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25.01.2022 2/12/2020 update it warms my heart to see this post circulating again. After adding many layers of education since I wrote this post I feel I must add a few po...ints to update the knowledge. In terms of facia the ventral line actually encapsulates the temporal mandibular joint and ends at P3. The ventral line forms a circle with Superficial dorsal line through the temporal mandibular joint and the annular ligament of the hind foot. The TMJ and Hyoid play a key role in vestibular system of the horses body. Affecting body posture and proprioception. Hyoid Apparatus and the Ventral line Most of my clients worry about their horses top line, engaging the hind end, stepping under and using their back. The list of descriptions is endless. These conversations have led to this post and it is a good follow up to the the previous TMJ post. THE VENTRAL LINE, is just as important if not more so, because what good is power without direction ? The ventral line (bottom) starts at the Hyoid. The hyoid apparatus is small but has global power. The hyoid apparatus has many important functions, steering , balance , hearing and feeling . The hyoid also holds the larynx (breathing and vocal cords ) and the Pharynx (eating, swallowing ). The hyoid is suspended from the Temporal bones just under the ears, and you can feel it in the soft hollow in your horses Mandible. Think back on my last post, if your Temporals are uneven, your steering and balance will also be off. From the Hyoid apparatus, the Omohyoid muscle (starting at Basihyoid connected under the scapula) and the Sternohyoid muscle (starting at sternum and attached at lingual process of the basihyoid) connect to the sternum of the horse. Think of the hyoid as the steering and the sternum as the keel of a boat ; where it points, the horse will follow. From there, the deep pectoral muscles (support limb ,draw it caudally, stabilize shoulder) melt into Rectus Abdominus muscles (support abdominal viscera, aids in breathing). These long abdominals originate at the sternum and end in the pubic tendon. The pelvic is the house of the engine, from there, there are a number of connections that can have big impact on the horse locomotion. Psoas minor (draws pelvis forward and flexes vertebral column) originates in thoracic vertebrae 17 and 18 and inserts into Os Ilium (wing of pelvic). The other direction is the Biceps Femoris (Cranial part extends hip and stifle joint, abducts limb. Caudal part flexes stifle and abducts limb, extends tarsal joint) and semitendinosus (extends stifle and tarsal joints while weight bearing. When limb is in the air, it draws limb back and rotates it medially) and from there we are right at the Hock . YES WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR HORSES MOUTH AFFECTS THEIR HOCK, BACK AND IMPULSION! There is one last piece to this ventral line, it technically is already on the Dorsal line and thats the tail. The tail is a continuation of the horses spine, it is also there for hind end balance . The tail will compensate for crookedness in the horse. The tail is a good indication to the condition and orientation of the horses spine. Again, this is a gross over simplification but it will give you a good starting point and bring awareness .
25.01.2022 The weather outside may be frightful The learning inside is insightful Fascia as the primary somatosensory proprioceptive system... Fascia would be considered a key element in peripheral motor coordination and proprioception. The somatosensory system integrates information from three major receptors, exteroceptors(stimuli from outside the body), interoceptors (stimuli from snide the body)and proprioceptors( stimuli from inside the body ). It integrate sensory systems such as vision and the vestibular system to create an overall representation of the body position and movement. The brain relies on input from sensory receptors to give it the information it needs to direct smooth coordinating movements. Receptors are constantly suppling the brain with necessary information. Concerning the ever-changing tone in muscles as well as in present position of muscle at any time during a movement. The brain is directly responsible for all global movement that depends on sensory receptors for information. Information about movement of specific muscles, sensory mechanoreceptors, spindle cells, Golgi tendon apparatus, Ruffini and Puccini free nerve endings which are mostly located in facia. Mechanoreceptors work by sensing the physical deformation, mechanical deformation such as skin pressure, muscle stretch and movement. Fascia perceive information through myofascial expansion that transmits this tension over distances of fascial and kinetic chains. This information is then passed on to the central nervous system. Free nerve endings are the most numerous fibers in our body. Free nerve endings are found in all connective tissue, fascia. Free nerve endings are especially found around joints they are considered a key element for proprioception with some help from Puccini and roofing in capsules Fasciatomes - Truma, over use or surgery result in abnormal proprioception and peripheral motor coordination due to the inability of mechanoreceptors to normally stretch or deformed. Resulting in abnormal muscle contraction caused by abnormal stretch of aponeurotic fascia. Over strech of free nerve endings are perceived as pain.
24.01.2022 UPDATE: Mikey has found the perfect home with a young woman I knew as a teenager. She has been working with Off The Track Horses for many years and once he has a little more time off, Mikey will be starting a new career in eventing. Doing a happy dance. Racehorse Rehoming: Mikey Have you been naughty or nice? Santa has told me that a very special person will be receiving the gift of Mikey's love this Christmas. He is an athletic, dynamic horse, 16.1hh, 5 years old and shor...t backed. He will need an experienced, smaller/lean rider who has taken a horse Off the Track previously. He will be perfect for a performance home and I feel best suited to a career with a lot of variety like eventing or working equitation. He is handsome. He has great movement. He could be yours. His "audition" video is posted in the comment below. Located at Kembla Grange NSW. Go to www.elementals.com.au/racehorse-rehoming for more information. See more
23.01.2022 Wow amazing photo
23.01.2022 Day 5 of 5. Hope you have enjoyed this series of video chats. Remember Hayley comes to Australia every year. We will be looking for2ard to seeing her in 2021 (hopefully)
22.01.2022 Need help with your sensitive horse? This might be what you are looking for. Kathy Aspenns combines The Tellington Method, Acupressure and Flower essences in this interesting Online Course. I am keen to have a look.
