From The Heart Horsemanship

14/07/2023

How much does applied contact / bit pressure affect stride length? …. This much!!!

There is a huge difference to applying contact to the reins VS the horse coming up, through and onto its own contact. Applying strong unforgiving contact can hollow the horse and inhibit the hind leg action, riders often then have to resort to excessive forward to keep the horse going.

The connection from “hyoid to hind leg” involves the sternohyoid to sternum through the diaphragm to psoas major.

To see the videos of this in action check it out on our patreon (this one is from todays live feed dissection).

https://www.patreon.com/bonesbrainsbodiesbehaviours/

11/05/2023

It’s not often you get to see the inner workings of our 4 legged companions! This is so incredibly interesting!

09/04/2023

This is 100% why I enjoy dealing with people who want to be horsemen! No more training for lesson barns that allow kids and adults to come in for “pony rides” and as fast as possible ‘progress.’ We owe our horses more. We owe them everything 🤍

I love working with BEGINNERS

A beginner never said to me

"You have to show them who is boss!"
Somebody taught us to say that. A beginner would never say that.

A beginner never said to me

"They are a big animal, you can't hurt them. Kick! Pull! Harder! Stronger!"

"It is our right to ride horses, because we pay for them, keep them safe from rehoming, and I have horses to use for my fun. So if I need a strong bit to feel safe, that is good for the horse. It means they stay with me, not rehomed"

A beginner has never told me stupid things. We learn from each other and very quickly when you find yourself in the horse world, very quickly some pretty outrageous beliefs surface, some really wild assumptions are made.

The story of the Emperor's New Clothes is my favourite parable. A rich Emperor was visited by a smart con-artist. He told the Emperor that he was a magic tailer, that the clothes he made could only be seen by the smartest, most experienced, most worthy people. So the con-artist made 'clothes' for the Emperor while the rumour ran through the city, that only smart, worthy people who 'knew best' could see the clothes.
The Emperor, in his New Clothes, walked through the town naked. Everyone around him exclaimed
"Wow! How beautiful are his clothes! I can see them. Can YOU see them?"
Not wanting to appear stupid, or unknowledgeable, everyone agreed that the Emperors New Clothes were wonderful.
Until a little boy at the end of the village. He simply, honestly, with a BEGINNERS MIND looked at the Emperor and said
"But he is simply naked. The Emperor has no clothes"

So it is with horses. In a beginners lesson with horses I can teach
- Positive reinforcement
- Safe boundaries and safe handling
- Questions to ask any establishment before touching, riding or paying for equestrian services
- Basics of saddle fit
- How to balance without the hands

And you see, some beginners are very experienced with horses.

I consider myself a competent beginner.

When you are a student of the horse, not of the "horse culture", you are always a beginner. Compared to a horse, we know nothing about being a horse.

Never let the horse world jade you. Never let it convince you that black is white. Keep your beginners mind and see always through to the simple truth.

21/03/2023

14/03/2023

Slow clap all around! I’ve watched trainers punish horses; yell, whip, yank, pull, seesaw- when they feel energy. When there’s a single energized step ‘out of place.’ We need to decide if we want a partnership or a dictatorship… and if you pick the second should you really have horses?

A horse in his true power

I think one of the main reasons so many training programs make quick work of shutting a horses energy down is fear of their power.

If you’ve ever ridden a horse who is fit, unblocked through the back and confident, there is quite a formidable amount of energy in there. It is a strong, bounding energy, like riding a lightning bolt- you’re part of the circuit, but you don’t have near as much control or say as you’d hope.

I think a healthy frame of mind for riding is to consider your weakness and infinitely poorer judgment and timing in the sensory world of a horse. One must let go to some degree-

There is much to be gained in the letting go, in the integrating into the movement of an animal much more graceful than you. To sit and allow your body to become better than it ever could on it’s own- this is an experience that requires detachment from control.

If you work to develop balance and strength, you have the obligation to stay out of the way and let it be shown. A horse in their glory feels like moving, and moving powerfully, and this is precisely what most people do not want.

But why?
Why aren’t riding schools teaching folks to sit centered and stay out of the horses way?
To understand, support and honor movement?

