Animal-Balance

11/12/2024

This week I am celebrating Melissa Spell Deal from Compassionate Horse Click.
Melissa is a positive reinforcement trainer and coach, based in the USA.
United States Dressage Federation Bronze Medalist, Melissa has developed her skills to find ethical and welfare focused training methods, that create motivation and clarity without the use of force.
For more information listen to episode 10 of the Change of Tack Podcast, or visit www.compassionatehorseclick.com

Interested in a more kind and effective way to train your horse? Positive reinforcement and clicker trainers agree, this is a powerful method that helps clarify their communication with their horses.

11/12/2024

Just another example of SLO in action, great to see other countries are starting to put animal welfare, before human enjoyment and financial gain.
These industries need to wake up and implimemt changes to protect the animals, or their right to operate will be revoked.

The industry has long faced criticism, with some breeders accused of mistreating or doping the animals.

09/12/2024

I can't verify this is true, but it will be very interesting if Denmark decide to go ahead with this recommendation.
And if it is true, the impact would be extremely far reaching!

Imagine if you woke up tomorrow to a ban on the use of any of the following:
curb bits,
draw reins,
tight nosebands,
Hyperflexion,
'hitting' with whips,
'kicking' with spurs.

How would that impact you?
For some it would have no impact at all, for others it would mean significant changes in how they train, handle and ride their horses, and may mean some are unable to ride at all.

The fact this is even being discussed, just shows how significant the pressure of SLO is on the Equestrian industry!!

Breaking news: Denmark may become the first country to ban the double bridle. The Danish Animal Ethics Council, which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and in place to advise the minister on necessary legislation for animal protection, has officially made the suggestion that curb bits be banned by law alongside draw reins, riding behind the vertical, tight nosebands, and any use of the whip which can be characterised as hitting and any use of the spurs which can be characterised as kicking.

Read or translate the official letter here:https://detdyreetiskeraad.dk/Media/638693250252120201/Henvendelse%20til%20FVM%20om%20hestesport%20051224.pdf

Photo by Crispin Parelius Johannessen. See more photos here: https://tinyurl.com/49xbr2n5

09/12/2024

One of the saddest parts about being a therapist, is hearing when a client loses their beloved animal. I never want to make that loss about me, but I do grieve privately and often shed a tear.
This year has been a particularly sad one, with several of my long standing clients having to say good-bye to their elderly pets, some of whome I had been treating since I first qualified over 12 years ago.
So I just wanted to send my thoughts out to all of those who have a missing piece of their heart right now. I know the pain you feel and am always here if you want to share memories of the joy they brought you.
The photo is of my own missing pieces, JD and the Rebel Dog, who will forever be missed by all who knew them.

08/12/2024

I know this can be a controversial subject, but as horse owners we really do need to start asking ourselves the hard questions.
Just because we can, does that mean we should?
SLO is a serious threat to the equestrian industry. If we don't start making changes to how we train and manage our horses, we may find the public give us no choice.

Dr David Marlin presenting - Are welfare and performance mutually exclusive in equestrian sport?At the National Equine Show at Birmingham's NEC on Saturday 4...

06/12/2024

I'm a firm believer that if you use a piece of equipment on your animal, you should know EXACTLY how the equipment works and what it was designed to achieve.
All too often I see horses ridden in Tack that is set up in direct opposition to how it was designed to be used, when I question the owners they will often say the horse came with the equipment so they didn't want to change it, or they had to add a noseband or martingale to stop the horse evading the bit.
As a general rule of thumb - if your horse throws their head up, they are likely avoiding discomfort. Using a martingale or draw reins to tie their head down has not removed the discomfort.
If you horse opens their mouth, they are avoiding discomfort. Using a noseband to tie their mouth shut will not remove that discomfort.
Hiding the symptoms does not mean the issue has gone away and often will lead to the horse looking for other ways to avoid the discomfort, resorting to more extreme behaviours over time.
We need to start asking why a horse is 'evaiding' the bit, not Masking the problem with more equipment.

03/12/2024

Great news. A new podcast from The NAC - Applied Animal Science discussing all things equine welfare. :)
Definitely excited to add this to my list

03/12/2024

A lovely example of how to start introducing cooperative care with dogs.

I first came across this system when working with Edit from Activity 4 Paws and a very anxious dog who had become touch reactive during treatments with their previous therapist.

Using positive association with the blocks lowered the dogs anxiety levels and also allowed them to have a very clear 'stop' signal, whereby the dog could easily step off the blocks if they became too anxious, without escalating to more dangerous behaviours.

Over a few sessions, we progressed from a dog who I could not touch without the risk of being bitten, to being able to give a full treatments without restraint or need for a muzzle.

