Equine Head to Tail by Billie Morris

17/01/2025

A lot of subsidised training taking place this month for riders of Throughbreds via the Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme (TAP).

If you haven't already booked there are four training days taking place this weekend with various sessions on offer along with many more commencing next week - all of which can be found on the Horse Monkey booking link below.

This weekend:
18 January - Sarah Tubbs - Flat/Polework/Jump Clinic
at Marwood Equestrian, Barnard Castle

18 January - Jo Burns Firth - Polework / Jump Clinic
at Hill House Equestrian Centre, Market Rasen

19 January - Joanne Alderton Whitworth - Flatwork
at Moores Farm, Gloucestershire

19th January - Carl Belson - Flat/Polework/Jump Clinic
at Farley Hall Equestrian, Swallowfeld

https://horsemonkey.com/search?s=the%20howden%20way%20thoroughbred%20aftercare%20programme

09/01/2025

Is your horse over sensitive? Or is it you who’s nervous of being around horses or one horse in particular?

I’m seeing posts of people waving plastic bags on the end of sticks at horses saying that they are desensitising the horse. Seriously? I wonder how much is being charged for this wondrous ‘treatment’.

A horse is a flight animal, of course he wants to get away from what he perceives as dangerous. If cornered he can become self defensive, that’s natural. So the horse can’t win. He’s either classed as a flight risk or aggressive.

What is wrong with just allowing the horse to investigate his surroundings, allowing him to take it all in. But then again people are in such a rush to get a horse ‘going’ they don’t put the work in to let the horse assimilate his surroundings and to learn from other horses who know how their world works.

The main problem from what I can see, is that the rider and or handlers are nervous and lacking in experience. Nervous riders create nervous horses. You, the rider are there to encourage the horse, not the other way round. If you are over horsed get some help. Proper experienced help. There is no shame in asking for help.

When I was a groom in polo, I was put in charge of some ponies who had recently come over from Germany. They were absolutely bomb proof, nothing and I mean nothing fazed them. Turns out that their field in Germany was in the middle of an army shooting range. They were used to mortars being fired over their heads from one side of their field to the other. They weren’t traumatised, before the keyboard warriors set up shop, they had learnt in a herd that just because loud banging was going on, it was not the end of the world. They were also happy to be taken away from their herd with no dramas. They had been handled correctly and they were an absolute pleasure to handle.

With ex racehorses, they have done nearly everything and so they take most things in their stride. They have been handled regularly and properly, they are fed according to the work they are doing and they are exercised by riders who are not worried about a few bucks and spooks. They are in a regular routine. Horses like routine.

Unfortunately they are also cheap and too often, end up in well meaning but inexperienced homes where their behaviour goes downhill. Instead of sending them down the plastic bag on a stick route, why not enrol both yourself and your horse on one of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Programmes that are available and learn together.

24/12/2024

THOROUGHBRED Aftercare Programme's (TAP) launch at the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend at Ascot Racecourse is the latest evolution in the significant investment made into eventing by David Howden.

23/12/2024

Merry Christmas and a very happy new year to all my followers and everyone who has liked, shared and commented on my posts over the year.
Roll on 2025🐎🥳

23/12/2024

So sad. We definitely need a better system to keep a check on these horses.

The horse, identified as War Envoy, spent the latter part of his career running for different connections in California before falling into the wrong hands

22/12/2024

Have a listen to this. Well done Howden 👍

19/12/2024

Leading on from my last post and also after reading and sharing Mills Stables Retraining Racehorses, I would also like to share my concerns not only about ex racehorse welfare but also the amount of people who are advertising and answering adverts for rider’s who to be honest are limited in their ability.

Please, if you are going to use one of these so called riders and or grooms make sure that they can do what they say. Your horses life may depend on it and who’s to say that the rider won’t come back to claim off you if they have an accident. I can guarantee that the horse will be blamed if such an incident occurred.

