Animal-Balance

24/09/2025

Anyone know where these horses belong? Found in Wellow (hampshire). Contact Emma Piggin if you can help.

23/09/2025

I have a few unexpected spaces on my October trip to South England. Drop me a message if you would like to book.

22/09/2025

What age should we start horses under saddle? A controversial topic, for which I doubt we will ever have a unanimous answer... However, I do believe as a industry, we are starting to recognise the damage that can be caused by starting horses under saddle, before they are physically mature and correctly conditioned.

Part of the issue is that horses mature at different ages, with many breeds continuing to grow until 6-8years of age (even longer for many draft and warmbloods). Yet amongst many horse folk, there is still an expectation that a horse should be ready to carry a rider from 3-4 years of age!!

As owners we need to look critically at our youngsters and follow the guidance of experienced professionals, (ideally those who specialise in anatomy and biomechanics) and be prepared to wait if needed. There is no harm in spending another year on the ground!

Take a look at the photos below. The top and 3rd photo (winter coat) were taken in May2025, 1 month from Idris turning 4. Look at the lack of development he has over his hind quarters, he is incredibly weak, especially over the stifle area where he has a conformational weakness. His shoulder also looks very weak and lacking in muscle development. A judge would describe him as 'lacking condition' yet he is not under weight.

Compare those images to the 2nd and 4th photo, taken 4 months later in September 2025. (Now he is over weight, which will play a part in masking some of the areas of weakness). His hind quarters have filled out somewhat, with a more rounded shape to the croup and hind end and significantly more muscle tone over the stifle area. However comparatively his shoulder still looks weak and has not yet finished developing.

Now consider that Idris is a pure bred Welsh Cob (Section D). Do these images look like a fully developed Welsh Cob? Absolutely not! So will I be backing him in the next few weeks...? ABSOLUTELY NOT! Instead I will continue to work him from the ground, with focus on strengthening and suppling exercises to help him build a strong topline and good posture in preparation for when he is ready to carry a rider.

22/09/2025

21/09/2025

Keep your eyes peeled for the subtle signs. Catching laminitis early can reduce the risk of serious damage occurring.

⚠️ LAMINITIS WARNING ⚠️

Despite the mild weather and the grass all looking brown we are still seeing lots of new cases of laminitis. This is only going to get worse now that we are getting a bit of rain and the grass is starting to grow again - take care everyone and remember to watch out for the early signs.

21/09/2025

This image has popped up on another page who couldn't find the original post, so I decided it was time to re-share the article. If you'd like me to restart this series looking at the muscle in more detail; drop me a comment below.

The equine thoracic sling is a hot topic at the moment, but what exactly is it and what is all the fuss really about?

Unlike us humans; horses (and many other quadrupeds) lack any bony attachment (collar bone) between the forelegs and the thorax (body). Instead, the thorax is suspended between the forelimbs by a ‘sling’ of muscles, known as the ‘thoracic sling’. Exactly which muscles should be included under this term is an area of some debate. In future articles I will take a more detailed look at the most commonly discussed structures; how they should function to aid efficient and healthy locomotion, and how disfunction may be impacting our horses.

The thoracic sling is made up of various muscle groups, these include:
• Muscles of the chest including deep and superficial pectoral muscles
• Muscles of the shoulder including omotransversarius, subscapularis and subclavian
• Muscles of the ribs including ventral Serratus and latissimus dorsi
• Muscles of the wither and upper neck including rhomboid and trapezius
• Muscles of the lower neck including the brachiocephalic and sternomandibular

When conditioned effectively these muscles enable the horse to elevate the thorax (body) independently within the shoulder girdle. This much coveted phenomenon can make the difference between a horse who appears croup high / ‘on the forehand’, and one who floats effortlessly with their withers and back raised, and freedom through the shoulders.

While for some horses this may seem to come naturally, conditioning of the thoracic sling requires regular activation of the correct muscles. Many horses develop poor or weak posture from a young age, this may be due to conformational weaknesses or injury; but I believe that lack of active engagement of the thoracic sling muscles in daily movement is also a significant factor.

Modern management practices often leave horses stood for prolonged periods in stables or small paddocks, with limited variation of terrane and forage. This can result in horses who no longer use their bodies as nature intended; to balance up and down hills, stretch to reach browse nor walk for vast distances in search of food.

Over time muscles which are not regularly used will weaken and atrophy, resulting in overall postural changes and reduced performance. It is therefore essential that we assess the impact modern husbandry may be having on the development of our horses, and consider the implementation of environmental enrichment where ever possible; as these can have a greatly beneficial impact on long term movement patterns and postural development.

