LiteBite Horse Muzzle

26/09/2025

Very interesting

Half halts like hill starts? Always opt for the left rein? These are the top takeaways from Carl Hester's masterclass at Defender Burghley

15/09/2025

For your interest:
When you ask for an upward transition, it is common to become more tense, as you contract your muscles to squeeze (or give a little kick!) to encourage the increase in pace. However, the first thing you should do before you ask for an upward transition is to relax your hips!
Allows you to sit deeper in the saddle for increased connection with your horse
Gives your horse a signal that you are going to ask for a change in pace
Enables your legs work independently of your body
Teaches your horse to respond to lighter aids
Stops your muscles from pulling your upper body forward
To start with, you may have to really concentrate on your body to actively relax your hip muscles, but over time, it will become a habit. You will be amazed at what a difference it will make to your riding position and your horse's way of going!

01/09/2025

Lovely

01/09/2025

Oh there goes my chocolate addiction

06/08/2025

Might come in handy:

02/08/2025

New: LiteBite Horse Technology

Your horse can take a full, natural bite — not a forced nibble — because of the anatomically shaped Grazing Slot.
So instead of frustrated poking at a tiny hole, your horse lowers its head and chews calmly, just as nature intended.

Check it out on www.litebitehorsemuzzle.com

01/08/2025

https://fb.watch/Bc76DiJ1VA/

22/07/2025

Warwick again, what a fab trainer:

SHOWER THOUGHTSEvery once in while I've have what I call a shower thought. I'm in the shower and something profound will come to me, and I'll have to jump ou...

20/06/2025

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INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING

This was posted recently on Warwick Schiller's Attuned Horsemanship page - safe to say it went viral with over 3,500 shares and close to 900 comments...

I'm reading an amazing book called Amphibious Soul by Craig Foster, the Academy award-winning documentary filmmaker of "My Octopus Teacher".

If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it, it is simply profound.
In the book, he says "As a rule, I never touch an animal unless they touch me first".

In my work building relationship with horses, I do this too. Most times a horse will touch you with their nose/muzzle first, and matching that greeting (versus labeling the horse as a biter) is a game changer.

But there's a phenomenon I have noticed going on with people trying to build relationship with their horses that I have labeled "inappropriate touching", and it looks a bit like the photo below.

This picture was taken at a horse expo in Pennsylvania recently, where I worked with a demo horse who has a "biting issue". He would reach out in a way that his owner was termed as nipping, whereas I interpreted it as him saying hello, similar to reaching out to shake hands with someone.

When he reached out I would greet him with a flat hand that he is able to to nuzzle, lick or even scrape his teeth on. After doing this a while his snappy acting motions got less so, and he was no longer needing to say "hey, pay attention", but was more "hey, how's it going". I was explaining to the audience that I was meeting him in the way that he was meeting me (with his muzzle) and that its not an invitation to touch other parts (yet).

I then said that it's many people's default to reach up and rub a horse between the eyes, whether that's what they are offering or not, and that if you do, it's inappropriate touching and it gets in the way of connection. It doesn't meet their needs, and is all about yours.

With the horse in the picture, he'd been engaging me with his muzzle, and I said to the audience "watch what happens when I try to rub him between the eyes". As you can see in the photo, he has raised his head up and is clearly indicating "No, not there, on my muzzle".

We had a Connection And Attunement retreat here at the Journey On Ranch a week ago, and I used my wife Robyn to illustrate this point to the participants. I said "imagine I'm at a gathering and meeting Robyn for the first time". We walked up to each other in that way people do when they see someone new and they can tell an introduction is shaping up, Robyn reached out with her hand to say hello and instead of me reaching out to shake her hand, I gently reached up and lightly brushed a wisp of hair from her cheekbone and tucked it behind her ear.

The participants all gasped and the ick factor was high.

Even though it was caring, and gentle, it was inappropriate at that moment.

Now I'm not saying you can't rub your horse on the forehead. I'm saying if your horse has a disregulated nervous system around humans because they don't feel seen (and safe), try to meet their needs first, before trying get get yours met.

I recently saw an Instagram post from a University in the UK, and the professor was explaining that they were doing studies on horses to determine levels of stress. In the background a horse was standing with his head out over a Dutch door. While he was explaining their investigations on stress, a female student (or maybe another professor, I don't know which) walked up to the horse. The horse reached out with his muzzle to greet her.

She ignored this and reached up to rub the horse between the eyes.
He turned his head 90 degrees to the left to communicate that wasn't what he was offering.

Her hand followed him and kept rubbing. He then turned his head 180 degrees to the right, saying "No, not like that", she smiled, gave him another pet between the eyes, and walked of camera.

