Rider Posture Research

The University of Sunderland has been carrying out research into the effect that hip flexion and pelvis rotation has on lower back pain and injury in horse riders. Drawing together on a variety of expertise, the computer science faculty has worked in partnership with sports physiotherapists and the Saddle Research Trust to develop software to evaluate riders’ posture.

The results have been very useful. They have learnt that it is important to consider the rider’s posture dynamically. The presence of asymmetry in the rider’s hip flexion would seem to be indicative of another risk factor for lower back injury. As always any imbalance or misalignment through the body has the potential to cause problems. However any sort of biofeedback can be an excellent tool for riders and coaches to help resolve misalignment issues and help riders to remain healthy and balanced. It is hoped that this will be further developed into an excellent training tool.

A paper from the work achieved so far has been accepted for publication into the Journal of Sports Technology. Gandy, E.A., Bondi, A., Pigott, T.M.C. & Smith, G. “Investigation of the use of inertial sensing equipment for the measurement of hip flexion and pelvic rotation in horse riders”.

Trusted Professionals?

I would like to share with an extract from a case study in the recent Saddle Research Trust newsletter.

“Despite having passed a pre-purchase vetting with flying colours I had been having issues with my recently acquired 8-year-old mare since purchase; primarily napping, grumpiness and showing signs of discomfort being groomed and tacked up, and then progressively difficulty picking up canter in the school. My local equine vet, instructor, and equine physio were not overly concerned with my mare’s behaviour because she looked sound when trotted up, and doing flexion tests etc… my vet thought the horse’s behaviour was most likely her just being a ‘chestnut mare’.”

I hasten to add that the owner then went onto to consult a member of the SRT who helped to resolve the problem!

But it bought home to me that the message in “Understanding Horse Performance Brain, Pain, or Training?” is so very pertinent. We are living in enlightened times, with unlimited access to knowledge and the opportunity to learn and improve ourselves. The vet mentioned here will have had at minimum 5 years training, plus CPD in the following years, and the best he could come up with was – being a chestnut mare!

We talk about surrounding ourselves with professionals, but they must be good professionals, who are prepared to look beyond what is directly in front of them and to dig a little deeper into helping you resolve the problem. Trust your instinct, if you think there is a problem and your professionals don’t, ask around and get a second opinion. You know your horse, make sure you know your professionals too!

A Weighty Issue...

Here is a thought to keep in mind during the festive season, the season of food, and drink and very little exercise! Are you fit to ride?

There have been various occasions this year when the overweight rider debate has surfaced. We are pleased to hear of the formation of a working group under the chairmanship of the British Equestrian Federation, with support from World Horse Welfare to tackle this issue. The Animal Health Trust and the University of Sunderland are both beginning research that explores the optimum loading levels for horses. We are pleased that this issue is being tackled in a scientific manner, with the highlight being on horse welfare, which, after all, is the most important thing.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour, suggests that the rider should weigh less than 15% of their horse's body weight. This means a 1500-pound horse should be able to carry a rider of 150 lbs or less. It is not to do with the rider’s weight, it is to do with the relationship between the horse and the rider. Since the increase in food availability since the post-war era, our bodies have been getting bigger, while the horses that we ride have by and large remained the same. This is not a debate about our image obsessed society, but merely an observation about ratios. That of the horse and rider.

However it is worth bearing in mind as you reach for another helping of turkey and potatoes that our weight does affect how we ride. So my festive tip to help keep you and your horse healthy is to dismount from your horse (providing it is safe to do so) half a mile from home and walk the rest of the way. This is will give you an extra walk, and your horse a chance to cool down his back muscles. Happy, healthy horse and rider!

Merry Christmas!

A scientific comparison between the effect of scratching and patting your horse.

A study has been recently carried out to investigate the physiological and behavioural reactions of a ridden horse being scratched or patted.

Being ridden is exciting for horses, and some more than others, become very excited or stressed while they are being ridden. Traditionally riders have patted their horses when riding in order to reassure them or soothe them.

In the recent study 18 horses were given 3 different treatments – nothing, patting or scratching. The horses were monitored for heart rate, heart rate variability and a variety of other factors.

The scratching produced a longer duration of relaxed type of behaviours than either of the other two.

Patting can be a quite invigorating for the horse and is often used to awaken your horse and encourage him, so that would be seem to agree with the results of this study.

So the next time you are riding your horse and he becomes excitable or stressed, try scratching on the withers rather than patting, and see if you get a better calming response.

And let us know!

Thorbergson ZW, e. (2016). Physiological and Behavioral Responses of Horses to Wither Scratching and Patting the Neck When Under Saddle. - PubMed - NCBI. [online] Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/26958705/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2016].

Ifor Williams Trailers and their correct uses...

This came up during a recent loading course, and needs to be shared so that the safety features designed by Ifor Williams can be used correctly should they need to be in the event of an emergency.

The front bars should always be done up so that the more curved hook (not the end where you put the pin in) is in the middle of the trailer. This ensures that if you have to quick release the end will actually drop. Make sure you have an Allen key, and that you know where it is kept! They are designed this way so that you can release the bar from the outside in the event of an emergency.