Ex racehorses come from a structured lifestyle, fed at a certain time every single day. Exercised within a three hour window, every day depending on how many horses and riders there are on the yard. No, they are not ridden for three hours, they probably get on average 20 to 50 minutes exercise a day. But that exercise has been carefully planned out for the horse in question.

They have access to spas, walkers, treadmills, salt rooms, they are taken on hacks and other trips out. They are washed down with warm water after exercise. They are turned out regularly in fields or paddocks. They are ridden on good surfaces, not crappy stoney tracks and roads. Take note of that one for the barefoot supporters, TB’s have thin soles and the wall of the hoof is often thin as well. And yet we are so surprised when they develop foot abscess. They have regular physio, did you know that their skin is thinner than ours? Dental checks are carried out every three months, and of course vets are on hand pretty much all the time. They are shod regularly. At my old yard we also had nutritionists. With every batch of feed delivered, a sample was sent off to make sure it was safe to use, it didn’t contain anything potentially harmful to the horses.

So your ex racehorse has been given the best of everything, then he comes out of racing and the bubble bursts. He is usually homed on a livery yard, he doesn’t understand why he hasn’t been fed with the first horse that received his breakfast at 6am or whenever. He doesn’t understand what you are asking of him when you want to use natural horsemanship, or other types of handling. He is confused, he then gets frightened because all he wants to do is to please you. He then, in your eyes, becomes a nightmare to handle and ride. You lose your confidence with him and then you are both locked in a vicious circle of doubt and fear.

Please approach and ask for help from the numerous ex racehorse rehabilitation yards, they won’t look down on you, they just want to see your horse have a good, happy and settled life out of racing.

Oh, and don’t b**g them full of feed, keep it simple, feed good quality hay, nuts chaff. They aren’t working like they used to but make any changes gradual, that includes your natural horsemanship. There’s nothing wrong with it, just introduce it gradually.

17/12/2024

Having spent 40 years riding a huge assortment of horses and also being a bit fitter, I have learnt that strong bits aren’t always the answer. It’s usually a mixture of schooling and an understanding of the horse you are sat on.

Personally I am in my happy place sat on a quirky horse, but not everyone agrees with that. I have been able to draw on my experiences with what tack and bits go with which horse to make everyone’s lives nice and easy.

What I have noticed though, is that most horses go well just being left alone in simple tack. Sit quiet and listen. You will be surprised at the information you will learn from the horse.

I rode a filly years ago in racing who used to put her head down and ‘go for it’! I found that if I set her up, got my reins where I wanted them at the very start of the gallop, didn’t fidget, and left her alone, she was a lovely ride. Yes her head was low, but that was HER way of going.

I think people are frightened of being dumped off the horse, so they tighten everything up. I can assure you, you are more likely to be buried when you have a strangle hold on the horse.

Another of my favourite bits of tack is a bib martingale. The horse can’t run ‘through’ that if he takes a hold.

Most race yards use them on their horses, they also use Australian nose bands for keen horses. It works physiologically for the most part, something going down their face and the bit is held in place.

15/12/2024

This shows healthy fascia doing it’s job.

11/12/2024

This article on having an ex-racehorse is spot on. All you so called horse experts who have absolutely NO idea how to handle let alone ride a racehorse TAKE NOTE.

10/12/2024

This is an interesting article. A few years ago I knew a mare who as she got older started to flip over, I mean just flip over for no apparent reason, she would then get up and stand there as though nothing had happened. She had poor muscle in her neck which just didn’t add up with the way she was worked and appeared to be otherwise fit and healthy and pain free. It was always in the back of my mind about malformation of the C6 and C7.
The mare was put down as a result of her flipping over, maybe now, there would have been some way to help her, but at the time there was little information or indeed treatment available.

There has been so much going on around the topic of ECVM, this congenital malformation is one we are diagnosing, managing and studying at Denali Equine in partnership with Rexos Inc, under the guidance of the legendary Dr. Sharon May-Davis. We wanted to give you the top ten points on ECVM facts. (Sorry this is long- Well worth the full read!)

