Tacky Central

23/01/2024

Love this.

19/12/2023

Beautiful frame 🥰

If you remember one thing from Olympia this year, let it be this test.

A beautiful display of harmony, balance and relaxation - simply a wonderful display of true horsemanship that gives hope for the future of our sport.

Sadly this wasn’t recognised by the judges on the score sheets, but hopefully we will start to see a shift in perception as more people realise that flamboyance and extravagance does not necessarily equate to correctness and comfort.

I take my hat off to this rider for putting his horse first, even if it meant sinking down the leaderboard. I just hope that riders, horses and tests like these begin to be recognised and suitably rewarded for their efforts.

It’s one thing to lead the dance, it’s quite another to dance together.

Photo credit: Daydream Equine Art
Rider: Lewis Carrier Dressage

09/12/2023

Amen

I have a confession.

I wouldn’t have my horses if I had to keep them isolated and without space.

I recently posted a post stating we shouldn’t own animals we can’t adequately care for, socialization and space to move being crucial needs of the horse.

Some thought it was mean.

But, here’s the thing, I hold myself to that.

I would sooner send my horses all of the way to Alberta or Northern BC (10+ hours away) wjere they could live on more land and have friends who live there do wellbeing checks for me than board them somewhere where they had to be separated from each other and with limited turnout.

I would sooner drive 1-2 hours one way to keep them more “locally” and have them be able to live outside.

I would sooner sell them or gift them to people I know who have the space for them.

What I couldn’t do is put them in a situation where I would knowingly watch their wellbeing deteriorate just so I could be close to them.

I love my horses but being able to spend time with them on a daily basis is a privilege of mine that shouldn’t come at the expense of their welfare.

Before I had them at my home, I drove 30-45 minutes one way from the suburbs to have them out at a boarding facility that had 24/7 group turnout in large (not as large as they have now) paddocks.

There were closer places but I chose that one because the closer places didn’t offer that.

I’ve also not had access to an on property indoor arena for easily over a decade at this point because the places with the best horsey facilities usually only have outdoors.

Right now, I don’t even have an arena on property and if I want to use one, I need to haul them off property or ride about 2km to a local one.

But, their wellbeing is more important than me being able to ride them.

Their welfare is more important than my convenience and enjoyment of them as a “hobby” and stress relief.

I have promised them that every time I move them to a new home, I intend for it to be an improvement on the last home.

So far, I have kept that promise.

01/12/2023

We definitely see this when liveries have their first ‘living out’ winter with us the humans worry and the horses thrive 🥰.

As Nikki says we worry more in the heat than the cold (this lovely dry cold kills bugs and downs t bother horses) ❄️❄️❄️

Friday focus…coping with temperature fluctuations!

Temperatures across the U.K. have dropped significantly the last few days, a little different from the milder autumn weather we have had recently!!

The horses ability to deal with sudden drops in temperature never ceases to amaze me! It is incredible just how well horses (in good health) cope with cold weather as long as they can escape the elements and have plenty of forage!
It is generally the case that they cope better with sudden drops in temperature than sudden rises, yet we worry far more about the cold…maybe that is because we feel it more!

After almost 7 years of completely changing my own horses management, I worry far less about the cold and definitely more about them coping in the heat! However, in the early days of changing my management of them, I had many a sleepless night about the cold…needlessly may I say, I never saw either of them shiver! The key has definitely been providing them with a bedded shelter, plenty of forage and letting them come and go as they please so they can choose where they would like to be and where they feel they are most comfortable. I know that I am very lucky that they have this freedom and that I have found somewhere to keep them where they are free to make their own choices.

So I guess that I am trying to say just how amazing I think our horses are at regulating their own body temperatures and that with a little help from us providing them with forage, water and shelter helps them even more so!

