Bent Pines Farm is a homestead, farm, and orchard located in the Northwest panhandle of Florida.
Castration - check.
Wolf teeth removal - check.
Little man is recovering nicely. Grateful for a good vet! Take care of your vets y'all. They work hard and are underappreciated. We don't have nearly enough, and we can't afford to lose any more!
What does a selfie from my yoga mat have to do with horses? EVERYTHING!
I practice what I preach. As riders, we're athletes. OUR bodies MATTER. We love to take care of our horses and forget to take care of ourselves, but taking care of ourselves helps our equine partners. We're stronger, more balanced, more flexible, and more able to support their movement.
I've been struggling to get back my balance and my strength after a brown recluse bite to my calf and 3 foot surgeries, so I invested in myself and hired a personal trainer. This is me after the fourth workout this morning. I'm getting stronger. I will be back showing my horses very soon.
Not bad for almost 50, used to weigh 237, and 3 year's worth of muscle loss. đ
Some keys to avoiding impaction colic are providing adequate turnout, never feeding dry grains, and ensuring adequate water sources.
Being back in the saddle on my best boy has been such a gift. For 3 years, I've been recovering from injuries and surgeries, and I am finally in the home stretch. It's just about getting back in shape now. For me, life isn't fully lived without time in the saddle.
Another great video...
Dr. Ivana Ruddock explaining how the horse's trapezius muscle can become atrophied.
Love the knowledge my dear friend Terry shares at FIT RIGHT SADDLE SOLUTIONS. She changed my life!
This!
The reason for the slow, step by step conditioning of the green horse is so that when you want to put the weight to the haunches, there is something there to support the front end.
Many people mistakenly try to collect up the horse to strengthen them before the horse has any stability behind. This is like going to the heaviest weights at the gym to squat to get strong - youâre likely going to hurt yourself, or at the least strengthen whatever patterns are already there.
A horse needs to learn to become body aware, then to get into position, then to slowly develop increasing stability and mobility. You donât get to the end result by starting at the end. You start incrementally, with a clear plan to develop toward the end goal.
Sitting on the dock listening to the bees. It's still a little chilly for me, but the sun and breeze are too nice to resist.
Thank you Pony Club Australia for advocating for CORRECT riding! It's amazing to me that so many people are watching horses ridden behind the poll and making comments that it's a beautiful ride. It's incorrect, it's against the rules, and it's damaging to your horse. Stop rewarding it.
Does your horse look outwards and forwards when you ride, or does he look downwards?
The physical and mental welfare of a horse suffers when he is ridden with his neck too round (hyperflexed), with the nasal plane behind a vertical line to the ground ('behind the vertical' or 'behind the bit') - as in the left photo.
Research shows that horses ridden in hyperflexion have restricted breathing and vision. A horse at liberty would never carry himself in this way for more than a very brief period.
Reasons for horses being âbehind the verticalâ could include bad training, heavy hands, restrictive gear such as a standing martingale or side reins, the horse avoiding contact or the rider thinking it looks good.
The experts say the horse when working should ideally have his head slightly in front of the vertical, fairly close to a straight line perpendicular to the ground, and the poll should be the highest point, as in the second photo. This horse is looking outwards and forwards.
When you next ride, make sure that your horse is not looking downwards. If he is, allow or encourage him to look outwards and forwards!
Did you know?
- If your horse approaches a jump or mounted games barrel with his head pulled to the outside, or tucked near his chest for example, his vision is greatly restricted.
- Horses have a natural preference to look closely at things on their left side, which has probably helped horsemanship develop mounting, leading, bridling etc from the near (left) side.
When you walk the showjumping or cross country course, how can you plan to assist your horse see the obstacle in front of him?
Some great advice for your spring rides!
What is base building? The early riding season is a time to put in low-intensity exercise sessions 4-6 times per week. These are the bricks in your horse's fitness foundation. They do not need to be specialized, sophisticated, or long. They DO need to be consistent. 25- to 35- minutes per day can be enough if you commit to this every day. This is not the time to fine-tune, perform specific workouts, or tackle long (in excess of 1-hour) efforts. Fitness is a cumulative. This means, you reap gains from simple, basic , and CONSISTENT work day after day.