Why don’t people invest heavily in learning to ride, and ride well, like their life depends on it?

instead of hoping their horse, a 1200 pound rabbit with a sports car motor and a brain that could fit in one man’s hand, adjust to meet their needs instead?

Why instead, do many lesson programs immediately indoctrinate young children with kicking, pulling, making a slave out of a tired and weak horse?

Why do people fear lack of control on a beast who’s grace and freedom and power is what attracts them in the first place?

So much fear, so much desire for control, so much teaching the horse to physically power down, to drop the base of the neck so there is nowhere to go without artificial human energy taking its place -
Or to mentally escape because there is nothing and nowhere worth going to.

The reality is, you can develop a friend, you can develop confidence, freedom, and balance, and you will still be riding a rocket ship. You have some say, but likely you are slower, less agile, and have poorer judgement as things concern intake and processing of information, so you have to accept some lack of control to get along well with horses.

Learn to balance the horse, help them feel free in their bodies, and stay out of their way.

08/03/2023

Disobedience is a sign of intelligence.

Read that again.

An animal who will blindly obey you, no matter the circumstance, and never choose to advocate for themselves, is not an animal displaying intelligence.

They are displaying their ability to learn and follow instructions but if that always comes above their own innate needs, bodily discomfort and overall welfare, they are not making the more intelligent decision.

The act of saying no, while being aware of risk of punishment for it, is an act of self advocacy and is a sign of intelligence.

Having a mind of their own rather than becoming a vessel for their trainer to control is your animal showing you intelligence.

As trainers, we put way too much emphasis on obedience at any cost and this has resulted in a lot of normalized shutdown in horses.

It’s resulted in us applauding trainers for having robotically obedient horses who do their every bidding without question. Never having an opinion of their own.

If we want blind obedience without any regard for emotional, physical or mental well-being, I think what we are looking for is a bicycle, not a horse.

03/03/2023

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26/02/2023

I’ve always been an advocate for not judging/berating mares simply for being female, and writing it off as a character trait. But this post really gave me some extra thinking to do; as a woman with Endo, I have the option to call out, to DoorDash some snacks, to take pain meds and get heating pads, and overall- to tell people “hey, I’m not feeling well.”

Do we give our horses that same consideration? Do we allow them to have their off days, maybe off weeks, and really seek out answers? I truly don’t believe it’s normal for horses to be constantly unhappy: pinning, grinding, fighting both people and horses.

https://fb.watch/iXej07dj-H/?mibextid=v7YzmG

24/02/2023

This is why I’ll never condone the use of flashes or figure 8’s.

• What does a noseband do?

• Do riders know WHY they use them?

• More importantly, is the desired outcome truely being achieved by the action of using them?

I have found all cases of horses nashing, opening the mouth, being inconsistent or heavy in the contact, head tilting, hollowing, etc, is about having the correct bit that the horse finds comfortable. It is also about the riders hands & the way they use them to communicate via the horses mouth. These are the two things that need correction/attention & NOT the addition of a noseband.

So to correct a horses ‘mouth’ you shouldn't try to ‘stop’ an undesirable trait with restriction (i.e.: tighten the noseband, or worse still, tighten a secondary strap below the bit) - this would cause further discomfort & resistance for something the horse is already expressing is not comfortable, therefore it cannot accept it with a quiet mouth.

And a quiet mouth is NOT a ‘shut mouth’. No living mammal on earth goes around with it’s jaw closed & teeth together - it must remain relaxed & open. Optimum performance cannot happen any other way.

Therefore the conclusion is simple - the noseband really should be a fashion piece, treated like a browband - it serves no purpose/benefit to be ‘used’ to do anything, as any tightness or restriction from a noseband simply makes peak performance impossible. Any horses ‘winning’ with this gear…. imagine how amazing they would truely be WITH A LOOSE NOSEBAND! & here is why:

Did you know:

– On an equine dissection (yes, like an autopsy) any pressure applied in the horses mouth or to the jaw (which causes the hyoid bone at the base of the tongue to move up and/or back in the jaw) renders the hind legs restricted (difficult to move by a human) with effects also evident in the hips, yet the leg can be freely moved when the jaw is released (when the hyoid bone is allow to sit lower & forward in the jaw/mouth). This is fact.

