Wholesome Horses

05/12/2024

This is worth the read. Many of us know it. For others it will be an important eye opener!

Comparative neurobiology of horse and human.

Horses and humans are both mammals.
Our brains may not be the same size, but they are almost identical in their structure and function.

Why can our brains look so similar but our behaviours and sensitivity to the world look so different?

The area in the picture highlighted is the prefrontal cortex or the (PFC). Its job in humans, horses, dogs, dolphins, elephants, cats, mice, rats, all mammals, and even birds is to carry out "higher executive functions" such as:

🧠 problem solving
🧠 decision making
🧠 reasoning
🧠 risk assessment
🧠 forward planning
🧠 impulse control
🧠 intention

Obviously, these executive functions are more advanced in humans than in other species of mammals, but this part of the brain plays a pivotal role in higher levels of learning beyond primal behaviours and learning survival skills.

So why aren't we seeing these higher executive functioning skills and behaviours in horses as much as what we see them in dogs, dolphins, elephants and even birds?

Ultimately it comes down to safety!

The latest neuroscience research suggests that when the brain feels unsafe it causes the body to produce stress response hormones and these stress response hormones cause the PFC to go "offline".
This means that subcortical regions of the brain (deeper parts of the brain) such as the primal brain (AKA limbic system, survival brain, flight/fight brain) completely take over to increase the chances of survival.

Feeling unsafe causes the feeling of fear and it is fear that gets this party started.

So behaviours come from two areas:

1. The PFC, carrying out problem solving skills, reasoning, impulse control, forward planning etc. that may be interpreted as "obedience" and "partnership".

2. The primal brain, carrying out reactive survival behaviours. This brain does NOT carry out impulse control, forward planning, problem solving, etc. It just reacts to the world. This brain heavily relies on patterns and consistency. This brain will cause freeze/flight/fight behaviours such as shutting down, bolting, biting, rearing, bucking, kicking, barging, etc.

Which brain is the domesticated horse spending most of it's time in?
It's primal brain!

This is why we don't get to see their full intellectual and cognitive potential because most of the time, domesticated horses are perceiving their world in a fearful way to some degree.

We can help our horses with this!

Feeling fearful is the OPPOSITE to feeling calm.
If we want to help our horses access their PFC then we MUST do whatever it takes to help them feel calm.

☝️ ONLY when a brain feels calm can it slow down enough to develop TRUE confidence. Only when the brain feels confident will it access TRUE cognition (PFC).

☝️ We first need to understand that when we get "bad behaviour" from our horses, it's not intentional or naughty or rude. What you are seeing is either a horse that is just reacting to the fear they feel or they are carrying out their "coping mechanism" in response to their anticipation of feeling fear.

☝️ Try to remove expectations that your horse should "know better".
"Knowing better" implies that all behaviours are coming from the PFC and there should be some impulse control and reasoning. Unless your horse feels calm, they can't access the PFC to "know better".

THIS STARTS WITH YOU!!!

You need to be consciously aware if YOU feel calm first. If you feel calm, your horse will have a better chance at feeling calm. Expecting them to feel calm when you don't is unfair.

The best way to create calmness is to intentionally be SLOW!!!
SLOW EVERYTHING you do down.
SLOW your movement down.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your walking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your horse down.
If you feel too slow, then you're going slow enough.

Calmness is slow, not fast.

This will help you and your horse to connect and feel safe together.
When the brain feels stressed, the stress response hormones cause the body to speed up.

Stress = speed

We can reverse engineer this process and create a calm mind through slow intentional movement and a relaxed posture.

The by-product of a calm brain is confidence and cognition (PFC access).

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 😊

Photo: Credit: Adult horse (equine) brain, sagittal section. Michael Frank, Royal Veterinary College. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

04/12/2024

My friend Kim shares this and I love it❤️ https://www.facebook.com/share/r/eYyt4ASLnMXK9nWE/?mibextid=UalRPS

28/11/2024

(English to follow)
עזרו לסוס שלכם לנוע בקלות, בנוחות ובחופשיות!
בקורס **שיטת מסטרסון - מעבר לעיסוי סוסים**, תלמדו טכניקות מעשיות לשיפור התנועה, הרווחה וחיזוק הקשר שלכם עם הסוס.