Horses are meant to put on weight throughout the summer months and lose it over the winter months, it is the natural order of things! If they come out of winter with too much condition, they will only put on more weight during the summer months. As I am sure many of you know, it is so much more difficult to get them to lose weight over the summer months, so it’s important to let them naturally, gently lose it over the winter.

Work with how your horses natural condition fluctuations should be, not against them! This makes long-term management so much easier and it will help keep your equines fluctuating in a healthy condition score bracket.

If you have a good doer that needs to lose some weight this winter, be proactive and start now! A few small changes can make a huge difference! Feeding forage to their bodyweight and not over rugging will help!

Enjoy the snow (if you have some!), the beautiful, cold, crisp days, keep warm and stay safe if you are traveling! This is so much nicer than all the rain we have had lately!

30/11/2023

Literally took the words out of our mouth. Please don’t show your horse species appropriate living and then whip it away. It’s cruel 😢

The cruelest thing, for me, is giving horses a taste of this life and then taking it away.

Bringing horses to me who have huge behavioural and physical issues all caused by traditional management. The horses who weave, windsuck, pace, kick the door, have ulcers, prone to colic, are explosive or shut down, have laminits, are obese, have deformed hooves, or are just generally miserable.

Those horses who get brought to me and I watch all those behaviours and health issues fade away. I watch them become part of the herd, making friendships and bonds, become calm and relaxed and show none of those behaviours that I have been told they exhibit. The ability to make their own choices, eat when the like, play when the like, sleep when they like, move as much as needed, and be free from solitary confinement.

To then have it all taken away because the owner wants better facilities. Wants them closer to home. Wants to be able to ride everyday. Wants the indoor school, the XC facilities, etc etc but forgets that often in order to have those things, they have to go back to being stabled. Individual turnout. And all those behaviours and health issues that I saw leave, will return.

I watch members of my herd mourn the loss of their herd mates. I have to distance myself from worrying about how the horse that has left is going to cope.

Time and time again I have people tell me their horse will be here for life, and then they decide to move them.

It's the hardest part of running a livery. And I get it, I really do. I know that life gets on the way.

I know we have horses to enjoy them. But is that really fair when 'enjoying them' has negative impacts on how they live? Do we have the right to make those decisions? I'm pretty fed up of watching horses transform at my livery, make friendships and settle only to have it all taken away.

It's why I could never offer rehab livery, to only watch the horse return to the environment that caused the problems in the first place.

If your long term plan is to move your horse back to traditional livery, I think it's fairer to never give them a taste of this life in the first place. Letting them experience this life that mimics how they are supposed to live, meets their physical and mental needs, only to take it away for your own wants, is just cruel, and I'm fed up of watching it happen.

Horses owe us nothing. And deserve for us to seriously consider the impacts of our decisions on their lives.

15/11/2023

It’s so simple and yet so often it’s overlooked!

Having a saddle that sits beyond the last rib is a bad thing, don’t do it. This is such an easy thing to test and know for sure. Anyone can work out whether their saddle sits beyond the last rib. You don’t need to do the 3 years mentoring, have a degree in equine anatomy, or be a master saddler....

08/11/2023

Everyone needs to do this, stand back and look at their horse... make it a habit!

Do you have a minute? Are you with your horse? Great… Now, stand back and look at your horse… from the side, naked (the horse, not you) just look at them, in all their glory! I know, gorgeous aren’t they! Right next thing, really look at them, take a picture if you like.. but inspect them, hea...

30/10/2023

One of our older Blogs, but it's that time of year when someone may need to hear this...

Having just had a horrific night, one on which none of the trauma was mine, not my pain, not my pony. All I could think was someone needs to tell the human it’s ok to say goodbye. Years and years ago my oldest friend and I made a pact, if either of us thought it was time to say goodbye to our 4 le...

21/10/2023

I mean, we may be biased in being 100% behind this... but seeing two new horses welcomed to our herd this month, and both, you can just see the tension melting away...