1. ECVM is a congenital condition, meaning they are born with it. We suspect it is a recessive genetic disorder because two unaffected adults can produce offspring with it. There are several groups racing to find the genetics behind this condition. More information on the horizon.

2. ECVM is not a fatal diagnosis. However, it can be. It depends on the severity of the malformation and how well the horse can functionally compensate.

3. Radiographs of the lower neck are necessary to diagnose the condition. These radiographs must be clear lateral and obliques of C6, C7 and ideally T1. These can be done in the field for most horses. However larger generators do get better images.

4. Variability: Horses can be either a bilateral or unilateral malformation of C6, which in 52% of C6 cases can transpose either bilaterally or unilaterally. To C7; T1 and the first ribs are variably affected.

5. Studies show horses with transposition of the ventral lamina to C7 are more likely to suffer from clinical neck pain than horses with normal anatomy. In our experience horses with rib malformations have more severe clinical signs than those with normal ribs (no clear studies yet).

6. The bones absolutely do not tell the whole story. However, bones do not lie. They often indicate the level of soft tissue malformations present. The more severe the boney changes- the more severe the soft tissue is altered around them.

7. Clinical picture: all horses are not lame, but they do all have subtle clinical signs. Most often the clinical signs are not limb related lameness (but can be). These horses can show signs of the pain ethogram, rearing, sporadic behavior, abnormal front limb flight patterns (especially with equipment), girthiness, resistance to go forward, doesn’t like physical touch (brushing, blanketing ex). The signs are so variable for every horse!

8. The common things heard from owners/trainers:
* The horse was always bad from the start (this is concerning for the more severe cases)
* The horse was fine until it wasn’t. We find this is from something changed in the program. i.e., was imported, switched barns, changed jobs.
* They don’t understand why the horse is failing quicker than usual as it gets older. As the horse ages the clinical signs become more apparent. The body can only manage for so long. Think of it this way- the foundation was built wrong from the beginning. Therefore, it takes time for the cracks in your walls or floors to show, it then takes those cracks a while before they become a structural problem in your house.
* A minor incident happened and now they’re not ok. Suspect an injury can cause the horse to spiral out of stabilization or have the ability to compensate. An example could be getting cast or trailering event then the horse was never the same. Example, you do not know your house wasn’t built well until the storm blows it over.

9. These horses have significant soft tissue pathology on necropsies. Therefore, no matter what the data is showing us: If the horse has ECVM, is clinical, and other differentials have been ruled out these horses are clinically affected by the ECVM.

10. On necropsies we have found:
* Missing, malformed and fractured ribs
* Abnormal nerve patterns, these nerves can be totally entrapped and compressed by abnormal muscle patterns. The dorsal scalene can trap the large nerves of the brachial plexus within its abnormal paths. The phrenic nerve can get pulled inappropriately and leave impressions within the ventral scalene.
* Abnormal muscles: dorsal scalene, ventral scalene, iliocostalis, longus coli, re**us abdominal, intercostal muscles, serratus ventails cervicis. All these muscles have critical roles in stability, proprioception, and biomechanics.
* Abnormal vascular patterns
* Trachea abnormalities
* Fascial changes

ECVM is currently a controversial and sensitive topic so we thought we would share a few known quick facts to help you understand this issue better. Please go to our website (www.DenaliEquine.com) to find more information and links to the current studies on this disease. We are researching and studying these horses! We are working on several angles of research right now throughout Non-Profit Rexos Inc. If you would like more information on how you can help, please reach out!

DeClue Equine saddlefitting.us

09/12/2024

Look at how all the bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons and fascia are all connected.

We know so little about the horse's body!
However, we now know that the skeletal muscles do not function as independent entities or actuators. Muscles, defined just by their origin and insertion, are artefacts of dissections. Muscles are linked by connective tissue, forming functional chains.

When I look under the skin during dissections, it is very clear.
Look at this picture. Extensor carpi radialis are in a 'pocket', which is a continuation of the periost. There is also an interconnected common digital extensor. To aid further, in that fascial septum, there is an embedded tendon of pectoral muscle and biceps brachii.

