Humans Honouring Horses

20/08/2024

It's time to reveal the truth. Empathy does not mean sacrificing our own boundaries and putting others above ourselves.

We can nurture empathy and compassion while still upholding our limits.

We can understand someone's pain, relate to their struggles, and recognise the impact of their past on their present, all while acknowledging our own needs. We can show love and care without losing sight of ourselves.

Setting a boundary isn't an act of aggression, resentment or a grudge. It's a quiet act of self-preservation. It's a way to protect our emotional well-being, honour our values, and ensure that our own needs are met. Boundaries are not barriers against others, but guards of our own well-being. Horses are masters at teaching boundaries with empathy.

20/08/2024

19/08/2024

Many foals are weaned prematurely and abruptly at six months of age.

This has been associated with a range of physiological and psychological responses, including development of abnormal behaviours, which may be reduced if foals are weaned gradually and/or housed with other foals and adults after weaning.

Further studies are needed to specifically investigate how weaning stress influences aspects such as neophobia to develop better management and training practices that mitigate negative effects.

- Equitation Science, 2nd edition written by Andrew McLean, Paul McGreevy, Janne Whinther Christensen & Uta König von Borstel.

13/08/2024

People suck.

https://equusmagazine.com/horse-world/tail-blocks-truth?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3osw1p6ZCYIJHoIh8UfAf7-krMR4AJpnuhc8TJJpH9_vmgo0cIIvGgViw_aem_9HKt3xuMoqTA_fU6FJjqFQ

Altering tail carriage for the show ring is alarmingly widespread, and the effects on a horse’s health can be devastating. It is well past time we worked to stop this practice and other cosmetic procedures affecting the tail.

13/08/2024

Letting the horse have its head isn’t just a Driving thing. 😔

I found this educational sign today at Beamish museum in County Durham. The Equine Defence League who produced this, was founded in 1909 by Francis Cox, his initial objective being to improve the conditions for pit ponies working in the mines. His cause was supported by such big names as Jerome K Jerome, Jack London, James Keir Hardy and Winston Churchill.

These signs could at one time be found in places where horses would be pulling heavy loads up hill.

But this is so relevant to every situation in which a horse might be worked today. Perhaps more than ever before.

08/08/2024

Walking backwards - rein back - step back

This has always been an exercise I recommend and a recent article has used 3D motion capture to explore back and pelvis motion during the movement - Jobst, Zsoldos and Licka, 2024

'A significantly larger maximum and a greater ROM was reached between the withers, thoracic region and sacrum (labelled D-angWmT16S2) in Backwards Walking compared to Forwards walking, indicating a lifting of the back, an effect necessary to facilitate strengthening of the horse’s core and therefore often desired in equine physiotherapy and in equestrian sports (Clayton, 2016; Shakeshaft & Tabor, 2020)'

A few steps backwards - Unmount SD Cardnted - as part of groundwork and before mounting are a really good idea to mobilise your horse's back.

Link to article:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023324001412?via%3Dihub

07/08/2024

Anyone else find their SM horse feeds a bit hostile lately? 😳

Welfare issues and scandal, seemingly lurking around every corner.

This is not the true nature of the horse.

The horse industry as a whole, is composed of many, many, different disciplines and organizations.

All with a unique focus and expertise. It literally takes all kinds to make the world go round.

The thing is, you don’t have to take sides, you don’t have subscribe to one particular train of thought. This is the beauty of the modern world. So please, move through the information with grace and ease, knowing that you don’t have to “pick a team”.

It’s your story, tell it how YOU want. You will intuitively know what’s right for you. Follow your heart and do right by your horse, they will guide you.

04/08/2024

FIRST you go WITH the horse ❤️
Let that sink in
Relinquish control and what you think the horse SHOULD do, or how they SHOULD behave…..
You got to get to know and understand THEM first

04/08/2024

The equestrian world right now is just loving Snoop Dogg. I mean, come on, who doesn’t love this?!

01/08/2024

01/08/2024

❤️

Pretty bad---

I was recently talking with someone who leases out lots of horses to various riding programs, summer camps, boarding school and college stables, trail strings, whatever.

She told me that they have stopped sending horses to places that teach jumping because, so often, those horses come back sour, sore and generally used up from being over-jumped.

Think about jumping, and how much physical effort it takes, and how “slamming” the landings are, and have some sympathy, empathy and some of that rare commodity, common sense and decent horsemanship, before jumping the holy living snot out of some poor horse.

Sure, it’s “fun” to jump, but before you say something truly stupid like “my horsie LOVES to jump,” consider which one is having more "fun", the one sitting there, or the one doing the work.