Also the eyes, which have now been put on Ifor Williams trailers, are for releasing the bars in an emergency, not for tying your horse to! If you tie to horse to these they can distort the shape of the trailer and mean that the bars will not drop down in an emergency. Ifor Williams do instruct people not to tie their horses to the outside of the trailer, but as we know, people do.

If you have any queries regarding how to fit your breast bar and how to release it in an emergency, please visit your local Ifor Williams dealer who will be more than happy to show you the correct way. It is better to spend the time familiarising yourself with how to do it, in a calm and relaxed way, than trying to work it out in the moment of panic when you horse is stuck. To find your local Ifor Williams dealer click here.

For problems loading please contact your local IHRA who will help you to resolve your loading issues. For your nearest IHRA click here.

With thanks to Sarah Weston IHRA for this information.

For information on The Buffer Bar, which can be used on your existing bar to give your horse a more comfortable journey, please visit Sarah Weston’s website http://www.logicalhorsemanship.co.uk/?page_id=1130

Five tips for confidence…

Confidence seems somewhat elusive to those who doubt themselves. We have all been there, looking round thinking of all the things that could go wrong and all the ways we could fail, until we render ourselves completely incapable of doing anything!

But confidence is just another skill, and you can learn to do anything. So here are five tips to help you build your confidence.

1)      Be positive. Spending your time thinking “what if my horse spooks?” will not help your confidence. Instead visualise a positive outcome. Rather than visualising your horse spooking, visualise yourself trotting confidently around the corner.

2)      Small steps. If you become nervous in certain situations, break down the situation into bite size chunks. Are you nervous at a show? Break down the day into pieces. Are you nervous of loading your horse, or getting on in a strange place, or maybe even finding your way somewhere you haven’t been before. Once you have broken the day down, you will be able to identify what is causing the nervousness and then work with that area.

3)      Be kind. Don’t be self-critical, be kind to yourself. Remind yourself how far you have come, praise yourself for every step, even if it is simply that you were a little less scared than yesterday, remember to praise yourself!

4)      Set yourself up to succeed. Don’t over face yourself. If you enter a class above your ability and don’t do very well, you will enter into a negative mind-set about it. Why not enter a class below your ability, then you will have a rewarding experience before you start to push yourself.

5)      Breathe. When we are nervous, our muscles tighten and we don’t breathe properly. Our brain requires oxygen to function, you cannot think when you are scared!! Take a deep breathe, and another, and another, and off you go!

For more help with confidence in the saddle, why not take a look at Kelly Mark’s book Perfect Confidence, click here  for more information.

Navigational ultrasound imaging to accurately treat lameness.

A study was carried out using navigational ultrasound imaging, also known as fusion imaging, to be used in real time alongside a previously carried out CT or MRI scan. This was to help with the assessment and treatment of lesions.

17 horses with lameness, caused by either tendon or ligament damage, as seen on a MRI scan, were used in this research. Anatomical registration landmarks were chosen near the site of the lesion, and the ultrasound imaging was used in combination with the previous MRI scan.

The use of the fusion imaging with the MRI scan was found to be highly beneficial in 59% of cases. It was considered to improve the precision of the treatment that was being carried out, thereby, hopefully, making the treatment more effective and less invasive.

Even in the cases were the combined use was not considered to be highly beneficial, it was consider to give extra confidence and useful additional information to the treatment process.

Overall the use of the combined imaging was considered to have a positive effect on the procedure, with no negative consequences arising through its use.

Any research that can aid the treatment of lameness in horses, is of value, and in this case, it seems to have provided us with another tool in our collection for the treatment of lameness in horses.

Lustgarten, M., Redding, W., Schnabel, L., Prange, T. and Seiler, G. (2016). Navigational ultrasound imaging: A novel imaging tool for aiding interventional therapies of equine musculoskeletal injuries. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/evj.12410/full.

Five things to do with your horse when it’s too wet to ride!

Nothing is more miserable than a wet winter’s day with the wind howling and the rain lashing down. The last thing you want to do is ride in it! But if you want to still spend time with your horse and have a stable, or better still a covered yard there are plenty of things that you can do to enjoy spending time with your horse.

1)      Grooming. It sounds fairly basic, but we are always so busy, a groom usually consists of a flick with a brush, a quick hoof pick out and away we go. Take your time. Groom properly and slowly, feel for any lumps, or bumps, or scabs as you go.

2)      Massage. Give your horse a massage. Horses love being massaged and it’s a perfect way to thank them for the time we spend bouncing around on their back! If you are not sure of how to massage, check out our Horse Massage for Horse Owners bundle deal.

3)      Chalk muscles. Draw chalk muscles onto your horse. This is a great way to learn about your horses muscles and to increase your knowledge.

4)      Do some carrot stretches. Doing some stretches with our horses when we cannot ride them keeps their muscles in good working order. Rather like us doing yoga when we haven’t time to get to the gym!

