NMTS Natasha Maree Training Stables in Gympie, Queensland | Horse trainer

NMTS Natasha Maree Training Stables

Locality: Gympie, Queensland

Phone: +61 400 798 744

Address: 0400 798 744 4570 Gympie, QLD, Australia

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24.01.2022 **********Sponsorship opportunity! ********** I have an opening for a horse and rider combinations/team sponsorship for 2021. This is open to all disciplines. ...Unfortunately, this won't be a free position, I am a small business and still need to make money. Riders will receive discounts off all products all year. They will also receive t-shirts and caps to promote the business. Looking for riders who compete and will be able to show off the business, those who have a strong social media presence and love their horses! Send your details, current achievements, goals and a picture of you and your horse. Applications to be sent via email. [email protected] Applications will close in the 18th of December 2020 #sponsorship #horses #riders #opportunity

24.01.2022 Miss G was an absolute super star this morning!! What a brilliant way to start your day! Riding lessons before school = #horseridinglessons #gympieregion #widebayburnett #nmts #schoolmaster #lifeskills #beginnerrider #halleb

24.01.2022 Uni holidays means I have a little time up my sleeve and I am incorporating my study (Ba Occupational Therapy) into my lessons. What is Unique about Occupational Therapy with Children & Horses? NMTS offers a unique variation to occupational therapy by incorporating hippotherapy. Hippotherapy is a treatment strategy that utilizes the movement of a horse to help achieve functional goals. The pelvis of a human moves back and forth (anterior-posterior), side-to-side (lateral) an...d round-and-round (rotation). So does the pelvis of a horse! When a person rides on the back of a horse, their body experiences a similar motion to walking. #nmts #occupationaltherapystudent #horses #hippotherapyforkids #horsemanship #lifeskills #functionalgoals #gympieregion #ponies #fun #learning #equinefacilitatedlearning #autism #ndis

24.01.2022 Second show of the year (thanks covid ) for this lad. He’d not long gotten over a bout of peritonitis and had been easing back into work to build his stamina and I could not be more proud of the lad. Some nice placings in all four of our tests (including ) and his behaviour was impeccable .... Always more work to be done, but how amazing is the journey! A big thank you to Jim and Viv for capturing amazing images over the weekend and to Equine Passion Flowers gold for keeping the boy looking shmick. #westerndressage #nmts #stockhorse #flowersgold #progress #wearahelmet #protectyourbrain #timeisatraveller

23.01.2022 Hi everyone. Progress report...... Firstly, from the very bottom of my heart I have to say thank you to everyone who has shown love and kindness at this time. ...It has come in many forms - people helping with my own horses, picking me up and taking me places, financial donations to Tom Grady, texts of support and to see how I’m going, chats or distractions so I don’t go insane etc etc. I always knew how wonderful the horse community is but to actually feel the effects is beyond words and totally appreciated. I am now five weeks into recovery and the jaw is mending well. The broken bones seem to be the easy fix .... if your not adverse to a bit of pain . I am however still feeling the side effects of the ear issue and that keeps me a little ‘off my feet’ some days but hopefully the specialist will have that rectified or at least on the way to progress soon. Can’t wait to be back out doing horses again and seeing all my wonderful horse clients and their human owners. Will keep you posted on when it’s looking more possible but will definitely be this year not next .... even if it’s only a few a day. Can’t keep me away too long as I miss being able To help ‘release your horses natural equilibrium’. Much love and thoughts until I see you again. Bianca

23.01.2022 The boy was a champ at the Fraser Coast Regional WD comp last weekend. Finishing overall in 3rd place -Basic Level - from a field of 17 riders I’m pretty chauffed with his efforts. Always room for improvement which is why I love this sport! At this show last year I scratched him last minute due to his exuberance when out so I am absolutely thrilled with his progress.... And yes- you will now see me showing in a helmet because my brain is my best asset! Yes I’m a competent rider and yes my horse is now quite a reliable mount but accidents happen and to me, it’s really a no brainer! Thank you to the show committee for a wonderful show and Jim and Viv for the wonderful photos. Thank you Flowers Gold for keeping the lad looking shmick. #nmts #flowersgold #equinepassion #westerndressage

22.01.2022 There is ALWAYS a better way. This is not acceptable.

22.01.2022 Guiding Miss J and her first breaker Casper through the starting under saddle process. #bundaberg #nmts #startingundersaddle #welsharabx #horsemanship #lifeskills #consistencyiskey #horses

