Foundation Equine Training

31/10/2025

💫 From Science to Soul – Day 4: Rupture and Repair

One of the most powerful concepts from Warwick Schiller’s clinic was something he called rupture and repair — the same rhythm that exists in every healthy relationship.

Most of us, as children, saw rupture modelled … but rarely repair.
Our parents argued in front of us, but fixed it later in private — or never at all.
So as adults, we’re often uneasy with conflict or activation; we think safety means “never letting anything go wrong.”

But real safety isn’t the absence of rupture — it’s the ability to repair it.

In horse training, that means I’m not trying to keep my horse calm at all times.
I’m allowing small activations — little waves of energy through the nervous system — and showing the horse that it can return to baseline again.
It’s not about avoiding stress; it’s about learning to move through it together.

When a horse can get slightly activated, then come back to me and find regulation, something shifts.
From a scientific standpoint, we can’t measure “trust” precisely — but it looks like trust, and it feels like trust.

Over time, each gentle rupture and repair strengthens the connection. The horse learns that I’m a ventral tether — a consistent, grounded presence who can help it navigate the world’s unpredictability.

And just like in human relationships, when repair is available, bigger challenges stop feeling so frightening.

Tomorrow: Day 5 – Clinginess and Flight – Two Sides of the Same Coin.

30/10/2025

28/10/2025

It’s important for all horse trainers and riders to learn how to identify the flight response.

For centuries, the world’s best trainers have emphasised the importance of rhythm and straightness — what we now call self-carriage. A horse that maintains his own rhythm and line shows confidence and relaxation. By contrast, a horse that accelerates suddenly or without being asked — whether under saddle or in hand — is likely showing a fear response.

A common example is the jumping horse that rushes towards a fence. This behaviour is often mistaken for enthusiasm or a “love of jumping”, but in reality, it’s a sign of anxiety. When early training is rushed or unclear, the horse learns to associate fences with fear. The obstacle becomes a trigger to run — both toward and away from it.

Physiologically, a horse showing a strong flight response on a cross-country course has a blood profile similar to one fleeing from predators. That’s why training for rhythm and self-maintenance of speed is essential for both welfare and rider safety. The jump should never cause acceleration; the horse must be trained to maintain a steady rhythm and tempo on his own.

In dressage — and across all disciplines — we should recognise tension as a sign of fear, not excitement or energy. The great classical masters understood this deeply:

▪️ Quickening legs signal the flight response.

▪️ A hollow back reflects tension and fear.

▪️ True impulsion comes only from calm, progressive training.

Understanding the difference between rhythm and rush protects both horse and rider — and ensures training remains fair, ethical, and safe.

25/10/2025

Does rider laterality affect position in the saddle? 🐎

A recent study explored how a rider’s natural preference for one side of the body — known as laterality — influences their riding position.

Twenty-five female riders were assessed for handedness, leg dominance, and leg length, then filmed riding their own horses at halt, walk, trot, and canter. The videos were analysed to see how their posture aligned with an ideal riding position.

Results showed clear links between laterality and symmetry:
👉 Left-handed riders tended to be more balanced overall.
👉 Right-handed and right-leg dominant riders leaned and twisted more to the right.
👉 Longer leg lengths were associated with tilting of the head, hips, and shoulders.
👉 Riders who rode more often maintained positions closer to the ideal.

The findings highlight that rider laterality influences posture and that training should be tailored to each rider’s unique asymmetries to support clearer communication between horse and rider.

https://brill.com/view/journals/cep/aop/article-10.1163-17552559-bja10060/article-10.1163-17552559-bja10060.xml

20/10/2025

🐴 The Groundwork Gap: Or How Being Brilliant in the Saddle Isn't Enough

There’s a certain irony with equestrians: the better people get at one thing, the more allergic they become to feeling like beginners again.

A talented young event rider once brought me her young Clydie cross - anxious, unpredictable, and prone to bolting. The vets had cleared him, the tack was fitted, but something didn’t add up.

So I stripped everything off and turned him loose in the round yard. Within two laps, a problem revealed itself - he couldn’t canter a balanced circle to save himself. He’d rush and get discombobulated. I told her, “You’re asking him to gallop cross-country and jump stuff when he can’t even stay upright on a circle. He’s not naughty—he’s freaked out he’ll fall over.”

The logic landed. Until she said, “I don’t do groundwork.”

Ah yes—the phrase that has quietly ended more riding careers than kids and financial resources combined.🥺

It made her feel clumsy, awkward, uncoordinated - a beginner again. She would apologise profusely as I coached her. Apologising because she wasn’t learning fast enough… and then apologising for apologising when I told her to please stop apologising 😕.

She stopped after two sessions - apologising she was just hopeless at groundwork - and went back to riding through it. A few weeks later, she fell off and broke her ribs. That was over ten years ago, and her name hasn’t appeared on an eventing start list since.

It’s sad - not because she didn’t try, but because she felt so much shame at the discomfort of learning something new. That awkward, messy stage that’s actually normal.

Versatility isn’t optional; it’s what separates capability from calamity. You can be brilliant in the saddle, but if you can’t help your horse from the ground, you’re only half a horse person.

Versatility makes you adaptable to the horse's needs.

So be versatile. Be curious. Embrace the messy. Fight those shame demons in your head 💪—for the sake of both you and your horse. ❤️

Collectable Advice Entry 57/365 to hit SAVE, SHARE...and no copying and pasting!

20/10/2025

19/10/2025

16/10/2025

15/10/2025

14/10/2025

🌟 10 Things I Won’t Teach or Tolerate — Rule #8 🌟
Science Over Slang: Horses Don’t Have Phobias

I often hear riders say, “My horse has a phobia of tractors/trucks/plastic bags.” Let’s clear this up: horses don’t get phobias.

A phobia is a very human condition. I can be afraid of flying, and even if I’m nowhere near an airplane, just the thought of it can make my palms sweat and my heart race. That’s the prefrontal cortex at work — the part of the brain that allows us to imagine, anticipate, and catastrophize. Horses don’t have one.

Here’s how horses are wired:
👉 They live in the moment. Their brains are designed for survival, not daydreaming.
👉 They don’t sit in the paddock worrying about what might happen tomorrow.
👉 For a horse to be scared, the scary thing has to be right there in their field of vision.

Yes, horses can absolutely be frightened. But calling it a “phobia” is incorrect — and sloppy language leads to sloppy thinking. If we mislabel it, we misunderstand it, and then we mistreat it.

Good training is about clarity — in aids, in methods, and in words. So let’s ditch the pop psychology and stick to what’s accurate: horses experience fear, not phobias.