22.01.2022 FAILED VETTING ??? Flexion Tests??? 100% worth a read! Youve decided to sell your horse and the potential buyer has sent a veterinarian to your stables to pe...rform a pre-purchase exam. Or, youre the buyer, and youre excited to complete your purchase. As you stand, beaming with satisfaction, the veterinarian picks up the horses left front leg. Bending it at the fetlock, he or she holds it in the air for 60 seconds or so, releases the limb, and asks that the horse be immediately jogged down the drive. In astonishment, you watch as the horse that youve known or hoped to be sound moves off with an obvious bob of the head. Hes most decidedly lame after the test. What happened? What does it mean? What you have witnessed is a phenomenon not necessarily of the veterinarians creation, but something that can sometimes occur following a procedure called a forelimb flexion test. In a forelimb flexion test, various joints and soft tissue structures of the lower limb are stretched and/or compressed for a brief period of time by bending the limb. Afterward, the horse is immediately trotted off and observed for signs of lameness. Simple, really. But it gets messy. Forelimb flexion tests were described in Swedish veterinary literature as early as 1923. And, since then, theyve become something of an integral part of the evaluation of the lame horse. But not only that, forelimb flexion tests are generally routinely included in prepurchase evaluations of horses intended for sale. The test is not unlike what you might experience if someone asked you to sit in a crouch for sixty seconds and then run right off. Usually and especially if youve never had knee problems you can run off just fine, particularly after a couple of steps. If youve never had a problem, chances are that youre fine, no matter what happens in those first couple of steps. But very occasionally, that stiffness and soreness that you might feel could signal a problem (such as a bad knee). This test used to make me nuts, and to some extent, it still does. Thats because Im often not to sure what to make of the state of things when a horse takes some bad steps after a flexion test. I mean, I know I might not pass such a test. So whos to say that every horse should? Because of that question, back in 1997, I did I study. Its still timely. In my study, I looked at fifty horses (100 legs) of various breeds, ages, sex, and occupation. The owners were gracious enough to let me explore my curiosity about forelimb flexion tests. The horses were from my practice, an included a wide variety of pleasure and performance horses including some world class jumping horses but overall, they were a representative sampling of all of the horses that were in my practice. Heres what I found. I found that forelimb flexion tests couldnt tell me anything about the future of a sound horse. I could make every single horse lame with a hard enough flexion test, with the exception of one particularly annoying Arabian gelding who was always trying to bite me (no Arabian jokes, please). Horses that had something on their X-rays werent any more likely to be lame after a normal flexion test than horses that had clean X-rays. Horses that had positive normal flexion tests werent any more likely to be lame 60 days out, either (those horses that were lame mostly had things like hoof abscesses, which nobody could have predicted anyway). If you follow a groups of horses for 60 days, theres a decent chance that a few of them might experience an episode of lameness. Who knew? So what did I conclude? Well, I said right there in front of an entire meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners that I didnt think that it was a good idea to rely on forelimb flexion tests to make a diagnosis of some current or future problem without some other supporting sign. I said I didnt think that they were very sensitive, or that they were very specific. And I said that I didnt think it was a good idea to turn a horse down base solely on a response to a forelimb flexion test, either. Which caused a bit of a kerfuffle. Whats the Bottom Line? If youre a seller, I dont think that you need to be overly concerned if your otherwise sound horse takes a few lame steps after a forelimb flexion test. There are just too many variables. For example: Older horses are more likely to be positive to flexion that are younger horses The longer you hold a limb in flexion, the more likely the horse is to take a few lame steps afterwards Men tend to flex more firmly than do women The same horse may have different responses to flexion tests on different days If youre a buyer, dont be too eager to walk away from a horse that you otherwise like just because he takes a few lame steps after a flexion test. You have to consider a lot of other factors, such as whether you like the horse, or whether he does what you want him to do, or if hes a colour that you like... You just cant consider the forelimb flexion test in a vaccum. It has to interpreted in light of clinical findings such as fluid in the joint, reduced limb or joint flexibility, pain to palpation, or clinical lameness in the limb that demonstrates the positive response. If you see abnormal X-rays findings (such as osteoarthritis) in a limb that has a positive response to a flexion test, that may add some significance, and particularly if there is concurrent clinical lameness. However, to keep things confusing, my study also found that many radiographic abnormalities occur in clinically sound horses. Remember, you have to ride the horse you cant ride the radiographs. Horses can and do perform well for a variety of riding endeavors even when they do not perform well on a forelimb flexion test. As for a positive response to a forelimb flexion test, it may just be that everything is OK, but the horse doesnt like his leg bent up! Thanks to Dr. David Ramey for the info! heres a link to the original article: https://www.doctorramey.com/flex-test/
21.01.2022 HOW TO KEEP YOUR HORSE COOL IN THE HEAT! SHEET OR NO SHEET? BLACK OR WHITE? WET OR DRY?... I get asked these sort of questions a lot. Some horses have to have rugs on because of flies. So is it better to wet it down or not? What about dark horses? Do they get hotter? Here is a very simple demonstration. In physics and thermoregulation we use 15cm/6in diameter copper spheres painted black to approximate how the body reacts to air temperature and radiation from the sun. Inside the middle of each sphere is a temperature probe and this is connected to a datalogger. Each sphere is calibrated and "naked" they all behave the same. These spheres are the type used in the WBGT Index which we use to manage major events. The IOC use this for both human athletes and horses. So this is what I did to each sphere 1) Left uncovered 2) Covered with WET WHITE cotton 3) Covered with WET BLACK cotton 4) Covered with DRY WHITE cotton 5) Covered with DRY BLACK cotton The conditions when I was doing this were 36-37C and 24-27 %RH with a naked globe temperature of around 52C. RESULTS DRY WHITE cotton keeps the sphere ~2-3C COOLER than the naked sphere DRY BLACK cotton keeps the sphere 3-4C WARMER WET WHITE & WET BLACK cotton drop the temperature by around 25C (due to evaporation of water) over the first 20 min. WET WHITE is better over 60 min than WET BLACK. At 60 min WET WHITE is still around 10C cooler than the naked sphere. RECOMMENDATIONS To keep your horse cool on hot days, dont use a sheet/rug at all. Spray your horse down every few hours. If you have to use a sheet, ideally use a WHITE or light coloured lightweight sheet and wet it every 60-90 minutes during the hotter part of the day.
20.01.2022 Mouth work. Love it
20.01.2022 Happy Friday ! The many functions of fascia : metabolic , structural and sensory. Magic tissue ! There are a lot of referances out there to fascia and its str...ucture and sesnory function. It is important to remeber that it also has metabolic functions, providing nutriance and disposing of waste! See more
19.01.2022 Here it! Is Tami and I worked hard to bring you this first webcast in our series called The Myth of Symmetry. In this webcast we explore the asymmetry created by handedness in horses. Enjoy!
