Animal-Balance

02/09/2025

🤔 Why does my saddle keep slipping? 🤔

One of the most common reasons I get called out is because a rider notices their saddle slipping to one side. Understandably, the first thought is usually “my saddle doesn’t fit!” - but in many cases, persistent saddle slip can actually be a symptom of something deeper.

🔑 It’s easy to think saddle slip = bad saddle fit… but that’s not always the case. Research (Greve & Dyson, 2013) shows that hindlimb lameness is one of the most common causes of saddles slipping - even when the saddle fits well.

So what does this mean for horse owners?

•⁠ ⁠Saddle slip isn’t always a saddle problem.

•⁠ ⁠It can be an early warning sign that your horse isn’t moving evenly behind.

•⁠ ⁠Addressing the physical issue first is crucial — whether that’s through your vet, physio, or another professional.

That said, a poorly fitting saddle can make the problem worse, leading to muscle imbalance, discomfort, and secondary issues over time. This is where a holistic approach is vital: ruling out pain or lameness, ensuring the saddle is correctly fitted, and supporting your horse’s development with the right exercise.

That’s why during an initial consultation I always carry out a thorough assessment — this includes watching the horse walk and trot up in-hand, and on the lunge, before moving on to the ridden assessment. This helps me check that the horse is comfortable, sound, and happy to carry on under saddle, so I can be confident we’re not masking an underlying issue.

✅ The takeaway: if your saddle is slipping, don’t just adjust the girth and hope for the best. Work with your vet, physio, and saddler together to get to the root of the problem.

27/08/2025

The horse doesn’t care what method you use. He cares how you make him feel while using it.

The war between training methods is exhausting, and it’s hurting the very animals we claim to love.

The industry is drowning in egos.

Scroll any comment section and you’ll see it: accusations, sarcasm, name-calling, and dogmatic preaching, from every side.

Positive reinforcement trainers slam negative reinforcement as cruel and abusive. Traditional trainers mock positive reinforcement as fluffy tree hugging nonsense.

And meanwhile… the horse is stuck in the middle of a war he never asked to be in.

Let’s get one thing straight:
Every single method we use is man-made.

It might’ve been created based on observations of horse behavior. But at the end of the day, they’re still man-made.

Natural horsemanship, liberty, traditional horsemanship, connection based training, positive reinforcement, science based horsemanship, it’s all human-created.

All of it is an attempt to build a bridge between two species. None of it is flawless. They’re tools, approaches and philosophies.

The problem isn’t the method.
The problem is the human.

It’s the person who cares more about being right than being kind, fair and ethical. The trainer who preaches compassion online, but explodes behind closed doors.

The influencer who publicly shames others to boost their own platform.

And it’s all of us watching silently, afraid to speak up because the backlash is that toxic.

This isn’t a game. This is about living beings with fragile nervous systems and beating hearts. The obsession of with being part of the “right camp” has gone so far that we’ve forgotten the point: to help horses live more peaceful, and empowered lives with us.

You can be ethical and use pressure.
You can be ethical and use food rewards.
Any method can be unethical in the wrong hands.

It’s not “R+ vs R-.” It’s not about followers or applause. It’s about doing better. For the horse. For the next generation of trainers and horseman.

For the future of an industry that will collapse under the weight of its own arrogance if we don’t wake up.

Put the horse first. Always. Everything else is just noise.

27/08/2025

Love that Hampshire now has a Vet practice with a qualified Equine Behaviourist as part of the team. Such a fantastic opportunity for owners in the area.

25/08/2025

Do you use the right girth for your horse's shape? This handy guide will help make it clear as mud... ;p

21/08/2025

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲'𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱...

The truth is reward-based training is brilliant... but it's not everything! 😱

If your horse has a deep-down fear of something, positive reinforcement (R+) might not cut it... yet! There is a place for R+ but it's potentially further on down the line... once the fear has been resolved using other techniques.

Fear-based behaviour is complex and, although I'd love to resolve all your problems via a social media post, the truth is I can't 😬 What I can do, however, is invite you to contact me for a 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, so we can get to the bottom of 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 that's holding up your progress!

So, if you're struggling with your horse's behaviour and you'd like some additional support, pop me a line or two here: https://whydohorses.com/contact-us

We'll be in touch!

21/08/2025

CAN WE TALK ABOUT BITLESS BRIDLE FIT WELFARE?

