Sometimes, horses get their tongues over the bit. When this happens, the tongue may loll out of the mouth in a very unsightly way, and all hope of achieving a good contact or communication line with the horse’s mouth will be lost. In horse racing, it is believed a tongueRead More →
Horse race starting gate 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 whoRead More →
When it comes to understanding herd dynamics that help build happy horse 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 may not be able to say how much it hurts with words, but researchers show their face tells all. Learn to recognise the signs of the equine pain face, also known as the equine grimace scale, with Karina Bech Gleerup. To download The Equine Pain Face Poster, scroll downRead 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 horse riders of today. Young people make upRead More →
Signs of Pain in Horses: Horses are instinctively ‘stoic’, they do their best to mask all signs of pain in an effort to keep-up and blend-in with the rest of their herd. By the time your horse shows clear signs of lameness or injury, it is likely a lot ofRead More →