19.01.2022 UPDATE: Monty has found his new partner. He will stay under the care of his current trainer as he continues to recover from his surgery and will move to Murrumbateman over the next month of so. This is a great match, I cannot wait to see what his future brings. Racehorse Rehoming: Monty is looking for his new home over the next couple of months. He will only be placed in the best of homes, ideally with somone I know or someone who can be vouched for by someone I know. He i...s a highly successful standardbred (pacer), approx 15.3/16hh, and 9 years old. he has a real "look at me presence" and as you can see in the photo's he is well-loved by the trainer and his family. He is a very cool, smart dude with a very good work ethic. He would be suitable for carriage driving, shorter distance endurance, showing, working equitation, liberty, trail riding but probably not jumping to any great height. His trainer canters all his pacers and he will have the normal wear and tear you would expect. Monty will need an experienced home and has recently been gelded (he was a rig). He still needs some time to fully recover so there is no hurry for someone to pick him up. Ideally, we would love to find his perfect match and you could get to know him while he is still spelling. He is currently located at The Oaks, NSW. Go to https://www.elementals.com.au/racehorse-rehoming for more information and to find out how to apply. I am happy to answer any questions you may have, anything I don't know can easily be found out. See more
19.01.2022 When someone asks me why their horse is sore.....
19.01.2022 There are so many different options for our standies when they finish racing! On display at the Bathurst Gold Crown Final night were STITCH...ED UP and SPARE ME DAYS who compete at horse shows all around NSW. We also saw WANNA BE A BIG BOY who competes in ranch sorting and enjoys long trail rides! See more
19.01.2022 The 100th Webinar with Wendy!
19.01.2022 For anyone going to Equifest I will be presenting a talk on Foal rib fractures on Sat @ 1.30pm in the seminar classroom, Research shows 20% of all normal birth...s will results in rib fractures or thoracic trauma. I will talk about how these happen in birthing, what to look out for and how to check the newborn foal. How rib fractures can lead to asymmetry in pelvis and high/low heels on horses... This is a really interesting talk for anyone breeding or therapists... SpectraVET Therapeutic Lasers #equifest #spectravet #spectravetlaser #foalribfractures See more
18.01.2022 Recently, I had to explain natural horsemanship to a new rider. Last week, someone asked me if I still use anything from the natural horsemanship program I stud...ied. These conversations have been very thought provoking for me. I'd be living under a rock if I pretended that natural horsemanship is not something science based trainers have to contend with. It can be a pretty complex subject given the widespread popularity of natural horsemanship and what science tells about horses and training. How to explain it? Well, here I go. First, what is natural horsemanship? Natural horsemanship is a training approach that rose in popularity in the 80s. It's important to acknowledge that natural horsemanship was intended to be a kinder and more understanding way of working with horses. And for that it deserves kudos. Fathers of the natural horsemanship movement used their observations of natural behavior in horses to derive their methods. They made an attempt to understand how a horse's mind works and interact with them in the way they "naturally" understand as opposed to the use of sheer force and outright abusive methods that were common in the "cowboy" way of breaking in horses in the American West. For people looking for a more sympathetic approach, this ideology was very appealing. The premise of natural horsemanship is that we can interact with horses as one of them. That we can build a relationship with them by gaining their respect and establishing ourselves as the dominant individual which in turn will bring about trust and obedience. This is usually achieved through a series of exercises designed to garner respect by moving the horse's feet and effectively proving the human's worth as the leader. This involves mimicking equine body language and behavior. A miniature replica of herd dynamics, so to speak. The problem is they got it wrong. While these cowboys had their hearts in the right place, the science just isn't there to support their philosophy. The behavior they observed in horses was taken out of context and anthropomorphized or explained using human traits and characteristics. The founders of natural horsemanship were cowboys, not scientists/researchers. So they saw one horse pin her ears and advance towards another horse and when that horse gave ground and retreated in order to avoid further conflict (a classic example of negative reinforcement) they explained the horse's obedience as the human concept of respect and dominance. However, we know that the equine brain is not structurally capable of comprehending these concepts and this behavior is better explained as a result of reinforcers and punishers. We also know that there is no evidence to suggest that horses view humans as part of their social system because simply enough, they know we are not one of them. So, mimicking their body language and behavior does little to earn us social standing even if they were capable of understanding rank. So, while this approach was a stepping stone towards more ethical practices, natural horsemanship itself is not always ethical because of these foundational flaws in its philosophy. It may very well be less physically abusive than the old cowboy way, however the use of escalating pressure and the whoever moves first loses theory can result in similar use of force. Just slower to get there. Mental pressure or utilizing fear to motivate horses is as equally abusive as physical force. So, while flapping a flag in a way that rhythmically builds pressure to frighten a horse onto a trailer may look less abusive than actually striking the horse with a whip, the animal is as equally emotionally distressed. Despite all the misconceptions about how horses learn and interact with one another, natural horsemanship is able to solve problems for horse owners. It's important to note that natural horsemanship may "work" but it does not work the way it claims. The only reason why it semi-works is because unbeknownst to the original practitioners of natural horsemanship, they were actually applying scientific principles such as the use of negative reinforcement and positive punishment. The overuse of aversives and methods of flooding horses in order to desensitize them to scary stimuli can have detrimental effects on the horse's emotional and mental wellbeing resulting in horses who are internal, shut down, withdrawn, and even a state of learned helplessness. So, it may seem one can find success with these methods because the horses become less reactive and more cooperative, but this is not a product of gaining respect and establishing dominance, but rather suppression of behavior through repetitive aversive training techniques. I didn't know all of this when I fell down the natural horsemanship rabbit hole. I submersed myself in this philosophy and learned everything I could about it, investing both financially and in years of my life in my education. So, having been so deeply involved, what is salvageable of this education in natural horsemanship? What have I kept and continue to use and what did I throw out, so to speak? I'll start with what I've kept. The majority are things you can't throw out like experience. The ability to read horses and gauge how far they are from threshold. The ability to shape behavior and break down skills into manageable pieces. While the reinforcement is different now, shaping behavior in order to find reinforceable moments is the same. Timing of reinforcement is another. Again, the reinforcement is different but the timing of it is very much the same. I think when people ask me what all I still use they want to know which exercises are good and which are bad. I think there are some useful exercises that can be modified and trained with positive reinforcement or if you don't use positive reinforcement are worthwhile teaching with the correct use of negative reinforcement. The way I weed out the exercises that are useful