קורסים קרובים: פברואר & מאי. מעוניינים? עדכנו אותי ואוסיף אתכם לרשימה!

מעדיפים שמטפל מקצועי יעבוד עם הסוס שלכם? צרו קשר לקביעת מפגש בטלפון 0523-209-390.

Help your horse move with greater ease, comfort, and freedom! The **Masterson Method 2-Day Course (Beyond Horse Massage)** teaches you hands-on techniques to improve your horse's mobility, well-being, and strengthen your bond.

Upcoming courses: February and May--2025. Interested? Let me know, and I’ll add you to the list!

Do you prefer professional treatment for your horse? Schedule a session with me at 052-320-9390.
The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork Einbar Raiter Hagar Shai Hub for Horses 🐴🐎- by Hub4Horses 🐎🐴 קבוצת לואי סוסים למכירה סוסים ורוכבים - רכיבה על סוסיםסוסימ

26/11/2024

(english to follow)
**סקרנים לגבי הכוח של שיטת מאסטרסון בעבודת גוף לסוסים?**
התחילו עם **קו שלפוחית השתן**. מדובר בטכניקה פשוטה אך יעילה במיוחד, שעוזרת לסוס שלכם לשחרר מתחים בצורה טבעית ועדינה. והחלק הכי טוב? כל אחד יכול לעשות את זה, ללא צורך בניסיון קודם!
כשאני עובדת עם סוסים, וכשאני מלמדת אחרים לעבוד איתם, אנחנו תמיד מתחילים עם קו שלפוחית השתן. זו שיטה בסיסית שבונה אמון, חיבור ורגיעה כבר מהשלב הראשון.
רוצים לראות איך זה עובד? צפו בג'ים מאסטרסון מדגים את הטכניקה המדהימה הזו – זהו צעד ראשון פשוט ליצירת קשר טוב יותר עם הסוס שלכם! 🐴✨
Apologies again—here’s the complete and polished version:
**Curious about the power of the Masterson Method in equine bodywork?**
Start with the **Bladder Meridian**. This simple yet highly effective technique helps your horse release tension in a natural, gentle way—and the best part? Anyone can do it, no prior experience needed!
When I work on horses, and when I teach others how to work on them, we always begin with the bladder meridian. It’s a foundational tool that builds trust, connection, and relaxation right from the start.
Want to see it in action? Watch Jim Masterson himself demonstrate this amazing technique—it’s an easy first step to creating a better bond with your horse! 🐴✨

12/11/2024

ישנם רגעים שבהם סוסים זקוקים לעזרה נוספת כדי לרפא שרירים כואבים או עייפים.
ישנם מקרים שבהם הווטרינר לא מוצא משהו ספציפי.
וישנם זמנים שבהם הסוס שלך נוקשה וזקוק לעזרה לשחרר מתח בגופו.
את יכולה ללמוד להעניק לו את העזרה הזו!
הצטרפי אליי ב-20-21 בפברואר 2025 ולמדי איך!

29/10/2024

This is a great visual when a rider fails to use “following hands”

25/10/2024

This is one of the best pieces of advice I’ve seen out there. 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻had to share

SLOOOOOW DOWN!

SLOW your walking down to 1 step per second with and without your horse next to you.
SLOW your hand movements down as you touch or do things.
SLOW your talking down.
SLOW your breathing down.
SLOW your pulls and pushes down on the leadrope.

SLOW to FLOW!

Humans are WAAAAY to fast for horses and this is one of the leading causes of reactivity and opposition reflex in horses.

Speed = stress.

Let me teach you what speed does...

