful horsemanship clinic this year.
While you will often hear people say that horses don’t even have a prefrontal cortex, or that they live only in the moment, this is not the case.
Horses are absolutely able to problem solve, weigh out options, and to plan ahead (at least to the immediate future). They are also able to anticipate eagerly or worry about what’s coming. They can also get stuck in trauma loops and memories from the past, much like us. They are only able to access their PFC when they are not in a state of high stress (which is actually the same for us). To give our horses the capacity to access their higher cognitive functions, we need to provide species appropriate care, use fair training practices, and develop healthy and regulated nervous systems.

Comparative neurobiology of horse and human.

Horses and humans are both mammals.
Our brains may not be the same size, but they are almost identical in their structure and function.

Why can our brains look so similar but our behaviours and sensitivity to the world look so different?

The area in the picture highlighted is the prefrontal cortex or the (PFC). Its job in humans, horses, dogs, dolphins, elephants, cats, mice, rats, all mammals, and even birds is to carry out "higher executive functions" such as:

🧠 problem solving
🧠 decision making
🧠 reasoning
🧠 risk assessment
🧠 forward planning
🧠 impulse control
🧠 intention

Obviously, these executive functions are more advanced in humans than in other species of mammals, but this part of the brain plays a pivotal role in higher levels of learning beyond primal behaviours and learning survival skills.

So why aren't we seeing these higher executive functioning skills and behaviours in horses as much as what we see them in dogs, dolphins, elephants and even birds?

Ultimately it comes down to safety!

The latest neuroscience research suggests that when the brain feels unsafe it causes the body to produce stress response hormones and these stress response hormones cause the PFC to go "offline".
This means that subcortical regions of the brain (deeper parts of the brain) such as the primal brain (AKA limbic system, survival brain, flight/fight brain) completely take over to increase the chances of survival.

Feeling unsafe causes the feeling of fear and it is fear that gets this party started.

So behaviours come from two areas:

1. The PFC, carrying out problem solving skills, reasoning, impulse control, forward planning etc. that may be interpreted as "obedience" and "partnership".

2. The primal brain, carrying out reactive survival behaviours. This brain does NOT carry out impulse control, forward planning, problem solving, etc. It just reacts to the world. This brain heavily relies on patterns and consistency. This brain will cause freeze/flight/fight behaviours such as shutting down, bolting, biting, rearing, bucking, kicking, barging, etc.

Which brain is the domesticated horse spending most of it's time in?
It's primal brain!

This is why we don't get to see their full intellectual and cognitive potential because most of the time, domesticated horses are perceiving their world in a fearful way to some degree.

We can help our horses with this!

Feeling fearful is the OPPOSITE to feeling calm.
If we want to help our horses access their PFC then we MUST do whatever it takes to help them feel calm.

☝️ ONLY when a brain feels calm can it slow down enough to develop TRUE confidence. Only when the brain feels confident will it access TRUE cognition (PFC).

☝️ We first need to understand that when we get "bad behaviour" from our horses, it's not intentional or naughty or rude. What you are seeing is either a horse that is just reacting to the fear they feel or they are carrying out their "coping mechanism" in response to their anticipation of feeling fear.

☝️ Try to remove expectations that your horse should "know better".
"Knowing better" implies that all behaviours are coming from the PFC and there should be some impulse control and reasoning. Unless your horse feels calm, they can't access the PFC to "know better".

THIS STARTS WITH YOU!!!

You need to be consciously aware if YOU feel calm first. If you feel calm, your horse will have a better chance at feeling calm. Expecting them to feel calm when you don't is unfair.

The best way to create calmness is to intentionally be SLOW!!!
SLOW EVERYTHING you do down.
SLOW your movement down.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your walking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your horse down.
If you feel too slow, then you're going slow enough.

Calmness is slow, not fast.

This will help you and your horse to connect and feel safe together.
When the brain feels stressed, the stress response hormones cause the body to speed up.

Stress = speed

We can reverse engineer this process and create a calm mind through slow intentional movement and a relaxed posture.

The by-product of a calm brain is confidence and cognition (PFC access).

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 😊

Photo: Credit: Adult horse (equine) brain, sagittal section. Michael Frank, Royal Veterinary College. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

12/03/2024

Curious on how to get started with positive reinforcement training for your horse? Looking for a fun winter activity that you can do even when the weather isn’t cooperating?
Check out the winter issue of Island Farm & Garden Magazine, which includes an article I wrote about clicker training.

Local Farm and Garden information for Southern Vancouver Island.

12/03/2024

Re-sharing this blog post from a year ago. It explains why understanding and working with our horse’s (and our own) nervous system is important no matter what type of training we do, or which quadrants of operant conditioning we use.

The big day of the show is here. You wake up early, excited and a little nervous for the classes you signed up for. You and your horse have been working hard and you’ve pushed yourself to sign up for a level a little outside your comfort zone. As you hook up the trailer, you are mentally going ove...

