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24/05/2025

16/05/2025

Atrophy in top lines and performance horses.

Soundness in veterinary science is judged by the horses ability to balance evenly across all four legs, when one leg is sore it presents in a lameness. Traditional one leg lameness is easy to spot, head bobbing and a definite asymmetry in stride. This will definitely be identifiable as lameness in the trot ups for competition and should be pulled up. That being said I am often seeing assymetric movement be passed off as sound. This is soundness grey area, assymetry in my opinion is the stage before lameness, the body is protecting a weakness that is yet to develop to the lameness. Assymetry can be from a plethora of problems from soft tissue to skeletal and very few of these problems are identifiable through imaging for horses. Unless it’s in a distal limb and I would argue that is often a red herring for an issue higher up.

Where it starts to get very tricky is body lameness, one pathway for body lameness is atrophy of muscles but why does it happen? Two main reasons, either the muscles aren’t utilised or the muscles have lost intervation by the nerves. If you’ve never googled “sweeny shoulder”, a common injury in Thoroughbreds I suggest you do that to see how nerves affect muscles. The delicate nerves and vascular systems in the horses body are all
Interconnected, I don’t like to focus on one area because the horse is ONE body. But for efficiency I’ll focus on a few, the trapezius(cervical and thoracic) waste away when horses are ridden on the forehand and behind the vertical. The trapezius is also affected by saddle fit and can impede the shoulders movement, the scapular cartilage is often damaged in horses with poor saddle fit.
Logissimus dorsi, affected by riding behind the vertical and hand dominated posture that impedes lateral spinal movement, easily atrophied if worked in tension.
Multifidus is an over looked muscle group in the back, it has a massive impact on DSP spacing due to the way it attaches and can pull DSPs towards each other(kissing spines) this muscle group can be protective or destructive depending on how you condition them. There are many more important muscle groups I will go in to detail in my book.

The main thing to remember about muscles is they are extremely compliant to their loading, meaning they either develop or atrophy. Just look at the huge range of development in humans, a ballerina and a body builder are both athletes but have developed their bodies in radically different ways.

Competitive eventing horses are judged on two things, their soundness in the trot ups and their ability to complete the three stage course, Dressage, cross country and showjumping. Horses who display atrophy in their top lines, will do dressage behind the vertical, be heavy in the riders hands and movements on the forehand. You don’t need a great topline for this Level of dressage, you can carry your horses front end and still score well enough. Horses with atrophy will display big lofty scope on the cross country to clear fences utilising both speed and hind end power. You don’t need a great top line for cross country. Where atrophy will bite you though is in the showjumping, because you do need healthy top lines to be able to either shorten or lengthen a stride to a show jump. You do need the horse to be up and off the forehand to lift the front end because unlike cross country you can not run at a show jump flat and fast. Show jumping is the leveller in eventing at high level because the fences aren’t solid and clever horses get sloppy knowing they can drop rails with hanging shoulders and lazy hind legs. For a good show jumper you need a horse who can collect well, not just be held together by the rider. This is the stage where healthy toplines matter, whether riders know it or not…..a young horse may get away with it but horses over 10 years old wont have elastic youth on their side.

The horses topline tells me everything about how that horse works, when muscles are atrophied they arent working…..it’s that simple.

Year after year we see these horses in the trot ups and the internet goes wild. Soundness and what can be proven are two very different standards. Vetrinary science is built on a peer reviewed, rigorous and reductive method but I feel the problems are more nuanced than science can explain currently. I see horses in dissection constantly that I’m amazed haven’t just laid down and died. Horses that shouldn’t let humans ride them from massive internal issues. Every single one of those horses displayed behavioural issues that were passed off as quirky, naughty or being difficult. I would argue that competitive horses have the mental grit to do the job even with sub par bodies, they are the David goggins of horses! The argument is that david was self aware enough to understand the impact on his body long term and we expect this servitude from the horse without them understanding the impact.

