Starline Equestrian

08/10/2024

A reader asks Jim Wofford, “When should I start putting studs in my horse's shoes?”
Jim Wofford: My smart-aleck answer is, "When do you want to stop slipping?" There are many different theories about how to put studs in your horse's shoes, and my observation is that most of them work. My personal preference is to put four caulks of equal size in the front shoes. This will ensure that your horse's foot remains level as it strikes the ground. For his hind feet, I like to have a slightly larger stud outside behind than inside. This allows his hind foot to pivot as he plants it, which will help prevent torsional injuries to the lower leg.
If we give our horses any sort of additional traction in questionable footing, they seem able to do the rest for us. My only additional comment is that when you can't decide between "road studs" and "little bullets," always go with the next largest size. I am sure I "overcaulked" a horse at some time in my career, but I do not know exactly when that happened. However, I can tell you to the day when I competed with not enough caulk and wound up sliding into a jump and injuring my horse. Learn from my mistake.
Jim recommends keeping a wide selection of studs in your grooming box, because you must be ready for any type of footing. A good assortment includes: 1. Little road stud, 2. Small grass tip, 3. Medium grass tip, 4. Large grass tip, 5. Little bullet, 6. Large bullet, 7. Small block, 8. Medium block, 9. Large block. If you are competing on grass dressage arenas, use small road studs or little bullets all around. Short, wet grass on firm footing is one of the slickest situations you will encounter.

More frequent reader questions and Jim’s responses here >>https://practicalhorsemanmag.com/training/jim-wofford-the-eventing-faqs-of-the-matter

05/03/2024

Outdoor XC Schooling times for Sat!
BN/N 11-12 : ST/BN 12-1
T questions available!
Message if interested 🦄

02/28/2024

🩺Tuesday Vet Tip 💡

Commercial feeds are deficient in iodine and salt as it will limit intake due to palatability. Forage is naturally low in iodine and salt as well.

Salt is critical for maintaining your horses’ hydration. Iodine is a vital part of thyroid function which includes cell regulation important for your horses’ metabolism and hoof growth.

A white salt block is a good option for summer months. However, not all horses prefer to lick a block. This time of year keeping a salt block can have the added difficulty of it melting 🫠.

Adding 2TBSP iodized salt 🧂 to your horses grain will meet the average horses salt and iodine requirements.

If you are using a white salt block, your horse should be consuming an ounce per day, roughly 2 lbs a month. Mark your calendar 📆 when you purchase a block and do the math that your horse is actually consuming the appropriate amount.

02/07/2024

Hollow side/stiff side…..
Honestly, I have never found it to be that simple!!! Well, maybe decades ago I did.

I know I have my own thoughts on this, so I hit up Google to see what most trainers think is more often the hollow side…. Everyone seems to agree that most often horses are hollow to the same side, but I’m finding they don’t all agree whether that is the left or the right!
If we are talking green horses and green riders, and gross generalizations then I would say the stiff side is usually to the right, and the hollow side is usually to the left. I find more horses are apt to fall on their right shoulder, causing them to swing the base of the neck to the left.

THAT SAID, once the horse and rider learn to fix this issue, two things happen…
1.) They both overcompensate and often lose the left shoulder to the outside while traveling to the right. (This might also be because most riders are right handed and tend to overuse the inside rein and forget they have an outside rein while traveling clockwise.)
2.)  As we become more advanced we start to notice that even though the horse was hollow in the base of his neck left, and stiff in the base of his neck to the right, quite frequently the absolute opposite is happening up at the horses poll joint!!  If the base of the neck is stiff to the right, I find the poll joint is more likely to be stiff left.

I also find that most riders tend to sit to the left, causing horses to bend through the rib cage to the left just fine, and they have one heck of a time to the right!! But again, once we fix this, there commonly tends to be an overcompensation.

I guess the point is, it’s not as easy as good banana or bad banana! Lol. Not when it comes to lateral bend.

The poll joint is probably the most important, second, the rib cage, and last is the base of the neck…. But for some reason, we tend to see the base of the neck first, and it takes us longer to learn the other two.

