In the News

It seems to me that these days the word "hero" is bandied about an awful lot to describe people who are basically just doing their job.  But this teenage girl to my way of thinking is a true hero; she put her own life in danger to save twenty-five horses from a devastating stable fire.  Sadly, sixteen didn't survive because she couldn't get to them.  I wonder how many of us would have braved the fire to do she did.

Here's the link to the story:

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/13/11181218-teen-girl-saves-25-horses-from-stable-fire?litehttp://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/13/11181218-teen-girl-saves-25-horses-from-stable-fire?lite

Until next time

Horse Instincts

After an incident that happened yesterday, I started wondering about how horses may or may not have instinctive or telepathic thoughts/feelings.  The horses were turned out at their normal time and they all proceeded to the backfields for browner pastures.  Nothing is green yet, but they are ever hopeful of finding a blade here and there.  I had planned to work Donnie, Sami and Dusty on the longe, and maybe ride Blue if time permitted.  The weather has been cold, so until it warmed up, I busied myself in the house with neglected duties.

Nearing noon, I put on my coat and opened the side door.  Big surprise, no one had come up for lunch hay yet, except for Blue.  He was busily snacking on a hay net hanging from the hay tree in the middle of the paddock.  As I stood there watching him from the door very quietly, he turned and looked at me.  I casually thought to myself that, since no one had shown up yet, maybe I would go catch Blue and longe him instead of Donnie.  He took another bite or two of his hay, took another look at me, suddenly dropped his head as if trying to shrink, then slunk off at an extreme extended walk until he disappeared behind the shed and out of my line of vision.  In a few seconds he resurfaced and exited the catch pen with a gorgeous extended trot and didn’t stop until he was well into the third paddock.  Which led me to believe that he could read my mind and decided working wasn’t on his schedule for the day.  He effectively took himself off the menu, knowing I wouldn’t come all the way to the back and get him.

There have been other instances where horses have seemed to know what was going to happen and either accepted it or acted out.  I believe that horses have an innate instinct or ability, if you will, to recognize good horse people or what I consider evil horse handlers.  Case in point:  many years ago we boarded at a barn whose owner’s son was an alarmingly nasty twenty-something that abused his horses outright for all to see.  To say he was cruel would be an understatement.

We had taken on an OTTB who basically had a broken leg with a cast on it.  Once he was healed and ready to find a new home my daughter took him to a schooling show on the barn’s property.  He was normally the sweetest, most mild-mannered horse in the world and after some rehab time and reschooling ended up with a nice home in a respected riding school, so not a scary monster by any means.  Anyway, she was in the saddle waiting by the fence to go in, and this creep was standing next to “Critter” with his friend, expounding on all the wonders that were himself, when Critter unexpectedly unhinged his jaws and turned on him and was basically going to bite his head off.  If it weren’t for his friend pulling him away, I believe he would have been a “headless horseman.”  I never knew whether it was my daughter’s intense dislike for this person that triggered Critter’s response to him or if perhaps he simply had an evil aura surrounding his person that made the horse react out of self-preservation.  Maybe horses talk amongst themselves at night and the word spread.  Whatever the cause, I believe he would have done him bodily harm. 

Another incident that happened at this barn:  I was riding Lifeguard (the best horse ever) in the indoor down the long side.  When “ Evil Abuser” calmly walked in with his horse, Lifeguard, who was across the indoor from this kid, panicked just at the sight of him and spun around toward the rail and cinderblock wall of the indoor just to be going in the other direction from him.  Now Lifeguard was no pushover, but this kid’s evil persona must have infected him as it did the rest of the horses on the farm.  There were more unusual happenings but these are the two that affected us and that I can attest to.

So my thoughts were sort of circling the drain and I’ve come up with my own theory.  I do truly believe that horses have an instinct about their surroundings and the people that inhabit them.  If they didn’t they couldn’t have survived through the millennia.  I’m still not sure if they are telepathic or if they are simply reacting to what they perceive as a risk.  Namely me, standing quietly at the door looking at Blue.  How did he know he was going to be worked?  Was it because I came out and he was the only one around?  Smart deduction, I’d say.  Or could he actually read my mind?

Blue happens to be one of the cleverest and craftiest horses in the herd.  At night at bring in time, he won’t come up to the gate until he catches your eye.  He has to make actual eye contact and sort of gives you the “you got my back, right?” look.  This way he makes sure you both arrive at the gate at the same time and Nate or Mellon won’t corner him there and chase him.  Blue won’t be chased, so you both have to be on board and in sync.  If not he’ll wait his turn and come in third.  But he’d much rather come in first, so it helps him to know you’re on his team.