The argument for top line atrophy and performance is “they wouldn’t be able to do it if their bodies were ruined” unfortunately the evidence I see in dissection is the complete opposite. Horses will endure incredible hardships because they are wired as prey animals with the most incredible survival instincts and competive horses have extreme mental
Fortitude. I dont have any judgements or answers, what you do with your horses is your business but I believe in education and understanding for the things we are yet to learn.

The body keeps the score

07/05/2025

Is Your Horse Silently Asking for Help?

20/04/2025

Let’s talk about “aids” that do more harm than help.

Too often in training, we see horses subjected to “lunging aids” and “riding aids” that restrict the head and neck under the guise of creating “connection” or “frame.” But true connection isn’t forced—it’s earned through balance, understanding, and trust.

When we limit a horse’s ability to use their head and neck naturally, we interfere with the way they balance, breathe, and communicate. These restrictive tools often mask symptoms rather than address the root cause, and in doing so, they compromise the horse’s well-being—physically and mentally.

A horse’s posture should be a reflection of correct, thoughtful work—not something we strap into place. Not to mention how muchch “riding aids” affect bit mechanics!

If we want softness, lightness, and willingness, we have to listen to our horses and give them the freedom to move how nature intended. Let’s prioritize feel over force, and education over equipment.

Let’s do better—for them.

* pictured is a horse I found on Google who is not physically capable of handling the Pessoa. Note the hollow back, improper neck carriage , stiffness, backwards hip angle*

22/03/2025

Since my post on my stories a few days ago about a horse posted on an influencers reel that had incredibly poor muscles through their back, I have had so many messages from people asking what are the implications of this?

I thought to repost this diagram that I made a few years back as a starting point, but I will continue to add to this thought train and provide a couple of different perspectives over the coming weeks.

But firstly, there is a sliding scale of danger when you have a horse that is loosing muscle through their backs. Dents, widespread muscle wastage and such are clear signs of chronic nerve damage. If a muscle is compressed by too much pressure for too long, damage to the nerves occur — the nerves communicate to the brain to say “don’t use this area, too much pain is caused when we use it!”

This process, which can be so localised to even a small part of the back, can have a rippling effect throughout the body… to the point of even effecting the positioning of the tongue and tail.

Healthy backs are ESSENTIAL! 🙏

28/02/2025

“Horses regularly trained with ground work are more relaxed when ridden”

A recent study of dressage horses in Germany that looked at rein length and tension revealed a surprising finding: horses who were regularly trained in ground work/in-hand work had lower heart rates during ridden work than all of the other participating horses. This wasn’t what the researchers were investigating, but it was clear in the results. From this, the researchers concluded that, “Perhaps horses trained in ground work had more trust in their rider.”

So why would it be true that horses who regularly learn via ground work/in-hand work are more relaxed? There are a few possibilities.

1) Horses trained regularly with ground work are more relaxed because their trainers are more relaxed. It’s possible that humans who take the time to teach their horses from the ground are less goal oriented and more concerned with the process. They may be more relaxed in general and foster this same relaxation in their horses. As you are, so is your horse.

2) Horses trained regularly with ground work have trainers who are more educated about a horse’s balance.

Their horses learn to move in correct balance which allows them to be healthy and sound in their bodies and, therefore, more relaxed. Physical balance is emotional balance.

3) Horses trained regularly with ground work understand the trainer’s criteria better. They have mastered the response to an aid before the rider mounts and know the “right answer” already once under saddle. They don’t experience any conflict when the rider asks for a behavior because the neural pathway has already been installed. They are more relaxed about being ridden because it rarely has caused confusion for them.

For us highly visual humans I think that ground work is often a better way to begin exercises because we are much better at seeing our horse doing the right thing than feeling it from the saddle. Often, my feel in the saddle is enhanced by the fact that I have watched my horse perform an exercise over and over in our in-hand work. It feels how it looks. In-hand work is also a good way to teach our horses because our own bodies are often more in balance when we are walking beside our horses. With the ground under our feet we are able to be more relaxed if something goes wrong and less likely to be so busy wrapped up in our own balance that we give our horses conflicting or confusing aids. It’s a good place to figure things out. I am a huge fan of in-hand work.

