Dan Wain Equestrian: Training, Development & Rehabilitation

03/11/2023

I have one clinic place available at a lovely, quiet, private yard near Tenbury Wells this Wednesday. If you’d like to bring a horse to see me there, please send me a message.

09/10/2023

Join The Osteopathic Vet and I for an educational, thought provoking evening, where we discuss all things to do with optimising winter training and management, to help you to spring ahead next spring!
Tickets available at:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evening-talk-capitalising-on-winterrehab-prehab-tickets-734645533567?aff=oddtdtcreator

Visit www.danwainequestrian.com to find out more about me & the different ways I may be able to help

09/10/2023

Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should...

Going back almost 15 years and as far as I’m aware, I didn’t have a bad reputation in the horse industry. I backed horses calmly and quietly. I would ‘bit’ them, put tack on, lunge them, long rein and lay over them, all before quietly getting onboard.

When schooling, I could get a horse in a frame and hold it together with relative ease and I could sit a bronc or a rear if needed. I was pretty fearless. I rode some horses in draw reins if they didn’t soften to my hand or were inconsistent in the mouth. My whip was for correcting behaviour and I certainly wasn’t afraid to use it if I thought it was necessary (or if I ran out of ideas or patience).

I took on problem horses and had a really good success rate at dealing with those problems.

Only I didn’t.

Looking back, I think it’s likely that I only dealt with the symptoms of the problems. For example, the horse that didn’t want to stand at the mounting block; I trained him easily by using ‘pressure and release’ with a well timed reward and he soon learned to go to the mounting block. What I probably didn’t see were the tight, sore, angry muscles. The stiff back, the poor posture. The atrophy under the saddle. The compromised gait. All of which contributed to his lack of willingness to be mounted.

The horses with poor mouths that I lunged in training aids, side reins, rode in draw reins, all learned that they couldn’t escape the persistence of my rein and began to comply. Eventually they learned to compensate elsewhere in their bodies, likely becoming shut down in the process.

Over the last 15 years, I have watched countless hours of horses moving. I have studied their gaits, I have felt their musculature. I have picked up hundreds of limbs, palpated countless tendons, lesions and effusions, and I have witnessed the damage caused by doing things the way that I amongst others used to do them. I can say with a degree of certainty that if you are having a problem with your horse - no matter what the symptoms are - your problem lies with a lack of one or more of the following:

(Ambi)dexterity/straightness
Strength/fitness
Balance
Coordination
Comfort
Confidence/trust
Communication
Resilience

Treating the symptoms without addressing the cause will usually mean that the human’s needs are met and the horse’s needs aren’t.

Like many trainers, I am aware of the signals a horse gives to express how it feels: whether it is threatened or whether it feels safe. I am able to quit right before I pass a threshold. I instinctively use approach and retreat techniques to foster anything from confidence through to suppleness. All of this gives me an ability to help a horse to overcome a problem very quickly, but it also gives me the ability to bend the horse to my will - a fact we must treat with great care and respect.

I could probably load a ‘problem loader’ in half the time I take, if I only used ‘pressure and release’. If only I wasn’t so aware of the delicate structures around the horse’s head and face and the potential psychological issues I could cause by forcing the horse to load without understanding it’s side of the story.

Nowadays I do things very differently. I can hear what the horse is saying through his actions. I can feel what his body tells me when I ride him, through my seat and down the rein. Which parts move well and which parts don’t. I constantly observe the entire picture. His breathing, gait, demeanour, muscle tone and posture. I read his actions and I learn from his reactions. I take everything on board and work in the most physically and mentally appropriate way for that moment. I condition his body whilst gently conditioning his mind. As a result I can desensitise a sensitive horse without waving objects like flags and tarpaulins around and I can prepare a horse for saddling without the need to send it broncing around an arena aimlessly.

Nowadays, despite having the ability to back your horse in days, I won’t. Because I know that in the long run I would’ve done your horse a disservice and any trust he placed in humans would likely start to falter when his body started to ache and his brain started to fry through being ill prepared.

I could train your horse to approach the mounting block, but only once I’m confident that his reasons for resisting mounting have been heard and his needs have been met.

Horses are the most fantastic animals. Sure, they do stupid stuff sometimes and they aren’t always the most logical(!). But they are unbelievably generous and forgiving. They are adaptable, malleable and trainable. Therefore, we owe it to them to make sure that their needs are met when we are ‘problem solving’.

They will give and give, which puts us in a position to take and take.

Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.

