When a horse is moving straight forward, it can be difficult for a rider to evaluate the horse’s head position. In particular, is his head vertical to the ground, or does his nose point too far in front of or behind that vertical? To help riders better evaluate head andRead More →
Thermography, a useful tool for saddle fit evaluation. Saddle fitting isn’t just black and white. While you’d always aim for a “Good” saddle fit and avoid a “Bad” saddle fit, there’s actually quite a bit of grey area in between those two extremes. Or, according to one research team inRead More →
A survey into noseband use asked riders why they choose nosebands and, one in five respondents reports complications related to their use. They look nice. They frame a horse’s head. They’re part of the standard equipment used in my discipline. They keep the tongue in the right place. So manyRead More →
In an earlier article, I wrote about the window of tolerance, which is kind of like the horse’s emotional comfort zone. In this article, I discuss how you can grow your horse’s individual window of tolerance so they can become more resilient to the demands we impose. I also introduceRead More →
Weaning foals Six months old. That landmark age when your baby foal isn’t a baby anymore. Time to wean… As in, time to take him away from his dam, lock her up so she doesn’t injure anyone trying to get to her baby. And time to make him try toRead More →
Noseband tightness in competition is a hot topic that is high on Equestrian Canada‘s agenda. In the process of revising the rules, this equestrian federation invited Professor Paul McGreevy to explain the science. Scroll down to watch the webinar… A riding instructor, veterinarian and ethologist, Paul McGreevy is Professor ofRead More →
Researchers around the world have teamed up to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on horse owners and their animals. Using separate online surveys, the international research team is collecting qualitative and quantitative data to investigate the varying effects of the pandemic at different moments in time in Australia,Read More →
The coronavirus crisis is creating huge problems, but it’s also opening opportunities for us to focus on connecting with what really matters and embracing the opportunity to lead. A leader who believes in turning a crisis into an opportunity for meaningful change is the EquiCoach, Lisa Ashton. An equitation scienceRead More →
Horses recognise disgust in humans. Disgusted? Don’t show your horse. In keeping with the findings by Léa Lansade’s team in France, a Japanese study has found that horses recognise when humans show facial and vocal expressions of disgust—and they change their behaviour because of it. “Horses are sensitive to humans’Read More →
Recognising stress in horses. Can you recognize stress in a horse during a veterinary exam? Your observations might not be as accurate as you think. Physiological stress parameter measurements could give more reliable information about equine stress—but they have to be interpreted correctly, according to Scottish researchers. “We can onlyRead More →