I find horses fascinating creatures of habit, some with surprisingly complex thought and planning processes, and of course also creatures of finely honed instinct.  Then again, is it pure instinct or is it perhaps more?  I fear we’ll never know.  They will travel on through their lives and ours amazing us with their behavior and keep us guessing.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Don't look at a horse as an animal; look as if the horse is a real person. Because a horse can tell the difference.

Sometimes I Wish

 Sometimes I wish I had a horse that was already well trained and behaving.  How many of you have wished for the same thing?  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind training my horses; in fact I really enjoy it.  When they succeed at a training task I’m happy and proud for them.  It’s just that at times I wish I had a horse that had been there, done that and knew it all.

In the past few years it seems with my horse-training schedule it’s one step ahead and two steps back.  I don’t have the time to work with my horses every day, so it comes down to two or three times a week if I’m lucky.  This time frame makes it seem like we get nowhere in a hurry and makes me long for the good old days.  Seems like back then I got in a lot more riding and lessons.  The horses I rode then had a better work ethic and knew their job.

Erik and I rode almost every day and, even though he wasn’t an easy ride by any stretch of the imagination, he was willing to do what was asked of him.  He knew the routine and didn’t have a problem with working.  He could always make me laugh with his big sighs and antics.  Except for his spookiness, he was basically a safe horse to ride. 

The same work ethic applied to Lifeguard who I also rode a few times a week.  No matter what you asked of him he did it without complaint.  He was very well trained by my daughter and knew his job.  Don’t get me wrong, he was a freethinker and in no way a push-button horse.  If the request sounded plausible to him he was game for anything.  It seemed if you thought it he would do it—he was that attuned to your every thought and slightest move.  Of course, the same was true if you made a mistake….

Lifeguard was the only horse I ever rode that never dumped me.  I actually think he and I did more jumping and shows than Erik and I did.  So having not ever fallen off demonstrates what a sensible talented horse he was; even when he spooked he somehow held you in place.  Don’t ask me how, that’s just the way it was.

With Spring just around the corner and hopefully more riding time in my future I was wishing/whining that if only I had a horse like Erik or Lifeguard there would be so many more activities my horses and I could be doing.  Not actually showing, but perhaps cantering around the fields and doing a little jumping here and there would be so enjoyable for a change of pace. 

Maybe this season Dusty will miraculously decide to behave herself and become my dream horse.  She’s certainly one of the safer horses I’ve ridden over the years.  Blue knows more than Dusty but in the field he’ll occasionally decide he’s having too much fun galloping around and not stop when asked.  He does the same thing when jumping; he just seems to zone out and forgets there is a rider on his back while he’s doing his own thing. Blue has a tendency to forget to balance himself and has been known to fall down simply because he’s not paying attention to where his feet are going.  There’s work to be done with him too. 

If it seems like I’m complaining about my current horses, I’m really not.  I do love them all and enjoy interacting with and training them to be the best they can be.  Working with them gives us all a sense of accomplishment and confidence in each other.  I suppose I was taking a wishful path down Nostalgia Lane remembering Lifeguard and Erik, or perhaps my younger high-spirited days.

Until next time

Quote for Today

No hour of life was lost spent in the saddle.

Indoor Antics

" Blue "

We’ve still got snow covering the paddocks and the horses haven’t left the catch pen for months. It’s their decision, but it seems they prefer to stand around and eat out of the hay nets.  Although… I did notice one set of hoof prints leading to the next paddock and a pile of manure by that pasture’s waterer.  My guess is the herd sent out a scout to reconnoiter and report back whether there was any grass poking through the snow yet.  If I had to make an educated guess, I’d pick Blue as the scout since he is our resident adventurer and a highly motivated grazer.

This morning we decided that, since the horses were so bored and the weather was decent--if a slight bit rainy, we’d start getting the herd in shape with some longeing. Blue and Grady were first up for some walk and trot on the longe.  Grady behaved himself and Blue, who is the calmest laziest horse on the property, was a wild man.  I asked him to “walk on” and he did so beautifully for about three complete circles and then turned into a squealing, bucking, cantering bronco.  Blue’s good training and personality brought him right back when asked but we repeated this scenario five more times. He was also setting Grady off. 

