Adult Ride

22/02/2022

VENUE CHANGE
DIANA'S ARENA
11am

21/02/2022

Back into things, this THURSDAY ! NOTE DAY CHANGE THIS WEEK.
11am Jenny's arena
Please let me know if you can make it

08/02/2022

// Training Tip Tuesday - How vision and memory can influence jumping training 🐴

When training a horse you must be aware that they don't see in vivid colour, they see in shapes and hues of black, white, blue and yellow, rather like the light at twilight. They are very influenced by shapes for which they have a great memory, however, they don't readily extrapolate, so as a jumping trainer you have to learn to work around that.

One of the critical principles of training is only changing one contextual element at a time; progress gradually. For instance, change the height of a cross rail, but don't change the speed of approach at the same time. Start with poles on the ground, and once you are really comfortable with the poles and all your aid work; halt, rein back, move away from either leg etc. and the horse maintains speed and line, then start with a little cross rail.

Don't change the fence shape and the pace at the same time in the early stages of training. Test everything at each level and make sure the horse responds calmly in each step. Some horses like some students excel. Some take longer but get it in the end, and others are not really interested in the learning process. It is the confidence gained from the basic and thorough early training that will encourage the horse to be a bold jumper, confident dressage horse or brave hack.

This is an excerpt of the article series 'Conversations with Dr Andrew McLean', available to purchase here: https://esi-education.com/product/conversations-with-dr-andrew-mclean/.

08/02/2022

O.k team
Adult Ride will be Thursday this week. I need another day of rest. Have been quite sick.
So...10.30 meet at Jenny's arena.
Pole work exercises to help with rhythm, straightness and deepening responses

01/02/2022

THIS IS AN ARTICLE FROM Masterson Method NZ Community Balancing Teeth, A Fascial Relationship

The fascial balance of the mouth is something that is seldom considered but in my opinion is of high importance for the wellbeing of your horse. We spend so long as therapists balancing the body but the mouth gets overlooked.
In this article I will be discussing some of the aspects of the fascial relationship of the teeth with the rest of the body and also my opinions on their balance.

Tooth Development:

The first thing we need to do is to take a quick look at the anatomy of the equine tooth. If we wind the clocks back to when the horse was developing as an embryo the teeth were formed from MESODERM. This is one of three layers in the embryo. The other two being the ectoderm and endoderm. These latter two layers contain cells that form the nervous system and organs respectively. The mesoderm is what most of the musculo-skeletal system is formed from.
So the same embryological substance that the teeth form from also creates the rest of the skeleton and soft tissue including the connective tissues (fascia)....cool huh?!

This to me is a really key point. In the same way we find biomechanical links through the musculo-skeletal system (ie hocks to lumbars to cervicals and foot balance) we MUST also consider the role of the teeth within all of this.

One thing that I see a lot is that whilst the veterinary surgeons and equine dentists are doing a wonderful job in detecting and treating clinical pathology (sharp hooks, fractures, diastemas, infections etc) they don't always look at the bigger picture or look to balance the mouth appropriate to the body (FASCIALLY).
In the same way as the vets are excellent at diagnosing issues such as PSD and Kissing Spine most people also now consider those to be secondary issues to incorrect balance/mobility in the body. If the balance is corrected these issues can be managed. Why do we not consider the teeth in the same way?

The Fascial Connection:

As each tooth develops, it has soft tissue connections to the jaw bone which include the periodontal ligaments (connective tissue) and fascia that carries the blood and nerve supply.
The periodontal ligaments act like a set of springs that allow the tooth to have a certain level of "give" in it. As the opposing teeth meet, with or without food in between, there is a small amount of suspension-like give within the socket created by these ligaments and the fascia. This provides proprioceptive information ie where is the tooth in 3-dimensional space and forces exerted on it.
Abnormal strain on the tooth can lead to tension in the ligament and affect the tooth mobility. This can lead to tooth pathology through reduced blood supply or tension for example. This is not too dissimilar to hoof conformation and strains on the capsule creating pathology within the foot such as abscesses etc.

This abnormal strain exerted on the teeth could come from one of two areas:
1) It could be created by the rest of the body ie how the horse moves leads to an imbalance in the mouth.
2) It could be created within the mouth often through incorrect dental balancing via rasping/floating.

Again, by using the example of the hoof.... a certain hoof conformation could be due to the way the rest of the body is moving OR a problem in the body can be created by the farrier or trimmer balancing the hoof incorrectly. It goes both ways and the same is true of the teeth. In both examples it is fascia that makes these connections.

So incorrectly balancing the mouth can create abnormal strains through the rest of the body via fascial interaction. Therefore, that PSD issue on the right hind, could in theory be coming from the mouth...fun isn't it! That inability to canter on the left lead could be due to a reduction in mobility of the TMJ joint created by poor dental balance...the list goes on.

