Marilynn Dunham Equine Body Worker

23/05/2024

26/04/2024

21/01/2023

https://www.facebook.com/243392671188/posts/10161307951716189/?app=fbl

12/11/2022

Jez enjoying his massage today.

15/09/2022

Tension from a known, or unknown, injury is the enemy and cause of many lamenesses in sport horses. In this episode of The Horse First podcast, Dr. DeClue discusses specific cases where lameness has either improved or declined based on discovering and treating tension. https://bit.ly/THFEpisode37

21/08/2022

That's the spot . Jez releasing some tension 😊

08/08/2022

Rosie out on the raz😁

11/07/2022

BIOMECHANICS…
JOURNEY, OR DESTINATION?

While educating ourselves about biomechanics, and seeking to attain healthy biomechanics is important, I have noticed that while there are a lot of examples of what NOT to do, and critiquing of pictures of horses and riders who are not ‘ideal,’ there are few examples of acceptable healthy biomechanics when developing unbalanced horses.

This is problematic, because, as with developing human athletes, things look messy as we build understanding and strength, and the process does not look like the product.

If we don’t have good examples of what to expect and accept as healthy at various levels of development, we don’t have a realistic roadmap, and we can get pretty discouraged and disillusioned, even paralyzed, by perfectionism.

A horse can be on the forehand and have an appropriate balance for their stage of development.

A horse can fail to track up and be at an appropriate balance for their stage of development.

A horse can temporarily fall behind vertical, temporarily break at third vertebrae, and be at an appropriate balance for their stage of development.

The truth is, it takes time to develop the suppleness, and strength, and muscle memory with horses who are undeveloped or unbalanced, and there’s going to be a lot more wrong than right in the beginning.

When we’re critiquing a picture, it’s very easy to pick out the things that aren’t ideal, but the context we’re missing is, the rider knows that horse is less on the forehand today than they were yesterday, or tracking up a little more or a little more symmetrically than they were yesterday, or carrying the poll higher than they were yesterday.

I’m very excited about the enthusiasm and education around biomechanics that’s evolved over the past few years, it’s nothing but a good deal for the horses, but visiting with other trainers, we’ve all noticed there’s a big disconnect between biomechanics enthusiasts, and trainers who have to meet the horses they’re training where they’re at.

Watch unedited video of some of the riders we consider ‘masters,’ and you’ll notice they take the bad with the good, in stride.

While an enthusiast may only notice when things aren’t ideal, a rider or trainer who prioritizes biomechanics has to notice the little moments when things are incrementally better, when there’s minute improvement amidst everything that isn’t going right.

Those are the little moments that we build on every day, and we should take a lot of pride in them, and that’s what I want to emphasize for the riders who come to my page -trainers and owners alike.

Remember to celebrate the little improvements, and remember that everything in our horsemanship is about the journey, not the destination.

Expect a lot, accept a little, reward often.

That goes for your horse, AND you.

11/05/2022

05/05/2022

I DON’T KNOW YOUR HORSE…
…But I do know horses. Here are a few things I’ve learned that should help most horses, most of the time, with whatever problem you may be having.

DO LESS:
Whatever it is, just do less. Expect less. React less. Use less strength. Less contact. Less pressure down the rein/rope. Less pressure from the leg. Less driving from the seat. Less noise…

GIVE MORE:
More patience. More time. More benefit of the doubt. More rest breaks. More reward. More still. More quiet. More variety. More length to the neck…

DITCH YOUR EGO & LET STUFF SLIDE:
Your horse isn’t trying to get one over on you, (or if he is, ask yourself why he feels the need to). What you think is naughty behaviour is usually just an attempt to communicate something: Discomfort, distrust, uncertainty, anxiety, fear, none of which require ‘telling off’…

COUNT TO TEN:
Be in control of your own emotions before you try and control your horse’s emotions. Once you let your emotions change, the whole dialogue upon which your training is based, changes…

IT TAKES TWO TO ARGUE:
So rather than asking for something that goes against your horse, start by asking for things you’re already pretty sure the horse is going to give, and go from there. (This one takes a little figuring out but is totally worth it!) N.B.: Common sense required!…