5)      Standing still. Does your horse rush out of the stable door? The ability to stand still at the end of a line is essential. You can practise this to some extent in a stable. Practise standing with your horse on the end of a line while you walk out through the door, remember to think about your body language as you ask him to stand.

For more help on any of the topics raised here, or if you are struggling with your horse’s behaviour, please contact your local IHRA for expert behavioural advice.  http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/recommended-associates/  

Insurance - where do you stand?

Ashleigh Harris has just won a landmark case against her ex-boyfriend’s mother resulting in a pay-out of £3 million, after a fall left her paralysed from the waist down.

There has been the usual vitriolic keyboard warriors on either side of the story. However as with all stories only the people who were present on the fateful day know what happened, and even then their own interpretation of the events will be different. This is the nature of the truth.

For me the standout comment of the case is from the man who was selling the horse – this is quoted from the report in the Daily Mail - He described her as a ‘delightful ride’, although he wanted to get rid of her because she had proved to be too temperamental for point-to-point riding. To read the full story click here.

Personally I would advise against buying a horse that was sold for that reason!

I am not going to discuss the right or wrongs of the case or the nature of our litigious society and the effect it has had on risk taking. I am going to ask you to check your insurance carefully. Ring your insurance company and ask them if you are covered, make sure it is written in your policy.

I think letting people have a ride on your horse is a nice thing to be able to do, especially with children for whom riding could be outside their parent’s financial grasp. But riding is a high risk sport, accidents do happen. We are responsible for ensuring a basic level of care towards others.

Don’t let people ride your horse if you have any doubt about it – it is simply not worth it. Even if you were insured in the case of an accident can you imagine living with that guilt for the rest of your life?

Analysis into the visual assessment of lameness in horses while being lunged.

It can be difficult to see lameness in horses, especially low level lameness, which can sometimes manifest simply in a lack of performance, or a feeling of the horse not being “right”. A survey was carried out to analyse how successful a range of people were in identifying lameness on the lunge.

Videos were taken of 23 horses that were lameness, or had induced lameness, and these were sent to Sweden for analysis. 86 veterinarians completed the survey, with 43 defined as experienced and the remaining 43 as less experienced. They watched the videos and then assessed whether the horses were lame or not.

The horses that were defined as lame were correctly identified by 68%, whilst the ones with less pronounced lameness were only identified by 32% of the participants.

That horses were lame was agreed upon amongst the more experienced participants, whilst the less experienced had more difficult in concluding whether the horse was lame or not. With hind limb lameness only 37% of participants could correctly see the lameness. This could be that the compensatory nature of the horse masks the hind leg lameness, and in particular does so on the lunge.

In conclusion the study showed that in general it is difficult to correctly assess lameness unless you are very experienced and that hind limb lameness is very difficult to pick up regardless of how experienced you are.

So if you ever feel guilty for failing to pick up on your horse’s lameness – don’t! But make sure you get a highly experienced, respected vet out to look at your horse should you have any doubts over his lameness.

Hammarberg, M., Egenvall, A., Pfau, T. and Rhodin, M. (2016). Rater agreement of visual lameness assessment in horses during lungeing. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.12385/full.

Hope...

Today as I write, the world feels like it has lost its hope. Lost its hope in honesty, decency, freedom, acceptance…It is easy to forget that there is still good, there are still people who will strive to make the world a better place, for both people and for horses.

So rather than dwelling on what we have lost this year, let me bring you three moments that have been about hope…

1)      Willberry Wonder Pony and the inspirational Hannah Francis, who sadly passed away earlier this year. The charity founded by the teenager has raised over £115,000 to grant horsey wishes for those with serious illness.

2)      #notonmyyard. An anti-bullying campaign to prevent bullying and to encourage riders to support each other.

3)      A fundraising page for the paralysed jockey Freddie Tylicki raised over £200,000 in just 2 days.

As humans we are capable of achieving incredible things when we work together. Today, more than ever, we must remember to treat each other with kindness and compassion. For then we will once again regain our hope… 

Mud fever – the bane of winter!

Mud fever is a frustratingly common condition which occurs in the winter months.

Here are our top 5 tips to prevent it:

1: Avoid over-washing. In particular ensure that the legs are properly dried.

2: Rotate paddocks to avoid poaching, and electric tape off muddy areas if possible.

3: Disinfect all horse equipment to help prevent spread of mud fever. It is caused by an infectious agent called dermatophilus congolensis.

4: Consider a barrier cream – ask your vet for advice, they are usually oily based to prevent the water reaching the skin.

5: Be vigilant. If caught early mud fever can be quickly treated, if left it can cause lameness and require antibiotics to help it clear up.

Once your horse has mud fever it can take some time to clear up. If possible keep the legs clean and dry. Wash the affected with medicated shampoo and dry thoroughly. Consider applying creams to help the healing process. Please consult your vet is you are unsure.

Any tips for dealing with mud fever? Please let us know!

