Sifting through the layers

Jenny had struggled for months with her horse Jim falling in through his left shoulder in their ridden work. Her instructor had come up with plenty of suggestions, but she felt as though she's hit a brick wall.

It's rare that a schooling problem has a simple fix. Usually it's a mix of what I call 'brain, pain and training' issues. Brain issues are ones that are resolved by improving the rider's understanding, training issues are ones that are resolved by improving the horse's understanding. Pain issues are resolved by finding the right help from an appropriate, qualified, knowledgable, experienced equine professional. 

Jenny and Jim are fictional characters based on something I am regularly asked to help with as a Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist (find your local physio at www.acpat.co.uk) with a behavioural background (find your local Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Associate at www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk). Peeling off the layers is something I specialise in, and often I find that falling in through the shoulder can be massively reduced through a combination of physio for the horse (and sometimes the rider), an improved understanding of how the rider is trying to achieve this goal, the instructor getting on the horse so that the horse's understanding is improved, and sometimes addressing saddlery, dentistry, farriery or even veterinary issues.

If you'd like to learn more about how you can interpret what your horse is trying to tell you, join me on my new course 'Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training? Finding the Fix' on Sunday 15th Nov - find out more at www.thehorsephysio.co.uk

10 things every good horse person knows about backing a youngster

This post is prompted by visiting a couple of youngsters for physio assessment and treatment recently...

1. Have a basic vetting done (heart, eyes, lungs, and flexion tests)

2. Have the physio check him over in preparation for backing 

3. Have his teeth checked 

4. Have his saddle fitted 

5. Make sure his feet are in good condition (he does not need to be shod)

6. Get him relaxed with being groomed all over, including under his tummy and in the girth area

7. Teach him to stand still on a loose rope

8. Teach him to be relaxed when you stand on a mounting block beside or in front of him

9. Lead him out in hand to experience the world outside his yard

10. Take him to shows in hand, even just to graze at the side of the collecting ring, to help him learn to settle when there are other horses around

There are plenty more points I could add to this - please feel free to add yours in the comments!

Find your local Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Associate here

Find your local Chartered Physiotherapist here

Find your local BHS instructor here

Find your local farrier here

Find your local Master Saddler here

Find your local equine dentist here

To find out more about Sue and her work, visit www.thehorsephysio.co.uk

To book your place on the one-day course 'Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training - Finding the Fix', click here.

For your copy of the book and DVD 'Horse Massage for Horse Owners' click here.

For your copy of the book 'Sue's Helpful Horse Hints' click here.

Update on Eva

Update on Eva, who had bridling difficulties:
"Hi Sue just a quick update on Eva. She's coming on so much. She's actually listening to me more. standing still for me and excepting the bit a lot better. Still for a little treat but we're getting there. I can tack her up myself now on my own and can even tack her up in the box at the show whereas before we would have to struggle at home to tack her up then load her because she was so much of a fidget at a show. We are still working with her everyday and it's definitely working"

It's a beautiful morning!

It's a beautiful morning, but I'd hoped that the roadworks being completed would mean I wouldn't spend so long sitting in this traffic jam on my way to Centre Lines Dressage!

I am however very much looking forward to seeing the many regulars I have there, including Grace Kelly who competed at her first ever Medium yesterday and got 2nd with professional rider and trainer Carrie Adams - a big step up from when they last competed in January and lots of exciting things to come from this partnership!

How not to get bucked off your youngster!

If you back your youngster using a saddle that doesn't fit, you could be creating problems that take months or years to resolve.

Recently I've visited 3 youngsters in the process of being backed, none of whom have had the saddle fit checked for the horse (but all of whom have recognised that physio is a beneficial part of the backing process, so we'll done to these owners!). This is one of the most crucial times to ensure that your horses saddle is comfortable for him, when you're first introducing him to saddle and rider. If he learns from the beginning that the saddle causes him pain, you've got your job cut out convincing him otherwise at a later stage.

I'm not saying you should go out and spend thousands on a saddle - of course your horse will develop and change shape. But to have a saddle that is sitting down on his withers, or tipping the weight of the rider to the back of the rib cage, or pinching his shoulders, or with a gullet that is bruising his spine, is simply asking for trouble. There are many options available, including adjustable gullets, and an experienced trainer might be able to check the fit on a short term basis for you if you're not keen on getting the saddle fitter so early on.

A saddle that fits is an investment - you wouldn't spend long walking in a pair of shoes that didn't fit, or wearing a belt that rubbed, please don't ask your horse to suffer in silence what must surely be a similar discomfort.

Featuring in Horse and Hound magazine (unintentionally)!

Recently a friend shared a Facebook post with me that was promoting a horse behaviour website (I can't remember which one, and the post has been taken down now), and I recognised the picture as being one of myself working with a problem horse for an article for Horse magazine several years ago!  The website that was being promoted was not in any way linked to Horse magazine, and when my photographer husband Simon contacted the lady she said that she had found the picture on the internet and since that meant it was freely available, she had thought she could use it.  I don't understand the ins and outs of the laws on this, but Simon does (he has to, to survive in his business!), and after he explained it to her she took the post down.  Eventually Simon found where the picture had come from - an online Horse and Hound article from 2010! Horse and Hound are entitled to the picture because they are a sister magazine of Horse magazine, who the pictures from the article belong to (even though it's Simon who took the pictures and me who features in them).  Anyway, I thought I'd share the picture and article with you, because it makes me feel kind of famous to be able to say I've featured in Horse and Hound!

You can view the article by clicking here.

Click here to contact Sue and book your place on her course 'Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training - Finding the Fix'

Click here to find out more about Sue's book, DVD and course 'Horse Massage for Horse Owners'

Click here to get your copy today of 'Sue's Helpful Horse Hints'

Struggling to bridle Eva

"Here is EVA My 6yr old showjumper. We have had her just over 12 months. We have always struggled to put her bridle on. When we approach her in the stable she always seems nervous,  holds her head up high and circles the stable to avoid having bridle on.

After one session with Sue, Eva is now standing still and excepting the bit with treats as a reward. We are still progressing and working with Eva everyday.  Thrilled with results so far."

Click here to email Sue and book yourself onto the 'Brain, Pain or Training' course