It’s easy to do some in hand work to loosen up your horse’s poll joint. (Hmmmm, and why don’t I have my students do this regularly before hopping on???)
To get bend in the rib cage you want to literally shift you’re outside seat bone a little closer to midline and let your inside hip, knee, and heel drop a little lower than the outside hip, knee, and heel. (When students are already crooked I have them really exaggerate this to the side that it’s more difficult on. Once they get really even and really good at it, it does not look like they are shifting at all, but they will have full control over the horse’s rib cage through their weight aids.) 

In my progression for teaching riders, I initially do not care if the horse overbends through the base of the neck-  honestly it’s just too much for students to learn how to focus on poll flexion, and rib cage bend, AND think they can ALSO utilize their outside rein in a sophisticated way to prevent too much lateral bending at the base of the neck.  If you teach this too early, it just causes them to unknowingly hang on the outside rein, and totally prevent the poll flexion and ribcage bend!!!!!
Ha, ha, ha, ha ha, owl, owl, owl, owl. I’m using dictation and I totally forgot about the brand new upper ear piercing I just got yesterday- I tried to swipe my hair behind my ear clumsily. Ouch that hurt!!!

Okay, anyways,  students have to learn simple math before they can learn trig or calculus. Balancing the ENTIRE horse on a circle is high-level work!!!!!! You have to learn it piece by piece, and if you talk to world class riders, you will find they are still learning, and getting more refined at lateral bend… among other things, of course, but suppling a horse laterally, and then setting them straight is a big BIG part of what they do, regardless of discipline, or the Horse’s level of training!! 

Dang this ear still hurts! But it’s starting to subside a little.


01/26/2024

BY MAX AMAYA Although my riders’ accomplishments in the show ring are important, I never underestimate the value of solid flatwork as the foundation that makes all the pieces come together in competition. At home, we don’t spend much time jumping big courses; we save that for the show ring. Inst...

01/10/2024

12/31/2023

- When my instructor repeats to me: ′′Straighten your shoulders and open your chest!” He’s not just teaching me how to stand up. He's teaching me that in life we should always walk straight and face problems head on.

- When my instructor asks me to lower my legs and keep them close to the horse, he teaches me that in life we do not allow distractions and that little is enough to deviate from his path.

- When my instructor tells me "Too much hand, don't hang on to the reins! "He teaches me to give and not to take, with the greatest respect of others.

- When he yells and repeats endlessly: "Look forward in the direction you want to go!” He teaches me the importance of setting goals and never losing sight of them to achieve them.

- When I ask to move up or do more and my instructor says I'm not ready, he teaches me that in life you must always respect your rhythm and never skip the steps.

- When I fall and get back up, I learn that there are always setbacks, times when we back up, but the important thing is to get up more determined than before.

- If I hold my breath during a ride and he jokingly tells me "breathe! You are purple!” I understand that you have to let your emotions flow in order to get rid of them.

- When at the end of the course I am happy with the work done and my instructor says to me′ ′Well done, thank your teacher′′ I know he is not referring to himself but to my horse.

- Now you, you who are watching a rider pass in the saddle, keep saying that riding is not a sport because it is the horse that does everything. I agree. Horse riding is not a sport. It is a life lesson.

11/28/2023

Store is UP!
If you would like something before Christmas, be sure to get your orders in soon! 🎄⭐️🎄

✨NEW STORE ALERT✨ Starline Equestrian , your store is ready! So excited for you to get all of your gear! https://www.forgetmenotdesignsembroidery.com/collections/starline-equestrian

11/23/2023

- If your torso is collapsing to the right, your hips slipped to the left
- If your right leg keeps creeping up, or you lose just the right stirrup, your hips have slipped left
- If you find it easier to ride to the left, than to the right, your hips likely slip to the left.
- if you find yourself clinging to the right rein, while practically forgetting that you have a left one, good chances are that your hips slept left
- If your left hand is higher than your right hand, it’s possible that your hip slipped to the left
- If cantering counter clockwise, feels okay, but cantering clockwise feels awful, I’m gonna say your hips slipped left.
- if you can leg yield your horse to the right (off your left leg) pretty well,  but cannot lead guild to the left to save your life, your hips are probably chronically slipping to the left.