How to survive fireworks with your horse…

Fireworks night is a source of dread for most horse owners, and as they become more popular the “season” seems to stretch ever further around the 5^th November.

Gil Riley – one of our fantastic contributors to “Understanding Horse Performance Brain, Pain, or Training?” and a Petplan ‘Vet of the Year’ has given some tips on how to help your horse cope with fireworks.

“We must remember that, being flight animals, even the most sensible horses can be prone to bolting when frightened which can lead to injury to the horse or others. The most important advice I can give horse owners is to be aware and prepared by making sure your horse is as safe and secure as possible”, explains Gil Riley.

Top 10 Tips:

1: Find out where firework displays are being held. Listings are in local papers, radio stations, why not ask on social media and in turn share of any that you know to help other horse owners?

2: Speak to the organisers – ask them to stick to the agreed time and if possible point the fireworks away from your yard. (Obviously not if that means they are simply pointing at someone else’s yard!)

3: Where possible keep your horse to his usual routine. If you can move him to a further away field do so, but be aware this may unsettle him.

4: Check your field is secure and that you have 3^rd party liability. You are responsible should your horse escape.

5: If stabled, ensure that your horse has a deep bed, with plenty of hay to keep him occupied.

6: Cotton wool in his ears can help muffle the noise, as can leaving the radio on.

7: If possible stay with your horse, or check on him after the fireworks have finished.

8: If you think your horse may react badly, speak to your vet about giving him a mild sedative.

9: If you can’t be there, leave your details on your gate so that you can be contacted in an emergency.

10: Afterwards check your fields for fireworks.

If you have any other tips please share them with us!

Wishing all horse owners a peaceful Guy Fawkes night.

When Monty Roberts met Prince Harry...

I really hope to be able to write, that – when Monty Roberts met Prince Harry together they transformed mental health care for traumatised servicemen and women. That would be brilliant! I can’t write it yet, but if two people could get together and change how we treat mental trauma in the armed forces, it would probably be these two!

Monty Roberts is to meet up with Prince Harry to discuss how to use Monty’s techniques to best help servicemen. As Monty says 

“They lose trust and then they bring them home and they slap them on the back and say ‘thank you for your service — go be a civilian, love your wife, love your children, respect your boss, get a job, goodbye’. And typically that’s how they’re put back into civilian life and it doesn’t work. They find they are disturbed by what they went through. And what we can do with horses to build back that trust is just off the charts.”

Monty’s methods of building trust in horses, are hoped to be put to use in re-building trust in servicemen and women.

Traditionally the armed forces have been less than capable in dealing with mental trauma in its personnel. Hopefully with the support of Prince Harry, who himself served with The Household Cavalry for 10 years, including two tours of Afghanistan, and Monty Roberts, who is a trusted advisor to the Queen, they could potentially transform how we treat our servicemen and women. 

Research evaluating risk factors for the development of pasture associated laminitis.

We all know ponies that are “prone” to laminitis and others, which despite being overweight and stuffed full of grass, never get laminitis. A study into the reasons behind this may hold some answers.

A study was carried to look at any factors that may affect the pre-disposition of a horse or pony getting laminitis. The study looked at 446 equines, mainly Welsh, Shetlands and Cobs, who had never previously had laminitis. Of these 72% were overweight.

They were tested using the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) which illustrates the behaviour of insulin dysregulation, without testing for it intravenously. The results for serum adiponectin and insulin post-dexamethasone, amongst others, were recorded. Results were recorded from the owners over the next three years.

After 1 year, 18 cases of laminitis were reported. After 2 years, 30 cases and after 3 years, 44. The study concluded that low levels of plasma adiponectin, and high levels of serum basal and insulin post-dexamethasone were significantly associated with the development of laminitis.

Obviously how we care for our horses and ponies that are likely to be prone to laminitis is very important. Speak to your vet if you have any concerns or would like more help managing your horse or pony’s health. But it is worth bearing in mind that some horses and ponies are simply pre-disposed to laminitis and it is not always a reflection of the level of care.

Menzies-Gow, N., Harris, P. and Elliott, J. (2016). Prospective cohort study evaluating risk factors for the development of pasture-associated laminitis in the United Kingdom. Equine Vet J.

Rain sheets and breathability…

Have you ever worn a waterproof coat with a sleeveless or short sleeved t-shirt underneath? Horrible isn’t it? The heat and perspiration from your bare skin causes moisture on the inside of your waterproof, leaving you feeling clammy, uncomfortable and wondering if you would be better off wet!

Imagine what a horse feels like…Horses in their natural state have an amazing coat – it keeps them warm, cool, dry and protected. We with our, albeit well-intentioned, intervention alter their coat so it no longer does the job and then attempt to replicate it with rugs.

Rain sheets are rated for breathability, but the breathability is reduced the moment rain covers the pores, at which point the perspiration and condensation begins to build up under the rug, leaving the horse with the same clammy feeling that we humans so dislike.