Jumping is OK for horses when done carefully, but lots of humans don’t know the difference between careful and too much. Or, worse, they do know, and do too much anyway.

Some riders would jump 7 days a week if you let them, and they never give a thought to what it does to the horse,

31/07/2024

Stage 3 - Show jumping

Continuing with our “Origins of Showing” and examining them as stages of development over disciplines, next up we have show jumping!

If you ask Google if show jumping is hard, it will give you the following response:
Show jumping is a sport requiring the highest degree of athleticism, precision, speed, and agility.

This is exactly why it ranks third as a Development phase.

It requires the foundation and schooling of both the Hunters and Dressage.

Show jumping jumps are set on a track or a pattern, I’ve heard some people refer to it as “Dressage with speed bumps” and honestly that’s my favourite analogy.

The Hunters are your baby stages,
Dressage is your training phase, and now Show Jumping is a test. A test of power, precision and the other qualities that Google mentioned.

By this time your horse is older, confident, very rideable and capable of handling both the mental and physical challenges of the Show Jumping “test”.

As far as I can tell there are only two ways you help a horse willingly navigate a 1.60 M obstacle.

The first one requires incredible accuracy on the riders part.

The second one requires an incredible partnership where both athletes trust each other’s abilities.

Both still require the first two stages, except the Dressage approach tends to rely more on obedience to the Rider, and the Hunter approach allows for the horse to “rate” the fence. Where the paths converge will clearly depend on the individuals within the partnership 🙂

31/07/2024

Most of the current horse welfare discussion is revolving around sport and ethical training practices…..

But can we talk about something else that seems to be plaguing the industry?

Bad genetics and breeding practices!

Where have all the good horses gone? I’m so tired of seeing dysfunction and lameness in young horses that haven’t seen a day of work 😢

31/07/2024

We touch on this in our upcoming course! The older terms and more basic discussion around this pertains to lateral and longitudinal range.

THE HORSE'S NECK

The horse's neck is much more mobile both laterally and dorsoventrally than the remainder of the vertebral column.

In the equestrian sports of dressage and associated Olympic disciplines, lateral flexion refers to the requirement of training the horse to turn the head slightly toward the left or right depending on the degree of curve of the circle that is being ridden or for certain movements.

Lateral flexion in these sports should occur only at the poll while the rest of the neck is straight.

By contrast, in some the American horse sports and training methodologies, lateral flexion refers to an even bend along the horse's entire neck. However, in most horse sports and in leisure riding, there is no requirement for lateral flexion or lateral bending.

The term 'lateral bending' (colloquially known as 'bend') describes a lateral curve in the horse's spine from head to pelvis.

While the possible amount of lateral bending in the horse's spine is frequently overstated, the below image shows that it is a relatively rigid structure with the largest amount being 16 degrees in canter which is only around 5% of deviation.

Smaller animals such as cats have much more spinal mobility than large animals such as horses.

The vertebral column of the elephant is even more rigid than that of the horse because with larger animals, increased rigidity is required for support. Moreover, the spine of the horse bends unevenly: most of the lateral bending is at To (tenth thoracic vertebra) and the L1(first lumbar vertebra).

Part of the crookedness that riders feel on horses that are not straight is due to axial rotation as well as lateral bending of the spine.

The horse's head and neck make up around 10% of the horse's total body weight meaning that the forelegs carry more weight than the hindlegs.

When riders attempt to bend the horse's neck laterally using the reins, it not only interferes with the horse's deepest learned turn response, but it can also be physically damaging if it is taken too far.

When the horse's neck is extremely and routinely overbent laterally,lesions may occur at C5 and C6 which can cause compression of the spinal cord and compression of the spinal nerves, as well as irritation of vertebral articular surfaces. These can have serious health and welfare consequences.

This is an excerpt from Modern Horse Training: Equitation Science Principles & Practice, Volume 1. Available at our E-Shop.

30/07/2024

The industry as a whole, needs to return to the horse.

The mythology of deities and villians.

Horse people are a special breed. They come in a remarkable variety of backgrounds, beliefs, and personality types, but still can share an almost cult-like obsession and dedication.

In May, I gave birth to my first baby, a little boy. It has been remarkable how even the most obvious of facts have created powerful, emotional epiphanies for me. For example, that every single person on Earth, was once a baby. A baby who was helpless, who was scared, who giggled, who just wanted and needed love and care. We share that experience as human beings.

I've long believed something similar about horse people. At some point, they were just innocently in love with the magnanimous beauty, freedom, and power that horses possess. Before the riding, the discipline, the art, or the sport, there was just the love of the animal. We share that experience as equestrians.