from the ones that aren't are by determining if the exercise helps teach the horse a necessary skill or if it is designed to gain respect or assert dominance. For example, teaching a horse to turn their head neck with a rein cue is a skill I want my horses to learn. I modify this exercise by not asking the horse to reach back as far as is taught in natural horsemanship and I also use a target to show the horse what I want them to do and use positive reinforcement as opposed to increasing the pressure and making the rein aid an aversive the horse has to avoid to find relief. This exercise is practical for training the horse to turn and bend. An exercise that may be unnecessary is one that involves making the horse run in circles and change directions to move his feet and become more "respectful". No more lunging for respect because you're wasting your time. They don't understand respect. You're just chasing the horse in circles. It's not doing what you think it is. I lunge at liberty using positive reinforcement now and my purpose for doing so is to train cues for walk, trot, canter, stop, and reverse and also for exercise. I may want to teach my horse to back up because that's a good skill for them to learn, but I again modify it to be trained without using aversives and I don't misuse it as a reprimand or to gain respect. I don't follow a list of exercises anymore. I don't practice the same ones with every horse or in the same order. Horses are far too complex and diverse to train them all the same way. I have a game plan for what an individual might need to learn, but it is truly unique to them and what they need. In all honesty, I am grateful for the work natural horsemanship has done to introduce gentler ways where people attempt to understand the horse, but I can't say I recommend it. There's too much to sort through and there are better trainers and better programs out there to learn from. I would really like it if natural horsemanship became part of history so we can focus on the real science. Here are some great programs: The Willing Equine - https://www.thewillingequine.com/ Connection Training - https://connectiontraining.com/learn-ct-online-2/ Positively Together - https://www.clickertraining.co.nz/positively-us.html
18.01.2022 Aloha friends, This Saturday, March 27th at 11am PT, I will explore the role of energy behind Intention, which is one of the Nine Elements of the Tellington M...ethod. What is Linda thinking and how does that effect a horse's behavior, performance, well-being and relationship with the rider? What is the meaning of the Tellington Philosophy: Change Your Mind and You Can Change Your Horse? You will learn to focus on what you want instead of what you don't want, and Linda will demonstrate with video some of the Tellington Techniques that you can use to overcome the basic fears of horses that result in a safe, loving relationship of trust. Join me to learn new tools to help yourself, your friends and your family. Bring a cup of tea and join Linda after the talk to share your experience. This talk is FREE for everyone, but registration is required. To register for Saturday visit the link below: https://us02web.zoom.us//tZwrdeGurz8jE9OR02Vu5FA1XVZNv843E
17.01.2022 WHY AUSTRALIAN HORSES HAVE MINERAL DEFICIENCIES AND WHY EACH HORSE NEEDS TO BE INDIVIDUALLY ASSESSED. Many equine vets, nutritionists, feed companies and diet a...nalysis companies use the National Research Council (NRC) guidelines to measure the daily nutritional requirements of horses. Such guidelines may be suitable for American horses but they are lacking for Australian horses which is explains why so many of our horses have severely imbalanced mineral levels with accompanying symptoms. The NRC was established in 1916 as part of the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate science and data and how that could be used to improve and enhance American industries. In 1989 the NRC published the first edition of The Nutrients Requirements of Horses. Often referred to as the go to reference for anything related to horse feeding and nutrition. The sixth revised edition in 2007 is the latest publication. The Nutrient Requirements of Horses is a most valuable reference for anything related to the feeding of horses BUT the mineral levels recommended are not suitable for our Australian horses living in harsh Australian conditions, grazing on some of the" most nutrient poor and unproductive soils on the world" ( CSIRO). I am not criticising the NRC rather I am questioning why so many equine nutrition professionals rely on NRC guidelines for mineral levels as the NRC state, "The committee recognises that the values suggested here may not meet the needs for all horses in all situations and that adjustments may be needed for individual horses or to meet specific production goals" I can appreciate that supplementing with minerals below what is required for Australian conditions is better than not supplementing at all but the horses health will still be compromised by not getting minerals up to an optimal level. A horse's mineral content cannot be accurately measured without taking into consideration the water source, soil type, breed, sex, height, weight etc. Most of Australian soils are high in iron and aluminium and contain oxalate grasses, have locked up phosphorous and lack the whole spectrum of macro and micro minerals that horses require on a daily basis to remain healthy. Our water sources such as bores, spring and rivers often contain toxic metals, pasture nutrient content varies throughout the season therefore a single pasture or hay test is not going to be accurate. So it must be noted that the NRC daily requirements are NOT going to adequately suit Australian horses. "At 18 months of age Australian and New Zealand thoroughbred generally tended to be heavier and taller than the American thoroughbred" (Hirst). Australian horses require larger daily amounts of many minerals as all of the above must be taken into account. To accurately assess your horse's individual mineral requirements, organise a hair mineral analysis test which will save you the guesswork or trying to read complicated graphs and tables. You will be provided with a diet that will provide all the nutrients your horse requires to remain healthy and address soil deficiencies by adding individual minerals to the feed. HTMA has effectively treated and corrected health issues in horses for over fifteen years. We now have a lot of information about just what nutrients Australian horses require and the NRC guidelines are not adequately addressing those nutrients or conditions for our horses. Each horse must be individually assessed taking into account a large range of variants to ensure our horses do not have mineral deficiencies and HTMA can do that for you. Kerry Marsh (B.Ed., B.Ag.Sc.) specialises in mineral analyses and has worked as an agronomist. References: CSIRO. Managing Australian Soils. A Policy discussion paper, 2008 NRC. The Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 2008. Hirst, Robyn. Seasonal Variation of Pasture Quality on Commercial Equine Farms in N.Z, 2011
16.01.2022 Generally horse, unlike people dont hold on to their stuff. If you ask them correctly and allow for time they are happy to let go, to heal and move forward. I...m learning that while this is true for most horses there are some that hold on to a patterns in their body as if their life dependent on it. They cant let go either physically or emotionally and I need to change my approach . I have a hand full that I have had numerous silent conversations with over this topic. They are not willing to relinquish certain restrictions or even talk about them. Theses restrictions are often old and hold emotional baggage. It is hard to convince a horse to let go of something that may feel integral to them and allow you to help facilitate change. I wonder wether they understand that its making them sick, or did they forget what its like to be with out it ... So little is under their control and choice the last vestige is the internal workings of their body. So I will keep asking and hope that one day the answer will be YES .
15.01.2022 Clear, cloudless days and cold nights makes for a huge sugar build up in your grass... we have had a week of this now..... sugar accumulates day on day..... and after a few days of this weather the potential for a laminitic event is markedly increased..... be careful.