Most turnouts have a fill layer which enables the moisture to be wicked away from the skin. If you want to just use a rain sheet, make sure you put on an under rug to help prevent the build-up of moisture. There are various innovative rugs out there to help with this problem and to ensure that you are giving your horse the best possible care.

The relationship between foot conformation, foot placement and lameness...

A study was carried out to determine whether there is a correlation between foot conformation, foot placement and lameness or asymmetry.

When horses are examined for lameness these factors are all taken into consideration, however little research has been done into the correlation between the three. This study was carried out by final year students at the Royal Veterinary College.

43 horses were used for this study, 10 from the RVC’s teaching herd (not currently ridden) and the other 33 from private yards. The horses used were all perceived to be sound by their owners.

With foot conformation significant differences were found between the left and right hooves. Foot placement in walk was generally lateral heel, and in trot the most common was lateral. Using the symmetry index SI on the poll, only 22 of the horses were assessed as sound! Which makes an interesting point into lameness, the variation between the scientific indicator and whether a horse is fit for purpose.

There was no dramatic relationship between any of the areas tested, however the study did reveal some interesting outcomes. There was a strong correlation between movement asymmetry and a shorter/narrower hoof. There is not, however, any real correlation between foot placement to either movement asymmetry or conformation. This suggests that horses have an inherent way of placing their feet which is not affected by their conformation, but may be effected by other external factors.

Which in essence backs up the old proverb of “no foot, no horse.” Which is as apt today as it ever was, and is always worth bearing in mind when going to look at a horse for sale!

Wilson, A., Agass, R., Vaux, S., Sherlock, E., Day, P., Pfau, T. and Weller, R. (2014). Foot placement of the equine forelimb: Relationship between foot conformation, foot placement and movement asymmetry. Equine Vet J, 48(1), pp.90-96.

A new 'gold standard' register of animal musculoskeletal practitioners

Have you ever wished your horse could talk?  Many of the people I visit as a Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist have said they do, because it would make it so much easier to know what's wrong.  The guilt of discovering that your horse has been in pain for some period of time without you knowing is not much fun, an experience I've personally shared with plenty of others.  Horses are incredible animals, and will often keep going despite considerable discomfort, simply because they're trying their best for us.  

My new book and DVD, 'Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training?' is at heart explaining that horses can only communicate pain or discomfort through their behaviour or performance, and giving tips and tricks on how owners can begin to make the distinction between a horse who is being naughty, a horse who doesn't understand, and a horse who is genuinely saying ouch.

A major difficulty is knowing who to trust to help you to determine this.  Most horses can be persuaded to do most things if the rider is strong enough, but that doesn't mean that's right.  If the horse is more afraid of the rider than he is of the pain, then he'll do as the rider tells him.  If he loves his job and the adrenalin masks the pain, he could be exacerbating the damage each time he works.  Your vet is a good place to start, but for the 'niggles' that don't cause lameness, a physical therapist can be really useful.  So how do you find the right one amongst the myriad available?  

If you've followed my work over the past few years, you'll know that one of my 'soap boxes' is that the title 'Animal Physiotherapist' or 'Veterinary Physiotherapist' is not protected, so anyone can set up to treat animals with no qualifications whatsoever.  This has led to a variety of courses springing up (there's a lot of money to be earned providing courses!), with students gaining a variety of qualifications, including a couple of courses offering a Masters degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy.  To the general public (and most horse owners), it's difficult to differentiate between the Veterinary Physiotherapist who completed a Bachelors degree in Physiotherapy including a minimum of 1000 hours on clinical placement, spent at least a couple of years working in the human field (usually in the NHS), and went on to do a Masters degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy, from the student who did a Bachelors degree in Art History (for example) and went on to complete a Masters degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy.  And often equally difficult to differentiate these from the student who completed an Animal Physiotherapy course lasting a few weekends.  Because they all seem to have the same title: Animal Physiotherapist, or Veterinary Physiotherapist.  Of course qualification isn't everything, there is far more to take into account, and some people have more of an aptitude for working with animals than others. The number of hours studying though, the depth of material studied, and the stringency of the examinations, vary widely, and this results in varying quality of assessment and treatment for your much loved animal - horse, dog or cat, with resulting potential animal welfare risks.

Today an announcement was made that could bring an end to this confusion, for the benefit of companion animals throughout the UK (and of course their owners!).  RAMP, the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners, was described in the Horse and Hound as 'a new gold standard register', supported by both DEFRA and vets.  Dr Vav Simon, of the McTimoney Chiropractic Association, said "Currently, it's impossible for owners to know who does what, and what that means".  The RAMP website will list members, making it a one stop shop for animal owners looking for a well qualified, experienced, insured, musculoskeletal practitioner.  Which can only be a good thing, as far as I can see, for animals as well as their owners!

You can see a copy of the article by clicking here.

I'm really excited to hear this news, and believe it's a great step forwards.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this emotive subject!  

5 things to love about autumn riding...

The nights are drawing in and the days are getting shorter, but it's not all doom and gloom, here are our 5 favourite things about horses in the autumn...