11/28/2024

Who else has a super needy horse who insists on supervising/helping with chores?
I love you Keags, but it’s giving stalker.

11/22/2024

Something to think about: The 30, 60, 90 day training model that is still the standard for starting young horses was, as this Tiktoker so eloquently puts it, designed to turn horses into “serviceable machines of war”.
We are no longer preparing our horses for the cavalry. We are not planning on giving them the bare minimum skills they need to go to battle and probably not return. So why are we still using this military training model that is not designed with the horse’s welfare or longevity in mind?
It’s ok to take the time. We have the time. The time to let our horses develop physically, mentally and emotionally. The time to give them the huge variety of skills they will need not only for riding/ working, but also for day to day handling and experiences, as well as calmly handling stressful adventures and situations that they might find themselves in. And that takes longer than 30, 60 or 90 days.

144 likes, 12 comments. “And now, the industry keeps the model to quickly and efficiently turn horses into servicable machines for sport and leisure. And is maintained by the fast food culture of owners wanting fast results.”

11/20/2024

A very interesting study. This is why it is so important for Equine Assisted Services coaches, facilitators and therapists to have a solid understanding of equine facial expressions, calming signals, avoidance behaviours etc. it is also why I believe it is so important to teach clients the same (adapted or simplified as needed).
While activities such as grooming might seem at first glance to be very easy for the horse, if these sessions involve repeated or sustained boundary rupture it can actually be very overwhelming for the horse. Over time this has serious welfare implications, and I think it is one of the reasons why we see so many cases of shutdown horses in this work.
If we can incorporate more listening to the horse in these sessions it makes a huge difference.

Researchers found equine-assisted intervention horses were more sensitive to touch than riding school horses, suggesting the need to revisit equine-assisted therapy handling techniques.

11/11/2024

Remembrance Day is a quiet moment to remember not only the soldiers but also the animals who served beside them. The loyalty and courage they showed remind us of a bond beyond words, a partnership in sacrifice that deserves to be honored just as deeply.

As we take a moment, in our own way, to remember those lives given and bravery shared, it’s a chance to feel gratitude—not just for what was fought for, but for the enduring legacy of courage that lives on in us.

We remember the strength, courage, and sacrifice of those who served, both human and animal. May we never forget their dedication and the freedoms they protected for us all.

Lest we forget. 🌺

11/02/2024

It's been a while since I wrote a blog post on the website, but the inspiration struck today. (Apologies to the three half-written blogs still languishing in the drafts folder.)

This is a topic that I talk and teach about a lot, as it is something near and dear to my heart. No horse deserves to live their life in a state of chronic shut-down, excused as "bombproofness". Not only is this state not as safe as it seems, increasing the likelyhood of a sudden spook or explosion seemingly "out of nowhere", but it caries a variety of welfare implications, from chronic health problems to the need for far more use of pressure than would otherwise be used on a regulated and present horse.
Here's to changeing the goalpost from training "bombproof" horses to creating regulated, adaptable, confident, engaged, reliable and happy equine partners.

Please have a read and let me know what you think!

We’ve all read the ads. 14.2HH QH gelding. Anyone can ride him. More whoa than go. Been ridden in parades, had tarps dragged off him, did pony rides at the local fair etc.We’ve probably all also met that tried-and-true lesson horse, who safely carries kids around the jump course at their first s...

10/31/2024

Since the first episode this has become my favourite podcast. This latest episode touches on some really important conversations, but the two that particularly resonated with me were:

The culture around the archetype of the struggling horse trainer. The way in which professionals in this industry are expected to work themselves to death, and if they actually make money it is seen as selfish or unethical. I just saw a post the other day in which a trainer (who I have great respect for, don’t get me wrong), was disparaging those of us who need to advertise our services, because they are in the extremely privileged position to not have to do so. The comment section did not, as the kids say, pass the vibe check. Things like “I never trust anyone who is advertising, it’s unethical”. Apparently we are supposed to just hope and pray that new clients stumble across us by chance? Or only allow the few who have reached the upper echelons of the industry to operate? This type of thinking just doesn’t make sense to me. And I say this as someone who absolutely loathes advertising and putting myself out there. But it is the only way to get the word out as a new business.
Meanwhile many coaches (and other equine professionals), myself included, are having to work muggle jobs alongside our equine business, just struggling to get by. Should we just give up on the dream of having horses be our full time job?
It is difficult to make money in this industry, and next to impossible if you aren’t willing to exploit horses, clients, or yourself. And then on top of the multiple jobs, because we need to to maintain certification as coaches, and because we genuinely love what we do and have a thirst for learning, we are also constantly taking lessons, attending clinics, reading, listening to podcasts (like this one!) and doing cross training to continue to improve our own skills and understanding. It’s a lot. But personally I do it because I believe that I have something to offer clients. I believe that I offer something quite different than most other coaches in the area - note that I am not saying I’m inherently better, just different- and I believe that clients should have an option to try my approach if it is congruent with their values. I find it extremely rewarding to see the growth in both horses and humans with the methods that I teach.