This blog has been going around my head for weeks, months even. It needs to come out as it’s driving me nuts :) It started as a rant about prehab (The clinical definition: Improving the functional capability pre surgery) so it is pre-rehab. There isn’t prehab to ‘working’ your horse, there i...

20/10/2023

YES YES YES!!! A MILLION YES’S!!!

This blog has been going around my head for weeks, months even. It needs to come out as it’s driving me nuts :) It started as a rant about prehab (The clinical definition: Improving the functional capability pre surgery) so it is pre-rehab. There isn’t prehab to ‘working’ your horse, there i...

14/10/2023

Something we see a lot as ours preparr their coats for winter. We always use Trinity Consultants for our detoxes. Infact for a lot of our .

12/10/2023

Had the BEST day nerding it up about soil health and healthy grass growth 😬🤓🤓🤓

05/10/2023

Darling Blue doing what he does best. This is his super power welcoming newbies no matter how worried or shy. Sharing his food, teaching them to be a horse again and then introing them to the the herd. Some people might think he’s a pretty big pet who doesn’t really ‘earn his keep’ but I can’t tell you how amazing he is. Never mean, always calm and grounded and totally happy to be away from his family just to welcome others. Blue bear you are our super hero

27/09/2023

New pie day

25/09/2023

IYKYK the beauty of all that black gold

25/09/2023

RWYM is all about saying things in a way that’s both positive and helpful to the rider and their mindset. This is a great little cheat sheet (works for real life too 😉)

Monday Mindset

17/09/2023

Everyone needs a friend just the right size for groomies. Wicket is passing on the fascial love post his bodywork session

13/09/2023

I’m guessing it was a big night!

Nawwwww lads, I could sit and watch you sleep as a herd alllllllllllll day….

Someone was telling me the other day that all their horses are in little, individual turnouts as they just can’t risk them or the vet bills!?? This makes no sense to me. Our herd has only ever seen two injuries that needed a vet, and they were just small deep cuts, in a silly spot … yes we get lots of little, easily fixed lumps and scapes from playing and a few hooning lamenesses but that’s it… they’re happy, and established, even with comings of new horses…

Same person then went on to go through the vet requirements of the horses, ligament damage, tendon injuries, kissing spines… it makes no sense, the lack in herd interaction generates a weak horse, one that doesn’t hoon and play, rear and buck about, yes buck… Our hills also help, strengthen those bodies… they learn to function, understand pressure and energy, balance and relaxation as a herd… I bloody love it!

I’d never compromise on herd life… not for a small risk of something serious happening… look how happy they are!! I mean we could all die tomorrow doing the most insignificant of things…

07/09/2023

Ponies showered at least twice, the flies are beyond ridiculous, farm chores done, shop manned, I may soon expire… but fortunately the has revived me!

Anything above 24degrees is just showing off and it’s just not very British!

Off you jog heatwave!

01/09/2023

Honestly try and be more handsome 🥰. Thanks .equestrian for the photo. Best coblet in the whole world sharing his awesomeness at

03/08/2023

A ragwort sweep today, and what an improvement on the last 2/3 years. We have had the weather on our side but the tones of rag we removed previous years has finally started to pay off.

The land management allows our land to easily self generate a diverse pasture and stay strong despite the impact of our horses!

Healthy pastures, healthy horses, happy humans.

I love coming up here to look at the fields and their stages of growth, as we rotate the herd around the farm…

Diverse pastures is the key to a healthy gut biome so to see all these species thriving is bliss!

But it also helps to improve the environment for all the creatures and does it’s part to carbon capture - a sustainable livery yard that is so very rewarding from every angle! Plus, no poo picking - woohoooooooo

28/07/2023

Brilliant online resource which I use regularly 👏👏

Your horse only knows how to be a horse

https://dressagetraining.tv/groundwork-certification-programme

It is easy to get frustrated when you get stuck training your horse. Just remember that your horse isn't being obtuse on purpose. It sometimes helps to go back to the basics like groundwork to establish communication again. Click the link above to learn more.