It's shedding aeason! What color do you think little man Bo will end up being? Sire is a Palimino. Dam is Blue Roan.
Still recovering from , but I'm looking forward to starting the horsemanship challenge from . With my surgeries, Domino and I are both more than a little out of shape. It's time to get back to work!
Last day of the . It's been a long, exciting weekend. I've gotten hugs from old friends and made new ones. Today, I'm getting to listen to discuss the body and fear... One of my own favorite topics as a rider!
I love working in the Tribute Lecture Hall at ! I get to spend the weekend with my people. I learn from people like and and be inspired by a great community of horse people.
The view from my "office" this weekend in the Tribute Lecture Hall. So blessed and grateful to spend a weekend working at the !
The Miller Club is set up and ready to go for the Tribute Hall Lecture Series at . Honored to once again be a part of this event!
I often get asked what I think about treeless saddles. This is my answer.
TREE VS. NO TREE
The debate over treeless saddles continues to stir controversy, sparking passionate discussions among riders. They have their proponents and opponents, but the âpro-treeâ facts do speak for themselves.
You can argue till youâre blue in the face, but this doesnât change the realities of the effects a treeless saddle can have on the horseâs back over time. A treeless saddle may work for a short period of time as an interim solution to a poorly fitting saddle with a tree, but in the long run, it is not going to do your horse any favours. But letâs break it down to understand why a treed saddle is the better long-term option for horses.
The job of a saddle tree to is to optimally place the riderâs weight correctly over the saddle-support area of the horseâs back. A treeless saddle (or ba****ck pad) will not have this support structure that allows proper weight distribution of the rider on the horseâs back. Most of the riderâs weight in these âsaddlesâ (even if they resemble saddles at first glanceâthey are still more closely related to ba****ck pads) will be under the seat bones or cause individual pressure points on the horseâs back.
The saddle tree, by contrast, distributes the weight evenly over the longissimus assuming, of course, the saddle has been fit correctly. In the middle of the saddle-support area the horseâs transverse spinal processes are completely straightâa treeless saddle means that 100 percent of the riderâs weight is concentrated right here.
We always recommend a well-fitting treed saddle over a treeless one. However, if a well-fitted treed saddle is not available, a treeless saddle is the better interim solution.
Keeping this in mind, we know that pressure points can impede circulation and cause muscle atrophy, along with tendonitis and ligament damage. We want to avoid symptomatic long-term damage and pain, but also incorrect muscle contraction leading to atrophy when the horse reacts parasympathetically to try and avoid pressure.
Iâll give you one thing: A treeless saddle allows the rider to feel the horseâs motion more closely and gets her closer to the horse. It is, however, physiologically difficultâimpossible actuallyâfor women to sit properly and correctly and comfortably in a treeless saddle. The necessary support for the gluteus and tailbone is simply missing, and as such, truly harmonious and supple movement can never be achieved.
In addition and to repeat: The biggest disadvantage with a treeless saddle is that it is simply unable to properly distribute the riderâs weight over the saddle-support area, and it will always cause pressure points under the seat bones. The best advantage of a treeless saddle is in its construction; it has no stiff or immoveable parts that could force the horse into an unnatural muscular reaction, and it never has to be refit to the horse as he changes and matures.
But this doesnât make up for its disadvantages: In addition to causing pressure points, it is difficult for the rider to give the proper aids, and it is almost impossible to prevent the horse from experiencing long-term damage to his muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons in his back.A horse with pressure points on his back is unable to bring his back up properly to counteract a riderâs weight and move freely when carrying a rider. The inability to do so because of the impact of a treeless saddle impedes the entire functionality of the biomechanics and load-carrying ability of the horse, which not only can, but will, lead to health issues.
For some people, dusters and cowboy hats are a fashion statement. For some of us, they keep you warm and dry in severe weather when you're checking fence lines and livestock.
It's a different kind of life on a farm.
Love this!
Riders are trained with high pressure negative reinforcement and positive punishment, too.
I think this is why so many people respond with anger when they see longstanding traditional practices meeting rightful critique as we learn more about how to care for and train these beautiful animals in the most ethical way possible.
