Williams Lake Trail Riders Association

01/18/2025

01/16/2025

Affective states play a crucial role in an animal's motivation to learn and engage with their environment and positive and negative affective states can significantly alter cognitive processes and behavioural responses.

Positive affective states generally enhance motivation to learn and explore.
Animals in positive states tend to:

➡️ Show increased curiosity and willingness to engage with novel stimuli

➡️ Exhibit more optimistic cognitive biases when interpreting ambiguous cues

➡️ Demonstrate greater behavioral flexibility and problem-solving abilities

➡️ Display higher levels of playfulness and social engagement

In contrast, negative affective states often diminish motivation and learning capacity.

Animals in negative states may:

➡️ Become less responsive to environmental stimuli

➡️ Interpret ambiguous cues more pessimistically

➡️ Show reduced exploratory behaviour and environmental engagement

➡️ Exhibit symptoms of anhedonia (loss of pleasure-seeking behaviour)

Learned helplessness is a prime example of how negative experiences can profoundly alter affective state and motivation. The important distinction here is that the animal no longer tries to cope – it simply gives up and becomes dull.

This was demonstrated in Seligman and Maier's seminal experiments with rats and dogs, when repeated exposure to uncontrollable aversive stimuli led to a deterioration of cognitive, emotional and motivational attributes.

Dogs that experienced inescapable shocks later showed intense hyper-reactivity followed by passivity when presented with avoidable shocks, unlike dogs who had previous experience with controllable shocks or no shock exposure.

Animals that lack control over their environment or experience chronic unpredictable stressors are at higher risk of developing learned helplessness and associated depression-like symptoms.

By recognising the impact of positive and negative experiences on an animal's cognitive and emotional state, we can work to create environments and training approaches that promote positive affective states and enhance motivation to learn.

01/16/2025

It’s all about physics… Your saddle (or saddle fitter) is not a miracle worker. If your horse is a barrel, and there is a bit of wonkiness somewhere (you or the horse) and your saddle slips to the side… your saddle isn’t necessarily to blame. Instead, get it checked and if it’s ok, work on making the horse less of a barrel shape… and straightening them (and yourself!) up so there is less unevenness.

If your horse has big wide ribs and an itty bitty shoulder… or a girth groove that’s inches in front of the girth line… maybe your saddle slips forward. That’s physics. Your girth will always pull into the narrowest place. Sometimes changing your girth or the girthing on the saddle can help.

If your horse has massive shoulders, and hoiks them up into the air when they jump… those massive shoulders can push the saddle back. That’s physics. Again sometimes girths and girthing can help. But saddles can’t defy the laws of physics.

If you or your horse is uneven then yes we can pad/flock/shim saddles to help. But… working on evening them up is much more beneficial.

Sometimes, in an attempt to hold a saddle still, to fight against the laws of physics (and often to keep the rider happy), we can end up clamping a saddle too much. Personally I would rather see a saddle shunt forward/to the side/backwards a little bit if the alternative is to clamp it too much the other way.

What do you think?

01/16/2025

Since I have just now made two posts about the uncomfortable subject of causing stress and pain to horses, I will repeat one other thing that I have posted about many times.

ANY human athlete knows how badly it hurts when the gas tank is getting empty, and they are still having to run, like in track, soccer, whatever.

Horses who are tired and who are being made to keep going are not “happy” horses. They are uncomfortable horses. Now some athletically induced discomfort is a normal by-product of training, but basically riders should be HIGHLY AWARE of trying to not ask horses for exertion too far beyond what their physical fitness allows. If they aren’t fit enough, get them fitter, THEN ask.

I was just watching a Netflix movie, and as in so many movies with horses, all they do is gallop. In real life those horses wouldn’t stay sound for two weeks. There’s so much bad horsemanship out there, and riders need to get educated about simple basics like fit for the task.

