01/04/2025
𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝
For too long, we’ve told ourselves that certain horses are just “difficult.” That some are lazy. That others are hot, quirky, or stubborn. That when they pin their ears, swish their tails, or refuse a jump, they’re being naughty.
But what if we’ve been wrong?
What if every pinned ear, every tail swish, every moment of resistance wasn’t defiance, but pain?
Dr. Sue Dyson has spent her life proving exactly that. And her findings are shaking the horse world to its core.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞’𝐯𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠
Dyson is no ordinary ex-vet. She is a globally recognized authority in equine orthopedics, specializing in lameness and performance issues in sport horses. Her extensive career encompasses clinical practice, research, and education, significantly advancing the understanding and management of equine lameness. She didn’t just observe horses, she listened to them. And what she discovered was heartbreaking: countless horses, across disciplines, were suffering in silence.
They weren’t refusing to move because they were lazy. They weren’t resisting the bit because they were stubborn. They weren’t stopping at jumps because they were disobedient.
They were hurting.
And no one was listening.
So, Dyson set out to change everything.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 24 𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧: 𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩
Her breakthrough came in the form of the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE), a revolutionary tool that identifies 24 behaviors scientifically linked to musculoskeletal pain. Through years of research, she proved that horses exhibiting multiple of these behaviors were overwhelmingly more likely to have underlying pain issues. Behaviors we once dismissed, like an open mouth while being ridden, ears pinned back for extended periods, tail swishing in transitions, became undeniable red flags.
The implications of Dyson’s work are massive. If widely adopted, her research could transform equestrian sports, improving welfare standards across disciplines. It challenges trainers to rethink traditional methods, urging them to recognize pain before resorting to harsher equipment or stricter training regimens. It empowers riders to listen truly listen to their horses, to recognize when something is wrong before it escalates to a full-blown lameness diagnosis.
But Dyson’s research proved one undeniable fact: horses showing eight or more of these signs were almost always in pain.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 24 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧
1. Ears pinned back for much of the ride
2. Regularly opening the mouth (with or without contact)
3. Holding the bit tightly or grinding teeth
4. Head tossing
5. Unsteady head carriage (constantly moving up/down or side to side)
6. Reluctance to move forward
7. Hurrying forward in an anxious way
8. Sudden stopping (without rider cue)
9. Reluctance or difficulty in transitions (walk to trot, trot to canter, etc.)
10. Rearing (lifting front legs off the ground)
11. Buckling at the knees or stumbling
12. Repeated changes in canter lead (unasked for)
13. Cantering with an irregular rhythm
14. Disuniting in canter (hind legs on a different lead than front legs)
15. Short, stilted steps instead of fluid movement
16. Hind legs not stepping fully underneath the body
17. Dragging toes or uneven steps behind
18. Difficulty turning smoothly
19. Excessive tail swishing (especially in transitions or changes of pace)
20. One hind limb more active than the other (one pushes, the other drags)
21. Rigid or hollow through the back
22. Gait looks mechanical, robotic, or stiff
23. Sudden kicking out (without clear reason)
24. Reluctance to jump, or jumping awkwardly
If a horse shows eight or more of these signs, it’s not bad behavior. It’s pain.
𝐀 𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐞-𝐔𝐩 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝
Dyson’s findings force us to face a painful truth: we’ve been ignoring our horses.
We’ve blamed them instead of listening. We’ve used bigger bits instead of softer hands. We’ve demanded more when what they really needed was help.
Think about it, when a horse refuses a jump, do we immediately check for back pain? Or do we change the bit and push them harder?
When a horse swishes its tail in the canter, do we check for lameness? Or do we tighten the noseband and insist they “behave”?
For too long, we’ve asked, “How do I make my horse comply?” instead of “Why is my horse resisting?”
Dyson is challenging us to ask the right questions.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
This isn’t guesswork. Dyson’s research proves that these behaviors are 10 times more likely to appear in lame horses. She’s tested, analyzed, and documented case after case, showing how subtle pain signs lead to serious issues if left untreated.
She’s given us the knowledge. Now, it’s up to us to use it.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠
Dyson’s work isn’t just about diagnosing pain. It’s about changing an entire mindset.
It’s about rejecting the outdated belief that horses must be made to perform. Instead, it’s about creating a world where performance comes from comfort, trust, and understanding.
It means:
✔️ Checking for physical pain before blaming behavior
✔️ Getting thorough veterinary evaluations
✔️ Ensuring proper saddle fit and rider balance
✔️ Prioritizing physiotherapy, bodywork, and hoof care
✔️ Allowing rest and recovery, instead of forcing through pain
Because the best riders aren’t the ones who dominate. They’re the ones who listen.
𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲
For years, people said these behaviors were just attitude. They said it was all in the horse’s head.
But Dyson has proven the truth. It’s not in their head,it’s in their body.
And now that we know?
We have a choice.
We can keep ignoring the signs, keep blaming the horse, keep tightening the tack, keep looking the other way.
Or we can finally listen.
For every horse that has ever suffered in silence, the question is no longer: Why won’t my horse do what I ask?
It’s this:
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞?
Just bought this for a good read.
Also makes me question some of these TikTok influencers what their horses are trying to tell them, hmmm🤔👀
https://www.harmonioushorsemanship.co.uk
EAPER registered, LANTRA accredited equine bit and bridle fitting consultant. Ensure your horse has the best bit and bridle to enable optimal performance.