So another question to ask is....what is the ROOT cause? (couldn't resist the pun). Are the teeth the primary issue or are they secondary?

Fascial strain on a tooth:

Whether through incorrect balancing of the mouth or through issues elsewhere in the body fascial strain can result in excessive pressure being exerted on one or more teeth. This can affect many things including pattern of chewing, mobility of the head, digestion, mobility of the rest of the body (including hugely affected foot balance) and much more.
Locally, the excessive pressure can cause a lot of the pathologies found by the equine dentist as well as issues elsewhere in the body.

So now we need to question...what is the actual cause of these dental pathologies in the mouth that the vets and dentists find?? Is it a one off injury or is it a chronic issue due to a long standing abnormal strain in the mouth or from the body to the mouth??

Balancing the mouth fascially:

Through gentle fascial palpation of the mouth, jaw bones, poll and TMJ's externally you can feel where in the mouth the fascia is under strain.
Ideally, when you evaluate the fascial tension of the mouth there would be no area of undue tension as all of the teeth are meeting in a neutral manner with all of their ligaments and fascial connections soft. It would feel free and have a gentle "gliding" sensation. This would be mirrored by all surrounding structures.

If tension is found in an area of the mouth the question then is whether it is coming from the mouth as a primary issue or from the rest of the body (secondary). This is where, unsurprisingly, it is then down to making sure you evaluate the WHOLE HORSE. In many cases by treating the body first the strain is then changed in the poll, jaws and therefore the mouth. In the same way as following a treatment the feet and saddle are re-checked...so too are the teeth. Minor alterations in how the jaws move can add or reduce strain to certain teeth. These teeth may require minute alterations to ensure that they are not under abnormal strain. Think what it is like to have a raspberry pip in your teeth, the tiny thing feels huge. So frequently you are to make tiny adjustments only. Just specific ones.

There is so much more to talk about but just to sew a few more seeds in your heads today....

Other things to note are that each tooth has it's own nerve supply from the Trigeminal Nerve. The nerve linked to headshaking.
Also note that in humans they have started looking at the link between each tooth and certain organs. So now the balance of the mouth really does involve the WHOLE HORSE.
Finally on a personal note, I keep seeing certain distortions of the front hooves being related to certain patterns in the horse's incisors.

Anyway, in summary. I think it is time that we took the fascial balance of the mouth into consideration as part of our WHOLE HORSE approach. It has huge ramifications on the wellbeing of the horse through all of the body systems.

01/02/2022

Adult Ride this week will have to be on Thursday.
We will use these pole exercises to improve straightness, turn and rhythm. Please let me know if you are coming.
Jenny's arena, 10.30am.

30/01/2022

Awesome day today at Warkworth Dressage Group
So we'll run under these trying times
Big thumbs up

27/01/2022

Nice little get together today.
Back into it next Wednesday, will inform on venue and time
Happy and safe riding

25/01/2022

Something to make you laugh....
I was asked to coach at Matakana Branch Pony Club
Arrived early to get prepared for my riders...A WEEK EARLY 🤣

24/01/2022

Forecast looks awful 😖 for tomorrow

19/01/2022

Jenny Fraser, Barbara Walker, Diana Hicks, Erin Mortimer, Bev, and me.
This is the original crew. Taken on my newly finished arena about 14 years ago ###x

10/01/2022

Looks like I will have to cancel tomorrow's group ride.
I am available Thursday if anyone can make it. Otherwise pm me for a private lesson.
I can help with inhand issues as well as ridden. I coach under the principles of Equitation Science International - ESI
Also, I am keen to continue on my massage learning, so, if, you would likeca non invasive massage done on your horse let me know.
I follow The Masterson Method, Integrated Equine Performance Bodywork

10/01/2022

Hi.
Adult Ride Wednesday 11am Jenny's arena.
Let me know if you are coming.
Ruth and Diana I know you can't make it.

07/01/2022

Fabulous lessons today. And man do I love the cooler weather. Much nicer for the horses as well.
We touched on rider position, the importance of being awear of our bodies and how much we influence the way the horse goes.
Straightness, self carrage and being awear of every step, feeling which rein may be heavy in the downward transitions, is the horse Straight, when going forward ? Does the horse remain in self carriage and on his line, when the leg and rein contact is released ? Having the tools to adjust and fix these things. A thinking and feeling rider makes the horses responses more reliable.
We also touched on indirect turns, and leg yield.
The horses were calm and obedient.
As a coach, to have happy horses and riders is very satisfying.