01/15/2025

The truth is: many of us are trying to practice above our level, and that is why things feel messy.
Many of us become frustrated or take offense to having the work lowered to a more basic level- we can feel like we are being judged, punished, or held back, but the truth is, working on those basic skills will help our work soar more quickly.
Most people I encounter (and myself included- and this is precisely what I work on with my teachers) need practice on handling their lead rope, reins and tools with better care, learning to sit with better balance and “follow through,” learning to feel the horse better, learning situational awareness, controlling their own thoughts and body around the horse and on -
While all of us want to be working on fun things or higher level things, our work is like a house of cards without control of our bodies, minds, breath - it all comes tumbling down at the first sign of trouble without these hard earned basic skills.
I don’t see these taught to the level they need to be to to the public save for a few rare teachers here and there, including my cherished mentors - and so I find when they are taught to the level needed to the public, people are often startled, offended, or confused. But I believe strongly that this is the change the horse world needs - it needs people to commit to it like their lives depend on it, and trainers to commit to teaching what the public needs above catering to what the public wants: that is what will really make both horses and people’s lives infinitely better.

01/15/2025

STALLION NUTRITION MATTERS! (and not JUST for the stallion owner.)

Making sure a breeding stallion is on a proper, well-balanced diet is not just important to the stallion owner; it’s VERY important for the foal, too.

While properly feeding the mare is often the main focus (and of utmost importance), let’s not forget the stallion’s nutritional status at conception is also vital for the foal.

Fifty-percent of the genetic make-up of a foal comes from the sire!

Nutrition directly impacts the health of a stallion, and whether or not certain genes are “turned off or on” (a field of study called epigenetics). That stallion impacts fetal growth and development and susceptibility to disease based on the genetic material it’s providing.

This means a stallion who is lacking a balanced diet, or one who is receiving too much nutrition (overweight, excess nutrients), might not be providing the best “blueprint” for their offspring.

This concept of paternal nutritional status is well documented in human research, but something I haven’t seen talked about in the equine world.

I can’t say this enough- FIFTY PERCENT of the genetic material comes from the stallion!! His diet matters too!

01/15/2025

🏔️ ❄️ From Slopes to Stables: What Skiing Can Teach Us About Horse Health 🐴 🌬️

What do skiing and horses have in common? 🧐 At first glance, not much, but there’s a surprising link between cold air and respiratory health that every horse owner should know.

Did you know that "ski asthma" affects human athletes exercising in freezing conditions? Research shows that cold, dry air can lead to airway inflammation and long-term damage. So, what does this mean for our horses working or training in the cold?

💡 The findings might surprise you, and the actionable steps you can take could make a big difference for your horse’s health.

👉 Click here to uncover the whole story and learn how to keep your horse breathing easy, even when the temperatures drop: https://kont.ly/8fb88602

This is the lead article in our new Respiratory Health section on the website supported by Bedmax. Check it out! https://kont.ly/69040db3

01/14/2025

Horse owners and keepers: there are only a few days left to have your say on the impact of fireworks before a meeting with the government

Read more via link below

01/14/2025

🐴🛠️ Horse Evacuation Kit: Be Prepared for Emergencies! 🐎🌟

With recent emergencies like wildfires in Los Angeles and other regions, it’s a reminder of how important it is to have a plan for evacuating your horses. In stressful situations, preparation can save lives. Here’s what to include in a horse evacuation kit to ensure you’re ready:

🔹 Identification
- Waterproof ID tags for halters
- Photos of your horse (front, side, and unique markings)
- Copies of health records and Coggins tests

🔹 Basic Supplies
- Halters and lead ropes (one set per horse)
- Extra hay and grain (3–7 days' worth)
- Water (minimum 10–20 gallons per horse per day)
- Buckets for food and water

🔹 First Aid Kit
- Bandages, gauze, antiseptic
- Scissors and tweezers
- Pain relief and any prescribed medications

🔹 Comfort and Safety Items
- Fly spray and blankets
- Temporary fencing or panels
- Flashlights and batteries

🔹 Emergency Contacts
- Veterinarian
- Local animal shelters and boarding facilities
- Friends or neighbors who can assist

Tip: Practice loading your horse into a trailer regularly so they stay calm during an evacuation. 🐕🚛

Let’s learn from these situations and make sure Northern BC is prepared for emergencies too. Stay safe, everyone!