1: No more flies! This, alone, is cause for celebration! Lovely crisp air with not a fly in sight, nor wasp, nor hornet, nor horsefly!

2: Clipping. Well, maybe not the actual clipping, (though we will bring you some handy hits for clipping soon!) but clipped horses look just like girls coming out of the hairdressers - all shiny and happy!

3: Beautiful autumn hacks. The colours at autumn are just so stunning, and we often have perfect weather in the autumn, usually better riding weather than the heat of the summer.

4: Mucking out. I know some people hate it, but there are few things in the world more satisfying than a freshly mucked out bed all ready for coming in time.

5: Training and thinking time. The summer is usually spent in a frantic twirl of competitions, long hacks, family holidays, children, more competitions. It is so nice in Autumn to take a breather and look back at where you have come from and think about aims for the coming year. It is a chance to reflect, to catch up on some reading, and learn some new tips to make next year even better!

Have you ever struggled to decide which rug to put on your horse?

In the U.K. it's a constant struggle to decide which rug to put on your horse. You go to the yard at 6am and it's pouring with rain, so you put a rug on only for the sun to come out by 11am, and you to find your horse is sweltering by the time you get back to the yard at 6pm. Or it's bright sunshine first thing in the morning so you turn your horse out naked, then feel guilty all day because it's poured with rain for most of it!

A new study carried out in Norway and published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science won't resolve this problem for you, but excitingly it does add to the increasing bank of evidence that horses understand more than has previously been believed. In this particular case, 23 horses were taught to understand the difference between 3 boards with simple designs on them: one indicating 'rug on', one indicating 'rug off', and one indicating 'no change'. In later tests, all 23 horses were shown to be able to make relevant and appropriate decisions as to whether or not to wear a rug. In the hot weather, all the trained horses opted for 'rug off' if they were wearing a rug at the time, or 'no change' if they weren't wearing a rug. In colder weather, the horses wearing rugs opted for 'no change', and the horses without rugs indicated they'd like to be wrapped up warm, all except 2 horses who opted for 'no change'. In really cold weather, all the horses opted to wear a rug.

The training was done by a highly experienced trainer using positive reinforcement only (clicker training method), and 2 experienced helpers. I'm sure that the experience of the trainer went a long way towards the success of this trial. I am a great fan of positive reinforcement techniques, and I recognise how much skill is involved. However I have seen inexperienced people confusing their horses using similar techniques, and given the power of a horse and it's motivation for food reward, this can lead to disastrous consequences. 

I know we shouldn't anthropomorphise, but I'm sure we've all seen a horse who is clearly happy, sad, angry or fed up. I'm not saying that we can provide a perfect world for horses - what's the chances of that, when we're nowhere near it for humans even?! And I'm not saying that we should always give horses what they ask for - any parent will tell you that won't work! We all have to work through some uneases and discomforts to achieve, and I believe in the majority of cases that the same applies to horses. The gaping difference is that as humans we're able to express our uneases and discomforts and choose whether or not to work through them - horses don't have that option. This is something I explain to people on a daily basis when I'm working as a Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist - it's important to know as much as possible about the level of comfort or discomfort your horse is in, so that you can make a more educated decision as to how much to ask of him. Low levels of discomfort don't usually mean we should stop working, in fact they are often relieved by the strengthening and weight loss effects of work (you'll know of someone I'm sure who has been advised to exercise to relieve a sore back, for example). An experienced and knowledgeable pair of hands can help you to understand your horse better, and you can find your local Chartered Veterinary Physiotherapist in the U.K. at www.acpat.co.uk.

I've often wished I could understand horses better, and be able to give them what it is that they need to be comfortable, peaceful, calm and relaxed. It seems to me that this study is a small step towards this, if nothing else through encouraging people to recognise that horses do have needs and desires, just like us.

Sue Palmer MCSP

www.thehorsephysio.co.uk

Head shaking – a new treatment…?

A recent study looked at whether PENS percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy is a safe and effective form of treatment for trigeminal-mediated headshaking in horses.

At present there are limited resources to treat headshaking in horses, and the PENS treatment is already recommended under NICE guidelines for the safe and effective treatment of humans. The PENS treatment works by inserting a probe which stimulates the relevant nerve according to a pattern and frequency determined by treating humans using the same method. The treatment is then repeated as the effects wear off.

In this study seven horses with severe headshaking were treated. All seven coped with the treatment well, two horses had an increase in symptoms for three days after the treatment. Six horses showed signs of remission after the first treatment and five continued to improve after the second treatment. The average remission time for the first treatment was 3.8 days increasing to 20 weeks after the fourth treatment.

As with humans it was not possible to achieve a 100% success rate, however as safe treatment without side-effects it proves to be a good solution to headshaking treatment. It is believed that the effectiveness of the treatment increases as the operator becomes more skilled with the placement of the probe, which could bode well for the future as this treatment becomes more mainstream.

As an interesting aside, out of the seven horses involved in the study, three of them managed to injure themselves over the next few months, and were either turned away or put on box rest. Which just goes to prove that horses are endlessly inventive with their injuries!