– The job of the jaw is to act like a pendulum to give the horse correct balance & allows the horse to have awareness of limb placement. This relies on the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) of the jaw to be pain & pressure free.

– The jaw of the horse is a reflection of the pelvis. If the jaw is stuck, the horses pelvis will be too. This is seen in the obvious evasion of head tilting to allow the pelvis to move if the jaw cannot.

– closing the mouth & closing the gullet (over-bent) when riding causes the hyoid bone of the tongue to become blocked, which is directly connected to & tightens the muscles at the base of the neck through to the chest. This also makes it hard for the horse to swallow - causing excessive saliva/foam to pour from the horses mouth.

So in light of these facts - here is the positive side of having a loose, caveson noseband (or none at all!):

+ The horses mouth becomes a reflection of it’s acceptance of the reins aids & how much they understand the communication of their rider

+ The horse has nothing to resist against - as there is no restriction.

+ A calm yet mobile mouth means they are light on the reins & relaxed through the neck so they can easily swallow

+ Freedom to the jaw will allow freedom in the pelvis & hind legs

+ Your horse has 100% chance of giving you it’s best performance!

It’s time we all stopped just using items of gear, because that’s what they sell in the shops ~ but really think about how we are trying to train our horses to understand us & give them the best chance of producing what we really want ~ HARMONY

© Love Your Horse

15/02/2023

"What we want now is horses with an easy canter, for easy changes, easy pirouettes, that really can sit on the hind leg, that can collect in an easy way. Almost with a loose rein, we have to get away from riding horses under pressure." - read this fascinating interview with Bert Rutten.
https://www.horsemagazine.com/thm/2023/02/dressage-insights-with-bert-rutten/

04/02/2023

Jumping coaches: you must STOP teaching children to use a whip whenever a horse hesitates in front of a jump.

Children do not naturally have a desire to kick or hit or yell at their animals - they observe it, or are instructed to do it, by people who should know better. This generation of angry and abusive riders are specifically being TAUGHT how to be angry and abusive.

Imagine this - you see a dog being taken for a walk on a leash. The child leading the dog turns towards some stairs, and the dog stops at the bottom step. The child kicks the dog forcibly in the ribs, yells “GET UP”, and hits it with a whip.

I hope you would be outraged. I hope you would wonder who or what on earth caused the child to be so abusive to that animal. I hope you would NOT turn a blind eye and ignore it.

Now imagine this - you see a horse being ridden by a child. It is turned towards a jump, it hesitates, the child kicks the horse forcibly in the ribs, yells “GET UP”, the horse stops, and the child hits it with a whip.

I hope you would be outraged. I hope you would wonder who or what on earth caused the child to be so abusive to that animal. I hope you would NOT turn a blind eye and ignore it.

This situation is so common, normalised, accepted, TAUGHT TO THEM that nobody even blinks when it happens to a horse. I'm sure you can exactly picture it applied to this photograph. I hope you can also picture that it will not help the horse or child become safer, more confident, more harmonious, more balanced. Once these abusive “techniques” become automatic habits, they are very difficult to correct. UNLESS WE STEP UP NOW!

But but but….. why did the horse stop in the first place? There are a multitude of reasons:

Underprepared
Over faced
Tired
Sore
Lacking clarity
Rider unbalanced
Horse unbalanced
Wrong pace or line
So many many possible causes, NONE of which are helped by angry and abusive riding. Most can be completely avoided with these FREE preparatory exercises https://www.classicaljumping.com/next-level

Yelling at the horse, hitting it, frightening it even further results in nobody having fun, nobody feeling safe, people and horses getting hurt, and our sport being in the media for all the wrong reasons.

Here are some phrases I never wish to hear again:
Make him do it
Don't let the horse win
Always discipline a stop
Don’t let him get away with it
MORE LEG!

Replace the above phrases with these:
Prepare, then prepare some more
Reward the smallest try
Breathe
Wait
Feel
Trust

Once again, children do not naturally have a desire to kick or hit or yell at their animals - they observe it, or are instructed to do it, by people who should know better.
🛑 STOP IT!