Charlotte Dujardin's very public fall from grace brings all of this to the forefront for me. I was not at all shocked or surprised when I saw the video. I wasn't even that disturbed because it is nowhere near the worst I have seen. This type of approach is par for the course in top sport Dressage. We know it's reflective of a culture problem and not a one-off because 4 things are very evident:

1) Despite being clearly stressed, the horse was quite tolerant. This isn't the first time he's experienced this kind of treatment and been expected to figure something out... and he isn't Charlotte's horse.
2) Charlotte's attitude is determined and matter-of-fact. She isn't whipped up in an emotional frenzy and she was okay to do this in front of an audience.
3) The rider claims to have been uncomfortable and unhappy in the moment, but was too intimidated to question such a celebrity trainer.
4) Charlotte's own mentor, Carl Hester, signed a document condeming the actions in the video, as though what is in that video were the foreign acts of some rogue stranger. What completely un-mentor-like and disingenuous behavior. He was very happy to align himself with her in fair weather, and now he's cut her loose in the face of a storm.

What the video shows is without question, not okay. But, the absolute vilification of this women as though she is some monster who lied to everyone that thought of her as their queen... is total bu****it. She's being thrown to the wolves and is being made an example of by her own people for the purpose of politics. Yes, the timing of the release of a 2 year old video also makes that evident. This entire scene is indicative of a toxic, manipulative and exploitative culture within the industry of top sport.

Why wasn't Cesar Parra burned at the stake like this? Or Helgestrand? Their crimes are without any doubt worse. Is it because Helgestrand's family holds significatly greater financial influence and power in the industry? Or maybe it is just because they were never deified and held up as darling heros in the first place. The industry knows there is a culture problem with top sport, and the threat of outside regulation is becoming real. Isabell Werth, a notoriously egregious offender in horse welfare, also ironically signed this document condemning Charlotte. Next signature we will hear about is Sjef Janssen's!

Anyone who ever saw Charlotte and her horses as flawless, didnt know enough about what they were looking at, and that's okay. But don't accuse her of betrayal and blame her for your ignorance. In that video, she was doing what she's been taught, what had been rewarded by judges via the way her horses go, and what has been normalized in the industry. She's far from the worst offender and I absolutely know she's not a heartless monster.
Because she's just another human.
A wife.
A mother.
And yes, a horse lover, even if she has in some ways prioritized the horse's performance over his wellbeing.

But she was never a Goddess, a Unicorn, a Savior, or your Guru. Please spare those of us who knew better the shock and heartbreak. She didn't deceive you: the FEI, the national organizations like USEF, and the judges have been pulling the wool over your eyes, and hers, for decades.

Remember, Charlotte has been being told for years that what she is doing is not just correct, it's exemplary. The horses and Charlotte herself are the ones who are actually being betrayed by this ex*****on theater.

She didn't start her journey as a horse loving little girl doing what she did in that video, she was groomed by an industry that has lost it's way.
Hold THEM responsible!!

30/07/2024

If the Hunter ring is the entry level or stage ☝️ of horse development, then Dressage is stage two.

Once a young horse has graduated from its Hunter training it can begin its formal training “in the school”.

In the school, the arena figures teach a horse how to organize its body. This requires more physical strength, focus and attention as it deciphers more complex rider aids. It’s where rhythm and contact turns into consistent connection.

The Dressage tests get more detailed and require even more strength and balance with every movement.

The horse learns impulsion, engagement and collection over time, through the methodical progression of the tests.

The goal is to achieve lightness, ease and synchronization. Both horse and rider moving effortlessly together in balance and with precision.

None of which can be achieved through force. It takes time, patience and discipline to create an upper level Dressage horse.

The rider must further learn how to control his/her own body, whilst maintaining “the feel”. Position is always the responsibility of the pilot, but now every detail matters, from our thoughts to our breath. The rider comes into alignment and realizes that riding is more about self control than horse control 💙

30/07/2024

Have you ever wondered how the horse show classes and disciplines came to be?

Their purpose and origin?

Before they were the specialized disciplines we know today, they were seen as developmental stages, designed with purpose, as a progression which honoured the horse’s physical and mental development.

The Hunters for example were your entry level into showing. Your young horses and green beans who were just getting out to see the world.

They went in simple bits and on a loose rein to develop relaxation and their own balance.

They hacked out through open fields and across the countryside where they developed steady rhythmic gaits and became sure footed.

They navigated small logs and natural obstacles to become brave and confident.

They were impeccably groomed to show the time, care and horsemanship that went into their training.

These elements combined are crucial to the development of a young horse or any horse learning to become a safe, strong and confident mount suitable for the hunt.

And the riders? Well to produce a quality Hunter you need to understand why all these elements are not only important but that you must maintain your position to help a green horse navigate it all.