If you have had any experience with headshaking in horses, please get in touch, or contact your vet with your concerns.

Roberts, V., Patel, N. and Tremaine, W. (2015). Neuromodulation using percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the management of trigeminal-mediated headshaking: A safe procedure resulting in medium-term remission in five of seven horses. Equine Vet J, 48(2), pp.201-204.

Tips and solutions to help feed horses from the ground.

We had a great response to our blog on “How tooth wear varies between captive and free-ranging equids.” To read this in full click here. Due to this, we have complied some top tips and great feeding solutions to help you to feed your horse from the ground. As studies show the angle of the horse’s jaw while feeding has a huge impact on their dental health, if possible please feed your horses from the ground.

Top tips:

·         Ensure that the surface is clean and dust free.

·         Check there is enough space between the horse’s feed area and their bedding and water, to prevent them getting them all mixed up!

·         Be inventive – if money is tight there are lots of inventive ways to feed hay off the floor without buying a purpose built item, just check that your horse can’t injure itself.

If you have the money to spend on a specialist piece of equipment – check out a selection of hay feeding solutions below:

• Haylo 
• The Haycube
• The Hay Bar 
• The Hay Pillow 
• Easigrazer 

How do you feed your horses? Do you have any great tips, or inventive ways to feed your horses safely from the ground? Have you used any of the products listed above? Please share your feeding experiences with us!

Tourism and Horse Welfare

It's an age old question - should horses be used for the pleasure of tourists? Many people think not. The welfare of all horses is important, but for those involved in the tourism industry, the evidence is out there in the public eye. One group of people trying to address the issues within their own area is the Havasupai tribe, of Supai in the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon is somewhere I've never visited, but it's a place very close to my husband Simon's heart since his trip there a few years ago raising money for the Have a Heart charity. He was lucky enough to visit Supai, and he witnessed first hand these horses hard at work. The horses are owned by tribe members, and hired out to independent companies to transport tourists and their luggage into and out of the Canyon. There is clear evidence of poor welfare, and a prosecution has been made. New rules have been put in place by the tribe, so that horses have to meet a certain body condition score in order to be worked, and there are weight limits on the amount of luggage they can carry (http://m.azdailysun.com/news/local/havasupai-set-new-care-rules-for-pack-horses/article_d2ac1bd9-2326-5a0f-81ba-2ec496679e87.html?utm_content=buffer6e290&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=LEEDCC).

In this case, a number of complaints has led to the new rules offering improved protection for the horses, although of course time will tell how effective the protection is. My guess is that many outsiders would prefer the horses not to be used in the name of tourism, although personally I think it's a very complicated situation, with the money from the horses providing food and shelter for people. On this note, a group is campaigning for horse carriages to be banned in New York City (https://www.facebook.com/stophorseabuse/). 

Yet when I visited the Isle of Mann last year, one of my tourist stops was to the horse drawn tramway in Douglas. This is the last remaining horse drawn passenger tramway in the world, and was discontinued by Douglas Borough Council for financial reasons before being rescued by the government (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-36835201). Contrary to the group campaigning to stop horse carriages in NYC, the Douglas tramway has over 4000 signatures on a petition to save it (https://www.gopetition.com/petitions/support-for-the-retention-of-the-douglas-bay-horse-tramway.html). 

So where do you stand? What are your thoughts? All credit to those who strive to improve the lives of working horses throughout the world - including the Havasupai tribe.

Sue

Hacking…a double-edged sword…

We are all aware of the benefits of hacking both for our horses’ well-being and our own. Top class competition horses are regularly hacked out to allow them unwind time and to many of us, our weekend hack is our reward for the strains of our working week. Hacking alone, in particular, conjures up images of freedom, escaping the humdrum of life and unifies everything that is so unique about horses. However...everything comes at a price.

In our modern world, we have grown used to the speed with which the world moves. Everything is quicker. Your phone, your job, your internet, your car…and every other car that travels on the roads. The press is full of horrific tales of car and horse collisions on narrow lanes. If you were to read them all you would never set one foot in your stirrup. So what do we do?

Firstly – be sensible. All riding is risky, you are taking a considered risk every time you ride. For example, do you ride your just backed 4 year old on a windy cold evening by yourself? No, wait till someone is there and it’s not blowing a gale. Do you hack your unschooled, spooky horse down a lane by yourself? No, make sure your horse will move away from your leg, a few simple steps of leg yield will be enough to move your horse across to the hedge should a car be approaching. Also a well-schooled horse is more likely to stay tuned in to you rather than the approaching car. If possible try and find someone to ride out with, place the quiet horse between the spooky one and the cars. Failing this, ask someone to walk with you.

Secondly – stay alert. Listen to the approaching traffic, don’t ride along on a long rein with your feet out of the stirrups. Don’t use your mobile phone.

Thirdly – be courteous. If someone slows down for you make the effort to thank them. If you annoy that car driver they will be less inclined to slow down for the next horse that they see.