EVERYTHING IS MADE UP OF THE BASICS:
More advanced work is simply an arrangement of the basics taken care of simultaneously…

NEVER DISCOUNT PAIN:
You can never truly ‘rule out pain’ as a cause of unwanted behaviour. No matter how much money you spend, or how good your vet is…

REST DAYS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS TRAINING DAYS: Overtraining can be just as damaging as under preparing. Horses only have so many jumps/steps in them - use them sparingly…

BREAK IT DOWN:
Most issues can be solved by taking a step back, breaking the issue down into smaller chunks, and taking care of those chunks one by one…

TAKE YOUR TIME:
You’ll get there much quicker if you do. Cutting a corner will only come back to bite you in the ass sooner or later…

ONE FINAL THING…
Horse training is subject to the same laws of physics as everything else. You can’t argue with either anatomy or physics, no matter how many medals you’ve won. Train with this in mind, because there isn’t a single instance where an unyielding or strong rein contact will benefit your training, or your horse…

24/04/2022

You may find you don't need a therapist at all.....

This practical day course will focus on 'Pilates' type exercises that you can do with your horse. The exercises aim to improve posture, core stability, strength, flexibility, suppleness, coordination, balance, mobility, comfort, performance as well as developing bond between horse and handler.

13/04/2022

01/04/2022

A little while back, I read a post on another page from someone who felt like they’d done the wrong thing by their horse in a training session. The crux of their question revolved around the idea of forgiveness. Essentially, how do we ask for our horse’s forgiveness when we know that we’ve screwed up?

Forgiveness, in many ways, is such a human concept that I’m not sure it’s possible to transfer it to the equine world. But I do have something that perhaps allows for a practical action to be taken when such situations occur, and I believe it to be the biggest gift that you can give both yourself and your horse. It is:

You have to allow both you and your horse to be new in every moment.

What does that mean?

Letting yourself be new means that allow yourself to meet the training session and see what presents. You don’t have ideas about what’s going to happen. You don’t presuppose that your horse is going to respond in a certain way. You don’t presuppose YOU are going to respond in a certain way.

This extends beyond the mental and emotional to the physical also. You don’t label your weak side or bring the story with you about your stiff left shoulder or how your horse always drops to the inside on the right rein. None of it.

You let you and your horse be completely new every time you meet.

Every thought we have has a corresponding motor pattern in the body. Our thoughts play out in our physiology. If we have habitual thoughts, we are consistently expressing habitual patterns as part of a sympathetic reflex response.

Let you and your horse be new.

It’s the biggest gift you can give both of you.

Onwards.

❤️ Jane

15/03/2022

TUESDAY TIP 🦄

BENDING EXERCISES FOR A MORE SUPPLE HORSE

Turns, loops, circles, figures of eight and serpentines are all great exercises that you can incorporate into your horse's training.

Combine them together and you have an infinite number of beneficial bending exercises.

1. Begin with shallow loops and large circles to promote balance, suppleness and accuracy.
2. Progress to tighter turns, smaller diameters and exercises that require more changes of bend as your horse becomes stronger and more flexible.
3. The intensity of all these bending exercises can be increased by varying the gait, degree of collection, speed and tempo.

For more great exercises and advice take a look at my book POSTURE AND PERFORMANCE - https://www.horsesinsideout.com/product-page/posture-and-performance-1

04/02/2022

In this profession I pursue, I've learned some very valuable traits from my 2016 year that made it unique. I learned to not fall victim to failure and this seemed to help me succeed my goals. Here's what I've came up:

1. There will be someone who feels you did them wrong. It happens. Do what you can for the situation but in the long run, they will still continue to not like you. Make things right then move on.

2. Have a thick skin or negativity will eat you alive. Always take what seems to be a negative situation and twist it up into something positive that will fuel you! You'd be surprised what can happen! ((I ended up moving to a bigger ranch!))

3. Be organized. That means write a list every Sunday no matter what. On Sunday's!! It's training yourself to get in a positive and disciplined routine.

