Bitless & Natural Equestrian Centre

11/11/2024

Once more such a strong contrast between the human satisfaction and the horse's defeated expression...I'm sorry but I just cannot ever see any beauty in a picture like this, as no sport should ever be the cause of the suffering of someone who never willingly decided to devote his whole life to it. This is not a sport, this is just a sad exploitation 💔

11/11/2024

Well said 💖

Somewhere along the line, equestrians have learnt to be numb to how much we bully our horses. I'm sure everyone at some point has been told to 'kick harder', 'give them a smack', 'don't let them get away with that', 'you are too soft'. A lot of the above we would have been told as children. When did it become OK to constantly bully our horses? To casually cross the line from bullying to just plain abuse without even batting an eyelid? And when did it become ok to bully someone for NOT bullying their horse?

I was at a livery yard yesterday, working on a horse in his stable. I observed someone leading a mare down the aisle, by making sure they tugged nice and hard at the reins with every step, even though the mare was patiently following. Behind the mare, was a teenager who clucked and clapped and physically poked this horse, every step. Every step, the poor mare tucked her tail in and scooted her hind in a clearly fearful way, yet she still kept walking quietly. I am sure that the people involved didn't see anything wrong with this at all, because it is so normal.
But they were bullying this poor horse, who if I'm quite honest should have got her back legs and teeth involved. But she didn't. If she had, it would probably have been bitchy mare this and naughty horse that.

Why is it so normal and acceptable to bully and abuse horses. And why are people that don't bully their horses, weird and snowflakey and clearly can't ride and don't understand the horse world. It's MENTAL.
Sorry for the rant. Be nice to your ponies, folks

04/11/2024

Let us know if you'd like to try this great new chopped Sainfoin with linseed oil when it is available... £24.50 for 18kg

29/10/2024

Where indeed?

The Business of Equestrian Sport - Where do the Horses Feature?

It does seem that horse welfare, as defined via the Five Domains of Horse Welfare, seems to have been abandoned as the horses in equestrian sport have become more and more lost, in favor of rider adoration, ego, money and politics.

As an ever increasing number of people, both within and outside of the horse world, are recognizing the alarming level of abusive riding and training practices, showcased as accomplishment, we hope the tide is turning.

Sadly, the motivation of prioritizing horse welfare seems to be lacking, and it is only the pressure of social license to operate that is influencing any attempts to change the status quo.

At this time, it is surely important for all equestrians to examine their role in the horse world, and how their knowledge of how to preserve the physical, mental and emotional well being of their horses stacks up.

Where do horses fit in today's society?

What is our level of personal and collective responsibility in terms of horse welfare?

What does ridden horse welfare look like?

What are the basic needs of horses that we must be aware of, from their perspective, in order to preserve their physical, mental and emotional well being?

How does the science of equine behavior guide us?

There are many questions that need to be asked and answered in order to create globally acceptable protocols that can overhaul the industry to better horse welfare outcomes.

Horse welfare needs to be the ultimate priority for equestrian sport to survive, and we have a long way to go!

Let's hope the increasing awareness, desire for better education and the motivation to advocate for horse welfare initiatives will help turn things around.

This is part of our Vision and Mission through raising awareness, educating and advocating for horses everywhere.

Learn more about our Vision, Mission and educational content, delivered via our affordable membership program and online courses, at www.equitopiacenter.com

28/10/2024

So very true, I wish more people would take notice

26/10/2024

Another happy customer, we aim to please ☺️

20/10/2024

For anyone who needs to hear it. It’s more than okay if you’re not riding your horse right now, or if you’re not going to ride at all. Riding is not the only way to enjoy your horse, maybe you want to take them for walks and train on the ground, or maybe you just want to watch them be horses.

You are not “wasting” them in the paddock, they do not “need” to be ridden. So long as they are looked after, that’s what counts. Forage to chew on, Friends to interact with, and Freedom to move and play.

Enjoy your horse, whatever that looks like for you.

❤️🐴

18/10/2024

“It’s better than nothing.”

This attitude promotes apathy towards horse welfare.

It allows horse organizations like the FEI to continue to treat the everyday horse person like they’re stupid and like their concerns can be placated by less than the bare minimum.

Why are we willing to settle for “better than nothing” for our horses when it comes to welfare?

"Better than nothing" still means that there is plenty of room for mistreatment.

“Better than nothing” doesn’t allow for us to modernize in the way horse sports NEED to if we want them to survive.

We’ve been settling for “better than nothing” this whole time and look at where it has gotten us.

Claims that horse welfare is valued, but without any action, is not “better than nothing” it pretty much IS nothing.

The FEI creating a noseband gauge that is thinner and thus allows for tighter nosebands than the ISES gauge and traditional “2 finger test” is NOTHING when it comes out following an Olympic year wrought with over tightened nosebands and years of ill fitted tack being enabled even at the pinnacle of sport.

Our horses deserve more “better than nothing” so why are we willing to settle for that?

Why are we willing to let billion dollar organizations feed us the bare minimum, welfare wash and treat us like our concerns are feeble and misplaced?

Why are we willing to accept them doing the absolute bare minimum to placate welfare concerns instead of actually doing the right thing?

I want more than “better than nothing” for the horses.

They’ve been putting up with their welfare being worth “nothing” for too long for us to settle for the bare minimum or less.

“Better than nothing” IS nothing when it comes to actually making a concerted effort to promote better welfare practices.