25/08/2023

I’m back for another clinic in Grassmoor, Derbyshire on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th September. I’ve got time to see one horse at 5pm Thursday, or two horses on Friday. Please send me a message ASAP if you’d like to come along.

03/08/2023

On Saturday 9th September I will be making a journey from Derbyshire to just south of York (and back again) to work with a few horses. If anyone located near to the route(s) shown below would like to take advantage of some reduced travel fees please send me a message. I have time to see up to three horses if needed.
You can find out a little more about what I do by visiting my website www.danwainequestrian.com or by contacting me directly with your problem. If I can help, I will

18/07/2023

Tom Beech, The Osteopathic Vet, is back with us for another clinic this weekend. I have a place come available on Sunday. If you would like to take it please send me a message ASAP

11/07/2023

A short post since I’ve been so busy lately I haven’t had chance to write…

It’s certainly a sky of two halves this evening. Very similar to a session I had with a horse.

Sometimes, it’s a balancing act to be of the most benefit to the horse, AND to their owner. Sometimes you have to make priorities because not everything is possible within one session.

Today I should have been grateful for what I had achieved with the horse and quit. I thought I could be of more benefit to the owner if I continued. Ironically, I think I’d have been of more benefit to the owner (in the long run) if I had quit sooner anyway!

I am grateful that the lessons I’ve learned in the past helped me to do the best that I could today, and I’m grateful that the lessons I learned today will help me to help other horses in the future. Every day I show up. I’m my true self and I give my all to every horse I meet. Because of that I sleep well at night.

I believe that the lessons we need, come to us when we are ready to receive them.

I read something somewhere which said,
“He who blames the horse, has much to learn.
He who blames himself, is part way there.
He who blames no one, has arrived.”

16/06/2023

Arena Hire - Compton Verney, available this Sunday and Monday, £20 for up to 2 horses sharing (£10 per extra horse) for one hour. There are a few jumps and poles currently out. Send me a message to book.

13/06/2023

We have a last minute place come available for my clinic this Thursday at Catesby Equestrian near Daventry. Get in touch if you’d like to book it!

23/05/2023

Managed to help a client to load her horse via video call today. Guess I should add that to my CV?!

06/05/2023

We cannot make a horse more supple…

A huge majority of new clients want me to assist them in improving the suppleness of their horses. Conversely, most of them actually need help with stability and alignment, but the perception is that their horse lacks suppleness.

The thing is though, I can’t make your horse more supple. Neither can you.

What we can do is foster trust.

The horse must trust that the rider’s hand will not surprise him; that the leg is stable and consistent in how it communicates with the horse and that the rider’s mind is clear and focussed.

Most importantly, the horse must trust that the rider is listening every stride, so that the horse can communicate, “This is a little too difficult, can you make it easier?”, if needed.

You see, no matter what discipline you ride, your horse will always be a horse. A prey animal.

Dressage horse = flashy prey animal
ShowJumper = prey animal that jumps
Reining horse = compact and agile prey animal
All-rounder horse = prey animal with many jobs!

The first question that a prey animal asks itself in any given situation is, “Am I safe?”

If he feels the answer is no, then we have already got a roadblock on our path to ‘suppleness’.

Suppleness starts in the mind. When we stretch our bodies, the first sensation is of mild discomfort which quickly melts into relief, so long as we breathe and relax into it. We do not start to affect change on the soft tissue structures until a short while after.

I believe the same is true of horses. The first barrier we meet will be the horse’s nervous system. Only once we have passed through this ‘barrier’ do we start to affect the body of the horse.
Be aware that the ‘barrier’ can come back down and block you at any given moment. For example, following a change to the environment in the stable or arena.

An exercise cannot make a horse more supple.

A training method cannot make a horse more supple.

Only the horse, flowing through subtle transitions between postures, tempo’s and gaits with a relaxed mind, can make himself more supple.

My advice: start by only doing what you can do well. Gently. With relaxation. Next, build on it. Make subtle changes to it. When you make changes, try not to lose too many of the things you liked about the work. It’s OK to lose a little for a short time, but if you lose too much, go back to doing something that you could do well. Gather all of the components which you liked about your work and start from there.

Work within the comfort zone of the horse, with only moments of working at the edge of the comfort zone.

The nervous system is the first gateway to suppleness. Relaxation and quiet dialogue are the keys.