22/01/2023

I see this a lot. People train with their trainer of choice for years, months, etc, or watch their favorite trainers videos or blog and start to see that person’s views and opinions as facts. It’s normal! As humans we crave connection and acceptance, and we inherently trust the people that we build those relationships with.

But we must remember that as equestrians we’re not just dealing with people- we’re dealing with living, breathing creatures who give their best (and sometimes their all) to us, willingly or otherwise. Is that not a responsibility we should take seriously?

As much as we crave connection, it’s okay that we’re different. Different coaches have different methods, different stables have different equipment, different horses have different “problems” (that different trainers approach differently). Its OUR jobs, not just as owners, but as equestrians in general, to pick what works for us, and what info we choose to listen to and implement within our moral and ethical standards of care for these animals.

The more I learn about holistic and specialized care for our equines, the more I can see fault with previous trainers’ methods, and the more driven I am to make different choices for my own horses. I am not okay forsaking my horses’ well being for ribbons or titles. I am not okay riding lesson horses in ill fitting tack or cruel bits, I am not okay boarding somewhere my horses’ biological needs are not met.

6 hours of turnout is not okay. Not being turned out with friends is not okay (barring behavioral reasons). Not having 24/7 access to forage is not okay. Letting horses go 6+ weeks without podiatry is not okay. Riding in tie downs, gags, twisted wire mouthpieces and harsh leverage options is not okay. If your barn consistently has horses colicking (or getting injured and/or dying)… something is NOT OKAY.

If ethical and correct care was a prerequisite for success, some of the most successful people you know might not be successful.

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We MUST advocate for our horses. We must be able to recognize and understand what is correct and what is not- and be okay standing up to those we may have once looked up to who engage in incorrect methods. Don’t shame yourself for making the wrong choices in the past; just make the right ones for your (and your horse’s) future.

17/01/2023

The equine thoracic sling is a hot topic at the moment, but what exactly is it and what is all the fuss really about?

Unlike us humans; horses (and many other quadrupeds) lack any bony attachment (collar bone) between the forelegs and the thorax (body). Instead, the thorax is suspended between the forelimbs by a ‘sling’ of muscles, known as the ‘thoracic sling’. Exactly which muscles should be included under this term is an area of some debate. In future articles I will take a more detailed look at the most commonly discussed structures; how they should function to aid efficient and healthy locomotion, and how disfunction may be impacting our horses.

The thoracic sling is made up of various muscle groups, these include:
• Muscles of the chest including deep and superficial pectoral muscles
• Muscles of the shoulder including omotransversarius, subscapularis and subclavian
• Muscles of the ribs including ventral Serratus and latissimus dorsi
• Muscles of the wither and upper neck including rhomboid and trapezius
• Muscles of the lower neck including the brachiocephalic and sternomandibular

When conditioned effectively these muscles enable the horse to elevate the thorax (body) independently within the shoulder girdle. This much coveted phenomenon can make the difference between a horse who appears croup high / ‘on the forehand’, and one who floats effortlessly with their withers and back raised, and freedom through the shoulders.

While for some horses this may seem to come naturally, conditioning of the thoracic sling requires regular activation of the correct muscles. Many horses develop poor or weak posture from a young age, this may be due to conformational weaknesses or injury; but I believe that lack of active engagement of the thoracic sling muscles in daily movement is also a significant factor.

Modern management practices often leave horses stood for prolonged periods in stables or small paddocks, with limited variation of terrane and forage. This can result in horses who no longer use their bodies as nature intended; to balance up and down hills, stretch to reach browse nor walk for vast distances in search of food.

Over time muscles which are not regularly used will weaken and atrophy, resulting in overall postural changes and reduced performance. It is therefore essential that we assess the impact modern husbandry may be having on the development of our horses, and consider the implementation of environmental enrichment where ever possible; as these can have a greatly beneficial impact on long term movement patterns and postural development.

The muscles of the thoracic sling enable the forelimbs to move inwards or outwards from the body, shifting the centre of mass or balance from one forelimb to the other. This allows the horse to turn and manoeuvre efficiently at speed and when effectively conditioned, enables the horse to perform lateral movements from a basic leg yield, to the canter half-pass and pirouette.