At this point we decided it would be a better idea to turn them loose and let them have some fun.  We weren’t getting anything accomplished with their pent up energy from months of standing around. We took them by two’s just like Noah’s Ark to the indoor. Here are the results from the horse show they put on:

•        Mellon wins the blue ribbon for most rolls in one day, and he did jump a cavelletti.

•        Dusty wins the red for not galloping around but trotting at a controlled pace, although she did toss her head quite a bit to show she’s still a wild pony. She also walked over a cavelletti to show the others how it was done properly.

•        Grady garnered the yellow for best floating canter.

•        Donnie received the white for staying out of Nate’s way, trying really hard to not get too carried away, and being a cutie in general.

•         Blue took home the pink because he was squealing like a little girl and he looked very handsome doing an extended trot.

•         Nate wins the green for most obnoxious behavior and flat out galloping, and he left the most manure to be picked up.

•         Sami was awarded the purple because he refused a jump (he came to a sliding stop in front of a cavelletti--very impressive, but still a refusal) and he tried to bite Mellon on the butt while he was down rolling (not very sportsmanlike, I’m afraid.)  Sorry, can’t make any exceptions for cuteness.  He’ll just have to be happy with last place this time.

So ends our eventful morning.  I’ll be dragging the ring to get the footing in shape again.  Dusty and I have a riding date later this afternoon.

Until next time

Quote for Today

A little horseplay... the way best to enjoy any day!

The Horse Gene

Not everyone is born with the “horse gene,” but I’d like to see a study done on why some of us have it and some of us don’t.  It seems to be more prevalent in the female of the species. Is that because we tend to be empathetic and can relate to the inner psyche of the horse; are we more sensitive to their thoughts and feelings; do we think they are sensitive to ours?  Do we think horses have a deeper awareness of our surroundings, making us want to identify with and embrace their perceptiveness?

The horse-human partnership has survived in the wilderness of time for millennia and yet we can barely glimpse the complete magnificence that is the horse. When they gallop at liberty they look as if they are dancing to music in their heads or playing with the wind. Do we simply appreciate the beauty and grace all horses seem to exhibit? Or is it something deeper?  The question always remains, why are some born with the horse gene that loves horses intrinsically and unconditionally?  Where does it come from?  Could it be a primeval characteristic left over from our ancient past? Is it learned or perhaps taught in our youth?  Or does the horse somehow speak to something so deep within us we will never understand?  Wherever it comes from, those who possess the gene know that, even if science has yet to locate it, it exists in our hearts and minds. If you were unlucky enough to be born without this horse gene, don’t despair; many have been able to acquire it one way or another.

Those of us who are born with or who have acquired the horse gene are at times distraught when we see horses exhibiting out-of-the-ordinary behaviors. This leads us to ask critical questions about the nature of some professed horse gene carriers. Can a person born with the horse gene ever fully comprehend why some riders would find it acceptable to blatantly mistreat a horse?  Watching many of the disciplines at the WEG, I have come to the conclusion that not all the horses are mistreated but there are many more who are certainly not living a quality equine life.

Perhaps we all must ask ourselves the most important question of all: Why do I ride?  And once we have honestly examined our motivations, each and every rider in competition must ask:  Should I continue if I find it necessary to climb to the top on the back of a mistreated horse?  Sadly, for too many the answer is:  Why shouldn’t I?

Do we find their beauty and power so captivating that we must appropriate it for ourselves and compel them to do our bidding because, on some level, we feel inadequate in our personal lives?  It boggles the mind that a rider who professes to love horses and wants to make riding their life’s goal would exploit the horse, subject it to abuse of one kind or another, and still be rewarded for their disdain for and affront to the horses’ beautiful nature.

Having been born with the horse gene, I find the ill treatment of these magnificent animals disturbing to say the least.  Unfortunately, in this day and age, there seems to be no way to stop the insults the horses must endure everyday of their lives.  My hope is that perhaps with some education the younger generation of riders coming up through the ranks will be less selfish and arrogant than so many of our competitive riders today and feel compelled instead to advocate for the horse.  Only then will these extraordinary animals finally be treated with the respect and dignity they so deserve.

Until next time

Quote for Today

... the horse has been, of all animals, man's most constant companion in work and leisure.
    - From Horses

Busy Days - Nosy Horses

 We’ve had lots going on around here lately.  The barns and sheds are being painted.  The paddock fencing is under construction.  We are moving some paddock fences and replacing some gates with metal ones.  The vinyl gates sag and are unbalanced making it hard to open and close them properly.  Especially, when you’ve got a handful of horses on the end of lead lines. 