30/04/2023

There are 2 places available on my groundwork clinic at my yard in Warwickshire this coming Saturday. Places are open to everyone, link to book is below…

A horse that is physically out of balance will cause it to be mentally out of balance. Good posture, balance and symmetry are the starting point for a physically and mentally sound horse.At theses clinics You will learn how to:▪️Recognise good posture, and understand what makes good / bad postur...

28/04/2023

I come home from a (very) long day of teaching away and super groom Georgina Millard has not only put the horses out, but left the yard immaculate, ready for tomorrow…
If Carlsberg made staff…

26/04/2023

It has been great to see the popularity of these combined clinics really grow this year. With that said, I’m taking bookings for the next two clinics since we are almost filling up a month ahead.

The Osteopathic Vet, Tom Beech, is back with us at Home Farm on 27th & 28th May. There are currently only 3 places left. If you’d like to book in to see Tom and/or myself, please send me a message.

Dates for the June clinic are on my page. Again, send me a message to get a place in the schedule in advance.

17/04/2023

I’ll be teaching a clinic near Grassmoor in Derbyshire on 5th May. There are a couple of places available for ridden / groundwork sessions. Please send me a message to book

11/03/2023

ARENA HIRE - CV359HJ
The course is set for our hirers tomorrow. If you’d like to come and jump around it’s just £20/hr for up to two horses (extra horses £10 each) and we have availability at 10am, 12pm, 1pm and 3pm. We are just 5 minutes away from Moreton Morrell College. Send me a message if you’d like to book a time slot.

09/03/2023

Unfortunately due to someone dropping out we are back on the lookout for a demo horse & rider to take part in a lesson on Tuesday 21st March at The Unicorn Trust, Stow-on-the-Wold. If you would like to take part please send me a message ASAP. Thank you in advance

Charity in England

08/03/2023

We will have a course set up in the 60m x 30m outdoor arena this Sunday (and Monday morning) come and hire it for £20/hr based on up to two horses sharing (extra horse £10). Near Moreton Morrell college. XC skinnies available too. Message me to book

NEW FOR 2023:
ARENA HIRE
Our lovely 60m x 30m Outdoor Arena will be available for hire every Sunday & Monday from the 5th February. We are 5 minutes away from Moreton Morrell College.

If required, there will be a short course of showjumps set up, including narrow poles, a hanging gate and a small selection of skinnies & a corner for arena XC practice (no fillers unfortunately). For the dressage minded, there are over 15m of mirrors!

The price will be £20 for up to an hour with no more than two horses. Extra horses charged separately.

To book, please send me a message.

07/03/2023

Give them a minute, PART TWO…

Yesterday I wrote about how we must find the right balance of work time and processing time within a training session.

For a young or inexperienced horse, a small change to the environment can be a big deal and if we don’t allow the horse adequate time to assimilate, we could create a problem unnecessarily.

Usually a short pause in our session, or a change to the flow of the session, or a lowering of our expectations of the horse (or all three), is enough to get a horse back in the right frame of mind and ready to work with us again.

Occasionally, despite our efforts the horse’s energy is still higher than what we would like it to be. Despite allowing processing time and asking more simple questions of the horse, we still have a reactive and unsettled horse.

In this case I would want you to think of an analogy which I use often;
Imagine that you just dropped your bottle of fizzy drink on the floor and you know that when you open the lid it’s going to explode everywhere. What do you do? You open the lid gradually a quarter turn at a time, with short pauses in between. Bit by bit, you let a little of the air out and then you close the lid, then let a little more out then close the lid again. Soon enough all of the air is gone and we can drink!

In the case of the horse, let a little bit of the energy out in the safest and most controlled way possible. Try not to stray too far from working in a gymnastically appropriate and biomechanically sound way. Despite the situation being far from ideal, you should still try to shape whatever movements and behaviours the horse offers. Reward any ‘tries’ and under no circumstances allow yourself to become frustrated.

After a minute or so, pause. Either take a short break and allow the horse to process, or go back to something which you can do very well. (hint: for most, there is more likelihood of having success working in walk, than trot or canter). When the horse’s energy has come down a little and they breathe well, get back to work again. You should be able to let a little more of the energy out and then ease back into something more simple, or less work focused.

We certainly shouldn’t allow the horse to flail around unaided by us. This is particularly important on the lunge whereby all work should be controlled and precise due to the amount of strain that poor movement on the lunge can cause. Therefore it should go without saying that work on the lunge should never be used to tire a horse.

The most important thing is to look for every single opportunity to praise the horse, for it is this praise which will ultimately win you his attention. In order to be able to praise him he must do something of note. In order for him to do something of note you must ask him a question!

