SOLEQUINE (Equine solutions)

18/09/2024

A horse works best for biomechanics when it is up and open?
Yes that is true, but only if the horse is not holding a brace, or is braced through the body, if you work up and open with a brace chances are the horse is not working in alignment, how can it be?
Here you see in the photos of Zinnie, the top pictures showing a braced body, hollow back, neck, and not in alignment.
Bottom pictures showing a soft relaxed body, with a more lifted back, working in better alignment.
His body is changing so much, and he has learned a few lateral movements already. He engages his thorasic sling more and more and is learning to release his own tension/brace.
I always allow process time during and after to check in and say, "Hey, how are you doing?" I do a head pressure release that Zinnie really enjoys and always gives at least 4 or 5 big yawns after.
Zinnie is a very sweet, kind ,and fast learning pony with a very good brain.

17/09/2024

Am enjoying working with Zinnie to help him find forward easier through alignment which will bring about postural changes, which will bring about muscle change, which in turn will make forward easier and more fun.
Photos are from beginning of week 1 to end of week 1( this week consisted of 4 days)

Photo #1 He is very braced, shown in the neck, hollow back, shoulder upright and almost standing on his toes.
It is easy to understand from the first picture, why forward would be found difficult.

Photo #2 He is less braced through his body, back has more lift, shoulder has a better angle and he is standing better on his feet.
As he softens and works more in alignment, and learns to engage the thorasic sling, he will find forward easier and easier.

I am excited to see him and his rider together through this process.

Thanks to Tori Jeffress- Classical Dressage and Liberty Riding for introducing me to this work, it has been so rewarding!! Don't forget Tori is in Whangarei end of October early November for 2 clinics. DON'T MISS OUT.

11/09/2024

Forrest is looking rather stunning in his new multibridle.

10/09/2024

This is a brilliant break down from Tori Jeffress- Classical Dressage and Liberty Riding and what she sees, and why etc.

Tori will be in Whangarei next month for 2 clinics, please comment or pm me if you want to come along with your horse, or to watch, and I will add you to the chat♡

10/09/2024

A bit of fun with Zinny and Grace tonight, in their lesson.

Zinny is here for a week or 2 to do some inhand work to help him with forwardness, or lack thereof.

How cute are they in the sunset ♡♡

06/09/2024

I always have lateral work as part of our routine.
Working on rhythm, alignment, and posture really helps build strength.

Wearing my teQ tights, and you can see my cute baby blue socks peaking out the top of my boots ♡

04/09/2024

A video explaining a bit of what I see happening in these photos.
Let me know if it's helpful, thanks all.
A balanced horse is a happy horse ♡
And keep the comments coming ya'll 😄

01/09/2024

Me and my buddy Forrest out on an adventure ♡♡

28/08/2024

Have a good look at these shots and see what you see, and share what you see.
There is no judgment here, just learning ♡♡
This is Harry and 18 year old Clydie x.
Comment away lovely people, and I will then share what I see ♡♡

28/08/2024

So proud of this combination.
Going out there and riding with the horse in mind. No pulling back, beautiful posture, hard to believe they haven't been riding long at all.

Let's change what we see as beautiful!

27/08/2024

Check out the beautiful ridden change that has happened with Zana. We addressed the strength in the thorasic sling first, with inhand work. We then added in riding to help in the same way.
Look at the difference in Zana's posture and strength!!!
Well done, Dom!!
I am very excited to see how you both grow and strengthen.

23/08/2024

Dressage is not abusive.
It’s a kind and ethical training.
Dressage is not flashy.
It’s about correct posture and spinal alignment.
Dressage is not exhausting.
It's about lightness and motivation.
Dressage is not about getting fast results.
It is quiet and humble.
Dressage is not about external validation.
It’s an art.
Dressage is not for building up your ego.
It’s a journey of self-discovery.
Dressage doesn’t wear out the joints.
It keeps your horse fit until old age.
Dressage doesn’t shut down the horse or cause anxiety.
It is about a human and a horse connecting on a deep level, from heart to heart.
When riding is abusive, flashy, exhausting, promises fast results, used to get external validation, needed to build up your ego, wears out the joints, and causes shut down or anxiety, it’s not dressage!

19/08/2024

Let's change what we see as beautiful in a horse working.
Beauty is purity of gait, beauty is horse looking forward, with happy or listening face, not down, beauty is open airways through open throat latch, not closed.
A horse moving as it should, being able to breathe and look where it's going is beautiful.
A horse without body issues that is happy to move, and will be improved throughout its ridden life, or paddock life, is beautiful.
A horse that has a voice is beautiful 😍

Ps: Excuse the gumboots it's winter mmmk 🤣🤣

16/08/2024

Please please watch.
We all want what's best for our horses, let's think about them first, before anything or anyone else.
The horse is the most important judge in my eye ♡♡♡
Thank you so so much Becks Nairn

11/08/2024

Thank you
Milestone Equestrian

07/08/2024

Let's be the changes we want to see, it starts with us!! We CAN be and do better for our horses♡

Thank you for all you do
Equine Anatomy in Layers

06/08/2024

Yes!!