With an international day celebrating bitless riding on the horizon, I'd like to open a conversation about bitless bridle fit.

As the founder of a dedicated bitless bridle fitting course and author of Bitless 101, I often see well-intentioned people promoting bitless bridles without fully understanding the nuances of how they work or how they should fit. Some even go as far to suggest that some bridles should and should not be used without either experience or research to back up these claims.

All too often, I see manufacturers, affiliates, and even "approved" trainers sharing photos of poorly fitting bridles, which ultimately impacts the welfare of the horse. I applaud the innovation and effort that goes into designing these bridles, but when I see them promoted as "researched" and "anatomical," while featuring buckles over the TMJ, tight browbands, or misplaced nosebands, I have to ask: How can we expect horse owners to know what a good fit looks like?

This is precisely why I created the Bitless Horse Riding course. It's designed specifically for HORSE OWNERS, TRAINERS & OTHER EQUINE PROFESSIONALS and teaches:

*How bitless bridles work
*The basics of a proper fit
*How to introduce a bitless bridle
*Techniques for transitioning from the ground to the saddle
*Safety and the Highway Code

To help more people learn about proper fit, I'm offering a 50% discount on the course. Just use the code "WORLD" at checkout before September 6, 2025 on the Equine Academy

ENROL HERE 👉 https://equineacademy.org/course-step/bitless-horse-riding

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For ORGANISATIONS and MANUFACTURERS who are committed to promoting better horse welfare, I strongly encourage you to seek out further education. By understanding the principles of proper fit, you can share better advice and images, helping to ensure a comfortable and safe experience for horses everywhere 🙏

In November 2025 I will be speaking on the subject of the hidden welfare issues in relation to bridle fit (not Bitless specific) at the NKC Equestrian Training UK Healthy Horse Conference.

Get Your Ticket Here 👉 https://conference.nkcequestrian.com/tickets2025?am_id=equinepartnership



P.s I do not intend to single out a brand, this was an image chosen at random and I will not be sharing the brand of the bridle.This post doesn't relate specifically to this one bridle or any one company or individual.

21/08/2025

I see this a lot, although usually the phone falls out after the first circuit in trot. :D.

𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗣𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧

While on a clinic some time ago, and again at a competition yesterday, I noticed a rider carrying their phone in their rear (right) pocket while riding.

This should be avoided at all levels.

Placing a phone in the rear pocket is likely too:

1) Significantly affect the function of the rider’s seat
2) Compromise the effectiveness of the rider’s seat aid
3) Induce/create rider asymmetry
4) Lead to uneven loading of the saddle and horse
5) Compromise rider-horse interaction

Although carrying a phone while riding can be useful for safety and other purposes (apps), alternative locations should be considered.

Image of a rider sitting on a pressure mat with their phone in their right back pocket.

Note: sharing as an observation. We have not shown this experimentally (yet).

18/08/2025

"Let them eat carrots!!"

IT'S CARROTS AND SUGAR TIME AGAIN 🥕◻️🥕

Carrots are a useful succulent for horses on mostly-dry diets e.g. hay and bucket feed, with limited grass intake.

Carrots are LOW IN SUGAR on a fresh basis at around 5%.

Compare this to a typical sugar content of hay of 8%:
🥕 1 medium carrot (60g) = 3g sugar
🟨 1 small bale slice of typical meadow hay (1kg) = 81g sugar

Owners often consider carrots to be high in sugar but that's on a dry matter basis i.e. if you dry the carrot.

Most of a fresh carrot is water - around 80% - and this means its sugar content is diluted.

Some vets recommend not to feed carrots to overweight, laminitic or EMS horses or ponies, but this is due to the risk of the owner over-feeding carrots (the risk of 1 becomes, 2, becomes 3, becomes half a bucketful) NOT the sugar content of a single carrot.

Please share to help me spread the truth about feeding carrots! 🥕🐴🍏

15/08/2025

As a kid I was told to 'pat' the pony I was riding to thank them for being good. I used to cup my hand so it made a louder sound, because I thought the louder I patted, the happier it would make the pony.... Later in life I followed a trainer who pointed out that horses generally don't enjoy being slapped on the neck, and don't like loud, sudden noises! ... after thinking about it and watching how horses tend to brace their necks when they are patted, I came to the conclusion that trainer was right. Since then I have tried to always scratch or stroke, instead of patting. But old habits die hard, and even now the occasional pat will slip out!