When the brain perceives a threat, it causes the body to release the stress response hormone cortisol. Cortisol levels and speed go hand in hand.
Cortisol provides the body with the fuel it needs to flee a scary situation or fight against it.

The thing with the mind-body relationship is that the brain feels an emotion such as fear, which create a physical response in the body, but the body can also move at a certain speed or in a particular way and create an emotion in the brain. It can be reverse engineered.

This is how special the intimate relationship is between the brain and body.

The other thing to remember is that, collectively as a social animal, when speed is noticed by another mammal (no matter the species), it alerts the unconscious brain to threat.

Speed is an alarm system in a social system (consciously and unconsciously).

If you walked down a road and everyone started running, you'd find it hard not to run even if you didn't know what the cause was. You are noticing that others are running and in a direction, so you mirror them to increase your chances of survival. You don't need the reasoning part of your brain for this. You just activated your primal (survival) part of the brain.

One other thing to remember: HORSES CAN SMELL CORTISOL. So not only does your speed act as a visual alarm system to your horse, it also acts as an olfactory one!

Would you want to interact with someone who caused you to feel constantly on alert?

These little things are the beginnings of what ripples into chronic stress in both humans and horses.
You spend enough time around someone who is fast in their movement, your nervous system will condition itself to being on high alert.
HELLO 👋 CHRONIC STRESS!!!

Slow your movement down = slow your thoughts down.
Slow your movement down = lower your cortisol.
Slow your movement down = feel connected with yourself, the world and others in it.
Slow your movement down = slow your alarm systems down and eventually they'll turn off.

Slow down so much that it is uncomfortable. It won't be uncomfortable for long, I promise 😉

Happy brain training 🧠
Charlotte 🙂

24/10/2024

“No” must be an option for every horse…

🐴

23/10/2024

(English to follow)

יש לך אפשרויות כשמדובר בעזרה לסוסים שלך עם כאב, רגישות או תנועות מוגבלות. ייתכן שעדיין לא שמעת על שיטת מסטרסון, אך היא כל כך יעילה בשחרור מתח ועוזרת לסוסים לנוע בצורה חופשית וקלה יותר. ניקי קגן מוסמכת כמטפלת ומורה בשיטה הזו של עבודת גוף לסוסים כבר למעלה מעשור. אם הסוס שלך זקוק לעזרה והווטרינר לא מוצא שום בעיה, מוזמנים ליצור קשר: 0523-209-390.

You have options when it comes to helping your horses with pain, soreness or restricted movement. You may not yet have heard of the Masterson Method, but it is so effective for helping horses release tension and move more freely and easily. Nikki Kagan, has been certified both as a practitioner and a teacher in this form of equine bodywork for more than a decade. If your horse needs help and the vet cannot find anything wrong, please feel free to call me. 0523-209-390

22/10/2024

אם הסוס שלך מראה סימנים של נוקשות, אי נוחות או ירידה בביצועים? שיטת מסטרסון מציעה גישה עדינה ומעשית לשחרור מתח, שיפור התנועה ושדרוג הרווחה הכללית של הסוס שלך. זה לא רק לטפל בסימפטומים, אלא לפתוח רגיעה עמוקה וחופש בתנועה. סוסים מגיבים לעיתים קרובות בהקלה נראית לעין, אמון מוגבר ותחושת חיבור מחודשת עם הבעלים שלהם.

השקעה בטיפול בשיטת מסטרסון היא הזדמנות לשפר את בריאות הסוס שלך ולחזק את הקשר ביניכם. אחרי הכל, סוס רגוע ושמח הוא שותף נוח ורב-יכולות. למה לא לתת להם את הטיפול שמגיע להם?
0523-209-390

20/10/2024

כל סוס נושא מתח. המתח הזה משפיע על ההתנהגות והתנועה שלו. למדו כיצד אתם יכולים לעזור לסוס שלכם לשחרר כאבי שרירים ונוקשות באמצעות שיטת מאסטרסון.
הצטרפו אליי, ניקי קגן, מדריכה מוסמכת בשיטת מאסטרסון, לקורס של יומיים. חסכו זמן, חסכו כסף, ושמרו על הסוס שלכם שמח ונינוח!
הקורסים לשנת 2025 יתקיימו בתאריכים 20-21 בפברואר ו-22-23 במאי בעמק חפר!
לפרטים התקשרו: 052-320-9390