Remember that the horse forms associations very easily. It takes more time to fix a bad habit than it does to create a good habit.

06/03/2023

Give them a minute…

When we are training our horses, it is important to remember that every horse has its own ideal ratio of work time and thinking/processing time. This allows them time to soak up their surroundings or process their thoughts and stops them from reaching a point where they are overwhelmed, over stimulated, or over-reactive. This is an unavoidable part of the process of helping our horses transition from flight animal to domesticated riding horse.

Particularly in a new environment, or when environmental factors suddenly change, the ratio of work time to thinking time will alter. This ratio can change from day to day, moment to moment, or only at different venues away from home. It is imperative that we learn to read how much of each is necessary within a training session.

Of course the goal is to have an obedient and well rounded horse, however, we are working with a flight animal whose needs must constantly be met if we are to build a successful partnership.

When a situation becomes overwhelming for our horses it is up to us to guide them and not simply leave them to deal with it for themselves. Nor is it appropriate for us to ‘stack’ the pressure on them, spinning them, backing them up or generally flooding their senses in an attempt to make them ‘get over it’.

How we deal them with them is critical if we are to help them improve their coping mechanisms. This could vary vastly from one individual to the next.

In my opinion, we should ask a question of the horse which is both gymnastically appropriate and biomechanically sound. Something which is of adequate difficulty and duration so as to cause the horse to have to think about us, or his body. Something which does not unbalance the horse and which lends itself towards the horse moving in the right direction, both physically and mentally. This should be something simple that is almost impossible for the horse to get wrong. If that goes well we can ask another question or two - a little more difficult this time.

It must not be so difficult that the horse becomes overwhelmed further and we add to their stressors.

After asking the horse a question or two we will arrive at a junction in our training session. Ideally we will have had a couple of ‘tries’ from the horse and we will have offered suitable praise. Here, it may be appropriate to allow the horse time to look/think/process and other times it may be appropriate to increase the difficulty or duration of the question. We should always read the horse to determine what our next move should be.

If I am getting ‘warmer’, by which I mean moving closer toward my goal, then I will continue along that path, whether that was doing less and giving the horse more time, or doing more and giving the horse more instructions to follow.

If I’m getting ‘colder’ ie: the horse becomes more tense, his reactions seem quicker, or I find that in any way I am moving further away from my goal of having an attentive and relaxed horse, then I will change my tactics.

Finally, it is important to note that something which worked one day may not work the next. We should constantly be open to evolving our strategies if we are to become better horse people.

PART TWO coming tomorrow…

03/03/2023

In my daily work, as part of my attempts to create robust and well rounded athletes, I’m always trying to create the right environment for our horses to work with ‘flow’. That is, to move seamlessly from one posture to the next. To move from one level of energy to the next, or one gait to the next. A more uphill trajectory, to a flatter one and vice-versa. Within the current limitations of the individual, of course.

When the more subtle and gradual transitions are mastered, we can then work on linking together things that would be deemed to be opposites - contradictory almost: Explosive power, without fear or a negative association with tension. Total ease and relaxation, with poise, ready to gather the body at any moment. Direct and indirect transitions within, and between gaits with utmost relaxation and the lowest muscular output.

Me: “Phoebe, can you quickly and seamlessly transition from a high level of power and collection, to total relaxation?”
Phoebe (purple rug): “Hold my beer!”

28/02/2023

NEW FOR 2023:
60m x 30m Arena Hire at Compton Verney
5 mins from Moreton Morrell College
Available every Sunday & Monday
£20/hr, based on up to two horses sharing
Extra horses £10 each
SJ Course, XC skinnies, mirrors, all on an excellent surface
Send me a message to book

22/02/2023

On 20th March our good friend Jim Masterson will be showcasing The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork with a
LIVE DEMONSTRATION at:
The Dovecote Stables,
Churchill,
Chipping Norton,
Oxfordshire OX7 6NG.

The evening promises to be enlightening and informative and is an absolute must for anyone interested in learning more about how they can help their horse with simple yet highly effective bodywork techniques. Jim is as excellent a presenter as he is horseman and is sure to make the experience entertaining too!

More details and booking info can be found by visiting the link below.

Register today to attend the Masterson Method® Evening Demonstration with Jim Masterson, the founder of The Masterson Method. Jim will show you how the method helps to improve performance, communication, and relationship with your horse. This demonstration is open to anyone and everyone, of all dis...