So many times, when a rider or is collapsing to the right, their coach tells them to fix it by stepping into the left stirrup. 🤦‍♀️ Like, I’ve heard of very famous coaches, giving this instruction.
And the thing is, it does look a little better, because at least when they step into the left stirrup, it gets them to straighten up their entire body -the problem is they are still off-center.
 I think the coach then typically gives students other exercises that bring them back over to the right (like twisting the shoulders to point a little to the left would help), but what I can tell you is these students then talk to me about their ride and they have absolutely no idea how to reproduce whatever straightness they may have accomplished during that clinic. 

The number one, needs solved now, issue in the rider in this sketch is that the hips fell left. I don’t care that the rib cage is collapsing to the right, or that the right leg is creeping way up. All of that will be fixed once the Rider brings their pelvis back to center.

This person is also riding with the left hip forward and the right hip back, but that will also likely resolve once you get this person to scooch over to the right.

 I would tell this student to put their left butt cheek in the middle of the saddle, high centering it, and drop the right butt cheek down into the hole that creates.

Another great exercise (on a trotting horse) is to drop the left stirrup, go clockwise, and posting trot utilizing just the right stirrup. This will feel horrible at first- to the point that I often have to let students try the exercise the opposite direction with the opposite stirrup so they realize how easy it is on their “strong” side. 

If you really struggle to keep from slipping left, it can also help to turn your chest to point a little bit to the left (while traveling right). This can be very effective at putting your weight into your right leg. You can stand up, assume a position similar to riding, and then twist your torso, one way, and then the other. Not all, but definitely most people find that when they twist to the left, it shifts weight into the right foot and vice versa.

Btw- I do virtual video review lessons! Very little tech knowledge needed. $65/lesson.


09/01/2023

Kind of fun

1

𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐋 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 (𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞) 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃

This knowledge is a game changer in the horse training business and for those in all the competition sports, and a valuable guide for horse owners looking to find the perfect horse for their lifestyle and riding pleasure. Geneticists in three countries have provided the first scientific evidence of the inheritance of hair whorls, links to behavior, and specific genes linked to certain hair whorl patterns. There's no scientific evidence more definitive than genetic evidence. Dr. Temple Grandin and I at Colorado State University waited 28 eight years since we published the first scientific evidence of the link from hair whorls to behavior for the genetic evidence we always knew would come. We never claimed to discover the relationship between hair whorls and behavior; people worldwide for thousands of years have casually observed the relationship. What we did that was new was show the link to lateralization of the nervous system and the hair whorls association with functional specialization of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. I studied and documented the relationship for ten years before meeting Temple Grandin, working as a farrier and horse trainer. I learned the practical application of this knowledge in real-world situations before seeking and finding the academic support needed to make this useful information available to everyone.

This post aims to clarify and unify common terminology and principles of hair whorl height and position, either left, right, or center. For future posting on this page, this information is essential for you. The most important language to clarify relates to the side preference exhibited by horses and its relation to horse welfare concerns. The terminology in the horse industry, as is in the scientific language, is broad and varies between people in the US and other countries. The formal scientific term for this phenomenon is lateralization of the nervous system. Some scientists use a less formal term, 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚. 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 is the general term used to describe the phenomenon across species that includes human handedness, paw preference in dogs, footedness in birds, and side preference in cattle, horses, and other herbivores. In my writing, I interchange the terms laterality, handedness, and side preference depending on sentence context, but they all mean the same thing.

I drew this graph on this horse because this horse represents a large proportion of horses and the hair whorl type that suffers from the most severe welfare concerns. It has a single whorl, is left of center, and is very.

𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

"Very Low" defines a non-reactive horse with low fear. "Low" whorls represent a horse as slightly more reactive than the "very low." "Very Lows" and "Lows" show minimal side preferences, and the hair whorls are usually in the center of the midline. The V-lines on the graph represent how, as the whorl gets higher, the side preference increases.

𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇

Most horses are in the Middle and High Range. The reactivity and fearfulness are in the mid-range, with some variation. Reactivity is higher in the top portion of the High range and lower reactivity in the lower middle range. The V-shape on the graph represents side preferences. The higher the whorl on the forehead, the stronger their side preference.

𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇

A smaller portion of horses are in the "High" and "Very" High range. Both high and very high define highly reactive and fearful horses. Side preference is highest in these two ranges, and the distance left or right from the midline also increases the side preference strength. This horse represents very high nervous system reactivity and laterality but not extreme laterality (side preference). A hair whorl closer to V-line would be an example of extreme laterality.

𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐋 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑

The epicenter defines the position of the whorl. This horse has a very high whorl slightly off to the horse's left side. This horse is highly reactive. The side preference is strong but not the strongest., and its natural fearfulness is very strong.

𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘

Approximately 70% of horses have a left side whorl in the medium to high ranges. 10% to 15% have hair whorls on the right side. Approximately 10% have two side-by-side whorls, always in mid-to-high ranges, never low. The double side-by-side whorls we considered normal in our research.The doubles, either side by side or one above the other, are harder to define and require a separate post to clarify.

The remaining 5% have multiple or two whorls, one above the other. In our research, we considered these types of whorls abnormal.

The horse in this picture will favor the right lead and travel better in a circle to the right or clockwise. The left whorl and right turning preferences are similar to most right-handed people. The right side whorl is opposite, like left-handed people. The horse with a high right side whorl favors the left lead.

This horse's left eye is the "look out for danger" eye in horse's with a left side whorl, and prefers the right lead. The side of the whorl is the side the horse will give a farrier the hardest time. The opposite holds for the horse with a right side whorl.This horse's right eye is the "look out for danger" eye in horse's with a right side whorl, and this horse prefers the left lead.

The high reactivity(fearfulness) and the laterality (side preference) of the horse in the photograph and a horse with the opposite on the right side are the types of horses I encountered most while working as a farrier and horse trainer. The horses with the high right and left hair whorls show the most potential as high-performance horses, but they also represent the horses with the most severe welfare concerns. Unfortunately, when they have behavior problems, they are the most dangerous and unpredictable. It all depends on how they are raised and handled. Any clarifying questions are welcome.

07/05/2023

The need to “practice, practice, practice” the American forward riding system is the message from Bernie Traurig’s recent workshop.

06/29/2023

Exactly, click on the pic to read the entire post

06/07/2023

06/01/2023

Rather than having goals that are reactive to your current context it is far more powerful to mentally create the context you want, which is way beyond your current context and use your future vision to drive your actions. (To quote Benjamin Hardy, writer of Be Your Future Self Now)

Have a horse you want to get out onto XC, needs strengthening, kind approach, a feminine feel, guidance of energy, young, trailering issues, straight off the track, arena sour, backwards or even a seasoned horse who needs a revamp… etc!

I have plenty of success stories to share!

From young to old, Eventing to Dressage. My approach is about an exhale for the horse. Take away the spurs, crops & really listen to what they’re telling me. Supporting the strengthening of a relationship rather than a transaction or expectation is the most important to me! To break it down even more, Quality not Quantity.

Read this far?

Well there are 2 Full Training spots opening JULY 1st!

Availability is 30, 60 or 90 day spots. With the possibility of continuing your stay!
***July 1st - Aug 31st : if 30 day horses come in, 1 Aug spot is still available***

Starline Equestrian will offer you & your horse a kind environment of growth, encouragement & prosperity! Updates are sent often & programs developed per individual horse!
Please PM, Text or Message via the link below if interested 😊
8474007896
www.starlineequestrian.com

06/01/2023

Starline Equestrian will be starting up the Pole Clinics again in JUNE!! They ARE FILLING FAST! Be sure to Reach Out if you would like a spot! (July dates are now posted below as well)

For the Horse:
Great footwork, low impact strengthening, cardio, help a younger horse figure out where their feet are, better movement in an older horse, prolonged life of joint injections, creating stronger toplines, support through the stifles, increased stamina, change up the arena work, decrease the monotony of a circle & go somewhere new!