4. Understand it's a journey and mistakes WILL be made. Accept humility and move on with confidence.

5. Never say sorry. You should never have to explain yourself to anyone, ever. That is toxic.

6. Build a team. Honestly, you can't do it yourself. This includes your spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend. Without this, there's no foundation. Be sure they are truly on board, not HALF of the time!

7. Have professional photos of what you do. They tell a hidden story and clients appreciate them.

8. The only adjustment needed is the one towards your horse.

9. People talk. It's just how it goes. Be humble and it really doesn't matter anyways.

10. Hire a house cleaner! The last thing you want is to come home to your second job. Then you can have time to focus on yourself and your spouse.

❤️❤️

10/01/2022

21/12/2021

Merry Christmas to all my clients & supporters 🎄
Wishing you a Happy & Healthy 2022🎉

03/10/2021

Contact is DYNAMIC not FIXED

As a dressage rider myself, I feel I can call us out for being one of the worst offenders of this as riders.

We tend to hold contact too rigidly, and for too long, in a stagnant frame that lacks actual SELF carriage.

Contact is a reference point towards SELF carriage and balance. If constant weighted contact is required to hold your horse in a frame, I'm going to question how much SELF carriage the horse actually has.

It is a common question in the dressage world "How much weight should I feel in my hands with contact?"

Short answer...NONE.

Or as Charles de Kunffy says "The rider should merely feel the weight of the bit or reins in soft, closed hands... So long as there is weight that must be held or sustained by the rider, the horse is not in self carriage."

It is the norm that many dressage riders feel POUNDS of weight in their hands on the regular, and some even feel this to be a "good" thing.

Their is no SELF carriage in weighted, strong, or FIXED contact.

Dynamic means "a process or system characterized by constant change."

If your contact is not changing enough, it goes from a reference point of balance and SELF carriage, to a park bench of stagnant leaning and dependency.

Now of course there will be moments of heaviness or tension as the horse is learning to supple and balance. But as the horse develops, you should be feeling more and more lightness as the horse educates into more moments of self carriage. If more then 50% of you're ride is routinely heavy or strong, then you're likely not working towards self carriage.

Here are some photos of two developing horses. Look at how many times the contact and frame changes in a single ride. There are moments of heaviness, moments of lightness, and I am constantly changing the frame to help the horse lengthen or lighten within changes of balance. It's a very dynamic conversation, not a fixed position or frame.

13/08/2021

Sad but true

10/07/2021

JOINT INJECTIONS! Should we be getting them??

It’s been long understood in human sports medicine that steroid injections into arthritic joints has contraindications (negative side effects), and many doctors refuse to give them unless patients have undergone an exercise programme first.

We now have the science to back this up. The study linked below shows that corticosteroids have a ‘significant negative effect on tendon cells, collagen synthesis and can cause necrosis (cell death).

So should we be so blasé about injecting our horse’s joints?? No! We should be working with the vet to create an exercise plan, the farrier to rebalance feet and the saddler BEFORE we go down the road of injections. They may provide short term pain relief, but you’ll find it will categorically cause problems long term.

Interested to hear your views below

EDIT: Rightly pointed out that this paper is focused on tendon pathology. However I stand by my views on prophylactic joint injections and exercise/rehab plans

https://www.csp.org.uk/system/files/documents/2019-06/the_risks_and_benefits_of_corticosteroid_treatment_for_tendinopathy.pdf

06/04/2021

The Hockey Stick Effect... and horse training/rehabilitation

It's such a common phenomenon for owners and trainers to push for the end results before actually doing the work that creates the results. The biggest thing... gadgets... training aids... and lots of quick fix type methods. The use of "stuff" allows us to feel like we are getting the big picture in a shorter amount of time because of the "look" the gadgets create. But are we really getting real results?

The Hockey Stick Effect is not for the impatient because it is slow to start, stagnant during growth but quick to come together once you put the time and effort into the boring and seemingly pointless work. This is where there is a gadget for every problem a horse could give us. Have a problem? This piece of tack will stop your horse from doing X...

A horse carries his head to high? There's a tool out there to make the head be lower.

A horse rushes under saddle? There's a bit that keeps him from running off.

A horse that is lazy? There's a rowel you can add to your spur that will surely liven him up.