Thanks you
Belinda Bolsenbroek Academy

06/08/2024

This photo is so cute. If you look, you can see Toa giving Forrest a sneak bite on the nose 🤣🤣🤣

06/08/2024

Check out Monty, looking so so stunning in the evening sun 🌞
Spring is coming!!
Show me your spring ponies on the beautiful days ♡

05/08/2024

Go follow these inspiring woman in their Equestrian journey, which has stated alot later in life then, most. Watch them grow and develop.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561116574784&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Sports

04/08/2024

Absolutely!!!

Thank you Amy Skinner Horsemanship

We live in a tips and tricks world, so much so that dedication to riding as art is dying.
You can piecework together bits and pieces, a cobbled up game that’ll get you down the road. An exercise to teach steering, another loading, a cue for the canter, a target for trimming- a horse becomes a dancing bear, and a rider moves through a robotic routine half asleep.

Few have the patience or great love for riding as an art form- to see and study and know a horse, to learn to really ride - to spend hours learning to handle the whip with refinement, to handle the reins like a paintbrush and paint a picture with your body on a horse canvas. This takes years, thousands of hours, and absolute dedication to a craft. There are no tips, no tricks, just pure practice and commitment, and an open heart and mind.

02/08/2024

01/08/2024

Very interesting read!!

Thank you Yasmin Stuart Equine Physio

When your horse extends through their AO joint [the articulation between the base of the skull and C1], their lower jaw retracts - you can feel this yourself if you point your nose to the sky, notice how your bottom jaw glides back.

When your horse flexes through their AO joint, their lower jaw protracts - you can feel this yourself if you press your chin to your chest, notice how your bottom jaw glides forwards.

When your horse flexes through their AO joint, their laryngeal diameter decreases - you can feel this by pressing your chin to your chest and taking a deep breath in, notice how much harder that is.

If your horse has tension in their jaw, they lose range of motion through their AO joint - you can feel this yourself if you clamp your jaw shut, notice how much harder it is to point your nose to the sky or point your chin to your chest - your neck feels tight and immobile.

And the same can be said if your horse has tension through their AO joint or neck, they will lose range of motion through their jaw.

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Now do all of those movements again and notice how, when you drop your chin to your chest:

It's difficult to inflate your ribs to breathe,

It's hard to round your back,

Your hips tighten up.

This is because you've impinged your deep ventral line.

We do this to horses when we ride with a rein length/tension that doesn't accomodate and support their anatomy.

So if we compress their jaw and neck, we compromise their ability to:

Breathe

Lift their back to carry a rider

Activate their hindlimb.
..Gives us quite a lot to think about with how many horses are ridden and trained, doesn't it?

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Want to learn more?

The recording for Train Your Eye - How's Your Bit Affecting Your Horse? is now live on my website.

❤️✨️

31/07/2024

So happy with the steps towards confidence this horse is starting to find.
I have mainly focused on the ground, with inland work to help him find alignment, balance and the feeling of safety, which being strong and balanced gives you.
This video doesn't look.like much, if you didn't know the horse.
It makes me happy to see him being curious and investigating things more and more, his eye is starting to soften and look more relaxed.
Being present and holding space for another being isn't an easy thing to just do, you have to be able to be aware without staring, willing to change things in the moment to suit the horse at the time, you can-not do this with a time limit, otherwise you will never be present.
Being present and in the moment means that time becomes irrelevant as you are so immersed in what you are doing you have lost the sense of time. Presents means you have to have an understanding of what you are doing, truly what you are doing, your posture, your breathing, these things all influence the horse.
I am happy for Goldie to be able to start seeing the world in a different light ♡

Thanks Ewen Equine Management and ConTact CARE for the treatment, it has really helped him along, and we will see you again for more releases for the stunning boy.

31/07/2024

"Solequine Toa Mangu"

30/07/2024

30/07/2024

You may have seen I have been working with Goldie, to try and help him with his tension, and lack of "feeling safe".
Goldie is a stunning 17.1hh gelding with exceptional movement and talent. But none of theses things are relevant without relaxation, and him wanting to be with the human and feeling safe.
And it takes a village to help our equine friends out in our human world, from your feed and supplement provider, trimmer, farrier, vet, dentist, trainer and body worker.
After consulting with his owner, she said go ahead to bringing in Pepe Ewen of Ewen Equine Management and ConTact CARE to help along with the process. Pepe and I have found that Contact Care, and the work that I do compliment each other quite well.
Here you see Pepe working her magic, and the changes in Goldie mentally and physically were evident.
Thank you Pepe ♡

29/07/2024

How lucky are we.......