Years ago, Tom Myers said, "Are there really 600 muscles or only one muscle in 600 fascial pockets?" This was a very thought-provoking question at the time.

When I look at this picture my mind can be creative as well - maybe muscle island in the fascial ocean?

I share many pictures from my soft tissue-oriented dissections on my Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/c/equineanatomyinlayers
or introducing them in my class - https://ivanaruddock.podia.com/

06/12/2024

The adverts are stilling there for older horses and ponies, trying to squeeze the last breath and pound out of them.

Doing the right thing - Euthanasia.

Smartie has been gone two months today.

I’m seeing a lot of adverts of people trying to sell or loan their horses or ponies. A lot of them are older equines who have probably passed their sell by date, but their owners are still trying to pass them off as still fit for work with plenty of life in them. If I can change the outcome for just one elderly horse with this post then so be it.

This was on the day that Smartie was pts. The hardest part for me was making the actual phone call to the company who do the deed. The lady I spoke to offered to come out straight away, but seeing as Smartie was comfortable we arranged for the following morning. I also needed to properly get my head around the fact that this was finally happening. I didn’t want the vet to do it, she looked rather relieved when I said that I would use the fallen stock people.

So there I was waiting at home for the phone call to say that the woman who was going to put my beloved mare to sleep was on her way.
Why am I at home you might ask? Today of all days the mobile phone signals have all gone down and I was waiting on the home phone. Maybe this worked out for the best, otherwise I would have been looking at Smartie hoping for a miracle that all would somehow come right again. In truth, I didn’t want to look at her for any length of time because I was afraid that if I did, then all my self control would desert me and I would let my mare down when she needed me the most.
I stayed in survival mode if you want to put a name to it, all through that day and for next 6 or 7 days. It wasn’t until I met a friend in the lanes who said to me ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ that it hit me.
I was never going to see her again.
I was never going to stroke her again.
I would never hear her whicker to me ever again.
It was all over, she was gone forever.
What I did have were my memories and photos of her. I didn’t want her hair or any other bits of her. I do have her mucky head collar that is full of her smell and that’s enough for me.

What I was surprised to hear about by both the fallen stock lady and the vet who had come out the previous day to affirm what I already knew, that it was Smartie’s time and that I was doing the right thing. Was their comments on how well she looked (I really didn’t want hear that at the time). As I talked to them I began to realise that Smartie was indeed ‘lucky’. I was a rarity because I was taking responsibility for her death. Both said that the majority of the time they are called out when the horse or pony has gone way past looking even halfway decent. The fallen stock lady went even further to say that she had had to step in with strong words when the owner of a horse was to be pts and the livery yard owner was bullying the owner into keeping the horse alive even though it was plain to see that the horse needed to be pts. All he was thinking of was the money. The welfare of the horse wasn’t even being considered. In fact it seems to be a more of a common practice to put the welfare of the horse way down the line after everything else.

There are far too many older horses and ponies on the market for sale, loan or companion. Most adverts stating that the horse is full of life, got plenty more years of work in it. Who checks up on these horses? Who makes sure that they aren’t just on a one way trip to a slaughter house.

How did we as a so-called nation of animal lovers become so callous. Determined to squeeze every last morsel of life out of these creatures. Have we become so hardened to abuse that we can’t see right from wrong?

And one more thing, do the right thing.
Man up and hold their rope, you’ve looked after them, why should the last thing they see be a stranger.

For me, it was a relief that I was there right to the end.
Smartie was 33 years old when she died. I had owned her since she was an unbroken 3 year old.
I owe her everything.
She owed me nothing.
This photo was taken a week before she was pts.

28/11/2024

Doing a regular stretch routine helps to keep your horses muscles and joints supple over the winter months. It will help to keep his back strong for when you are able to ride. It can also help to reduce loss of muscle due to inactivity.

21/11/2024

But there is snow on Dartmoor❄️👀

21/11/2024

I got quite excited earlier, it was sort of snowing here in South Devon, now it’s just wet and cold. Ah well, these are from a few years ago in Lambourn.