While the professor was saying that they are doing experiments determining the amounts of stress horses are under, someone in the background was actually creating stress, without either of them even knowing it.

Once you understand how sentient horses are, and how subtle their communication, you can't unsee it.
SEE THE POST HERE

Sent to: [email protected]

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Warwick Schiller Attuned Horsemanship, 1895 San Marcos Road, Paso Robles, CA 93446, United States

10/06/2025

Should you wet your horse's feet?

Hoof Health & Wet/Dry Cycles: What Happens, What Helps — and What Might Not

Evidence-aware. Product-sceptical. Seasonally relevant.

As we hit the point in the year where the ground alternates between saturated and baked dry, your horse’s hooves are quietly bearing the cost. Flare, cracks, chips, white line stretching — these aren’t just cosmetic. They’re symptoms of real structural stress linked to repeated wet/dry cycles.

Let’s look at what’s actually going on — and why quick fixes might not be the answer.

What Happens in a Wet/Dry Cycle?

During wet periods, hoof horn absorbs water — particularly through the outer wall, white line, and sole. The material becomes softer, more flexible, and mechanically weaker.

As the surface dries, the outer horn contracts more rapidly than the inner layers. This uneven shrinkage can distort the hoof wall, opening up cracks and flares and placing strain on the laminar connection.

This cycle doesn’t just affect the surface. It influences load distribution, hoof capsule mechanics, and the hoof’s ability to maintain a tight bond between internal and external structures.

The Science Bit — Evidence-Based and Up To Date

Hoof horn is made of keratinised epithelial cells arranged in a tubular and intertubular matrix. These structures are rich in structural proteins and lipids, and are hygroscopic — meaning they absorb and release water from the environment.

The moisture content of healthy hoof wall typically ranges from 15–25% depending on region and environmental exposure. When hooves absorb too much moisture, particularly over prolonged periods:

The intercellular lipids can become disrupted, reducing the horn’s cohesion and resilience.

White line separation can occur as the laminar interface becomes mechanically strained.

Microbial access increases, especially if the hoof is exposed to ammonia (from urine) or acidic soils, which can alter the pH of the horn and soften the sole and frog.

There is also emerging evidence suggesting that repetitive cycles of swelling and shrinking can contribute to microfractures within the horn tubules, leading to brittleness and cracking as the outer wall dries.

🧬 Sources include recent studies in equine podiatry and veterinary dermatology published in The Veterinary Journal, Equine Veterinary Education, and the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science (2020–2024).

Hoof Products: Helpful, Harmful, or Overhyped?

Many traditional treatments — from oils and greases to hardeners and moisturisers — come with bold claims, but scientific support for most is limited, context-specific, or conflicting.

Occlusive oils and greases may reduce evaporation in dry conditions but risk trapping excess moisture in wet ones — which can worsen wall stretching and increase infection risk.

Formalin-based hardeners, once commonly used, have largely fallen out of favour due to concerns over tissue toxicity and disruption of natural horn formation.

Hydration treatments (like water-soaking or glycerine-based moisturisers) may improve horn pliability short-term, but have no lasting structural benefit unless environmental causes are also addressed.

Bottom line: No product can replace good trimming, environmental management, and load balance. If the hoof is flaring or cracking, it’s a structural issue — not a moisture problem you can fix with a brush.

What Actually Helps?

🔹 Reduce extreme wet/dry swings: Create more stable footing. Dry standing areas, shelter from dew, and avoiding overuse of abrasive turnout surfaces help mitigate damage.

🔹 Keep trim cycles consistent: Balanced, frequent trims reduce leverage and help the hoof maintain functional shape and structural strength.

🔹 Use topical treatments judiciously: If your hoof care provider recommends something specific, make sure it’s suited to your horse’s environment, management, and hoof condition — and not just marketing hype.

🔹 Watch for subtle signs: New cracks, softening white line, or reluctance on hard ground may indicate the early stages of mechanical or microbial problems. Don’t wait to act.

Hoof care isn’t just about what you put on — it’s about what you build in. Sound structure, good loading, consistent care and a well-managed environment will always outperform even the fanciest tin of hoof gloss.

27/05/2025

Litebite Horse Muzzle psychology

27/05/2025

I am so proud of my two ponies. Their field is right next to a big school I just received this note from my daughter:
Just checked ponies as big police exercise going on in school, shouting, sirens, drills for ages - ponies couldn't give a stuff!
Wonderful.
Celie

The LiteBite Horse Muzzle is totally new, it is ultra soft and flexible with innovative grazing slot, nothing like it on the market.