Sue's Standpoint

Australia to ban whips in trotting races! I can't believe I missed this when it was announced in Dec. Such amazing, incredible good news! And something for the rest of the world to follow! The article is well written. David Marlin writes about the use of the whip in Brain, Pain or Training, and speaks passionately about it on the DVD ). He asks whether we'll look back in 100 years on the use of the whip, in a similar way to how we look back at children being sent down the mines (or at least, that's how it came across to me - his words may have been slightly different).

One of the phrases in this horse racing article really gets at me: "...how we used to hit them back then compared to now, it's all changed." What on earth are we doing hitting them in the first place?! How would we feel if that was said in relation to hitting children?! How can changing how you hit someone or something make it ok?! In the news just a couple of days ago, Russian MPs passed a bill to decriminalise domestic violence, meaning a lesser (non-criminal) charge for assaults 'that inflict pain but do not cause bodily injury that threatens the victims health' Click here for full report. Does mental health not count as health? Is there any way that a person or animal can be physically assaulted (i.e. hit) on a regular basis without it affecting their mental health or psychological well being? Given the studies done on the development of a child's brain who has suffered abuse, show that there are chemical changes in the brain as a consequence, I think the answer is no! This just goes to prove that even "mild" violence causes changes in the brain, which can result in poor health. I can tell you from personal experience that mental health is definitely part of 'health'!

Congratulations Australia's horse racing association, and I look forward to the rest of the equestrian world catching up with you 😊

 To read the full report into Australia's ban click here.

10 reasons to love Physiotherapy

In the dark and cold of winter, when a desk job can seem more appealing than a soggy, smelly stable, I came across an article titled '10 things to love about physiotherapy'. It brightened me so much that I wanted to share it with you: http://criticalphysio.net/2017/01/18/10-reasons-to-love-physiotherapy/

So many of the points relate directly to my work with horses. 

Physiotherapists:

Touch people.  Very few people can do this, and almost no others get to touch people for therapeutic reasons.  Some touch to perform a procedure, others to care, but few touch to reduce pain, help move or build strength, flexibility and power. The best part of my job is being so close to horses all day every day! Actually, thinking about it, that's just one of the many best bits of my job.... Read on!

Transform people’s lives.  Perhaps the most powerful effect of really great physiotherapy is its ability to help people feel different: to give them confidence to try something that’s been too painful or frightening to do for a long time; to take control of their lives; to breathe more easily; to stand on their own again; to move more freely; to be happier…Physiotherapists do this every day, and rarely give themselves the credit they deserve for their transformative power. This is something that applies to anyone who works to help owners with their horses I think. We put so much time, effort and money into owning a horse, that when we can't follow our dreams it can be heartbreaking. Being a part of resolving the problems truly can transform people's lives - loading a 'non-loader' is probably near the top of the list!

Are first contact professionals.  Few others, outside medicine, have this privilege.  Awarded after many years of struggle and tests of our autonomy, first-contact status isn’t available throughout the world for physiotherapists, but it’s available in many countries.  It’s a mark of our social capital and the high regard physiotherapists are held in by society at large. This is an interesting one, because as yet Physiotherapists have not achieved autonomy in the animal world. This is partially due to the lack of protection of title, meaning that there is a wide variety of level of qualification of animal physiotherapist. This can lead to a mistrust from vets and confusion amongst owners. The recent emergence of the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Therapists (www.rampregister.org) will hopefully begin to address this over time to a degree. You can find your local Chartered Physiotherapist at www.acpat.co.uk.

Are diagnosticians.  Because many physios can see people without a medical referral, they need to be able to differentially diagnose.  That skill comes with a lot of expectations about physiotherapists’ safety, and ability to show consistently that they can handle the responsibility. The same applies with diagnostics as with autonomy, as discussed above. At present the law states that only a vet can diagnose in relation to an animal.

Are safe and trusted.  People trust physiotherapists.  We deal with some of the most intimate, personal aspects of people’s lives – from death and dying, to personal bodily dysfunction and the heartache of suffering, and act as a constant companion in times of strife. I'd love to think this was true, and certainly I think that a good therapist builds a bond with their clients, animal and human. The lack of protection of title issue again can lead to confusion here though, and more than once I've been called out as a behaviourist to an animal that has supposedly been given the all clear by 'the physio' only to find considerable discomfort causing the behaviour. Perhaps that discomfort wasn't presenting on the day the horse was previously assessed, but if the behaviour has stayed the same and the history suggests that the behaviour is linked to the particular pattern of pain, then I'll leave you to your own thoughts.