07/10/2024

With Justine Harrison - Equine Behaviourist – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

01/10/2024

May this New Year bring solace and rest for our soldiers and their families. L'Shana Tova... 🕊️ 🇦🇷

30/09/2024

My little farm has been home to the TranscendingTrauma Program where I, along with 3 other women, have been supporting soldiers and their families suffering from .
With our new year upon us, I wanted to reach out and ask for even a small donation to our nonprofit in support of these men & women who are fighting for Israel’s right to exist.

It doesn’t take much.
Right now, until 12/31, the Good People Fund will match your donation! Even a gift of $125 is enough to sponsor one soldier for FOUR sessions!

Consider inviting a friend or 2 to join you in supporting this worthwhile program?

Sending blessings for our New Year 🙏🏻 (AND PLEASE SHARE!)

EAHAE International The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork Sally Herring Toni Moen Tal Levy Anita Shkedi Timna Benn Shani Shahar Shkedi Barbara Goldberg Minna Heilpern Candace K. Platz Molly Platz Itzik Ben Shlomi Daniel Kagan
https://mailchi.mp/d0bff2910878/transcending-trauma-project-14177444?e=61d966a416

28/09/2024

This is an amazing piece of research!

HORSES CAN RECOGNISE THEIR KEEPERS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS

Research has found that horses presented with photos of humans can recognise their keepers at a rate much better than chance.

Ethologist Léa Lansade of the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, conducted an experiment to find out how well horses can recognise individuals from photographs. Their results showed that horses can remember a keeper’s face even six months after having seen the person.

The research team used two computer screens to display a random selection of unfamiliar human faces. 11 three-year-old Welsh mares were trained to choose between two side by side images by pressing the touchscreen with their nose, then being given a food reward. Then over a course of 32 sessions, the team started to introduce photos of the horses' handlers into the selection of unfamiliar faces.

The researchers found that the horses correctly identified their current keeper and ignored the unfamiliar faces about 75% of the time – a rate significantly better than chance. The horses also selected photos of previous keepers – people they hadn’t seen in six months.

These results are surprising for several reasons. They suggest that horses can understand that photographs – two-dimensional images – represent real people, without being given any other cues like voice, behaviour or scent. They actually performed better at this task than dogs have done in previous research.

The findings also suggest that horses form emotional attachments to their human keepers and have advanced facial recognition abilities. On an ethological level this would be very important as of course they would need to learn who to trust so they could alter their behaviour accordingly – knowing who to avoid or who they can approach safely. Of course these results also show that horses have a good long-term memory for human faces.

Study: Lansade, L., Colson, V., Parias, C. et al. Female horses spontaneously identify a photograph of their keeper, last seen six months previously. Sci Rep 10, 6302 (2020).

24/09/2024

This is a great read— especially as I am about to invite a new horse to my little farm!

"New Home Syndrome"🤓

I am coining this term to bring recognition, respect, and understanding to what happens to horses when they move homes. This situation involves removing them from an environment and set of routines they have become familiar with, and placing them somewhere completely different with new people and different ways of doing things.

Why call it a syndrome?

Well, really it is! A syndrome is a term used to describe a set of symptoms that consistently occur together and can be tied to certain factors such as infections, genetic predispositions, conditions, or environmental influences. It is also used when the exact cause of the symptoms is not fully understood or when it is not connected with a well-defined disease. In this case, "New Home Syndrome" is connected to a horse being placed in a new home where its entire world changes, leading to psychological and physiological impacts. While it might be transient, the ramifications can be significant for both the horse and anyone handling or riding it.

Let me explain...