10/10/2024

Advance notice, we have these amazing nets on order - can be used with round or square bales and have the best closing device of any (and all) bale nets we sell (and have tried all of them!)
https://bitless-equestrian.co.uk/product/slow-bale-buddy-round-or-square-bale-hay-feeder/

10/10/2024

Yes, this 👇

🤪 Getting off does NOT mean your horse has won! 🤪

💪🏻 It means that you are able to read the situation and correctly identify that your horse is requiring some support from the ground.

🙈 Yes, some of us have rather large beasties that we can’t get back on easily - I have two and am also useless at getting on without a decent mounting block. So, I will do a post about what to do in this circumstance separately.

🤔 But…

🥰 If you are able, then hopping off and leading your horse is a seriously useful and productive tool to utilise. (Obviously not if your horse is not safe to handle from the ground.)

😇 Sometimes even the most worried or stuck horse will cope in a situation if his/her rider hops off, reassures and leads them from the ground.

🤔 Often, when being lead, the anxiety and panic that the horse feels eases significantly enough that feeling able to hop back on happens far more quickly than you would think.

👌🏻Equally, if the horse is panicked, it often leads to their rider panicking also. In this case, hopping off immediately reduces the level of anxiety felt by both. Grounding the rider and putting them in a much stronger and calmer position to move safely forwards when they/their horse feel able to do so.

🥰 Please don’t feel like getting off and leading is somehow wrong, that the horse wins or that they will suddenly expect you to get off at every opportunity. In fact, the opposite is often true. The more you demonstrate that you are aware and a good/safe leader the less you will have to get off!

🫶🏻 Love always, Hx

27/08/2024

⚠️Strong words coming… suck it up Equine World.

Vets, farriers, barefoot trimmers, and even research scientists have been misled for too long - and are therefore misleading others.

Rotation of P3 (coffin bone) is ALWAYS human error - every single time.

There's no such thing as P3 "rotating" or "sinking" within the hoof capsule. NO SUCH THING.

Typical vet statement 👉“You must box rest your horse or P3 will come through the sole.”

RUBBISH. If you (vet) had been taught correct hoof care you’d see how ridiculous that statement was.

More utter poppy c**k 👉 “A heart bar shoe can support the frog and P3 to prevent it from sinking” - this is a myth.

It ‘supports’ nothing. Absolutely NOTHING.

Stop nailing (or glueing) them onto already compromised hoof capsules (that you or your colleague screwed up in the first instance).

Equine world irony 👉 Hang on, how about a clog or two, rockering it would be even better - how about resecting the hoof wall, yeah, great that’ll fix it - set the shoe back - increase break over - stop lever forces (everyone ignore the heels).

Sigh. 😔

Every single time you see P3 in the wrong positon in the hoof capsule - it’s INCORRECT TRIMMING that caused it.

You see the red lines on this x-ray?

That’s where the hoof capsule should be.

All that material left at the heel and removed at the toe? Your equine ‘pros’ did that.

Millions of dollars spent on laminitis research and they haven’t even spotted the most simplest of causes.

Vets, farriers, barefoot trimmers - they’re all doing it.

It’s not laminitis - it never was - p3 rotation is human error.

You, the horse owners, are being duped to believe that X-rays like this are a dreadful act of cruel nature.

That the laminae got inflamed, fell apart and left P3 dangling about in the hoof capsule, rotating and sinking at will.

That’s not true.

P3 got like this because humans caused it. The HUMAN HAND with their rasps and nippers, and mythical ideas.

Chopping off toes endlessly, thinning soles, disorienting hoof capsules - this is all improper unnatural hoof care.

HM have a saying 👉 “Do unnatural things, and expect unnatural things to happen”.

Poor P3 - poor, poor P3. The most humungous great big RED HERRING. Forget P3. Look at the HOOF CAPSULE.

P3 is busy doing nothing inside that hoof capsule, minding its own business just waiting for someone who knows how to read a hoof capsule to keep it in balance.

Vet schools, you should hang your heads in shame for failing to teach your students even the most basic principles of hoof care. You know you don’t - we know you don’t - and this is a worldwide problem.

Typical vet statement (with no prior knowledge of hoof care): “remove more toe”

LOOK AT THE X-RAY - that’s where your “remove more toe” got this poor pony.

You should have said “get those heels down, leave that poor toe alone, stop thinning the sole!”

Farrier and barefoot schools, stop listening to bogus science and stop teaching your students to chop off toes.

Every time you do that, you lose the balance point, take off too much sole, cause growth rates to go into chaos, leave too much heel, and rotate P3.

Then you X-ray and shout - L-A-M-I-N-I-T-I-S

STOP IT NOW.

This isn’t just misguided - it’s maiming, laming, and killing horses.

It’s embarrassing, it’s wrong, and it has to end. We are SO DAMN tired of seeing this happen, and having to correct it.

And sometimes we’re just too bloody late.

Equine world you should be saying ‘My Bad’ 😑



HM.

p.s. if your horse is being diagnosed with rotation, get into our rehab group now and learn how to fix it before it’s too late: The Phoenix Way: Path 2 Hoof Health

p.p.s. these videos on this YouTube channel are TOTALLY FREE - educate yourself: Lindsay Setchell Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/

27/08/2024

Welcome to a young unwanted female mule (called a molly) who joined our herd yesterday 💖🥰

19/08/2024

19/08/2024

Bitless all the way... Bits cause discomfort, pain & confusion https://bitless-equestrian.co.uk/why-horses-hate-the-bit/

17/08/2024

Please help to support this rescue in his twilight years