Beau Cheval

04/04/2023

😍I'm excited to let you know that my new course Equine Behaviour & Psychology Part 2 (The Ridden Horse) is now live at www.equinedistancelearning.com 🐎

This Equine Behaviour & Psychology Part Two course will provide you with further knowledge, and an understanding of how your horse thinks, behaves, and responds to training. You will gain an overview of how the horse learns and how his brain differs from the human brain. It is recommended that you have taken the Equine Behaviour & Psychology Part One course before you commence on this course!

My overall aim is to raise awareness of the various factors affecting the ridden horse in order to help you to discover ways in which you can pick up on problems such as pain, illness or injury that may be manifesting within the physical horse, sooner rather than later. Some of the problems encountered may be more complex than you first think so understanding how to recognise the more subtle behaviours before they become ingrained and unmanageable is essential to both the horse’s wellbeing and the safety of the rider or handler.

Every horse deserves to be handled and trained with empathy, compassion and respect. The horse did not ask to be ridden or adopted into the human environment, we therefore owe it to the horse to learn his language and understand, at the earliest opportunity, when things are not right such that we can make them so. 🐴

13/08/2022

🐴 Horse Health!
Check out the latest article uploaded to my website now - entitled “Rapeseed Oil”.
This one is not JUST for horse owners!!!

Beau Cheval

05/06/2022

Beau Cheval in conjunction with 2-Tomatoes is now live on Rumble. Check out our training and educational videos. Podcast videos being uploaded soon so keep checking back to see what's new.
https://rumble.com/user/2Tomatoes

Happy Trails

Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) 🍅🍅

11/03/2022

Horses have the right to express themselves / their needs / their feelings.

Just as humans respond differently to situations dependent upon previous experiences and whether they have a tendency to be confident, unconfident, introverted or extroverted – SO DO HORSES.

Left brained (responsive - thinking) or right brained (prey animal reaction - flight or fight), introverted or extroverted, we need to understand the behaviour in order to help the horse accept and adjust to a situation. To tie a horse’s mouth shut because he opens it or crosses his jaw, to use a stronger bit because he won’t stop, to restrict the horses head with a martingale because he holds it too high etc, denies the horse the opportunity to let us know how he really feels.

Instead of treating the symptom – seek knowledge and understanding to treat the cause instead.
www.beau-cheval.com

Happy Trails

Viki x

16/02/2022

🌞 It was a beautiful sunny day and Rocky and I had just enjoyed a lovely stretched out canter up the gallop strip and now we were walking back towards home along the road and down the bumpy track that would lead us to where the rest of the herd were patiently waiting in the sunshine. Not unusual, you say. That’s quite true... except Rocky is totally blind!

💕 Rocky, a blanket roan Appaloosa gelding came into my life some 17 years ago. I knew he had Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) then but he still had pretty good vision, any flare ups were controlled with conventional eye drops and he wore a mask to shield his eyes from the brightness of the sun during the day. From day one, he struck up an incredible friendship with Pagan, the handsome 17.1hh, Anglo-Dutch Warmblood gelding who was already in my life. Pagan, a very deep and wise old chap, knew Rocky had some limitations with his sight and kept him out of trouble. In fact he kept him so well out of trouble that it was a while before I realised that Rocky was suffering with night blindness (about 15 years ago now). I was quite shocked when I discovered this and learnt, then, that he would probably one day go blind altogether.

By that time I had developed a fabulous relationship with Rocky, working at liberty on the ground where he would read and respond to my body language and positioning, and riding bridle-less - his trust in me was amazing and I trusted him implicitly, even when riding him at a flat out gallop with nothing at all on his head. We had a lot of fun together - he was an absolute ‘rock’ and helped me regain my confidence when I lost it following a riding accident with Pagan. He and Pagan have both taught me so much on my horsemanship journey and were instrumental in inspiring me to continue to learn as much as I could about equine behaviour and how I could become a better human for the horses in my life.

When I realised Rocky’s vision was beginning to fail, I changed my communication with him a little and started to add sounds and touches into our discussions, knowing that I wouldn’t always be able to rely on him being able to visually read my body language. Every sound had a clear intention and every touch meant something, although I knew at this stage that he was still very much responding to my body language rather than the sounds and touches alone, but I kept it up knowing that I would be likely to need it one day.