Finally, the electric fence will be taken down and we will be able to use the two-stall shed, which was previously unavailable for the past two years because of the indoor construction.  So it’s all coming along.  Today the workers took down the boundary fence to reconfigure the posts/fencing going up to the new shed.  This left a good chunk of the property line exposed with no fencing.  While the herd was in the back grazing it was no problem, but of course, whenever they decide to make an appearance up by the shed this could lead to a problem with loose horses.  We tied a lunge line across the gate opening to contain them.  And not a minute too soon, once the line was tied they all came galloping up because they are a nosy bunch.  I was amused watching the guys have lunch under the tree line inside the paddock while most of the horses were over there milling about, more than likely looking for a handout. 

It always surprises me that non-horse people would not event think twice about doing things that I consider dangerous to my horses.  Like leaving the property line unguarded and open.  It would never occur to them that the horses could get loose and run down the road.  Since we have a huge hay field next to the paddock I’m talking about, they more than likely wouldn’t have gone as far as the road, but you never know.  My motto is “better safe than sorry!” 

Until next time

Quote for Today

Poverty is another word for owning a horse...

The Big Squeezy

                                         

' Blue'

Over the weekend we had a young girl (11/12?) stop by for a visit to play with the horses.  I was in the process of tacking up Blue for a ride and, as I was pulling up the girth, this girl told me an astonishing fact: she had heard from her trainer that if you pull the girth too tight it can suffocate the horse and they could die. Even at her impressionable age, she had her doubts about this theory of her trainer’s, so asked me if I thought it was true. I stood back, smiled and pointed out as tactfully as I could that where the girth is located in relation to the air passages makes it reeeaaally unlikely that the girth can choke a horse, and the ribs and muscles do a pretty good job of protecting the lungs from girth pressure.   In fact, I have on several occasions seen horses expand so much they break their girths when they reach their limit during a big effort, for example, over a large jump.  To me, that makes the idea of tightening a girth enough to kill a normal, healthy horse seem even more unlikely.  I just didn’t think that was a viable possibility.  I explained that I had heard of girthy horses acting strangely and even collapsing or fainting when the girth is pulled up, but this is usually because of extreme pain, panic, or pressure put on a particular nerve that could be compromised if the girth was pulled too tight.  [I have even heard of horses tensing up so much they hold their breath until they get lightheaded or faint,] but suffocation still probably wouldn’t occur.

 I found myself pondering this further during my ride which, by the way, wasn’t all it could have been due to the fact that Blue is hardest horse in the barn to ride. Besides being lazy and unmotivated, he’s also exceptionally uncomfortable. But I digress.  I decided to check out this suffocating phenomenon online. After much research the best I could come up with was the following article.  If anyone has ever heard of or been witness to a horse suffocating from a too tight girth, I really would be interested in knowing the details, because I simply don’t think it’s possible this could happen.

Belly Bands: Girth Strap Tightness

From The Horse.com

by: Katherine Walcott
April 01,2001

Every time you saddle a horse, you tighten a girth. But how tight should you make that girth? Just enough to keep the saddle on? With space to slip a hand under the girth? As tight as it will go? Furthermore, how well does a horse breathe with this tight band strapped around his lungs?

John Bowers, BVSc, MACVSc, and Ron F. Slocombe, BVSc, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, Chair of Veterinary Pathology at the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, recently investigated this question in a study involving eight ex-racehorses. They found that most grooms in the Australian racing industry tighten the girths to a point that could have a detrimental effect on their charges' performance.

For the rest of the article please go to this link:  The Horse.com

We really like our Le Tixerant girths because they relieve pressure on the most sensitive areas under a girth while allowing the horse’s chest to expand more naturally.  As a result, they seem to be able to stretch out and relax more.  [In addition, they grip well and don’t seem to require as much tightening as traditional girths.]  We’ve also used the string girths and find the horses really like them for comfort and breathability.  Over the years we’ve tried most of the standard girths and they worked fine.  Of course, we’re careful never to over-tighten them, to the point of sometimes leaving them too loose!  I found this study interesting and informative, but I still don’t think a horse can suffocate and die from an over tightened girth. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this subject?