15.01.2022 To stretch or not to stretch that is the question? Many of my clients talk to me about stretching , they have stretching practices before and after riding just... as a way to help their horse. Most of my clients have pointed out that I need to practice on a better poker face So bear with me in this post(sorry its a little long), as always the point is to raise awareness. We are all intelligent thinking beings and with information in hand can make up our own minds about the subject. Discussions are always welcome,other people’s knowledge and experience is of value. So please be kind with comments and answers, we are all just trying to do better by our horses. Is everything we know about stretching wrong ? After all the horse is not stretching itself we are actively doing it to the horse. There is a lot of talk about stretching strategies, different types warmup stretches, carrot stretches, stretches while riding the horse and so on. What are we stretching ? The horses flexibility comes from several factors: Joints, ligaments, tendons, muscle and fascia. Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and the horse need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when the horse needs the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts the horse at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage. Stretching is steeped in tradition and myth. Science actually doesn’t back up the assumptions that many of us embrace. Muscle by nature is very pliant,the muscle can stretch up to one-and-a-half times its own length, while tendons can be damaged permanently being stretched just four percent beyond their length. When you stretch muscles properly, the stretch should be from the middle of the muscle belly out to where the muscle and tendon meet. In order for the stretch to reach the whole length of the muscle and into the muscle-tendon connections it would held each for 60 seconds. When does a stretch stop feeling good ? In many cases, stretching does the opposite of what it’s promoted for. It will not prevent injury. It also doesn’t cure muscle soreness; in fact, aggressive stretching can cause muscle soreness. And pre-workout stretches, far from preparing the horse for a work out, actually rob the horse of strength. In fact, stretching itself can damage muscle fibers it can tear them by stretching them instead of by contracting them. If you want to stop your horse from being sore, over stretching is not the best idea. If you use stretching as part of your pre ride warmup, when it comes time to do sudden and abrupt move, the horse will be weaker then if you haven’t stretched it . The effect of over stretching lasts for minutes, possibly as long as half an hour. Most of the studies done on humans that tested that idea used simple, measurable exercises, like a jump test. If you jump after stretching, you won’t be able to jump as high as if you did the jump test without stretching first. The studies usually had people stretch aggressively for several minutes. On the other hand they found that short, gentle stretches sometimes help performance. The problem here is when a human self stretches there is a closed loop they can sense where it feels good and where its to much. When`we stretch a horse we don’t have this closed loop which is which may vary on any given day. Stretch a muscle and it gets longer, right? This is how we assume stretching works, but it turns out that might not be true , which means a lot of ideas about why we should stretch are in question. One of the leading theories is that stretching doesn’t lengthen your muscles; it just changes your perception of pain ,so that when the muscle gets stretched, you don’t mind as much. What is Pandiculation and why do we want to encourage it ? Pandiculation is our nervous system’s natural way of waking up our sensorimotor system and preparing us for movement. Pandiculation is the horses response to the sensations of lack of movement and to tension building up in their muscles, which often go hand in hand. Pandiculation sends feedback to the nervous system regarding the level of contraction in the muscles, thereby helping to prevent the buildup of chronic muscular tension. Pandiculation contracts and releases muscles in such a way that the gamma loop sends feedback to the nervous system that regulates the level of tension in muscles, causing a naturally reset. This resetting reduces muscular tension and restores Sensory Motor Amnesia to the body, so voluntary control over the muscles. A voluntary pandiculation is performed very slowly and consciously so that the nervous system is able to sense and integrate the feedback that the movement provides. We see horses self stretch after rest or body work, this is what we want to encourage ! Unfortunately horses develop habitual ways of standing and moving, the natural pandicular response typically can’t remove all the learning that occurs in our nervous system. The horses repetitive routine movement and sedentary life in a stall tend to build up muscle tension at a much faster rate than the pandicular reflex can correct. So.... Instead of stretching,consider mobility work,so range of motion work. Offering the stretch instead of actively stretching,so letting the horse stretch its own body by offering to support limbs. Getting some kind of body work so the horse can self stretch through the pandicular reflex after fascial release. Eliciting the pandicular reflex through slow calm grooming. If you want to keep stretching, practice feel learn where the boundary of stretch stop being effective and can cause discomfort. In short just stretching may not be a good idea, understanding what your stretching, how it should feel to you as the stretcher and where the tissue boundary is, are vitally important components to the efficacy of stretching.
15.01.2022 One day his coat won’t shine quite as bright, His eyes won’t sparkle quite how they used to. His legs will become tired and he’ll take a little longer to get u...p. He won’t come to the door when you bring his saddle out anymore and he’ll find those jumps just a little harder work than he did before. But he’ll never stop loving you. He’ll never stop waiting, with pricked ears, to hear you arrive in the morning. He’ll never stop grabbing your zip if you stand too close. He’ll never stop throwing his bucket over the door when he finishes his dinner. One day he'll grow old. One day his body will slow down and he will let you know it’s time to hang up the bridle. And when that day comes, give him a hug, hold him tight and thank him for everything. Give him days in grass filled fields under summer sun. Give him love, attention and never let him believe he is anything less than perfect. Don’t cast him out into a far away field to be glanced at for the rest of his time. Don’t hand him to the groom and downgrade him to the stable at the end of the yard. Don't try and pass him off to someone else as a companion and let him go somewhere strange and new at a time in his life when all he needs is you. Love him, exactly as you did when he was in his prime. He'll never stop loving you, so never stop loving him.