In addition, these muscles control the movement of the scapula; both forwards and back, up and down (as well as towards and away from the body), while maintaining the integrity of its connection at the wither, absorbing concussive forces from limb impact and (in the case of the thoracic serratus ventralis) storing and returning elastic energy to aid efficient movement. It is therefore of vital importance that the thoracic sling is able to work effectively; without restriction or discomfort.

Regular assessments from a qualified body worker can help pick up any tension or restrictions which may be occurring through the muscles of the thoracic sling. Addressing issues early on will reduce the risk of injury occurring, and enable the horse to build healthy posture and maintain long term soundness.

11/01/2023

🐴 I have 3 Training and/or Rehab Board spots available northwest MS!🐴

* I am an R+ trainer whose primary focus is on the horse itself; learning through liberty, relaxation, self carriage, and force free cooperative care. All horses are started from the ground with individualized low pressure shaping plans. There is an exhaustive arsenal of methods to choose from: long lining, cavalettis, in hand work, obstacles, poles, balance pads, etc- to give your horse a physically and mentally appropriate training plan! Whether you want your horse started over jumps or just want a horse who is more relaxed, supple, or confident, I can get them there.

* Accommodations: Our main barn has four 10x16’ oversized stalls. Our second barn has a 10x12’, and a 10x20’ double sized stall with its own paddock- the perfect setup for a horse looking for a quiet solo place to rehab or oversized horse who needs a larger stall.

* Pastures are Marshall rye grass. All horses have free choice access to fertilized Bahalia and/or Bermuda hay when in dry lot or stalled. I emphasize nutritionally correct, forage based diets for all our residents and will add salt, electrolytes, alfalfa, Timothy, beet pulp, and/or stabilized rice bran as needed for dietary concerns!

* Daily hands on body checks & grooming. Multiple property owners on site. Regular picture and video updates.

* $650 full care training board. $400 rehab stall/pasture board.

11/01/2023

Hi! 👋🏻 My name is Tracy! I’m a horsewoman out in Upstate SC! Originally from Florida, I moved here from MS after filling an assistant trainer position that turned out to not mesh with my long term dreams for my horsemanship… and so here we are: starting my own rehab, retrain, and rehome program, and doing so with the principles I so deeply believe in!
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My journey with horses has taken me down quite a few paths. I’ve previously been taught methods that don’t align with my ethical or moral ideals about horses, and the complex emotional creatures I believe them to be- and now I’m striving to make it right. Forever learning, always advocating for kinder less forceful, more thoughtful horsemanship.
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Landing here has allowed me- and encouraged me- to continue down the path of finding different ways. Avoiding typical labels of “problem” horses, and allowing connection and communication to guide everything I do.
•
Feel free to follow along my journey, and hang out with the ever changing herd 💕💕
…

06/01/2023

06/01/2023

Hello South Carolina!

My name is Tracy, and I’m pleased to introduce you to
✨From The Heart Horsemanship!✨

My journey with horses has taken me through many ‘traditional’ training and riding methods, none of which aligned with how I truly feel about the complex emotional beings that horses are.

We are beyond lucky to live in an era that enables us to make decisions for our horses’ welfare based off of scientifically backed studies and recent research! Studies and research that prove a lot of previously accepted methods for the treatment of behavior, physiology, and nutrition, are simply no longer the best- or kindest- choice for these wonderful creatures that give us so much.

My main focus is not on ‘correcting’ a horse to suit our ridden needs, but allowing for a relationship of clear communication, reliable cues, and a mentally and physically sound equine body. Striving for relaxation and confidence in both horse and owner, from the basics and onward. I have a soft spot for the “problem” horses; the broken, the abused, the misunderstood.

All our horses start with a dietary, podiatry, movement, and mental assessment. At FTHH, forage based nutrition, and trust based training is the mission. I do not use negative reinforcement, aversive bits, harsh tie downs, or mechanically incorrect secondary aids.

Wether your horse needs desensitization, confidence building, started over jumps, or rehabbed from an injury, I can get them there!

-From The Heart Horsemanship-
🤍Rehab, Retrain, Rehome🤍