I’m glad to learn research revealed ground work is good for horses. Horses with a low heart rate are relaxed and relaxed horses perform better and live longer. In this day and age of people starting horses under saddle in under an hour and increasing monetary rewards for the “young horse dressage program“, everything seems to be done in a hurry. The entire horse culture seems to privilege “getting up there and riding your horse”. But as one of my favorite writers and accomplished horsewoman, Teresa Tsimmu Martino writes, “In today’s horse culture there are clinics that brag about starting a c**t in a day, as if the quickness of it was the miracle. But old horse people know it takes years to create art. Horses as great masterpieces are not created in a day. An artist does not need to rush.” We need more scientific studies like this one to encourage us to slow down and take our time with our horses.

So why were the horses in the study more relaxed? Likely it was a combination of all three factors – a relaxed trainer, better overall balance and clear understanding of criteria.

These are things that matter to your horse, and yes, will allow him to trust you when you ride. Take some time to slow down and work from the ground, learn a bit more about equine balance and teach new things in-hand before asking for them under saddle. You can take your riding to a whole new level and help your horse become more healthy and relaxed in the process.” - from the article by Jen of Spellbound Horses https://spellboundhorses.com/2013/03/07/horses-regularly-trained-with-ground-work-are-more-relaxed-when-ridden/

30/01/2025

When we think about horse welfare, we often focus on physical health—proper nutrition, veterinary care, and a suitable living environment. However, an equally important aspect of welfare is mental stimulation. Horses are intelligent, curious animals that thrive when given the opportunity to engage with their environment in varied and enriching ways.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

In the wild, horses are constantly exploring new terrain, interacting with other horses, and responding to environmental stimuli. Domesticated horses, however, often lead much more structured lives, with limited variety in their daily routines. A lack of mental engagement can lead to boredom, stress, and even behavioural problems such as weaving, crib-biting, or excessive spookiness. Just as humans benefit from new experiences and challenges, so too do horses.

𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗮: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗩𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁

It’s easy to fall into the habit of riding in a familiar, controlled environment like an arena, especially for riders who may feel anxious about venturing out. While the arena is a great place for structured schooling, keeping your horse confined to the same repetitive routine can limit their exposure to different sights, sounds, and situations.

Horses that are only worked in an arena may become overly reactive when finally taken outside because they haven’t been gradually desensitised to new experiences. Additionally, the constant repetition of schooling exercises without variation can lead to frustration, resistance, and even learned helplessness in some horses.

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

If the thought of riding out makes you nervous, you’re not alone! Many riders feel more secure in an arena, but with the right approach, you can introduce more variety into your horse’s work while building your own confidence. Here are some ways to make the experience enjoyable for both of you:

💎 Start Small: If your horse is not used to riding outside the arena, begin with short outings. A short walk around the property or down a quiet track is a great way to start.

💎 Go with a Friend: Riding with a calm, experienced horse and rider can help your horse (and you!) feel more confident.

💎 Groundwork First: If you or your horse feel nervous about a new area, start by leading them on foot. This allows them to become comfortable with their surroundings before being ridden.

💎 Incorporate Variety in Everyday Rides: You don’t have to go on long trail rides to introduce variety. Try using poles, small jumps, or changing up the routine within your schooling sessions.

💎 Trust the Process: It’s normal to feel apprehensive about new experiences, but with time and consistency, both you and your horse will gain confidence. Celebrate small wins and progress gradually.

𝗔 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗿, 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲

Providing mental stimulation through diverse activities—whether it’s trail riding, hacking out, groundwork, or even trying new disciplines—creates a more balanced and content horse. A mentally engaged horse is less likely to develop stress-related behaviours and will be more willing and cooperative in their work. By stepping outside of the arena and incorporating variety into your riding, you are not only improving your horse’s well-being but also strengthening the bond you share.

So next time you saddle up, consider swapping one of your arena rides for a bush trail, a ride around the paddock, or even a new pattern of exercises. Your horse will thank you for it!

21/09/2024

Congrats to our newly weds today ♥️