A few years later, as I was becoming concerned by the number of ERU flare-ups Rocky had started to have, I turned to homeopathic treatment in the hope that things would stabilise somewhat. It did so and for about 2 years during which time Rocky hardly had any trouble at all, and if he did flare-up it was knocked on the head within a couple of days.

In November 2010, tragedy struck and we lost Pagan to Cushings Disease (how many times do I wish I knew then what I know now!?! I’ve successfully treated many horses with this disease since learning CST). Rocky was initially very upset by the loss of his friend but survival instincts kicked in and he fended very well for himself. By this time I had a well established herd of 4. Pagan, Rocky, B (a cheeky Highland mare who was second in command), and Remi (a young, vibrant AQH mare). B stepped up to the role of herd leader and Remi took over from Pagan, to a degree, where Rocky was concerned. They became very good friends although Remi was quite careful to ensure Rocky learned to stand firmly on his own 4 feet and ‘look out’ for himself.

Unfortunately, about a month after we lost Pagan, it became apparent that the last of the sight Rocky did have had disappeared altogether and he was totally blind. Nothing really changed at all for him though as I had already altered the communication I had with him, its just that he really didn’t have any idea about what was under his feet so I had to be sure to tell him when the ground changed or if there was a step up or something to step over when we were out hacking.

A year later Rocky had to have his right eye removed as we had been unable to control a particularly severe flare up made worse by chronic secondary complications, and the eye had become incredibly painful for him (in many cases of ERU this is often the end result of the disease). I was blessed to have the help and support of a brilliant eye specialist (Rob Lowe from Optivet in the UK) who undertook the procedure and did a really neat job. Although this caused a couple of days of confusion for Rocky due to the change in routine and sensation of it all, since he was already coping with being blind he quickly returned to normal once his regular routine resumed, and I started riding him again.

All was going great until the health of the left eye deteriorated a few years later, to a point where we could not get the pain under control and, once again, we had to make a decision surrounding removal. So in June 2016 Rocky had his left eye removed leaving him with no eyes at all. Since he had been blind for so long by this point, in reality for him it was about taking away the pain rather than his vision, as that was already gone. Once again our awesome eye specialist stepped in and agreed to operate. I did wrestle with what the right decision was for a while but in the end I could see no reason at all to put a healthy, happy horse to sleep when all he needed was to get rid of the eye pain… after all he was already living happily and successfully without vision.

When the day came, just as before, he loaded without incident - lifting his feet up high upon hearing the word I use for him to do so, until he felt the angle of the ramp and then stomped on up and in. At the other end he unloaded calmly and into the stable where he took in the sounds and smells of the new environment. When the time came, he walked straight into the stocks and didn't flinch when sedation was given. Nerve blocks in, eye removed and one big wee later we were backing him out of the stocks and back to the stable for recovery. Just 45 minutes later, once Rocky was fully recovered from the sedation, I loaded him back into the box and we drove home. He was very happy to be home and everyone greeted him with lots of whinnying.

Only a few days later I started to notice a massively positive change in Rocky. He was great before but since the second eye removal I can only describe him as phenomenal. Evidently the eye was causing him more discomfort than he let on and, since the pain was no longer there, he exuded more confidence and character than ever.

Occasionally he will have a little worry if he's not sure where the rest of the herd have got to or if someone is missing from the herd. He's a horse who, if he's going to get worried, worries about others more than himself - he's always been that way. If I move fence lines or change where the water is in the pasture then I just show him what’s new. Its obvious that he maps his environment because within 24 hours he can walk pretty well straight to the water. If its not quite where he thought it was then he knows to turn left or right to find it. He is just incredible.

Throughout all this, Rocky was always the horse who we chose to es**rt the babies out for their first few hacks when they were staying to be backed. Even without any eyes!!! For the first couple of rides the human owned by the youngster would ride Rocky and I would ride the youngster. Then, when I was happy with how things were going, we would swap and I would ride Rocky as the es**rt. In addition, Rocky and I still went out and did demonstrations of the ridden communication and bridle-less riding techniques. Remi would come along for support and do a little demo of her own too.

