Fadeaway Farm

11/08/2024

To develop the horse symmetrically in body and limbs you can use gymnastic exercises.

*** CORNERSTONES ***

The core of the gymnastic exercises consists of the circle, shoulder-in and haunches-in. All the other exercises are derived from these cornerstones.

🐴 The circle is used to develop the Lateral bending of the body and spine, the Forward down tendency of the head and neck and the Stepping under the center of mass of the inside hind leg (LFS).

🐴 Once the inside hind leg can step under, this hind leg can also start to take weight. To do so we use the shoulder-in and counter-shoulder-in. These exercises are designed to school the hind leg in function of the inside hind leg. As a result of taking the weight, the horse will bend the inside hind leg more and free the outside shoulder.

🐴 Once the horse can bend the hind leg as an inside hind leg, we can also start to school the hind leg as an outside hind leg. To do so we use first the haunches-in (travers) and later on the renvers. In the renvers the horse can lean less against the wall/fence with his shoulder, so it's a bit more difficult than the travers, but as a result he really supports himself with his hind legs.

*** ALL EXERCISES ARE RELATED ***

All exercises relate to one another and differ slightly:

🐎 The only difference between shoulder-in and counter-shoulder in is the position of the fence/wall. The same applies to the haunches-in (travers) and the renvers, also there the only difference is the position of the wall.

🐎 The difference between shoulder-in and renvers is the bending in the spine, which is the opposite. In these exercises the same hind leg has the opposite function ('inside' in shoulder-in, 'outside' in renvers). The same applies to counter shoulder-in and the haunches in.

🐎 The half pass is 'just' a haunches-in over the diagonal, and the pirouette is 'just' a haunches-in on a small circle. Both half-pass and pirouette require support of both the inside as the outside hind leg. Therefore in both exercises the shoulders must lead to be able to keep the center of mass in front of the direction of the hind legs, only then both hind legs can support the weight. So both the half pass and pirouette also relate to the shoulder-in.

*** NUMBER OF TRACKS AND DEGREE OF BENDING ***

Now all exercises can be done on 3 or 4 tracks, or 2,5 tracks or 3,75 or 3,99 ;) and your horse can have more or less bend in his spine. Now there is no 'perfect' number and the exact degree doesn't matter. What matters in ST is that you choose the number of tracks and degree of bending where your horse can support his body and center of mass best with both hind legs. And that depends on the conformation of your horse: if he has a long back or a shorter one, if he has long legs, or shorter ones, if he has a long neck or a short one. So choose the degree of bending and number of tracks where your horse can move in optimal balance and with most quality.

*** HOW TO DEVELOP THESE EXERCISES? ***

First start the circle, then after a few training sessions add the shoulder-in, and the moment the the horse can do this exercise for 66,6% of quality, add the haunches-in. From there you can start practising the variations.

**** HOW TO DEVELOP THE HORSE EQUALLY? ***

To develop a horse equally in body and limbs all exercises need to be done to the right and to the left (or as they say in English: on the right rein and on the left rein).

When doing these exercises there will always be an 'easy' side and a difficult side. To develop the horse equally, do the 'difficult' side a bit more often and it's also an idea to start with the 'difficult' side and to end with the 'difficult side'.

The moment the horse starts to feel more equal, switch to train the exercises 50-50.

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Click here for more information:

Circle:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/circle

Shoulder-in:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/shoulder-in

Haunches-in:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/haunches-in

Renvers:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/renvers

Half pass:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/half-pass

Pirouette:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/pirouette

Lateral movements:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/lateral-movements

Ladder of exercises:
www.straightnesstraining.com/straightness-training-exercises/a-logical-system-of-ever-increasing-exercises

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10/22/2024

🙌CAN YOU RECOGNISE A HEALTHY HOOF? AND SHOULD YOU?🙌

And therefore can you recognise the signs your horse is at risk of developing pathology, pain and lameness?

Join me in a live webinar on 28th October at 7pm for a deep dive into signs your horse may be at risk of developing hind limb lameness. Tickets and full description here: https://www.holisticequine.co.uk/event-details/recognising-signs-your-horse-may-be-at-risk-of-hind-limb-lameness-how-to-prevent-it

Lets play "spot the difference" between these two drawings representing two radiographs highlighting the phalangeal alignment, hoof-pastern axis and base proportions around the centre of rotation of the coffin joint. Also highlighted is the capsule outline and deep digital flexor tendon.

By modern podiatry and farriery standards, studying hoof morphology (form and function), as well as the relationship this holds to the rest of the limb and body, the hoof on the left is considered ‘ideal’ or healthy. In a nutshell, there is bony column alignment, with space for healthy development of the caudal hoof, sole and the tendons and ligaments in and above the digit too.

Long toes and low heels = lack of ideal phalangeal (bony column) alignment. The science, and my own studies (and gut instincts) tell me this is directly related to pathological posture and development as well as pathology in the hoof, limb and body. So why do so many horses have hooves like the one on the right?

My post (BSc Equine Technology) graduate career with horses started with teaching riding, then training horses, then rehabilitation of horses. After realising this was not working, I studied the healing arts including body work and shortly after this, advanced podiatry, while observing our own herd of 8 on a track and equicentral system we created (before these were popular).

I documented both body and hooves before and after hoof care, biody work and changes in stimulus, and noticing how different trimming approaches or interventions would lend itself with different resting posture, and development, as well as the incidence of other diseases. I tested many trimming techniques, and realised helping horse find neutral posture through bony column alignment was key to helping horses find healthy posture and symmetry.

In January 2023, I met a compassionate equine healer and educator Yasmin Stuart Equine Physio, and this resulted in me studying with Celeste-Leilani Lazaris to become a Lazaris nerve release practitioner, and alongside the human well-being coherence techniques I learned and practice, this evolved my work greatly and my integrative approach is successful in helping horses find safety and comfort in a world where bracing, tension, and pathology has become the norm.

I want you to know what I know so you dont have to study and sacrifice for decades to help horses find safety in their own bodies.

Harm is being done to horses through practices which create the very diseases we all fight so hard to treat. So let’s prevent them, and start working towards healing in horses already compromised, usually by mans intervention.

Join me in a live webinar on 28th October at 7pm for a deep dive into signs your horse may be at risk of developing hind limb lameness. Info on how to purchase the 2 hour recording here: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1077914097645418&id=100062805141815

www.holisticequine.co.uk - promoting and supporting compassionate equestrianism for the benefit of all 🙏💚🐴

07/19/2024

New Eventing Rule Changes Going into Effect December 1, 2024

07/02/2024

06/23/2024

Erik picked up this strand of ELEVEN balloons out of the hayfield this afternoon. They were losing helium and would have been essentially invisible in another few hours, and then stood a good chance of getting mowed, raked and baled in the dense grass to be potentially eaten by a cow, horse or goat this winter. This is often fatal to the animal, causing intestinal blockage or choking. With the long strings wound right into the bale, an animal may not even realize what it’s consuming until it’s too late.

Please, on behalf of not only livestock but wildlife, skip the balloons when you’re decorating for your party this summer! Releasing balloons, whether accidental or intentional, is littering, plain and simple—and it can truly have deadly consequences.

For our readers who want receipts, here a few articles about the effect of balloons on both livestock and wildlife:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/agriculture/farming/8494881/Farmer-wins-compensation-after-Red-Nose-Day-balloon-kills-cow.html

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/balloon-hazards-real-or-overblown/article_c9a7e1b2-56bb-5e14-acc6-d64898653e83.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-46058916

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/balloon-pollution-dangerous-for-farm-animals-and-wildlife/281-588896532

06/19/2024