The muscles of the thoracic sling enable the forelimbs to move inwards or outwards from the body, shifting the centre of mass or balance from one forelimb to the other. This allows the horse to turn and manoeuvre efficiently at speed and when effectively conditioned, enables the horse to perform lateral movements from a basic leg yield, to the canter half-pass and pirouette.

In addition, these muscles control the movement of the scapula; both forwards and back, up and down (as well as towards and away from the body), while maintaining the integrity of its connection at the wither, absorbing concussive forces from limb impact and (in the case of the thoracic serratus ventralis) storing and returning elastic energy to aid efficient movement. It is therefore of vital importance that the thoracic sling is able to work effectively; without restriction or discomfort.

Regular assessments from a qualified body worker can help pick up any tension or restrictions which may be occurring through the muscles of the thoracic sling. Addressing issues early on will reduce the risk of injury occurring, and enable the horse to build healthy posture and maintain long term soundness.

17/09/2025

Is it time we start calling out 'funny' animal videos, where people inflict fear or distress on their animals for views!?

FUNNY VIDEO MESSAGES PART 2: The Dangerous Reality

I came across another one of these supposedly "funny" horse videos and I have seen a few like this but not quite so blatantly ignorant. A female horse trainer dresses up in a frog suit and enters the horses pasture she follows the horses around and makes big gestures in the suit. The herd runs around the field and show multiple signs of fear such as freeze, high head, running. There are probably more facial signs but we are not close enough to see in detail.

These types of videos aren't just unfunny—they're a direct violation of equine welfare and
we need to start calling this out especially if we want to continue to have a social life to operate as far as keeping horses or riding horses is concerned. With 1000s of likes and comments laughing at the animals distress have we really sunk so low for entertainment?

FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS
This is the most obvious one. When a horse is deliberately scared by a human, especially their caretaker, they are experiencing pure fear and distress. A horse's natural instinct is to flee from a perceived predator. When we see a horse running away in a video, they aren't "playing"—they are genuinely terrified. This erodes the trust a horse has in humans and can lead to anxiety, spookiness, and even dangerous situations for both horse and handler.

FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL BEHAVIOR
A normal, healthy horse-human relationship is built on partnership, mutual respect, and trust. When we violate that trust for a social media video, we deny the horse the ability to engage in a normal, calm interaction with its human. It forces them into a state of panic, which is the exact opposite of the calm, cooperative behavior we want to foster.

"BUT THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE THE OWNER!"
This argument misses a crucial point about trust and associative learning. The horses may not consciously recognize the person in the costume, but their brain is registering a terrifying, predator-like figure in their safe space. When the costume comes off and the "predator" is revealed to be their trusted caretaker, a profound breach of trust occurs. The horse learns that the one person they rely on for safety and security can also be a source of unpredictable, extreme fear. This is deeply confusing and could potentially permanently damage the horse-human bond. It teaches them that their human is not a predictable source of comfort, but an unpredictable source of fear.

"THIS IS JUST TRAINING THE HORSE TO BE LESS SCARED"
Another argument to carry out this behavior is desensitization, the owner cited in multiple replies she is training them. I see no training here. I also don't think there is a strong likelihood that the horses are going to come across such an outfit on an afternoon hack.
Systematic desensitization is not carried out in this way, she owner is following the horses. In desensitization we allow the horses to set the distance and they make their way gradually over a longer period of time as they feel safe. Jumping up and down and shaking the suit is not training in this method. It's not training, the horse is only learning that something scary is chasing them in what is meant to be their safe space. Worryingly the person or business that shared this offers training courses. I certainly won't be interested in taking them.

RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY
As we have previously witnessed when a horse runs through adrenaline, they don't care about their own safety. They will crash through fences, flip over objects, and run blindly, often causing serious injuries to themselves—broken legs, severe cuts, head trauma, and soft tissue damage. The "funny" video of a horse being scared can easily turn into a horrific and costly vet bill, or worse, a life-ending injury.

WE CAN DO BETTER
Our relationship with our horses should be built on a foundation of trust and respect, not fear. It's about taking the time to understand what our horses are communicating to us and responding with kindness and consistency. We can do so much better for our horses than to make them the butt of a joke.

14/09/2025

07/09/2025

As someone currently going through perimenopause, it is so important that society starts to recognise the impact this can have on EVERY aspect of your life.

This podcast episode discusses the many and varied affects of hormone changes and how being aware of those changes can help. Please listen, share and help spread the understanding.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1G3dbUcEbgVxmeW9zkhtmo?si=hY6PM1EBQam3ZOm5FCP78A&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A37i9dQZF1FgnTBfUlzkeK

Shut Up and Ride · Episode