In the summer of 2017, Rocky, Remi & B all moved with us to France from the UK. Due to Rocky’s condition, I arranged for the horses to be transported together as a private load so they would travel direct to the destination instead of making many stops along the way. Rocky was the first one up the ramp of the big transporter! They were unloaded in Kent for the night before reloading early the next morning for their journey to France. The transport company reported to me that Rocky was a superstar to load the next day and was travelling well. My husband and I hightailed it to France to get there ahead of the lorry and ensure the pasture was ready for their arrival. On arrival, Rocky unloaded as fresh as a daisy, unfazed by the whole thing, although obviously pleased to hear my voice. I showed him around and made sure he knew where the water was… with that done, the head went down and he had his first taste of France!!! This horse never ceases to amaze me.

Sadly I had to stop riding him 2 years ago due to arthritis in his stifles. Until then I kept him going with gentle hacks. The thing with Rocky is that he has a very high pain threshold and so its not always obvious when things aren’t right. I know him so well by now though that I pick up on the little things. If he’s obviously lame or not moving right then I know there’s a big problem. Learning the bodywork has been hugely helpful - I can help him stay as happy and healthy as possible. I’m just sad I didn’t know 15 years ago what I know now as I have successfully treated two horses suffering from ERU. Maybe Rocky would still have his eyes! But I cannot dwell on this… it is what it is and I am blessed to be owned by such a wonderful horse. He is truly an amazing friend and teacher.

Horses are survivors and adapt as necessary to whatever the situation, however, I am convinced that the communication I have with him is what has enabled him to adapt so well and is the sole reason I was able to continue riding and working with him for so long, despite the blindness. He is truly an amazing friend and teacher, and I love him dearly.

🌟 It's Rocky’s 30th birthday today… Happy Birthday Rocky! 🌟

With love
Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) 🍅

17/01/2022

Loading is probably one of the most common problems people have with their horses and I am often called out to help. Some horses don’t mind loading into trailers but don’t like lorries, and others load fine into lorries but don’t like trailers. More commonly though, if there is a problem with loading then it won’t matter what the transport is, the horse or pony simply cannot be persuaded to climb the ramp into the metal box.

Whilst this article is not intended to give instruction on how to overcome the problem of loading, it is intended to help owners and handlers understand why the problem occurs and what it all means from the horse’s point of view.


Lets start by looking at what we are actually asking the horse to do. First we are asking him to step onto a somewhat unstable surface. Ramps will give to the weight of the horse, flexing slightly as well as affecting the suspension of the vehicle, which will move too. Once up the ramp he is asked to step into an enclosed space which is often quite dark and is well up off the ground. Again, the lorry or trailer will move to a degree as the suspension and tyres give under the weight and movement of the horse. Once inside the trailer or lorry we either shut a partition or put up a bar behind the horse so he is trapped and cannot move. We then put the ramp up, closing the horse in further. The engine is started and the box starts to move. We know where we are taking the horse and what will happen when we get there. We also know that we will probably be bringing the horse home - or will we? Maybe the horse is being moved to a new location away from the friends he has made and the surroundings he has grown familiar with. The fact is that whilst we know what is about to happen, the horse doesn’t! 


In the wild, years of learning has taught horses not to venture near caves or enclosed spaces for two main reasons - for one, the horse’s ability to run is impeded as direction of flight is limited, and for two, it is usually predators that choose to inhabit such places so it simply isn’t wise to venture even close to these areas, let alone into them. So asking a horse to walk up a ramp and into an enclosed space that is then going to move to a new location and the horse has no idea what is going to happen once there, is a big deal.


Some horses become used to traveling in lorries and trailers to go to competitions or out for a ride, and don’t have any problems at all going in and out. Other horses never really become used to it or maybe aren’t traveled very often so it’s quite a big occasion for them. Other times the lorry or trailer may have an association with unpleasant / traumatic experiences such as going to the vet or moving home, or maybe even an accident or a challenging traveling companion.


Although in some cases the horse does not want to load because he is worried about being in the enclosed space, I actually find that the biggest and most common problem for the horse is confidence on the ramp.