There are some brilliant apps available for road safety now. The Horse Rider SOS which you turn on when you set out and if you stop moving it sends a message to your pre-designated buddy, full details here http://www.horseridersos.com/ Also the Ride and Seek which tells car drivers of walkers/cyclists/horse riders/runners who have this app turned on, more details here https://rideandseek.co.uk/index.html

Hacking is brilliant fun and should be enjoyed without the worry of cars, however a few simple precautions can make all the difference.

How tooth wear varies between captive and free-ranging equids.

As more species are becoming threatened with extinction as the world changes, we are taking more animals into conservation. In order to help replicate the habitat of the wild and in order to minimise damage caused to animals that are being help in captive surrounding, studies are being carried out to compare the relative effects of captive and free-ranging living. These studies will help us to create the best possible environment for captive species to inhabit.

This study was carried out to assess the different tooth wear seen between captive and free-ranging equids. These include zebras, wild horses and donkeys. The study used dental casts of 228 museum specimens, where 122 were from free-ranging and 106 from captive individuals and were compared using the extended Mesowear method, among other indicators the presence of hooks was recorded.

As one would expect the captive equids showed less abrasion dominated tooth wear than their free-ranging compatriots. However the interesting finding in relation to the domestic horse and how we look after their dental health is the presence of hooks in the captive equids. The conclusion from this seems to be that the feeding position is causing this due to the angle of the mandible. Where captive equids are fed from troughs, nets or racks this problem seems to occur, if this correlation is true then the recommendation would be that all captive equids should be fed from the floor to prevent hooks.

In the domestic horse we can intervene and indeed all good horse owners should regularly get their horse checked by a a vet or equine dental technician to counteract the effect of their domestic life. However as much as possible we should try to mimic the horse’s natural patterns thereby optimising their health and minimising our intervention and the cost that this brings with it.

We should also pay attention to the food and forage that we feed our horses, as this study shows equids are evolved to graze throughout the day, their teeth are designed to be constantly grazing. Where possible make sure your horses get turned out and allowed to graze naturally. When they are stabled, if possible ensure that all feed and forage is fed from the floor to as closely mimic the grazing patterns of wild horses. This will help your horses’ dental health, and their overall health and well-being.

Taylor, L., Müller, D., Schwitzer, C., Kaiser, T., Castell, J., Clauss, M. and Schulz-Kornas, E. (2015). Comparative analyses of tooth wear in free-ranging and captive wild equids. Equine Vet J, 48(2), pp.240-245.

Save your life - wear a riding hat.

Riding hats prevent head injuries – simple. Or so you would think…but really it was not that many years ago when it was considered normal for dressage riders never to wear hats at home. Indeed at competitions and out hunting and hacking people are still wearing hats without harnesses.

Fortunately there has been a huge movement against this. With the brilliant social media campaign launched by the BHS #hathairdontcare encouraging people to take selfies of their “hat hair” showing younger riders that fashion is not everything. Topped off by the British Dressage team at the Rio Olympics all wearing hats with harnesses, well if it is good enough for Charlotte Dujardin it’s certainly good enough for everyone else! To top it off September 17^th is International Helmet Awareness Day. Please support these ventures and encourage everyone to wear a proper fitted, up to modern safety standards helmet.

The effects of head injuries are devastating, not only for the individual but for their family and friends. My cousin had a fall out hunting on 21^st December 2014, he was wearing a hat without a harness, it had fallen off by the time the horse kicked him in the head. I spent Christmas Eve sat in the intensive care unit at Stoke hospital holding my cousin’s hand while he lay in an induced coma. My cousin who had survived three tours of Afghanistan spent two weeks in an induced coma while the swelling on his brain subsided. He regained consciousness in January 2015. We are eternally grateful to Stoke hospital and the brilliant doctors and nurses there who saved his life. But he is not the same person who he was, head injuries while they may not kill a person, can still destroy them.

It is simply not worth the risk. Wear a hat, a proper hat with a harness and save your life.

Written by Lizzie Hopkinson, marketing consultant.

Living Legend Autumn Tour

This is your chance to see Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks in action! This unmissable tour kicks off on the 15^th October, early bird tickets are still available, but selling quickly, to book yours follow the link https://www.intelligenthorsemanshipshop.co.uk/collections/demonstration-tickets

If you are interested in building a partnership-based relationship with your horse, this is a brilliant place to start. Monty and Kelly demonstrate how to train horses with respect but never with violence. These tours sell out really quickly, so make sure you get your tickets today!

Monty Roberts is the best-selling author of “The Man Who Listens to Horses” and is renowned throughout the world for his training methods. Kelly Marks is the founder of Intelligent Horsemanship and the UK’s most popular horse whisperer. She met Monty Roberts at a chance encounter at a French petrol station, and this one moment has led to this incredible relationship.

For anyone who is interested in horses, at any level, this tour should certainly be on your bucket list! We hope you enjoy it as much as we have over the years. Sue was the on-tour physio for many years, and only stopped when she had her son.

To book, follow the link:

http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/