Until next time 

Quote for Today 

If the horse does not enjoy his work, his rider will have no joy.
    - H.H. Isenbart

 

The Latest News

' Dusty ' 

In captivity suffering the cruel and unusual punishment 

of stall rest !

We’ve been busy around here lately.  It seems I’ve had another one of those dreadful birthdays last Monday.  No need for best wishes and all that claptrap, it’s over and done with.  However, I’m just so excited that my birthday present was delivered yesterday I had to share.  What’s the big deal, well it’s an arena drag I can attach to the Kubota. I’ve wanted this for a while now for the new indoor.  Thanks dear, it’s really appreciated now that we’ve actually got footing! 

Some of my friends and family probably think it’s sad that this is the sort of present that makes me happy.  Not jewels, new cars, fancy clothes, flowers etc. I’m sure they think there is something majorly wrong with me.  My three children also chipped in and gifted me with a new bridle for Dusty that I’ve been admiring…well, okay I’ve been hinting at.  I can’t wait to try it out and see how she likes it.  After all it was her birthday in the beginning of July too. A girl deserves some new tack once in a while.

Unfortunately, Dusty is still on stall rest for another week or so.  The vet was out last week and x-rayed her foot.  Seems she’s got about a 5% rotation in her coffin bone.  I wasn’t too happy to hear about that but when she heals he feels it shouldn’t hinder her performance at all and she can do everything she did before.  He suggested there might be a way to reverse shoe her that may even correct the rotation.  The gut feeling around here is that she stepped on a rock and injured herself that way. It’s nothing metabolic and there is no laminitis suspected. 

This all comes under the heading of “It figures”! Now that the arena is finally able to be used I have no horse to ride in it.  Okay, I’m lying, that’s not exactly true.  Rest up Blue cause we’re heading out this weekend.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Horse people are stable people.

So You Think You're Hot...

Well it seems that most of the country is swamped by the heat and humidity of summer temperatures lately. I’ve found an article on a study that makes sense and validates what we’ve been doing for our horses in this miserable weather. Normally we hose the sweat from their bodies scraping them afterwards and at other times we sponge them with a cooling Vetrolin bath. In addition to their cooling baths we also add salt and/or electrolytes to the horses' feeds and also offer it free choice to make sure they're getting enough in hot weather.  (we have automatic waterers so adding it to their water wouldn't work).

Unfortunately, there haven’t been many days that riding would be enjoyable for either the horses or ourselves so we’re kind of in limbo here until the weather cools. Normally, I don’t like to reprint articles because it seems a little lazy or like cheating. I feel my addled brain should come up with subjects that are original, however, I thought this article was timely and perhaps might be helpful.

Summer Riding: When the Rider is Hot, the Horse is Hotter

By: University of Guelph

A hot humid day. One rider. One horse. Both are exercising at a moderate level. Who is more likely to overheat? It might surprise you to know that your horse gets hotter, much faster than you and is more susceptible to the negative effects of heat stress.

Michael Lindinger, PhD, MSc, an animal and exercise physiologist at the University of Guelph, explains: "It only takes 17 minutes of moderate intensity exercise in hot, humid weather to raise a horse's temperature to dangerous levels. That's three to 10 times faster than in humans. Horses feel the heat much worse than we do."

And the effects can be serious. If a horse's body temperature shoots up from the normal 37 to 38°C to 41°C (98.6 - 105.8°F), temperatures within working muscles may be as high as 43°C (109.4°F), a temperature at which proteins in muscle begin to denature (cook). Horses suffering excessive heat stress may experience hypotension, colic, and renal failure.

Lindinger, a faculty member in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, became interested in the effects of heat on horses when he was a lead researcher on the Canadian research team that contributed information on the response of the horse to heat and humidity for the Atlanta Summer Olympics. He recently presented a workshop on the topic at Equine Guelph's outdoor Equine Expo held June 4 at U.G.'s Arkell Research Station.

Horses are more susceptible to heat for several reasons, explains Lindinger. First, they are larger and have a higher percentage of active muscle than people do during exercise. When muscles are being used, they produce a lot of heat.

Horses also rely to a significant extent on sweating to cool them off. They can sweat 15 to 20 litres per hour in cool, dry conditions and up to 30 litres per hour in hot, humid conditions, but only 25-30% of the sweat produced is effective in cooling the horse by evaporation.

"Because so much more sweat is produced than can be evaporated, the rest just drips off the horse's body," says Lindinger. "By comparison, up to 50% of the sweat people produce is evaporated from our bodies during exercise and helps to cool us."