The second point they discuss in this episode which struck a chord with me is the shift from trainers taking on a horse for a 30,60 or 90 day intensive, and then just handing the keys back to the owner at the end, to instead empowering the owner with the tools to train the horse themselves.
From the beginning this has been my MO, and it has absolutely cost me a ton of business. (See my previous point about not exploiting horses or clients). Many folks are looking for a quick fix, or for a trainer to just put a couple rides on a horse and wave their magic wand so that they can just enjoy a “perfect” horse. No judgement to those people, we exist in an industry, and in fact a society where we can access these types of options as the norm. In a world which moves so fast, and in which we are taught to look at specific problems without looking at the whole picture, it can feel very uncomfortable to take a slower, holistic approach to horse care and training. But sadly the popular approach isn’t often in the best interest of the horse, and it doesn’t give the owner the tools and learning they need to not have to keep paying the trainer to “fix” the horse every time something goes wrong, or to keep cycling through trainers looking for that magic solution that doesn’t exist. Is it a slower process? Yes. Does it take dedication and patience to learn about and address all the aspects of horse care and husbandry that affect the training. Yes. Does it set the horse and human up for long term success. Also yes.

I highly recommend giving this episode a listen for more insights and discussion on these topics and more.
And if you have any questions about why I approach training and coaching the way I do, please ask! I could talk about it all day.

I would like to thank Amy Skinner from Amy Skinner Horsemanship for joining me on the podcast!

A spontaneous meeting, unplanned, and we had an authentic, unrehearsed, untethered conversation that broke ground on some rarely talked on topics.

Amy is humble, humorous and clear. It was so fun to have her!

The next episode of the pod is the last podcast of season 1, 35 episodes!
So proud of the line up we enjoyed and the consistent listeners. Thank you!

Find the “Emotional Horsemanship Podcast”, anywhere you get podcasts

10/25/2024

Me: I love riding!
My face:

Today’s of me aboard Babe, eventing at Goldstream circa 2001ish.
I can’t remember if this was the event where we jumped out of the dressage arena and ran over the show photographer, or if this was the event where she bogarted the awards ceremony by jumping out of her stall and galloping around the cross country course jumping random jumps…. This pony had many lessons to teach, and humility was definitely one of them! 😂

10/24/2024

Trust.

It is something that we expect of our horses for so many of the experiences that we put them through.
Wearing a saddle for the first time.
Boarding a dark trailer to an unknown destination.
Jumping that spooky fence at the show.

If we don’t have our horses trust in these types of situations, we can see all kinds of problems arise from the horse’s innate need to keep themselves safe. These are hardwired responses, and if we react to them in the moment with force we can inadvertently end up in a battle, potentially imprinting a stronger fear response the next time we encounter the situation, or possibly forcing our horse into a state of dissociation or shutdown.

Trust cannot be forced. It must be earned. So how do we earn our horse’s trust?

🐴 Listen to them. Actually really listen. Don’t wait for the big behaviour to notice that your horse is having a hard time. Learn to see the small changes that precede the big behaviour. This might be as small as a change in blinking rate, a stillness that seems too still, or a feeling like they are holding their breath.

🐴 Show them that you notice. When you start to see these small changes, change what you are doing. This will vary depending on each situation, but it could be something as simple as pausing what you are doing and taking a deep breath before continuing.

🐴 Establish clear, fair, consistent boundaries. Confusion creates unease, and non-existent, wishy washy, or highly changeable boundaries create confusion. Boundaries don’t need to be harsh, they need to be fair and clear, and keep all parties safe.

🐴 Allow your horse to ask questions. Don’t know what it looks like when your horse asks a question? Circle back to the first point. Giving our horse time to process, and having an answer ready if our horse is unsure, is only fair to their learning process. Fostering their sense of curiosity can completely change their outlook on new experiences, turning them from something to be feared to something to be explored.

🐴 Set your horse up for success. Horses build confidence in themselves and in us as they face new experiences that are manageable, and at which they succeed. Giving our horses the skills that they need to accomplish a new task, setting small achievable goals, and making new experiences positive will go a long way in building a trusting and strong relationship.

🐴 Give it time. Many horses come to us with baggage or trauma from past experiences. Whether they have experienced a traumatic event, or are simply disregulated from chronic stress or needs not being met, these horses will have a lot of unwinding and letting go to do before they begin to build back up again. Being impatient with the process creates pressure that is contrary to the healing and regulation that needs to happen. It takes time for the brain and nervous system to reset. Don’t be afraid to go slow.

Taking the time to nurture our horse’s trust in us will create a willing and trustworthy partner. It is the foundation of a strong relationship with our equine friends.