AMK Horsemanship

13/11/2024

Warwick Schiller made his name as an expert trainer. An enigmatic little horse completely changed his outlook.

22/06/2024

Herdbound horses -

Herdbound horses are a common complaint- all over the country, horses are attached to a buddy or buddies, often to a level that can make them dangerous to take out alone, or sometimes even five feet away.
There are many opinions on different “fixes,” everything from running them ragged near their friend in frantic circles and resting them away from their friend, to a carrot on a stick or Hansel and Greek trail of treats on the path away from the friend. But the reality is, a herd structure is central to a horses survival, and companionship of other horses is part of their feeling of safety- no training can override the horses desire to be a horse witbout shutting them down

AND

The Herdbound horse is one who is not doing well!

In almost every clinic I’ve taught, the most Herdbound horse in the group is the one in roughest shape- tight back, sucked up flank, pain face, tight groin - the works. Horses that are in physical crisis are much more likely to feel vulnerable, stressed, and feel a strong pull toward comfort- which is another horse.

A horse who is not feeling well in their body, who is not feeling confident in their handler who is fighting against their body (it’s a hard truth because that usually isn’t the desire of the handler, but that is what’s happening), who is in a new and unsafe environment is going to seek out safety, and that pull is as strong as the tide.

What’s the fix for Herdbound issues?
Lifestyle fixes
Horses need a herd, they can’t live happily alone, I don’t care who has a horse that tolerates it, solitary confinement is not a way of life for a horse. They need a group, or at least one other friend at the bare minimum. But they are likely to be less secure with just one friend, and far more worried about leaving

Body fixes
Don’t just write off their body because you get routine Bodywork. Get their back moving, help their groin function without being spastic, create a functional body with a moving back and healthy gut so they can think and not be stuck in survival mode

Rider fixes
Make it so whenever you’re around, they feel safe and they feel secure. That means calm your own energy, learn how to guide, be aware of your environment, don’t nitpick, and make your body make their body feel stable and wonderful. Good riding is moving Bodywork- make it so when you sit on their back they are in better shape than out in the pasture - that is a tall order but I believe it’s entirely possible, and I see it happen all the time.

A Herdbound horse is a stressed out horse - the fix is in your hands entirely.

18/06/2024

Dr. David Ramey is a 1983 graduate of the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

29/03/2024

What is the hyoid apparatus and, how can something in the mouth affect hind limb engagement?

For those who missed our webinar last night, or those who would like to know more about bridle and bit fitting, here is an excerpt from a piece Sue Stanbridge wrote for The Horse Hub.

THE HYOID APPARATUS
The tongue is attached to a little group of bones at the back of the skull called the hyoid bones. These are an incredibly important and unique group of bones. Firstly, they are not attached to any other bones using joints. They are attached with ligaments.

The front bone embeds into the tongue, with ligaments it then attaches to two long thin bones, which are situated inside the jaw that attach to the TMJ. Behind these are two small bones, which attach to muscles that run down the lower neck, into the scapula, along the abdominal wall and into the pelvis.

Problems with bridle fitting here, which restrict the ability of the tongue and lower jaw to move, will actually shut down the ability of the horse to recruit the lower ventral chain of muscles. If he cannot mobilise his jaw and tongue, he will send tension through the hyoid bones, up into the TMJ, down the muscles of the neck, through the thoracic sling and along the abdominal wall.

This impacts his ability to lift his back and engage his hindquarters. The horse is then put in a U shape; putting pressure along the dorsal spinal processes, disconnecting his shoulder sling and raising his head by recruiting the muscles underneath.

This is when we as riders, get locked into a spiral of asking our horses to lengthen their frame, drop their head, lift their back and engage their hindquarters but not allowing them to naturally use themselves biomechanically correctly.

With thanks to Vicki Wise for the use of her brilliant diagram.

Read the full feature here
https://www.thehorsehub.co.uk/how-to-fit-a-bridle

And for more information on the webinar or to watch the recording follow the link
https://www.thehorsehub.co.uk/product/biomechanics-of-bridle-and-bit-fit

30/01/2024

11/01/2024

The answer: Boiled frogs. Our horses are extremely sensitive animals. They can also be very trainable, that’s what makes them such good partners. They can learn to be very tolerant, even to pain and discomfort. At one point a horse can be afraid and fighting for their life and we may not even have...