Green Duchess Equine

26/02/2024

Positive reinforcement is on the rise in the horse industry. Anecdotally, I have seen a correlation between sensitive/altruistic personality types and adoption of positive reinforcement training with horses. That made me curious to see if R+ trainers fall into a specific personality type or if they are distributed across a broad range of types.
I created a short survey to answer this question. I will share the results through the email address that you provide after analyzing the data.
Thank you!

In the survey below, please select the level of R+ you identify with and your Myers Briggs personality type. If you don’t know your Myers Briggs personality type, you can take a free survey through 16Personalities. https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

23/02/2024

As riders and trainers, our primary goal should be to ensure that the horse carries itself in balance as a result of correct training. Therefore, we must resist the appeal of quick fixes provided by gadgets.

Despite their aesthetic appeal, gadgets advertised as aids for achieving a desirable frame often lead to dysfunction in the horse's musculoskeletal system. While they may promote muscle development, they target the wrong areas due to the horse's tendency to brace against them.

Instead of relying on shortcuts, riders should prioritize proper training techniques that encourage the horse to engage its muscles correctly.

While I admit to sparingly using the Pessoa lunging system in the past, because the pulleys appeared favorable over a fixed system, I no longer use it. Since delving into the science of biomechanics, I only use proprioceptive aids like T-Touch Body Wraps, Equicore Bands, and KT tape.

We must be open to learning from experience and adjusting our practices for the benefit of our horses' welfare.

23/02/2024

Sharing a great 'train your eye' post with examples of what to look for when observing your horse'smovement.

31/01/2024

If you ever feel ashamed for being kind to your horse, know that it's not you. It's them; horse culture at large.
Also, know that you can always come to me for support and encouragement.

The issues in the horse world are unlikely to resolve so long as it’s viewed as inherently shameful to approach things with more kindness and consideration to the horse.

You’re not weak or a “snowflake” for not wanting to hit your horse or use methods that you know will stress them out and scare them immensely when there’s other options available.

You’re not a less experienced rider for opting to take longer to train certain behaviours so that you don’t have to resort to harsher and more aversive equipment.

It isn’t anything to be ashamed of to be highly empathetic and considerate of your horse’s experience.

This is a GOOD thing.

Don’t let people gaslight you into thinking it’s not.

Those who are threatened by other people using softer tactics feel threatened because it calls to question their need to resort to harshness and the insecurity that draws out in them is then projected onto you.

They try to make their insecurity YOUR problem and do so by trying to mock you for caring about how your horse may experience the world.

Empathy is an incredible trait.

Hold onto it. Don’t let people try to make you feel ashamed for possessing it.

You are far better off being hyper aware of your horses’ potential distress than you are completely shut off and ignorant to it.

23/01/2024

Creatine isn't just for weight lifters. It can actually help in case of traumatic brain injury. This blog article from The Sweaty Equestrian has some great info that might convince you add this supplement to your daily routine.

Heads up, riders! This affordable supplement could reduce harm and improve recovery from TBI.

13/04/2023

"Horse training and child rearing used to share the same motto: spare the rod, spoil the child. At least with children, that has changed. I know children are still beaten, but now it is called what it is – abuse and family services can step in. All too often with horses, it is still called training". -Alexandra Kurland

Alex has a new book coming out. Check out her blog for more details.

Featured Modern Horse Training I have a new book! And I have a publication date. Very exciting. The new book is “Modern Horse Training: A Constructional Guide to Becoming Your Horse’s Best Friend.” The publication date is April 26 -27, 2023. That may seem like an odd way to write the date. I c...

29/01/2023

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting a big, sweet Oldenburg gelding; imported from Europe and being transported to California. I glanced down at his feet and was horrified to see a huge, deep quarter crack running from his coronary band all the way down to ground level on his steel shoes.
If you don't know, a quarter crack is a crack in the hoof wall located in the area between the toe and the heel (called the quarter). They occur for various reasons. Sometimes it is due to an injury or congenital defect but most often it is caused by excess pressure on the hoof wall from improper trimming or a poor shoeing job. Quarter cracks are considered common, but I don't think they should be. They are entirely treatable and preventable with proper trimming.

All I could think while looking at this Oldenburg was that someone had spent boat loads of money on him, his previous owners allowed this crack to happen, and he will probably live and perform with it until it finally causes career-ending lameness (perhaps for his whole life).

It's like buying a Maserati but never changing the oil.

The photo below is an example of a mild quarter crack from a horse that I worked on. The curved growth rings and bunched up coronary band are clear signs of excessive ground forces. To combat the problem, I removed the medial flare, then put an air gap in the quarter to relieve pressure. This kind of corrective trim needs to be maintained at very short intervals while the hoof grows out. It takes approximately one year for an entire hoof capsule to be replaced.

21/10/2022

18/10/2022

Replacing an ill-fitting saddle is not a cure all. You need to work through the pain and tension caused by compensatory muscle use. Bodywork and rehabilitation exercises are your friend!

No Magic Cure

Many riders think that just swapping out their saddle, their horse will be good as new, forgetting that when a body becomes accustomed to a particular way of moving and functioning, it doesn't simply revert back when a single element, such as the saddle, is changed.

Take any human who sits crooked and hunched over in their chair while working. Will swapping out the chair change their posture? To some degree, yes, absolutely, but the body may still have residual tension, compensatory posture and movement patterns that can only be undone through supportive care that can include, but isn't limited to, bodywork gymnastic exercises. For horses this can also include adjustments in turnout, dietary supplements, adjustments in trimming, a break from riding to focus on groundwork and much more.

When addressing saddle fit issues, changing the saddle is an important and integral part of starting the healing journey, but needs to be supported from all sides to ensure the same patterns and problems don't persist with the new saddle.

Photo is of our Director of Operations TB mare being worked on as part of her ongoing maintenance.

14/10/2022

* BUT PRESSURE AND PUNISHEMENT ARE NATURAL WAYS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HORSES *

This argument is very popular amongst people who chose to use negative reinforcement /punishment as the main way to get the desired behaviours from horses.

This statement is partially right - but it's not just horses who adjust their behaviour in a response to aversive stimuli, every single living being does. Part of survival is to be able to detect and avoid /escape from threatening stimuli.

Here is the thing: the aversive pressure used in communication between horses is only used for NEGATIVE interactions.

The agonistic interactions communicate that one horse is not happy with whatever the other horse is doing and wants to create in another horse distance (distance increasing behaviours) .

And that's all - it's not there to look for particular behaviours, it's not there for prolonged times, it's not there to control every movement. It's only there as a swift action to say "hey, get out of my way!". It doesn't create strong bonds or positive relationships - right the opposite. It doesn't trap a horse at the end of a lead rope, in the roundpen, in the school or between the whips. It's not even a big part of a daily life (unless the horse's needs are not being met) as in healthy groups of horses positive interactions dominate because horses are peaceful animals.

And most importantly it doesn't take the autonomy away.

A horse on the receiving end is free to move away from the oppressor and not engaged with him again but within the human -horse interactions this freedom is taken away .

A horse is made to endure the escalation of pressure and/or punishment multiple times often for an hour or longer. It's not natural for a horse to keep on reengaging with something that sends threatening signals to his nervous systems and activates avoidance and escape behaviours.