When you first start riding, you usually do not go into it wanting to hit or yell at horses. The first time your trainer tells you to âspankâ your horse with the whip or yells to âKICK HIM HARDERâ you likely felt discomfort towards it or maybe resisted and didnât want to.
Then your trainer will consistently apply the aversive pressure of yelling things like:
âGET AFTER HIM!â
âYOU ARE TEACHING MY HORSES BAD HABITSâ
âYOU CANT LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THISâ
âHeâs a horse, heâll barely feel it!â
Then, when you finally give in, usually pink cheeked and embarrassed from the scene conversations like this can cause in public, youâre rewarded:
âGreat riding! Way to go! Way to show him whoâs boss!â
Compliments from someone you view as much more experienced than you and whose approval you crave, reinforcing the idea that getting after your horse and viewing behaviours as objectively âgoodâ or âbadâ is a good thing.
Positive punishment can be in by way of verbal digs from your trainer or if you donât listen, then telling you to get off their horse or embarrassing you in front of peers.
It may even escalate to them forcibly doing the things you donât want to or are unable to do.
Through this training, we are primed and condition to respond in a reactionary manner and not bat an eye over disciplining behaviours and escalating pressure to points where it causes horses high stress.
We are taught just to listen to authority and that the person you pay for lessons and training is inherently righteous, whether they can actually substantiate the process of their training and how it actually works or not.
We are taught not to question things because questions that our trainers donât know how to answer are often met with anger.
We are taught that being a âgoodâ rider involved being bossy, harsh and reprimanding our horses for displaying behaviours we donât like, whether the behaviour is natural for the horse or not.
We are taught that being gritty and riding stressed out horses who are trying to unload us is something to be proud of.
That the bigger bit you ride your horse in, the more experienced your hands are and the more difficult your horse is. Look at how tough the horse I ride is and look at how I can boss him around and force him to work through his stress!
Our very value system is rooted in our ability to force a large, benevolent creature into doing our bidding rather than our ability to motivate our horses to do things we ask of them through partnership and mutual benefit.
Our value system is in our ability to ride through indicators of stress in training and signs that horse is struggling and do so without batting an eye and feeling for what our horse might be going through emotionally.
We are taught to view their stress as an inconvenience to us and thereby label stress behaviours as inherently bad and react to our horses as if theyâre intentionally trying to defy us.
All if this is taught to us in a way that is so sneaky and insidious that so many riders donât actually realize what has happened to them until theyâve lost many years to handling horses in a way that is largely ineffective and more stressful for everyone involved.
The goodness of a rider is in their ability to help stressed horses relax and become comfortable in their environments.
The goodness of a rider is in their understanding of the different timelines horses need and not trying to stuff horses in a one sized all approach.
The goodness of a rider is in their desire to use the softest equipment possible and not resorting to quick fixes like harsher bits or training gadgets likely to cause stress and pain.
The goodness of a rider is rooted in their empathy for their horse and their desire to do whatâs best for the horse even if theyâre mocked by other riders for us.
Many of us have had that goodness eroded away as weâve gradually been pushed to be hardened against our will. It happens slowly enough that you donât generally realize it. Itâs a gradual conditioning in your early years as horse person.
Taking back that childlike enjoyment and appreciation of horses allowed me to develop more empathy and understanding in training.
Now, instead of taking pride in riding a stressed horse through antics dangerous to the both of us, I feel accomplishment when we avoid those antics altogether by not sending the horse over threshold when itâs entirety avoidable most of the time.
If horses are willing to do as much as they do for us when we demand it, take it forcefully and donât stop often enough to consider their feelings, imagine what they would do if we gave them the same empathy, kindness patience and understanding they as animals so freely give us, even when we wrong them and misunderstand them on a rampant basis.
The room for improvement is extraordinary and I, for one, canât wait to see whatâs on the other side of developing more empathy across the horse world.
Taking our relationships with horses from dictatorship to partnership opens the door for so much goodness.
Love this!
The *more leg* debate
Recently Iâve been seeing a lot of posts talking about instructors telling their students to âuse more legâ and that this is wrong or itâs not being done properly, etc. However, not one post then says how to do it properly. They just criticize.