06/01/2022

Let's hope it's overcast for Friday's AR. Meet at Jenny's arena 10.30am. To start it will be about rider position and getting balance, some warm up exercisers also.
We will be focusing on getting turns from direct rein, working with the biomechanics of the horse. Introducing indirect rein turns, which helps with straightness and falling in/out from the shoulder.
Also getting a soft halt.
Plus some pole work.
Finish with a nice stretch and then some unmounted stretching for the horse.

02/01/2022

Going to have to move Adult Ride to Thursday this week.
Please let me know if you are coming.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL ######X

28/12/2021

Hi.
Looking forward to Adult Ride. We will have our first get together next Wednesday. Venue to be confirmed.
I am also available for private lessons during the week.
Hope you all had a lovely Christmas, enjoy the time with friends and family.

22/12/2021

All the very best to all my riders. Have a peaceful loving Christmas.
Thanks Diana for hosting our Christmas get together.
Thankyou all for your support and trust in me to help you and your horses to achieve your goals.
Big hug to all the horses.

12/12/2021

Right.... xmas do is postponed until the 21st.
More info to follow.
Last AR group get together will be Wednesday the 22nd, at Jenny's arena. Be prepared for some fun. I shall close my eyes to unstraight lines, no self carriage, inconsistent rhythm 😅😅 which I have to say, you all are totally awear of.
Will be in touch sooner to the day.
If anyone would like a Private, just PM me.

08/12/2021

Adult Ride this Sunday.
Jenny's arena. 11.30am
Please let me know if you can make it

07/12/2021

Hi Team.
All go for tomorrow's lessons.
11am Jenny's arena

01/12/2021

Feeling better today.
Ended up going for a swim with one of my daughters, it was so nice.
Going to be at Matakana Pony Club at 10ish on Sunday, to give Naomi a lesson, so if any one else wants to come along after that let me know.
Or can meet at Jenny's

30/11/2021

Hi Team. Not sure about tomorrow's ride yet. Have had a upset tummy the last couple of days. Will let you all know in the morning xx
Plus was thinking, we could start meeting at Matakana Pony Club grounds soon.

27/11/2021

Leadership 🐴

Horses do not do things for humans because they sense strong human leadership. They learn to do things as a result of the reinforcement of certain responses, not because their trainer has stood tall and looked impressive.

For example, the horse that does not load into the float/trailer does not refuse because he doesn’t trust or respect you or because he sees your leadership as weak. He refuses because his training of the go response in-hand is not deep enough for him to lead wherever you point him.

It doesn’t matter to the horse if you are small, round-shouldered or introverted. What matters is what and how you train the horse. It is unlikely that horses view humans as part of their herd structure. We may never fully understand how the horses view their world, but it seems unlikely that they would ever have evolved a capacity to include predatory mammals such as humans as part of their dynamics.

You can learn about all this in our Equitation Science Diploma. Find more info online here; http://bit.ly/ESIdiploma

Equitation science promotes an objective, evidence-based understanding of how horses learn, and how to train them accordingly. It promotes the welfare of horses during training and competition by applying valid, quantitative evidence based methods.

24/11/2021

Fantastic group Lesson today.
Really reinforcing the importance of good, consistent ground work. Deepening the responses and only accepting the correct answer from a signal, aid, given. Making sure as the trainer that we never change the question. 1 + 1 always equals 2.
This way the grey area disappears, the horse learns by being rewarded by the release of the pressure (aid) as soon as the correct response is given.
Our ridden work is a reflection of our training in hand. We covered quite abit, with, horses and riders leaving the arena without stress.
Thankyou team. As a coach it is always a pleasure seeing those light bulb moments and the horses responding to their owners.
Thanks Jenny for your on going support and the use of your arena.

22/11/2021

Group Lesson tomorrow
Jenny's arena, ready to get started at 11am.
We will start with in-hand pole work.
Ridden work we will focus on the rhythms with in walk and trot. Plus some lateral work.
See you there 👍

19/11/2021

NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT..
Unfortunately due to the current covid restrictions, Lisa and myself have decided to postpone the The Rider's Body - Movement Education For The Smart Rider clinic.
Lisa would have refunded by now your payments. We are now looking at holding the clinic in the New Year. So, watch this space.
Please give her page a follow, her posts are very informative.

16/11/2021

This is for my friend Ann Milne.. Horsey friends. I’m on the look out for a safe horse for me to potter around on that doesn’t need to ridden every day. Doesn’t need to be anything fancy.
I just want to be able to hop on and go for occasional rides with Alyssa on her green TB. Something easy to handle and to manage, I’m 63kg and have ridden a pony so something between 14.1hh to 16hh preferably
PM me if you know of or have something. Low budget but hopefully there is something out there 😊

15/11/2021

Adult Ride. 11am at Jenny's arena.
We will start with ground work.

13/11/2021

A couple if exercisers to keep you all busy. If you have the Academic Horse Training book, please check the ref pages for more in depth understanding of these exercisers