The 15th International Equitation Science Conference, with the theme of ‘Bringing Science to the Stable’, kicked off on Sunday 18th August with two pre-conference workshops. The first was ‘Lost in Translation: Improving the Communication of Science to Equestrian Communities’ presented by two members of the ISES Council, Cristina Wilkins ofRead More →
That midnight snack might not make your tummy very happy… But then again, you’re not a horse. To maintain your horse’s digestive health and general welfare, you should consider trickle feeding your stabled horses during the night so as to better mimic natural foraging behaviours, according to an Irish researcher.Read More →
Everyone’s in the barn, all stall doors snugly closed. Lights out. Fast forward to the next morning, and there’s your gelding hanging out in the paddock, his stall door wide open. Or maybe all the horses are out, and all the doors are open. After a few nights in aRead More →
And…. They’re off! Or… are they? Actually, no. They’re still at the starting gate. Well, trying to get into the starting gate. Well, trying to resist getting encouraged/forced/shoved into the starting gate. Maybe it’s the jockeys who are off—on the ground after falling from racehorses who absolutely, positively Do. Not.Read More →
When it comes to understanding herd dynamics that help build happy pasture groups, it’s hard to beat 15 years of cumulative, ongoing research. And that’s exactly what Icelandic scientists have done. They’ve spent a decade and a half studying hundreds of horses living in different kinds of groups in spaciousRead More →
You go to his stall, put his halter on him, lead him out away from his companions, and take him to that Great Contraption that he’s finally learned to accept. You guide him into the enclosure, tie him up, give him a friendly pat on the croup and tell himRead More →
Horses are social animals. They like each other. They like being together. Well, that’s the simple version. The more complex, and more accurate, version is that horses like some horses more than others, and they dislike some horses more than others as well. How do they show that preference? ByRead More →
Is your saddle perfectly symmetrical? Before you proudly say, “Yes, of course! I’d never have an asymmetrical saddle for my horse!”, consider this second, and equally important question: Is your horse perfectly symmetrical? A well-fitting saddle – meaning one that doesn’t cause pain, limited movement, or even muscle atrophy –Read More →
I recently shared a post on social media about the findings of a study that I had co-authored about how horse owners determine if their horses have their social and behavioural needs met. Just over half of the participants had strongly agreed that the horses in their care had theirRead More →
When it comes to horse (and rider) welfare, the “dreams of the youth” aren’t to be taken lightly. According to one Swedish researcher, professionals and scientists can learn a lot about developing more ideal riding schools tomorrow by listening to the young riders of today. Young people make up theRead More →