21/07/2023

Best buds. Been seperated for 48 hrs for worming purposes so a huge scritchfest is required on reunion 🥰

21/07/2023

You gotta give em a squish

Friday focus....you need to feel your horse to assess their body condition, you cannot condition score your horse correctly without doing so!

If anyone does tell you your horse is fat, please ensure they have actually touched them and condition scored them properly!! This applies to any equine professionals commenting on your horse, including your vet!

I do this everyday as part of my assessments of clients horses and I can tell you that some horses are very deceptive! By eye, some look like they may have a higher condition score than they actually do and vice versa!

When assessing the horses I see, their body condition score is extremely important and that is what determines the ratio they are fed at. Body condition is an indicator of health status and health risk; an obese or very underweight equine is more susceptible to health issues than an equine with a healthy condition score.

I always talk owners through what I am feeling for when condition scoring and encourage them to learn how to so they can keep an eye on this in between my visits. If you are not sure how to, I have a condition scoring guide on my website which you can download or there are other guides online. It really is easy once you know what you are feeling and looking for!

12/07/2023

Yoga, snuggles and scritches. It’s a busy morning being a coblet

05/07/2023

On Sunday we had a clinic with awesome senior coach Lynda Davey, looking to make us the best packages for our ponies to carry. We are also prepping horses and riders for a full clinic with Mary Wanless next month and have broken it down into bite sized chunks to get everyone ready. One of the chunks is shared lessons where both parties can concentrate and stay in their bubbles. For the babies of the group that starts with a buddy in the corner holding space but not distracting. This is such a cute shot of Bert doing big boy concentrating while lights had a great nap 🤣

05/07/2023

Hacking really is an art and we spend a lot of time teaching it to our horses and the humans too. Horses don’t come made to hack. great article.

As you may know, I run a course called ‘The Art of Hacking’. It is not uncommon for people to laugh or scoff at this, ‘You just get on and ride don’t you?’

Well. It turns out that much of the equestrian population are either having a slightly hair raising time (and assuming this is normal) or using tack various to keep things under wraps.

This weeks topic in the course is energy. This could be an increase of speed, or energy in the sense of vibration - a horse could have lots of energy and be standing still. It also relates to your horses ability to understand energy in the environment; what relates to them and what doesn’t. And energy from humans, what should they respond to and what is not theirs to consider? As you can see, there is a lot in here.

One of the things that gets in the way of our ability to be clear with our horses is our concern that in doing so we will raise the energy - in either of these senses. The horse will either get faster or more ‘juicy’ if we try to present things with clarity.

I absolutely understand this AND, the reality is that the more often we can help our horses to both increase their speed or their internal energy without it having an emotional charge, the safer they are as riding horses and the better they feel. And the more often we can practice presenting increased ‘energy’ without an emotional charge in us, the more useful we are to our horses. Neither of us get better at these things by NOT doing it.

A few people have talked about being able to ask their horses to slow down or move their shoulders and that currently they don’t feel able to do this. My suspicion is that’s because we don’t want to get bolder or clearer in our presentation because we’re worried we may upset our horse. Either because of the feeling this action provokes in us, or the feeling it elicits in them. We have attached an emotional language to this which has negative connotations.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our horses - and ourselves - is the ability to ‘dial it up and dial it down’ with no emotions attached. Or, at least better feelings rather than worse ones! Because the truth is that the more adaptable a horse is both in relation to speed and vibration, the better they do feel. When we’re always trying to make sure that no boats are rocked, the moment the waters get choppy we all panic and sink.

This is one of the many reasons why hacking is an art. Our horses need fo feel sure what to do when a peloton of speeding bikes is coming towards them, and they need to know how to go for a canter and then immediately come back to a relaxed stand still. They know this because we show them how, we don’t just hope they’ll work it out

04/07/2023

Swipe to see what happens when your pupils get artistic with your ‘teaching poses’