Most people use gadgets because they don't have time or knowledge to work and wait for the real fix. Gadgets are empowering because they ALMOST work. And once that gadget quits working, there is another gadget that follows behind it. Take bits for example... you can start in a nice smooth snaffle with the option of escalating to barbaric, sharp and heavy leveraged bits depending on the problems your horse gives you.

Basically, for every side effect a medication causes, there is another medication you can take to ease those side effects. Pretty soon you have a whole medicine cabinet of stuff you have to take in order to maybe feel ok. Instead... get rid of the fake and manufactured fixes and get back to basics if you really want to quit pulling your hair out.

Basics are not ever a quick fix but they are the long term fix. It's takes time to develop a new and healthy normal. For the most part, we don't actually know what normal is for horses. From behavior, to hoof health, to diet, social manners, etc. we are so conditioned to abnormal health that we even know what a healthy normal is for our horses.

If you relate training progress to the graphs, you don't see much, if any progress for a while when you first start the education process. You may see a 1% improvement per session if you're lucky. Most would judge that as being unproductive training. But after you accomplish say 100 days of slow, methodical work in a certain area, you have quite the result to show off. This is where a 30, 60 or 90 day c**t start/tune up/foundation program absolutely drives me crazy with anxiety! No matter how hard I try, to get a real result that is going to last, you have to have the time it takes to follow the graph and every horse is going to have their own timeline.

As an example, I had a mare that I did a pretty strict training regiment on as a way to hopefully fix a problem I didn't know how to fix. For essentially 100 days, we did slow, methodical and very boring work. Basically, it was the 1%/day goal of getting something productive done. I didn't realize this at the time but it literally took that amount of time (100 days) to reach that uphill slop of the hockey stick where "all of the sudden" my problems were gone. When I went back and tried what used to be my problem area again, the problem I once had was nearly gone and I hadn't actually addressed my problem head on. My problem was caused by a lack of basics my horse needed in order to do the job I wanted to do. She was the poster child for needing the gadgets the keep the head down, and the bit to keep her from rushing off and the spurs to make her get off my leg, but once the holes were beginning to be filled, those gadgets were no longer needed. I did a few simple tasks that changed the health and well being of my horse and I didn't need to force her to do it.

The last thing I'll say about gadgets is the the negative effects they have. Not just physically, but mentally. Physically, when you use the stuff to put a horse in a box, to create the look and shape you want, the horse often has to contort himself in order to go to that shape. Often times we end up helping the horse strengthen the wrong muscles because they physically can't do the outline we want. On a deeper level though, it's the mental side of gadgets. When you put a horse in a box, where he's held together with restraints and pressures, you lose connection with the horse. The horse no longer has a choice nor does he feel inclined to choose better options. Essentially, once you say "do this and do that" the horse becomes robot and not a partner.

When we remove the quick fix "stuff", go back to basics and allow the horse to learn the material, you have training installed for life. Why? Because the horse is choosing how to behave. The horse chooses what feels good and what doesn't. The horse remembers what feels good and he'll choose to do what feels good to him. So in the beginning, it's slow because it takes time to create a new, healthy normals, but long term, good, solid training where a horse learns to do it himself without feeling forced into it, is the lifetime fix.

24/03/2021

Why Wednesday ~ What is the intuitive approach of the Masterson Method?
Answer: Touch and Response

When you get right down to it "Touch" and "Response" are nothing more than stimulus and behavior. When you apply the correct stimulus (touch), you will get the correct behavior (response), which starts the process of release in the horse. When you use the correct level of touch and can recognize the responses that correlate to what you are doing, you can follow those responses to a successful release of tension by the horse.
The more you pay attention to what the horse is saying, the more you begin to recognize subtler responses from the horse to the point that you can begin to 'feel' as much as see what is going on. You often start to sense that an area is about to release before the horse visibly shows you the release. Soon, it becomes less about seeing and thinking and more about feeling. The horse begins to participate by responding more readily and learns to release tension more easily.

Start your journey to find and release tension in your horse's body today with the book Beyond Horse Massage, https://mastersonmethod.com/product/beyond-horse-massage-book/

01/02/2021

why your horse needs the masterson method form of bodywork.