Are powerful advocates.  Because physiotherapists have earned a high degree of social support, they can speak up for those less fortunate, and advocate for people whose voices are not being heard.  Marginalised communities, children, the elderly, disabled people…whomever they serve, countless people benefit from physiotherapists’ voice and support. This is what drove me to write Brain, Pain or Training, the central theme of which is 'horses can only demonstrate pain or discomfort through their behaviour or performance'. To me, being a horse physio is ALL about being an advocate for the horse.

Are experienced.  One of the greatest assets physiotherapists have is their access to the public health system.  Working with people who have had strokes, or live with COPD, chronic low back pain or depression helps when it comes to treating the elite athlete, the child with cerebral palsy or the post-op patient.  Experiencing the rich tapestry of life gives physiotherapists enormous advantages over many other healthcare professions. To qualify as a Chartered Physiotherapist took me 7 years. You can qualify through different routes as an animal physio or veterinary physio in just a few weeks or months, but the Chartered status means that I qualified to treat humans and then studied further to qualify to treat animals. I work full time treating horses. There is always more to learn and I never, ever feel as though I know enough, but yes, I have a great deal more experience in assessing and treating a horse as a physio than the average horse owner or instructor.

Work with people, not just bodies.  All good physiotherapists know that it’s not enough to treat the body-as-machine, or to look no further than anatomy, physiology and pathology when treating people.  To know people as social beings and the ways that our feelings, thoughts and emotions affect how we feel makes the difference between being technicians and practitioners.  And physiotherapists are fabulous practitioners. This was my reason for becoming a physiotherapist rather than a doctor or a vet. I like working with the 'whole', and in particular I like working with the horse and owner as a partnership. Improving or developing a partnership is what gives me job satisfaction.

Are inclusive.  Physiotherapists have worked in teams and been dependent on the help of others from the outset.  They are good at knowing their limits and not stepping on others’ toes.  They’re often seen as pragmatic, enthusiastic and motivated people who like to get things done.  As they have shown for many years that we make great allies. One of the things I strive towards always is knowing my own limits and referring on appropriately. I'm lucky in that I've developed a wide range of knowledge over the years, and I worked very hard to provide an exceptional range of 'allies' in the 27 guest contributors to my book and DVD 'Brain, Pain or Training' (http://www.thehorsephysio.co.uk/store/index.php?product/page/3183/Brain%2C+Pain%2C+or+Training+-++Book+and+DVD).

Are adaptable.  No matter how difficult things seem right now, people will always want someone to use their hands in skillful, caring ways to heal them of their suffering; they will always want people who can see them move and work out what is going wrong; and they will always call for professionals they can trust, who care for them, not just their illness. Working with horses always requires adaptability. Whether it's adapting to working in the stable or on the yard depending on where the horse is most relaxed, or adapting your techniques to suit the individual behaviour of the horse, or adapting your advice towards the happy hacker or the professional, being an equine physio is about constantly adapting to offer the best you can to both horse and owner.

E-training

Have you noticed the recent onslaught of e-training, or online training, available? I think in general that it's great news for horses and their owners, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. In particular, who have you signed up to follow, and why? What's your 'top tip' so far? What would you like to see more of, or less of? I must admit that being so very busy producing and marketing Brain, Pain or Training for the past couple of years hasn't give me much time to look elsewhere. It's time now to look to the future though, and I'd very much like to offer some kind of online education in terms of horse behaviour and performance, especially in relation to physical issues. What affects your horse, why, and what can you do about it? I've got plenty of ideas, but yours are more important... so fire away in the comments at the end of this blog!

In the meantime I'd like to share with you some of the online training that I've come across, in case you haven't yet seen any! Firstly the Monty Roberts Online University, which I believe to be one of the most valuable online behavioural training resources available - http://www.montyrobertsuniversity.com/library. Other leaders in this area are Peter Dove (author of Master Dressage), and Mary Wanless (Ride With Your Mind) - anything by Mary gets my vote 10 times over, she's a mine of information! Horse and Hound have recently released a free online training academy (although I have to say I was disappointed that the horse in the Prelim 1 video was ridden in spurs and was overbent the entire time - not my idea of a role model for Prelim competitors). I've watched some interesting videos from Invisible Horse Control (I'd love to know whether any 'ordinary' horse rider can achieve what he makes look so easy in the canter transitions video!), and the TRT method have a couple of free videos on offer.