As with everything (especially rehabilitation cases), you should seek guidance from a professional to ensure the basic steps are introduced correctly.

215 likes, 3 comments. “The bucket game is based on the principle of choice, giving animals control over a process like nail clipping, injections, or grooming. The main rule is simple: I only proceed when my dog looks at the bucket. If my dog looks away, it signals me to stop what I’m doing. How...

03/12/2024

03/12/2024

Another brilliant podcast episode from Abbey's Run Equestrian :) I always find these so interesting.

01/12/2024

Looks like an interesting read.

✨️ Issue 4 ✨️

Issue 4 is here, and boy, is it a good one! Here's what you'll find inside...

Interview:

The Cover Star - I had the honour of sitting down with Jaime Jackson, founder of the Paddock Paradise, the Natural Trim and the 4 Pillars of Natural Hoof Care, and asked him some of the track system community's most debated, frequently asked questions. Inside Issue 4, you'll find Part 1 of our interview sharing stories, explanations and the most-know facts about track life. You can also watch a recorded portion of our interview, not featured in this magazine, on Jaime's YouTube Channel.

Guest Articles:

🔹️Emma Palmer, featured in Issue 1 with Ailbe's Kissing Spines Journey, is back to share how she overcame hurdle after hurdle - from resource guarding issues and extreme heat to poor hoof quality - by keeping an open mind, seeking support from others when needed and giving her herd time to adjust to life on track.

🔹️Josepha Guillaume of Dressage in Hand by Josepha Guillaume, author and horse trainer, returns to explain that whether you're a happy hacker or a high-end show jumper, aligning your management and training practices with your horse's natural behaviours creates room for an improved team, a happier horse and better Olympians.

🔹️Michèle Rhéaume of Wakita Equine continues on with Part 2 of the importance of sleep in our horses, what symptoms of sleep deprivation to look out for and how to prevent issues with sleep.

🔹️Regular writer, Sue Dawson of Calm Healthy Horses UK, is back with another segment to her series 'Making Mini Tracks Rock' answering the big hay question - can horses thrive on a hay only diet?

🔹️Alyson Sharpe of PB Paddock Paradise Livery bravely shares a glimpse of what heart break can look like, and makes a very special announcement.

🔹️Martine Sudan of Balancing Whispers is here to show the world that high-end facilities, top-quality care and species appropriate living can work together.

🔹️Natural Hoof Care Practitioner, Nick Hill of V&T Equine services, emphasises the importance in stimulation of the hooves and how you can track your horse's movement and process via their hoof wear patterns.

🔹️Fiona Giles of Paddock Paradise Vienne tells the tale of her mare Roxy and little Shetland Buzz and how their lives transformed thanks to life on track.

🔹️Emma Morris shares the story of Shetland Superstar Noddy and his journey with Equine Metabolic Syndrome - a feel-good read for sure!

Extras:

🔸️Worried about your unsurfaced track and winter this year? Here are my top ten mud control tips to make both you and your horse's lives easier.
🔸️️Part 2 of feeding adlib hay explores the crucial factors required for your horses success on adlib hay.

Regulars:

🔸️Enrichment Makes - easy enrichment ideas for your own track system.
🔸️Julian's Top Tips - a handyman's advice on maintaining your track, from one trackie to another.
🔸️Tracks from around the World - a look at track systems from across the globe.
🔸️Track Hacks - our track 'must haves' for you and your horse.
🔸️Healing Hooves - a look at healing horses' progress on track.
.. and more!

To my fellow trackies or trackies-to-be, Happy Trackin' everyone.

www.happytrackinmagazine.com

29/11/2024

Want to have your say on the future of sports horse Welfare?

The equestrian industry has been actively examining its own practices, especially around horse welfare, training, and management, in response to growing scrutiny from both the public and industry insiders. Questions about equestrianism’s “social license to operate” have sparked intense discuss...

29/11/2024

28/11/2024

This week I am celebrating The amazing Yasmin Stuart Equine Physio.
Yasmin travels throughout the UK, providing holistic treatments for horses and training for owners. She specialises in trauma informed training and provides online learning through her website www.yasminstuartequinephysio.com

I can especially recommend her courses:
Fundamentals of horse posture
and Fundamentals of Exercise Programming, which guide owners through the complexities of posture and biomechanics, enabling them to critically assess and analyise their own horses development.

Yasmin was incredibly generous with her time, kindly sharing her story to make this a really fascinating podcast episode.

Just search 'Change of Tack' to listen on your favourite podcast platform.

28/11/2024

Change of Tack : Episode 9. Yasmin Stuart - Equine Physiotherapist