The salts in horse sweat are also four times as concentrated as in human sweat. Lindinger refers to a photograph of an area where endurance horses had been standing while their sweaty bodies were repeatedly scraped and cooled with water. As the liquids evaporated from the ground, the soil surface was left white because of the salt in the horses' sweat.

"Those salts have to be replaced," he adds. "Just giving the horse water will not rehydrate a dehydrated horse. When horses drink plain water, it dilutes their body fluids, and their bodies respond by trying to get rid of more water and more electrolytes."

Horses also pant to dissipate heat, but Lindinger says this is only effective if the air is at least five degrees cooler than the horse's body temperature.

His tips for protecting horses from the harmful effects of summer heat begin with teaching your horse to drink an electrolyte solution (water with the right proportion of salts dissolved in it) to replace sweat losses. "Start with a small amount in the water, allowing the horse to get used to the taste, and gradually increase it over days and weeks until you have reached the manufacturer's recommendation." Keeping your horse properly hydrated is the most important step in protecting it against the harmful effects of heat, he says.

If you're preparing for a competition, Lindinger recommends trying to acclimatize your horse to the heat by spending four hours daily, at least five days a week for three weeks, in hot conditions. For best results, exercise the horse for an hour during the second hour of each of those days.

"Many riders will train their horses in the mornings or evenings, when it's cool, then go to a competition held during the hottest part of the day. You need to get horses used to being ridden in the heat and allow them to develop the full spectrum of beneficial adaptations that come with heat acclimation." Lindinger says that horses who have been through a process of heat acclimation will lose more heat through sweating and respiration and will be better able to stay hydrated because they are more likely to drink.

When your horse is hot, look for shade and breezes to help cool it down, but never use a blanket or "cooler" on a horse that is sweating, he adds, suggesting the best way to cool a horse quickly is to rinse the horse's body repeatedly with cold water and scrape off the excess water.

"You can cool the horse two degrees in 10 minutes this way: pour on the water, scrape it off, pour on more, and just keep repeating it," says Lindinger. "The scraping part is important because otherwise the water will be trapped in the horse's hair and will quickly warm up. By scraping and pouring on fresh, cold water you keep the cooling process going."

Just as equestrians pack a canteen of water, some sunscreen and a hat with a brim for summer riding adventures, Lindinger says they should also equip themselves with the tools needed to protect their horses from the heat and humidity. If you prepare your horse in advance and have a plan to cool him down if he becomes overheated, he says, even the hot, muggy days of summer can be great riding fun.

--Teresa Pitman, University of Guelph

Until next time

Quote for Today

You can lead a horse to water but you can't stop him from rolling in it

Sitting vs. Posting Trot

Recently I was doing some research on sitting trot and came across this article below.  The research was simply because I wanted to see how Dusty’s conformation would be able to withstand the sitting trot. She has a rather long back and she’s not yet totally fit. I’d like her back to muscle up a little more and be able to carry the saddle’s weight and me easily.  She’s a tank but still I’d like to make sure sitting trot would be comfortable for both of us. We haven’t been able to do as much fitness work this summer as I’d like. This is mainly due to the fact that it’s just been too hot and humid to ride and she’s also got an injury at present that has sidelined her activities for a while. I found the following study interesting and will take it into account when we’re able to get back to our normal activities again. Hope you find it interesting/helpful as well.

Rider Position, Horse Back Movement Evaluated

 by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre

A rising trot is less loading to a horse's back than a sitting trot, producing less vertical force as measured through new biomechanical techniques, according to Dutch researchers.

From the kinematic data of 13 riders on two horses, scientists were able to determine that two force peaks are present during each trot stride. Calculations of the rider's center of mass acceleration as it varied during the stride were used to find the reaction force between the rider and the horse's back. Comparisons revealed that for both peaks, the force was significantly lower in the rising, or "posting," trot than in the sitting trot.

Earlier research by the same group compared the horse's back extension at the trot under a rising rider, a sitting rider, and an empty saddle. They observed in the rising trot, when the rider's seat is up, the horse's back is less extended than it is during a sitting trot. However, when the rider's seat is down in the rising trot, the horse's back extension is similar to the extension seen during the sitting trot.

A horse and rider evaluated in the study; the "lights" are the biomechanical markers.