For the full article regarding this topic, and many more besides, I invite you to visit http://www.beau-cheval.com/articles.

Happy Trails

Viki x

29/12/2021

Can we really OWN our horses?

Who am I to OWN another life?

I don’t know about you but it always makes me feel uncomfortable inside when I say that I own 4 horses. Who am I to own another life? I don’t like the idea of buying life, but that is simply what happens in the equestrian world (notwithstanding the dog, cat, rabbit, cow… world). Now I’m not saying that I want to, can or should try to change this - lets face it that would be an incredible challenge as I see it, but it certainly helps to look at things from another perspective.

I remember, quite some time ago now, one of my students speaking to me with tears in her eyes, about her responsibility of care to her horse. I think the words that really rang true were something like “... his life is in my care ...” - and I thought then ‘that’s it, that’s exactly how I feel about my horses’ - but there it was in words. I believe that this is how we should all view the horses in our lives, regardless of how much or how little we ‘paid’ for them. We have a duty of care for the life (or lives) we have brought into our own lives, and this duty of care includes ensuring that our horses’ needs are met as fully as is practically possible.

Upon reflection of the above, perhaps the term “Guardian” might be a better fit? Just a thought.

https://www.beau-cheval.com/can-we-really-own-our-horses

Beau Cheval

21/12/2021

🎁Only 4 more days left to take advantage of this great deal! Receive 25% off this course by using the code: ChristmasToYourHorse at checkout! Now thru December 25th!🎁
Click on the link below to view a video preview of this amazing course 💕
🍅🍅

In this course we will look at the common problems and behaviours surrounding the ridden horse. We will cover the fundamentals of equine biomechanics, dentistry, hoof balance, saddle/bridle fit, and how all of these things, along with certain riding habits, can positively and negatively influence th...

12/11/2021

I am blessed to have received a wonderful testimonial from a client in France. Thank you Diana. x

"I found Viki at a moment of despair, on the brink of the decision to sell the horse I couldn’t manage in hand, couldn’t ride and couldn’t see a reason to continue paying for his upkeep. In tears, I told her the story of my earlier riding career, my various accidents and dashed hopes of filling my years of retirement with contented companionship and the satisfaction of rebuilding my old skills to a point where horse and I could enjoy a real partnership. That was 18 months ago. Since the day we met, Viki has kindly, gently and sensibly helped me and my horse rebuild our confidence, our physical condition and our interest in life.

My beautiful horse is a 16.3hh, 17-year old Dutch Warmblood. He had a tough earlier life – over competed, over-trained and under-appreciated. He was pushed to the point of injury as a seven year old, then put out in a field with little or no attention paid to him. Hence, he came to me with a residue of old injuries both emotional and physical.

After initially helping me to manage him on the ground – he was quite ‘bargy’, and recovering from injury, I was pretty unstable on my feet – the next thing Viki tackled was saddle fit. Since then, we have spent months under Viki’s guidance on every aspect of working in hand and under saddle developing strength, flexibility and muscle tone. No one has ever been more excited to see muscle development and feel firmness in a horse’s rump! Only a true lover of horses would understand this!

Along our development route, Viki has used her skills in craniosacral body work and osteopathic technics to increase my horse’s physical comfort and range of movement. Throughout these processes, I have re-learned my awareness of the integration of body and mind in creating a whole picture. I have changed or let go of many old theories. It hasn’t always been easy and we’ve a long way to go but I am so thankful to have Viki’s advice and expertise to guide us.

Viki’s classical groundings have been a useful framework for me, and allowed me to stretch my earlier experience to embrace new concepts and knowledge. She is never pushy and always takes the time to explain the ‘why’ and ‘wherefore’ of her motives and methods. She suggests rather than dictates, and nudges in the most gentle way when necessary. She will not compromise her beliefs and for this I respect her judgement wholeheartedly because she is totally generous with the logic or experience behind her view.

Oh, by the way, I’m 75 years old and a real example of ‘if I can do it, anybody can.’ But not alone of course. Get the right help, get the right attitude and anything is possible! Whether it’s a big mountain to be climbed or a little hump in the road, it’s always a boon to have good help! For me, Viki was a gift. Perhaps she could be for you as well."