15.01.2022 I did my horse studies before my human massage course so this is always how I had to visualise a person standing. Lol
14.01.2022 A bit about Bits and Bridles
14.01.2022 RACEHORSE REHOMING: I didn't even get a chance to advertise this girl. I took some photo's of Layla a.k.a Varinka and the same day I noticed someone I know and respect was looking for a horse. A perfect match. Layla is 4 years old and small approx 15/15.1hh. She will make a great allrounder and went to her new home today. Gwenda Markwell Racing
13.01.2022 Racehorse Rehoming: Pi Pi brings a smile to my face just thinking about him. He is big, strong, gentle and kind. He would be suited to trail riding or for a more non competitive rider who just wants to enjoy their horse. He is approx. 16.3hh and 6 years old. He has helped the younger horses in the stable settle and taught them how to navigate the swimming pool etc. Located at Kembla Grange, NSW. To find out more go to... https://www.elementals.com.au/racehorse-rehoming See more
13.01.2022 If you ask your horse to collect his/her body, you must ask your horse to lengthen his/her body. It is this balance between gathering & expanding, collecting &... extending to different degrees and in every gait that builds a horse's fitness, suppleness, straightness, balance and ability to collect in true self carriage. Be Gentle. Be Clear. Be Patient. Thank you to Agata Kamionka-Flak for bringing Desert Rose,her very talented mare, to the clinic. Photo Credit: @magda.senderowska The Classical Way Clinic in Wroclaw, Poland #horses, #dressage, #dressagehorse, #dressagetraining, #dressagerider, #pferdesport, #horsesofinstagram, #cheval, #horsemanship , #olderhorse, #horseofinstagramdaily, #passage, #ilovemyhorse, #chevaldressage, #dressagequeen, #dressagehorsesofinstagram, #dressagetrainer, #horsesforlife, #horsestagram, #horses_of_instagram, #caballos, #realescuelaandaluzadelarteecuestre
12.01.2022 SHOULD WE FIT SADDLES WIDER THAN INDUSTRY GUIDELINES*? This is a question which has been raised multiple times. Some of the thoughts which underpin the idea tha...t fitting a saddle wider than industry guidelines are; allows the horse to work over the back better, allows the horse to lift up, allows muscle activation and won’t restrict scapula mechanics just to list a few. Although at first glance this may seem logical, fitting a saddle wider, allowing the region of the back beneath to have more room, there is no experimental evidence to support this approach. In the static horse, a wide saddle will have the appearance that the front of the saddle is down when compared to the back of the saddle (image B.). When applying pressure with your hand to the front of the saddle, the back will lift up. In the dynamic horse, the position and orientation of the saddle remains the same (down at the front), plus we add the mass of the rider. Previously we have demonstrated the effect that a wide saddle has on back movement, muscle dimensions, locomotion and rider position when compared to a correctly fitted saddle (1, 3, 4). During trot and canter when ridden in a wide saddle, the back showed altered range of motion, which is likely as a result of the saddle instability (down at the front, up at the back). As a function of the front of the saddle being down during locomotion, this resulted in areas of high pressures in the front region of the saddle (left and right, image B. ), the magnitude of pressure and locations were consistent across all horses with peak pressures being directly influenced by limb movement. To emphasise the effect that tree width has on the locomotor apparatus of the horse, after twenty minutes of exercise in a wide saddle, compressions (concavities) in the epaxial musculature in the region of T13 were recorded (1, 3, 4). These compressions are as a result of the high pressures which occurred as a function of saddle width (down at the front). Horses develop compensatory strategies to alleviate any discomfort caused, in this case by the saddle width. In a wide saddle, every motion cycle, the horse will experience high pressures in the front region of the saddle, and of course will alter its locomotion to compensate. The idea that fitting a saddle wider than industry guidelines is a fallacy. In contrast to the anecdotal beliefs, it could have deleterious effect on the horse’s locomotor apparatus. It is assumed that if the horse has more room, it will be able to utilise that space by altering its biomechanics. However, the dynamic forces from the rider must be considered, in the case of the wide saddle which is down at the front when the horse is stood square (no rider), then adding the mass of the rider, combined with the locomotor forces, the saddle will remain and increase its pitch in a forward / downward direction comprising the horses locomotor function. The wide saddle will also affect the rider biomechanics which will be addressed in part 2. The results outlined here are in accordance with researchers in Europe (2) where a group of horses were ridden on a treadmill with saddles of varying widths. It is appreciated that the saddle width can be corrected with a half pad/front riser. This strategy may be of benefit however, we must consider the half pad/front riser being used, in respect that the pad must be able to manage the dynamic forces and not deform under load, as the saddle which is in balance with a half pad/front riser , which then deforms during locomotion will become out of balance wide. From preliminary data, saddles which were wide but rebalanced to correct width with the use of a front riser, after twenty minutes of exercise, the concavities at T13 were still apparent (sadly, COVID has prevented pressure data collection). Therefore, although the saddle is in balance we must be cautious that it doesn’t become out of balance during locomotion. There are situations where a half pad/front riser can used to help rebalance saddles, in these cases it is essential that horse owners work closely with their qualified saddle fitter with regular checks in order to monitor any changes and rebalance saddles accordingly. *NB: correct width defined as: The shape of the head of the tree and the angle of the tree points corresponding to the shape and angle of the horse 5cm behind the scapulae. Please like / follow our page for more blogs and please share to raise awareness Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire Centaur Biomechanics www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk #equineresearch #biomechanics #centaurbiomechanics #veterinarymedicine #equinephysiotherapy #equinetherapist #onlinecourses #onlineseminar 1. MacKechnie-Guire R, MacKechnie-Guire E, Fairfax V, Fisher D, Fisher M, Pfau T. The Effect of Tree Width on Thoracolumbar and Limb Kinematics, Saddle Pressure Distribution, and Thoracolumbar Dimensions in Sports Horses in Trot and Canter. Animals (Basel). 2019;9(10). 2. Meschan EM, Peham C, Schobesberger H, Licka TF. The influence of the width of the saddle tree on the forces and the pressure distribution under the saddle. Vet J. 2007;173(3):578-84. 3. R. MacKechnie-Guire, E. MacKechnie-Guire, V. Fairfax, D. Fisher, M. Fisher and T. Pfau. (2019), Kinematics of the thoracolumbar spine whilst cantering in horses fitted with a saddle of three different widths, BEVA Congress, EVJ Supplement, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com//full/10.1111/evj.13_13152 4. R. MacKechnie-Guire, E. MacKechnie-Guire, V. Fairfax, D. Fisher, M. Fisher and T. Pfau. (2019), Can saddle tree width affect saddle pressure distribution whilst cantering?, BEVA Congress, EVJ Supplement, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com//full/10.1111/evj.16_13152