For the Rider:
Create a better feel, maintain consistent rhythm, build stamina, get out and about, find a better balance, cross train, learn more about your horse, build your toolbox & have a bit of different kind of fun!

Check out the dates below!

Sunday 6/4 @ 1:00 PM : Canceled due to HEAT
Thursday 6/8 @ 9:45 AM
Thursday 6/15 @ 9:45 AM
Thursday 6/22 : REVISED for 2 Groups! 9:30am & 10:30am
(if you have already signed up I will be reaching out about your timing)
Thursday 6/29 @ 9:45 AM

Groups will be kept to 4 riders each group but with enough interest, we can revise the schedule to fit multiple pole levels at different times.

There will be more Sunday Dates in July!

Sunday 7/2 @ 10:00am & 12:00pm
Thursday 7/6 @ 9:45am
Thursday 7/20 @ 9:45am
Sunday 7/23 @ 10:00am & 12:00pm
Thursday 7/27 @ 9:45
Sunday 7/30 @ 10:00am & 12:00pm

If you are interested please message me via messenger, contact via text: 8474007896 or through the website www.starlineequestrian.com

05/31/2023

Starline Equestrian will be starting up the Pole Clinics again in JUNE!!

For the Horse:
Great footwork, low impact strengthening, cardio, help a younger horse figure out where their feet are, better movement in an older horse, prolonged life of joint injections, creating stronger toplines, support through the stifles, increased stamina, change up the arena work, decrease the monotony of a circle & go somewhere new!
For the Rider:
Create a better feel, maintain consistent rhythm, build stamina, get out and about, find a better balance, cross train, learn more about your horse, build your toolbox & have a bit of different kind of fun!

Check out the dates below!

Sunday 6/4 @ 1:00 PM
Thursday 6/8 @ 9:45 AM
Thursday 6/15 @ 9:45 AM
Thursday 6/22 @ 9:45 AM
Thursday 6/29 @ 9:45 AM

Groups will be kept to 4 riders each group but with enough interest, we can revise the schedule to fit multiple pole levels at different times.

There will be more Sunday Dates in July!

If you are interested please message me via messenger, contact via text: 8474007896 or through the website

05/26/2023

Rather than having goals that are reactive to your current context it is far more powerful to mentally create the context you want, which is way beyond your current context and use your future vision to drive your actions. (To quote Benjamin Hardy, writer of Be Your Future Self Now)

Have a horse you want to get out onto XC, needs strengthening, kind approach, a feminine feel, guidance of energy, young, trailering issues, straight off the track, or even a seasoned horse who needs a revamp… etc!

I have plenty of success stories to share!

From young to old, Eventing to Dressage. My approach is about an exhale for the horse. Take away the spurs, crops & really listen to what they’re telling me. Supporting the strengthening of a relationship rather than a transaction or expectation is the most important to me! To break it down even more, Quality not Quantity.

Read this far?
Well there are 2 Full Training spots opening June 1st!
Availability is 30, 60 or 90 day spots. With the possibility of continuing your stay!
***June 1st - Aug 31st : if 30 day horses come in, July & Aug spots will be available as well***

Starline Equestrian will offer you & your horse a kind environment of growth, encouragement & prosperity! Updates are sent often & programs developed per individual horse!

Please PM, Text or Message via the link below if interested 😊
8474007896

05/12/2023

"No matter how fast your fingers are at opening and closing -- holding and releasing tension -- your elbows are nearly always faster and more fluid." Welcome to the next installment of Thoroughbred Logic. In this weekly series, Anthropologist and trainer Aubrey Graham, of Kivu Sport Horses, offers i...

05/12/2023

Effective riding comes from an effective position, and an effective position comes from focusing your attention on building the right muscle groups up. Today, Laura Crump Anderson shares her favorite move for creating a solid, stable leg: Applying a consistent leg aid comes from the strength and sta...