31/10/2021

Hi everyone

I am currently creating a new mailing list for Beau Cheval and also for my new equine venture, which you will learn more about very soon.

Please do let me know by way of private message, email or text message if you would like your email address to be added to the mailing list, in order to receive news, information and updates directly from me.

Happy trails... x

02/10/2021

I was blessed to receive a lovely comment from one of the 'Equine Distance Learning' students who recently undertook my on-line Equine Behaviour & Psychology course, which I am pleased to share with you below:-

"I thoroughly enjoyed studying the Equine Psychology course and found Viki, my tutor, to be extremely supportive throughout. It was really good to get a fresh perspective on my horse's behaviour and to be able to build a stronger bond with him due to learning techniques and strategies that I'd either forgotten about due to complacency or didn't know about in the first place! I would highly recommend Equine Distance Learning to anyone who has an interest in horses, from beginners to experienced horse owners, we can all learn something new and Kerry is always quick to respond if you need advice or assistance! Can't wait to start another course with them very soon!"

If you would like to find out more about the course, which contains information I believe every equine guardian should understand, then you can find it here... https://www.equinedistancelearning.com/p/equine-behaviour-and-psychology1

Comprehensive equine behaviour course to help you understand your horse. Gain a Certificate today!

19/09/2021

Having had incredible success in treating many cases of laminitis, cushings and many other "systemic" illnesses, I was really grateful to receive a lovely testimonial from one of my clients in France. Thank you Christine.
(NB: Sadly I do not have a photo of Juno so I have attached the photo of another pony enjoying his treatment)

"All my friends say ''Oh, Christine , you are too sceptical!'', well lets just say, I am always willing to be proved wrong.
My lovely mare started developing laminitis about 8 years ago. We coped with this for about 4 years before I realised she also was developing cushings disease. She has been on prescription medication since. With the cushings she developed problems with her coat - too thick, difficult to shed, resulting in difficulties with body temperature control, fatty deposits on her rump and crest, plus continuing laminitis problems, regardless of trying to control her grass intake.
I heard about Viki, and thought why not? If there was any possibility to make life easier for this absolute treasure of a horse, it was worth a try.
The day Viki came, Juno, (the horse) was just going into another bout of laminitis, so Viki suggested that she would concentrate on getting the lymphatics and circulation moving in her [body and] legs. Viki then gave me her theory about cushings, which made so much sense. Basically, how was it possible for so many horses to develop a cyst/lump in their brain that was pressing on their pituitary gland, causing the symptoms of cushings? My vet is of the same opinion. Viki thinks it is all linked to problems with the digestive system, certainly in this area the grass is too rich for horses, and we stuff them with more grains [and sugars] than their system can cope with. After working on Juno's legs, Viki then worked on her digestive system.
Within two weeks I was sure I could see a difference in her. Two weeks later when the farrier visited, he thought she was ill because she had shed so much excess weight! He was so impressed. Viki made a follow up visit, and now I will get a top up once a year. Juno is happy and relatively healthy. She is still on medication but, as the vet said, after a couple of years it is usual to have to double the dose for a horse with cushings but Juno is still on the original dose, and I prefer to keep her on it as she is doing so well. She loses her coat more easily, the large fatty pads are so much reduced.
AND....in the 2 years since Viki's original visit she has not had laminitis, so... Thank you Viki !"

16/09/2021

16/09/2021

16/09/2021

Welcome to my new Beau Cheval page.

Sadly my original page is no longer accessible to me and apparently unrecoverable, thanks to the FB team!!! So although you can still see it, I can no longer reach it to manage things. So many apologies to anyone who has tried to contact me via that page over the past 18 months (yes that's how long I've been trying to rectify things!).

So, not wishing to be kept down any longer... as I have many exciting things to share with you over the coming weeks and months... here I am.

You can discover more about who I am and how I can help you by visiting my website ... www.beau-cheval.com

I wish you a blessed day.
Stay safe and have fun.
🙏💜🕊

Equine Behaviour, tuition and instruction Equine Integrated Bodywork Equine Craniosacral Therapy Holistic Saddling Consultancy Equine Courses France, United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Europe Beau Cheval