12.01.2022 Girths for thought As the dutiful humans that we are we spend an absolute fortune on expensive saddles and regular saddle checks to ensure that our saddles ar...e perfectly fitted for our chosen disciplines and our horses conformation. Most of us (including myself) dont put half as much thought into the girths that we adorn our horses with. We absolutely should though! After all, the girth is arguably one of the most important parts of a saddle! Without a girth the lovely and expensive saddle is practically useless and if the girth doesnt sit where it should then neither will the saddle. Here is a brief overview of different shaped girths and different shaped bodies! The Anatomical Girth This girth is for the more conformationally sound horses and ponies. If you are lucky enough to have a horse where the saddle sits snuggly where it should and the girth naturally sits under it then this is the girth for you. It has a cut back design to allow for freedom of the shoulder and elbow as well as equal dispersion of pressure along the girth line of the horse. This reduces any risk of wrinkling, bunching and rubbing. The Athletic Girth The key is in the name...this girth is ideal for the more athletic horses and ponies out there... Powerful shoulders, pecs to die for and a smooth and muscular top line. Sadly, as a result of their envious physique, their saddles are prone to slipping a bit too far backwards which puts excess pressure exactly where it shouldnt be. The key to deciphering wether your horse requires an athletic shaped girth is to assess how easy it is to buckle the second girth strap in relation to the first. It will almost feel like the second strap needs to be one hole tighter than the first to stop it from slipping backwards. The Crescent Girth This shape is the shape to go for if you happen to have a short backed, wide rib-caged or rather rotund horse or pony. I have my own very short backed and rotund little tinker and have found that in any other girth than a crescent shaped one, the girth and saddle tend to ride forward. If the girth rides forward then so inevitably does the saddle. The saddle then begins to interfere with the complex muscular attachments of the scapula affecting the should be smooth forward and backward motion of the scapula and the forelimbs. End result...choppy strides, unbalanced coordination and loss of power and performance throughout the body. Noticed that this saddle is very similar to the athletico shape?? Look again and see that they curve in opposite directions to accommodate for the excess bulk. If you have a horse or pony that requires a crescent shaped girth youll probably notice that its far easier to tighten the first strap when compared with the second strap and almost feel the need to tighten the first strap one hole tighter. The Asymmetric Girth This is definitely one of the more complicated shapes to understand. These girths are ideal for horses with big and muscular shoulders but with a narrow girth groove/less defined girth area that sits closer to the olecranon or elbow. Its similar to the crescent although with a straight dorsal edge as it doesnt have to conform to a larger rib cage. Think Warmbloods and some thoroughbreds where the girth and saddle are prone to slipping too far forwards and end up interfering with the shoulders. Definitely spare a thought next time you saddle up for what girth you use and what shape your lovely horse or pony happens to be Girths are an essential bit of kit and are quintessential to the fit of our beloved equines fabulous saddle. If the girth isnt sitting where it should be then neither will your saddle. *image obtained from a google search and accredited to Mattes Bespoke brand*
12.01.2022 Levi enjoying the sun and view at Eureka Horse Wisdom
12.01.2022 Wagga Wagga here we come. All packed and ready to facilitate at a 2 Day Tellington Method Intro Workshop. Rachel Crease will be my assistant.
12.01.2022 RACEHORSE REHOMING: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? MONTY My Field Marshal (NZ) is a stunning 9 year old standardbred. He was rehomed just last week to an amazing family in the Southern Highlands, NSW. After all the horrendous rain, I dropped by to say hi yesterday. He has settled in well with his paddock mate Jack. He will be given a bit more of a break for now, he is in the best hands and was very content. Tim Butt Racing Stables
10.01.2022 These two little rascals kept me amused yesterday.
10.01.2022 #mondaymotivation
09.01.2022 Racehorse Rehoming: Biscuit Biscuit is a special 6 year old. He is approx. 16hh and in the photos (which don't do him justice) he looks bay, in person he is closer to brown. He has an elegant look and a very soft way about him. He is the sort of horse that you hang out with and his beautiful energy wraps you in a nice cuddle. He would be perfect for EAL/EFL work, as a partner for Liberty or a companion for horse or human. His riding options are limited but not non existent. He would not cope with jumping but some light riding would suit him well. I have treated him many times as he raced and is always in good condition. Located in Kembla Grange NSW. To find out more follow this link https://www.elementals.com.au/racehorse-rehoming
08.01.2022 With 2020 all but written off as far as holding clinics, I am now planning for 2021. If you would like to host a clinic at your place please be in touch. Here is a link to some of the workshops I offer but can individualise according to your needs. There will be one or two clinics offered before the end of 2020 if possible. Keep an eye out on this page for further information. https://www.elementals.com.au/clinics-workshops
08.01.2022 Do Thoroughbred horses have bad feet? It has become so common for thoroughbreds to have bad feet that it’s just accepted as the norm. Studies have even state...d as much (Labuschagne et al (2017)). However in my work I have found that thoroughbred (TB) feet are some of the most responsive to a change in stimulation. Taylor (2020) discussed the hoof as a smart structure expressing how it responds to changes in forces and stimulation and I have found this to be especially true of TB feet. They have some of the best responses to going barefoot often becoming indistinguishable to the feet of other breeds once rehabilitated. In my experience they also have a profound response to padding. While they may be born with inherently finer structures, this may indicate that they need more comprehensive hoof functionality rather then being resigned to collapsed feet. So either barefoot or if shoes are a must complete solar support and increased functionality. Bowker suggests three theories for the haemodynamic mechanism, perhaps all 3 are true and perhaps in the TB all 3 are more necessary then in other stronger compositions. This system of course plays a distinct role in the functionality of the hoof. Certainly peripheral load, negating the frogs function in counteracting the weight of the horse, doesn’t do well for TB’s Peel et al. Showed that gallop training created a long toe low heel conformation, perhaps if protecting and importantly engaging, the under developed haemodynamic system of the young TB became default practice there would be less prevalence of collapsed feet in the adult population. Something suggested by Bowker and Poss. When we stop accepting the unacceptable norms and question what makes them so prevalent, we create an obligation to stop ignoring them. . The images below show some rehabilitated cases of mine and one of the methods used. . Further reading at this link with further links on the points discussed in the full article. . https://www.theequinedocumentalist.com/po/ex-racehorse-feet
07.01.2022 Thanks to my vet Wollondilly Equine for sharing this.
07.01.2022 SOAP BOX As horse lose certain movements and postures on the basic plains of motion the body starts to compensate and through compensation it develops dysfun...ction. If we train horses from a place of dysfunction where the horse has lost its basic fundamental balanced and movement patterns, all we are doing is increasing the speed at which we reach the point of injury and pathology. Training is not one size fits all we can’t force compliance through repetition, we can’t achieve softness through repetition and most of all we can’t achieve strength through dysfunction. Horses must be exercised in a way that helps them restore balance and locomotion to archetypal movement patterns on all the plains of motion. Only after those are restored can we start to trained for strength and collection. Restore mobility to restore posture, restore mobility to increase agility only then can you gain balance and strength without penalty.