Think about how good it feels to get home after a busy day. How comfortable your favourite clothes are, how well you sleep in your own bed compared to a strange bed, and how you can really relax at home. This is because home is safe and familiar. At home, the part of you that keeps an eye out for potential danger turns down to a low setting. It does this because home is your safe place (and if it is not, this blog will also explain why a lack of a safe place is detrimental).

Therefore, the first symptom of horses experiencing "New Home Syndrome" is being unsettled, prone to anxiety, or difficult behaviour. If you have owned them before you moved them, you struggle to recognise your horse, feeling as if your horse has been replaced by a frustrating version. If the horse is new to you, you might wonder if you were conned, if the horse was drugged when you rode it, or if you were lied to about the horse's true nature.

A horse with "New Home Syndrome" will be a stressed version of itself, on high alert, with a drastically reduced ability to cope. Horses don't handle change like humans do. If you appreciate the comfort of your own home and how you can relax there, you should be able to understand what the horse is experiencing.

Respecting that horses interpret and process their environments differently from us helps in understanding why your horse is being frustrating and recognising that there is a good chance you were not lied to or that the horse was not drugged.

Horses have survived through evolution by being highly aware of their environments. Change is a significant challenge for them because they notice the slightest differences, not just visually but also through sound, smell, feel, and other senses. Humans generalise and categorise, making it easy for us to navigate familiar environments like shopping centres. Horses do not generalise in the same way; everything new is different to them, and they need proof of safety before they can habituate and feel secure. When their entire world changes, it is deeply stressful.

They struggle to sleep until they feel safe, leading to sleep deprivation and increased difficulty.

But there is more...

Not only do you find comfort in your home environment and your nervous system downregulates, but you also find comfort in routines. Routines are habits, and habits are easy. When a routine changes or something has to be navigated differently, things get difficult. For example, my local supermarket is undergoing renovations. After four years of shopping there, it is extremely frustrating to have to work out where everything is now. Every day it gets moved due to the store being refitted section by section. This annoyance is shared by other shoppers and even the staff.

So, consider the horse. Not only are they confronted with the challenge of figuring out whether they are safe in all aspects of their new home while being sleep deprived, but every single routine and encounter is different. Then, their owner or new owner starts getting critical and concerned because the horse suddenly seems untrained or difficult. The horse they thought they owned or bought is not meeting their expectations, leading to conflict, resistance, explosiveness, hypersensitivity, and frustration.

The horse acts as if it knows little because it is stressed and because the routines and habits it has learned have disappeared. If you are a new human for the horse, you feel, move, and communicate differently from what it is used to. The way you hold the reins, your body movements in the saddle, the position of your leg – every single routine of communication between horse and person is now different. I explain to people that when you get a new horse, you have to imprint yourself and your way of communicating onto the horse. You have to introduce yourself and take the time to spell out your cues so that they get to know you.

Therefore, when you move a horse to a new home or get a new horse, your horse will go through a phase called "New Home Syndrome," and it will be significant for them. Appreciating this helps them get through it because they are incredible and can succeed. The more you understand and help the horse learn it is safe in its new environment and navigate the new routines and habits you introduce, the faster "New Home Syndrome" will pass.
"New Home Syndrome" will be prevalent in a horse’s life until they have learned to trust the safety of the environment (and all that entails) and the humans they meet and interact with. With strategic and understanding approaches, this may take weeks, and their nervous systems will start downgrading their high alert status. However, for some horses, it can take a couple of years to fully feel at ease in their new home.

So, next time you move your horse or acquire a new horse and it starts behaving erratically or being difficult, it is not being "stupid", you might not have been lied to or the horse "drugged" - your horse is just experiencing an episode of understandable "New Home Syndrome." And you can help this.❤

I would be grateful if you could please share, this reality for horses needs to be better appreciated ❤
‼️When I say SHARE that does not mean plagiarise my work…it is seriously not cool to copy and paste these words and make out you have written it yourself‼️

22/09/2024

With The study of the equine hoof – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