Also it seems that they forget that a lot of people that ride donât use their legs hardly at all to steer and ride their horse and use just primarily rein aids.
Shouldnât we be trying to instruct our students to ride more with their seat and leg aids than their reins?
Also most students do not use enough of their lower leg to support or communicate to their horse properly. The use of the leg must be taught through repetition and feel.
Now I get that overuse of the leg will result in a dull horse but sometimes a student truly is not using enough of their lower leg to effectively communicate because they just donât know how to effectively and correctly use their leg in relationship to what they are requesting their horse to do.
And the message of using too much leg is confusing to new horse riders. It sends the message of telling them to not use their leg at all which causes a whole slew of issues in itself.
I tell my students that their neutral leg on their horseâs sides should be about the same pressure as their arms resting relaxed at their sides. The leg should not engage more unless they want more energy from the horse or for direction and steering purposes. The leg should be like a gentle hug. Reassuring, giving and feeling for feedback at the same time.
The leg should be held with relaxation with only enough pressure in the stirrup to barely hold a dollar bill in between the ball of your foot and the stirrup.
There should be flexibility in the hip, knee and ankle. This allows for movement and feel for cueing purposes. Soft legs allow for flexibility in the seat and lower back which travels up into the shoulders and the arms and hands. In essence, the status of the leg influences the entire body.
Tight and tense legs cause tension in the thighs, hips and lower back which cause the rider to actually move against their horse. If you are bouncing a lot in the saddle, you might be riding with a tight and tense leg. Tight legs cause riders to put too much pressure in their stirrups which causes them to ride stiff up through their hips and lowers back. It also causes the rider to keep their legs off the horse. This causes lack of communication between the horse and rider and also causes the rider to be more unstable.
We must have balance in our legs and seat. We must learn to wait and feel our horse underneath us and then respond accordingly to them after giving them time to respond to the request. A solid and quiet leg takes time to build but keeping your leg completely off your horse only causes more harm than good.
The use of leg in communicating to a horse and for the importance of balance and position in the saddle is one of the most important things to teach. So rather than poopoo-ing the use of leg, encourage correct leg position and contact.
When it rains on Christmas Eve, and the horses need hay, you get tractor work for Christmas!
It's been a tough 2 months on the farm. I've been through 2 foot surgeries totaling 6 weeks on crutches.
My poor husband has been taking care of me and the 12 animals and all the things that have been breaking (toilet, water main, sewer pipe).
I've been missing the equines. I get the occasional visit with them over the fence from the seat of the golf car. Today, the donkeys were eyeing me while I sat in the garage. I think they miss me too.
Three weeks and I can at least go in the pastures and start working with them on the ground. It'll be another 2 months after that before I'm allowed in the saddle.
Every day, I count my blessings that I will be back in the saddle and that I get to live this life. Nothing beats life with horses.
I get asked a lot about treeless saddles. My first question is, "What is the purpose of a saddle tree?" The why matters.
Being an educated rider makes a huge difference in your progression of riding. đđź Not only knowing WHAT to do but WHY we do it helps the understanding and can even help you become more empathetic and better able to feel what is going on with your horse. đđźThe more you know the more confident you will feel in your riding & your ability. By having more knowledge you will feel more secure knowing how to handle all sorts of issues that might happen while you are riding.
We would love to help you increase your knowledge & improve your riding ability. We have the experience & tools to help you achieve your equestrian dreams!
Contact us for more information đđź www.starssporthorses.com
Another spring day of shedding horses, and a lot of hair EVERYWHERE.
Enjoying another fabulous weekend at the 10th annual Southern Equine Expo!
Hello everyone! As you know we are horse people and we would like to introduce everyone to our herd. Comanche and Domino are retired show horses. Domino and Buttercup are our mares. Comanche and Mater are our geldings. And Sweet Pea and Goose are our two donkeys. We love everyone in our herd! â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
I've often heard riders say, "I don't need to look pretty. I just need to get over the fence." Equitation isn't about looking pretty. It's about using your body to help (or at least not hinder) your horse's movement. Your seat matters.
My favorite time of day is feeding time with our herd. Love these ponies!
108 Kemper Lane
Defuniak Springs, FL
32433
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 5pm |
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