What catches your interest? What would you like to know more about? What do you like about online training, and what do you dislike about it? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Why we so desperately need “Brain, Pain, or Training?” taught everywhere…

This a quote from a public post on Facebook:

“No it just rears bigger I don’t need any natural stuff bloody thing needs to be told.”

By “natural stuff” I’m assuming the writer means: thought, respect, intelligence, problem solving…the qualities that most people value, which most people aspire to. “Brain, Pain, or Training?” was conceived out of comments such as this. Years of listening to people discussing how they had beaten their horse and then discovered it was in pain, its saddle didn’t fit, it was in foal, the reasons went on, but force or violence had often been used somewhere down the line.

I am reminded of the policing of Gene Hunt in the hit shows “Ashes to Ashes” and “Life of Mars”. This was standard fare in the 70s and 80s, beat up your suspects first and question them later. This was also the era of sexual harassment in the workplace being commonplace and acceptable. This is an era which now seems so outdated it belongs to a different world, and not one that we want to return to.

Whenever I stumble across comments such as this, I am so saddened that in our enlightened times, in an age when the access of knowledge is merely a click of a button away, people still fall into re-acting with violence, rather than considering with thought.

Take a moment and ask yourself – is this behaviour abnormal? Has something changed? Is it in pain?

Personally I will advocate the “natural stuff” every day over spurs, whips, ignorance and violence.

Please share this and help improve the welfare of horses everywhere, one horse at a time.

On publicising our book “Understanding Horse Performance Brain, Pain, or Training?”

It would appear that writing the book is not the challenging part! Brain, Pain, or Training is the result of years of experience and research, being turned into a concept and put down on paper. Even the DVD, which was hard work, still followed the same pattern of translating thoughts into a visual representation. But publicising it is a whole different matter…

There are nearly 10,000 equestrian books listed on Amazon, that’s a lot of reading. So how do you make your voice heard amongst the shouting, how did we get “Understanding Horse Performance Brain, Pain, or Training?” listed as one of Horse and Hound’s recommended Christmas books for 2016, and Horse Magazine’s Book of the Month for December 2016?

I think the passion in Sue’s writing, and the sheer depth of knowledge that she has painstakingly accumulated over the years shines through. The clarity of writing and the unique “roadmap” feel of the book, stand out amongst many of the training books. The quality of the contributors also speaks volumes with Richard Davison, Monty Roberts and Kelly Marks to name but a few, all this lends weight to a gain support from journalists.

However, at the end of the day, I think “Understanding Horse Performance Brain, Pain, or Training?” has had such fantastic coverage, simply because it is a fantastic book. Reviewers share books that speak to them, that they feel engaged by, that they like and that they want other people to read.

So thank you to the reviewers who loved “Understanding Horse Performance Brain, Pain, or Training?” and we hope that more people will be inspired by the concept of Brain, Pain, or Training.

Lizzie Hopkinson

New Year’s Honours List…and encouraging aspiration.

I was disappointed when reading the report on Hound and Hound about the New Year’s Honours List that the only comment was a negative one.

“With the odd exception like Claire Lomas and Sam Moorshead, these people have done little or nothing for the good of other people. What are honours for these days - getting your name in the papers? It used to be for public service.” Click hereto read the report and comment.

The two exceptions which the writer refers to have both done charity work, which is, I assume, why they have been excluded from the writer’s blanket condemnation of the other equestrians. While I agree that supporting and raising money for charity is indeed a more obvious service to the public than that of winning medals, it is not the only way to do good deeds.

Any athlete that strives to be at the top of their sport, strives to break records, strives to be a better person than they were yesterday is providing a role model for others. Children emulate their heroes. I would far rather my child followed Charlotte Dujardin as a role model, than a drunken rock star falling out of a nightclub at 2am. All success in sport is driven by attributes that we need in our society – hard work, dedication, perseverance. These are the qualities that we want our citizens to aspire to, to work towards. We need successful role models to provide aspiration for the future.

Sporting achievement both in the able-bodied and para disciplines unites people. As a country we feel part of something during events such as the Olympics and Paralympics. Success in competitions such as the Olympics encourages people to take up sport, and given that exercise is the greatest weapon against mental health, what better way to help others than to encourage more people to participate in sport? If that not doing something “for the good of other people,” then I don’t know what is!

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.