With all the drama preceding the Olympic Games, it seems the horse show world could use a bit of reminder of its origins, and return to a horse’s first approach to horse showing.

25/07/2024

I’m not so sure it’s worth chiming in on the Charlotte Dujardin situation, does the internet really need another opinion on the matter? Probably not….

I’m happy that the abuse has been exposed, the rest of the details are arbitrary. The truth is that we all want to believe that the leaders and top athletes in equestrian sport are there because their character is impeccable and their accomplishments are virtuous. The Olympics is supposed to be a celebration of incredible human achievement. A dream, perhaps even the goal, that we all start out with when we enter the sport.

But as it turns out, Mount Olympus is occupied by mere mortals. Or worse.

Truthfully, it’s unbearably sad and those who are angry, appalled, disappointed, confused and frustrated will soon realize that they are actually in mourning.

It’s what we do now and in the days, weeks, months and years to come that really matters. As the old saying goes, “ be the change you want to see in the world “ . I think we all know that sensationalism, violence and extremism is not the answer. There’s plenty of good trainers, horsemen/ women, and just average every day good people, quietly maintaining the balance in the background. Seek THEM out.

And well, watch the Olympics! Watch with a discerning eye. Will we see the usual suspects on the podium? Or will we see the emergence of “the underdog”, who perhaps appeared plain before will now be recognized for true beauty and art❤️

Peace out, friends ✌️☮️

15/07/2024

Good stuff here, know where to draw the line. A horse isn’t a machine.
A healthy amount of physical exertion is good for humans and horses, but “riding them down “ is not how you capture their heart/will, it’s often how you break it.

Ever heard that saying : "A tired horse is a good horse?"
I don't agree with it. If you want to know why, keep reading. If you're dead set on that opinion save yourself the time and frustration of how wrong I am and scroll on by.
Firstly, I am well aware that yawns don't mean fatigue in horses, but are a sign of tension release. The photo of just fit the topic too well not to use.
So why don't I feel tiring a horse is a good tool to "make them behave?".
It relies on a common misconception that energy is a bad thing.
Energy doesn't cause behavioral issues, anxiety does. If there is energy and anxiety, in other words, anxious energy, you will get some short term, extremely limited results by tiring the horse out, but if you don't address the anxiety, every time you tire them out, they get fitter to fight you.
So, wet saddle blankets may work for the horses that resign themselves to defeat ( the broken horses), but this approach is one of the reasons there are so many "problem" horses. We don't actually address the reason for a behavior, or build the horses understanding, we just try ride them through it until they're too tired to argue.
I don't know
about you, but I am the least cooperative son of a gun when I'm tired.
If energy is paired with understanding, cooperation or happiness it's a good thing.
Cooperative energy
Happy energy.
Give me that in buckets, and don't spill a drop.

15/07/2024

Be courageous 🤍

“It takes courage...to endure the sharp pains of self discovery rather than choose to take the dull pain of unconsciousness that would last the rest of our lives.”
― Marianne Williamson

Art Credit: Ros Beck

12/07/2024

I don’t know who needs to hear this today but…..The dressage test is actually a life metaphor.

You don’t have a bad life, you have bad moments and each moment or movement is a new opportunity.

If you stay grounded and connected it’s likely to be more fluid than if you are tense and anxious.

The tests get more complex as you advance but the same rules always apply.

Don’t dwell on the bad moments, they are behind you now.

Don’t rush into the future because, well, you’re not there yet.

The key 🔑 lies in being present, right now, in the moment, just like your horse.

28/06/2024

Denny, on point as usual 😁

Another favorite topic among the parrot-lemming crossbred crowd has to do with bits and bitting, usually that the less bit the better.

I do think that some bits are specifically designed to hurt and actually cut, and those bits deserve to be tossed in the garbage bin.

But many bits are created to give a fighting chance to a rider, who might weigh, say, 135 pounds, galloping along on a horse that weighs 1,230 pounds, to slow down and to rebalance instead of careening down fast and flat into the red zone.

The people who who are anti-bit, and this often includes almost any bit except some big fat snaffle, are almost always not the same people who gallop out in the open, over hilly terrain, on ongoing horses.

If they were, they would know first hand that there are plenty of situations that require the horse to be adjustable.

No, don’t use a bit that cuts. But don’t be a victim, either. If you need to slow down and organize, that doesn’t mean after five minutes of hauling. It means right now.

If you don’t know that, go out there and find out. Then talk about bit usage from experience rather than from the safety of some little arena at a slow canter.

22/06/2024

Yassssssss 🙌🙌😂

It's barn rules! 😆🐴 **erBrown Bo**er Brown