"Biomechanical models have shown that the back of the horse will extend more if extra load is applied to the back," said Patricia de Cocq, MSc, DVM, researcher at the Experimental Zoology Group of the Animal Sciences Group in Wageningen, The Netherlands, and primary author of the studies. "The latest research shows that the two peak forces we are seeing in the rising trot are the up and down positions of the rider. Our measurements show that both peaks are less strenuous for the horse, mechanically speaking.

"However, the fact that the back is less extended in the up position means that this is where the real practical benefit lies," she said.

This would support the conclusions by the Austrian team led by Christian Peham, PhD, published earlier this year, de Cocq said. That study showed that the rising trot is less demanding for the horse's back than the sitting trot, but that the least demanding position is for the rider to maintain a raised position in the stirrups ("two-point seat").

De Cocq's research used the movements of the rider to calculate the force of the rider on the horse's back, as opposed to an electronic saddle measuring device that might cause data variation, she said.

All these conclusions do not mean riders should abandon the sitting trot, however, de Cocq said. Good training and muscle building can allow a mature horse to manage the added force.

"Young horses or those with back problems would be best trained with a rising or two-point seat until they develop the strength to carry a rider," she advised.

Until next time

Quote for Today

Horseback riding is life, the rest is just details.

Horses in the Mist

This is a picture I took this morning around 8 o'clock.  It seems we have been waking up to this hazy, hot and humid weather every day for a few weeks. The temperatures are always hovering about 90 degrees or above.  Obviously, it's not conducive to working either horses or humans.

Dusty was very lame this morning and the general consensus is that she either has a bad stone bruise or is working on an abscess. She's resting in her stall today. Mellon was allowed out to graze, under supervision of course, while his stall was mucked out. His leg is healing nicely from his torn tendon injury. He still behaves like a 5 year old not like a 22/23? year old horse and that is how he keeps injuring himself. Other than that we're getting through the weather here one day at a time.

Here are some morning pictures before we brought the horses in to spend the day under their fans.  We'll put them out again tonight when it's cooler and less buggy. They'll all get showers when they're settled in. I may just turn the hose on myself too!

' Misty and Muggy'

 'Grady apparently rolled in the mud after the thunderstorm last night'

'Donnie'

'Nothing phases Blue as long as he's eating'

'Nate hiding out in the shed'

'Sweetie chowing down'

'Sami keeping mom company'

'Mellon and Nate doing their morning groom-fest routine'

' Dusty giving me her "You're annoying me again look"

The remaining pictures are of Mellon grazing,visiting and exploring

Until next time

Quote for Today

Kissed by sunlight, embraced by open fields. The horse is the center of all beautiful things.

The Weaker Sex ?

My whole life as a woman I can remember being referred to as the weaker sex.  Over the years I’ve come to disagree and resent being placed in this category simply because I am female.  There have been many times that I’ve thought women were a lot tougher than men, mostly pertaining to dealing with horses.  How many women have you known in your life (including yourself) who have been hurt unintentionally by horses? The occasional stomp on the foot, perhaps resulting in a broken toe, a horse’s head swinging into yours giving your brain a good rattle and hum are just a few of the minor inconveniences that come to mind. If you count various broken bones, back and knee issues, or how some of us work through arthritis and daily aches and pains, it becomes clear that we sustain substantial injuries over time working with or around horses.
 
And yet, we forge ahead and ride once more when we are able to get a foot in the stirrup.  Indeed, we still get ourselves out there to ride or feed or muck in the most extreme weather, regardless of injuries or illness.  My feeling is that there are not too many of us women who sit around feeling sorry for ourselves.  Some non-horsey people most likely think we are crazy and maybe we are a teensy bit guilty of that.  But the partnership and love we have for our horses goes soul – deep; they are a part of us, making us willing to deal with our infirmities and simply consider them daily inconveniences. Wishing for our stronger and more athletic bodies of youth that we’ll never get back is futile and we know it. However, learning to adjust to the way we are now is a challenge that we are, without a doubt, capable of confronting head on.  Why? Because we are not the weaker sex; we deal with situations that occur day by day and rise above the pain simply to enjoy the time spent with our horses. Why?  It’s a very simple answer really: if you have never loved a horse and been loved back you will never understand the connection you can have to an animal with a beautiful soul—a gentle being who asks nothing of you except respect and kindness in return for all they bring to our ordinary lives.
 
The weaker sex …indeed!
 
Until next time
 
Quote for Today
The love for a horse is just as complicated as the love for another human being...If you never love a horse, you will never understand.