06.01.2022 Fascial fun working on creating education. Fascial manipulation is a manual therapy the requires a good working knowledge of anatomy and physiology. Fascia a...nd muscle act as the rigging that allowed the body to remain vertical. Fascia spirals in and out, this spiral arrangement of collagen fibers allow for movement with out loss of stability. Superficial fascia blends with deep fascia in the distal limb it acts as a mechanical and thermal cushion . This gliding movement hides the tension that takes palace in the deep fascia. Deep fascia is formed by connective membranes that form sheets over the muscles, it forms sheets for nerves and blood vessels and surrounds organs. It binds all the structures together. In some areas the deep fascia duplicate itself to form the deep laminate especially around the spine and vertebral muscles Epimysium is deep fascia that encloses a single muscle , these structures then subdivide into muscle bundles The bodys fascia is arranged in plains. Fascial depth is created embryological through development when it stats to fold in on it self so even though we have fascial plains it all started from a single plain. Fascia is anchored at boney stations or attachments ,where fascia fibers, muscle epimysium or tendon are integrated or continuous with the periosteum of the bone or the collagen matrix of the bone. Most of these bone attachments have communication with the next fascial attachment bone on the superfical plain rather then the deeper plain. Fascial plains regularly interweave joining or splitting from each other. These place of splitting or interweaving require the body to make choices in force transmission depending on posture and activity. Some of theses attachment bones are areas where force vectors meet and cross over creating multi tugs forces around the bone. We can use bone position and orientation to showers us the dominating tug. As a therapist it is vital to know and understand which bones in the horse are particularly subject to these force vector and where the fascial lines meet their next roundhouse. When we talk about articulation we are generally referring to bones. Meaning an area where two bones or bone and cartilage attach for the purposes of motion. Soft tissue need to articulate in the same way allowing for a sliding motion between structures and tissue, fascia articulates.
06.01.2022 Day 4 of the 5 day Connected Riding talks with Peggy Cummings (Founder) and Hayley Howells (Instructor). Hope you are enjoying these talks as much as me.
06.01.2022 Same for Horses
05.01.2022 What effect does changing the angle of the hoof and therefore phalangeal alignment have on the soft tissue structures of the digit? I am often questioned as to... whether artificially aligning the hoof Pastern axis over loads the suspensory ligament and/or superficial digital flexor tendon and whether therefore it is not good practice. There have been studies in favour of artificial elevation and some against. Hinterhofer et al. (2001) stated there were smaller deformations of the hoof with a 5 degree increase. But acknowledged the risk of further crushing to the heels supported by the finding of increased load on the heels with wedges (Wilson et al. 1998). Thompson et al. (1993) found that the Deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) strain decreased with elevation and that the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) and suspensory ligament (SL) strain were NOT affected, however strain on the extensor branch of the SL increased rapidly. Riemersma et al. (1996) also measured an increase strain in the SL. Other studies have measured increased intra articular pressure with elevation, showing that joints and ligaments are also affected by these changes in angle but thats another question. With these findings its understandable why the increased load on the SL and other structures is often a concern. However what remains unclear from all of these studies is what the phalangeal alignment was at the time of an increase or reduction of hoof angle. Also what hasnt been quantified is what the strains are of those structures in an ideal. Many studies have linked a broken back alignment with increased load on the DDFT. Broken back HPA (BBHPA), has been shown to predispose the horse to navicular syndrome. Waguespack and Hanson (2010) outlined the biomechanical considerations of a BBHPA and stated that the primary source of pressure on the navicular bone (NB) is compression from the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT), Ruff et al. (2016) expanded on this, expressing the increased compressive force on the NB from the DDFT in conformations exhibiting increased dorsiflexion, this was supported by Uhl et al (2018) which stated conformations described by Ruff et al. (2016) as being mechanically predisposed to navicular and that DDFT lesions corresponded with areas of increased load. Many other papers have expressed the importance of a good HPA, (Witte (2014), Zani et al. (2015), Logie (2017), Turner (2020), Brown (2020)), outlining its importance in optimal performance and the predispositions of a BBHPA If you raise the heels in a broken alignment, perhaps you will get an increased strain reading in the SL or SDFT but the question is have you over loaded those structures or returned to a more even strain share of all the relevant structures, especially in the light of all the papers just stated. More research needs to be done to quantify what appertains to ideal strain share and whether that is obtained at aligned. But my hypothesis is that ideal strain share would correlate closely with ideal alignment. The image below shows an illustration of that theory. Aligned has ideal strain share of the 3 structures. Broken back, increased strain of the DDFT and broken forward has increased strain of the SDFT and SL. Increased strain shown by thicker lines. For more information on alignment feel free to watch and read at these links. . https://youtu.be/xggVpfmO9BI . https://www.theequinedocumentalist.com//hoof-pastern-axis-
05.01.2022 With the 2 Day Tellington Clinic being rescheduled until November due to the new COVID restrictions, I am now offering a 1 Day Groundwork Day to be held at CSU Wagga Wagga. This is for people who live in the Riverina/Murray area only. There is a link to the relevant map in the details below.
04.01.2022 Seems to be a taping and acupuncture type of morning.
04.01.2022 Racehorse Rehoming: Doctor UPDATE: looks like the Doctor will have a new home before Christmas. AND it couldn't be more perfect. Looking for a cool, handsome, Off the Track Horse but having no luck finding Mr Right. The Doctor may have the cure for what ails you. He is about 16.1hh, 4 years old, medium build, dark bay/brown. I have treated him a few times and he is a joy to be around. I think he would be suitable for almost any activity or as an all rounder. AND he can drink out of a teeny tiny waterer. What more could you want? He is located in Kembla Grange NSW Please read more about him here. https://www.elementals.com.au/racehorse-rehoming
03.01.2022 Love Jillian Kreinbring and Wendy Murdoch. Enjoy
03.01.2022 Vagus nerve The latin name means "wandering" as it wanders from the head through the whole body (or most of it). This is a detailed picture of the base of the n...eck and cranial part of the thoracic cavity. The vagus nerve separates here from the sympathetic (they traveled together as a vagosympathetic trunk) and continues alone caudally across the heart. On the left side, left laryngeal recurrent nerve arises from the vagus, and winds around the aorta and will reascend the neck (in the carotid sheath) towards the larynx to innervate most of the laryngeal muscles. For more https://www.patreon.com/equineanatomyinlayers
03.01.2022 https://ttouch.ca/2021/01/12/candle-light-resistance/
02.01.2022 A sneak peek at Mikey who will be advertised for rehoming soon.
01.01.2022 Do you have a senior horse that is no longer ridden? Do you want to give back something to them after all the years they have given you? I offer special seniors treatments. Treatments consist of a combination of Tellington TTouches, red light acupuncture for general wellbeing and arthritis, 5 to 10 mins in the Bemer electromagnetic rug, a light massage and mobilisation plus some lasering of arthritic joints if applicable. Also happy to teach you the acupuncture points so you can maintain your elderly loved one.
01.01.2022 This is a great read. It is very helpful for all horses but particularly for those who are girthy. I often suggest doing belly lifts with the girth before tightening. It is a simple technique that makes a huge difference.