22.01.2022 Christina and Leora have come along in leaps and bounds, and we are sooooo proud of them both. Christina has persevered and won Leora's trust and we have seen L...eora settle and grow in her training skills as a result. Leora is a rising 10 year old Morgan x Arabian, purposely bred for endurance riding. We are getting close to having our first ride with Leora, but she still has so much training ahead of her. Christina has done a marvelous job, and so it is time for us to invite applications for a perfect forever home for this gorgeous girl! It is time for the next step in her journey! So, if you are interested in adopting Leora, we invite you to write us an email describing the home you are offering Leora and your horse experience so far. The home we are seeking for Leora must be with someone who is an experienced horseperson, who is patient, kind but firm, as Leora will require those strengths in her human to further her education. We require Leora's new home to have at least one other horse to be her friend, good fencing, the means to provide adequate care, and we require any potential new family to come spend a couple of sessions with us with Leora to ensure you suit each other. If you are interested please email Kylie at: [email protected] and let us know a bit about you, the home where she would live, what you can offer Leora, and any potential plans you might dream for her. We believe once you win her heart and mind, Leora would be a faithful friend. She is very determined and strong, and as such, will only be adopted to a person who is experienced with such horses. We look forward to hearing from you, and answering any questions you may have. See more

21.01.2022 After months of work....its finally ready! The perfect Equestrian Getaway is waiting for you! With a modern tiny house, round yard, 20x40 arena, many dams and large fire pit....everything is here for you to just pull up and enjoy! So grab your bestie and make a booking now!

21.01.2022 Bit of tune up for this little miss muffet today. She’s had some poor choices with her manners and needed a reminder of what’s acceptable for a ridden pony. #hopereinsgympie #nmts #haflinger #mercy #mindyourmanners #makegoodchoices #gympieregion

19.01.2022 Happy International Helmet Awareness Day! We'd like to encourage all riders to wear helmetswhether you're getting on a horse for the first time or riding a Gra...nd Prix test! Please help us encourage other riders to wear helmets by sharing a reason why you choose to wear one! Looking for more resources? Check out additional information here! https://dressagetoday.com//international-helmet-awareness- or at https://www.riders4helmets.com/what-is-ihad/

19.01.2022 DON'T MISS OUT !!! Entries close Midnight 15th January for this first FCWDA competition https://www.nominate.com.au/equestdn/Nominate.aspx The Rulebook and ...Tests are available to read and download on Western Dressage Association of Australia website https://www.westerndressage.com.au TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS We are excited to welcome our wonderful friends from Billy Beans Coffee to this fun filled weekend See more

18.01.2022 The first saddle for a youngster why a tight gullet tells the horse’s brain to stand still when you might be asking to go forward Many think that a good saddl...e-fitting is of little importance when starting youngsters with training the young horse will develop muscle, it is still growing and hence the body is subject to constant change. So it’s very understandable that many try to avoid the cost involved with frequent saddle-fitting and changing saddles. BUT .. the first experiences a young horse has will imprint it for the rest of its life with a good fitting saddle for the good, with a bad saddle-fitting for the worse! Pain experienced as a youngster will stick in the horse’s memory. Also, in trying to avoid pain or discomfort the horse will develop unnatural, uneasy movement patterns which quickly create follow up problems. Makes sense- imagine yourself trying to learn to walk in pinching shoes, most certainly your walk will never be graceful and flowing but somehow cramped and your memory of the first encounter with shoes won’t be the best either. Hence utmost importance comes to choosing a well-fitting saddle and to check horse and saddle-fit very frequently. How do I prepare a young horse for the first saddle-fitting? The best preparation certainly is to start building muscle and top line with groundwork. This way we create a solid foundation and won’t need to re-fit the saddle every 4 weeks. The most important muscle for the top line is called serratus ventralis which determines the height of the whither (hence the width of the saddle) and the impulsion created in the horse’s back. It connects the rump to the shoulder blades and is supported by strong fibres. A low whither and steepness behind the whither can be indicators of a weak serratus ventralis. A saddle fitted in this situation would quickly become too tight when training commences. And if the saddle is not refitted/exchanged then, it would fixate the muscular situation muscle won’t develop underneath a pinching saddle! The horse would be unable to develop a strong back and to use it properly to carry a rider, create impulsion and free movement of the shoulders and legs. A weak serratus muscle cannot intercept the impulsion of the fetlock and premature wear of the joints will quickly follow. If the horse is asked to collect in this situation the area between the neck and shoulders will be compressed, creating more issues like suppressed circulation and pedal bone problems. The top line ascending towards the back causes the saddle to slip forward and to press against the shoulder and muscles around the whither to the rider it feels as if sitting on a slope. The best training for the muscles carrying the rider (the long back is a very vulnerable bridge that needs to be supported by a strong but flexible top line and strong abdominals) is lunging with a lunging cavesson without a saddle, work over trot poles (straight and on a circle), incorporating frequent tempi changes. This training will strengthen the back and lift the area between the shoulder blades and the back. The spinalis muscle will increase the width of the lower neck and the whither increasing the required chamber width of the saddle. A saddle sitting too tight around the whither and shoulder area puts pressure on the trapezius muscle which in this very area is connected to a brain-nerve, the nervus accessories. The function of this nerve is to create a standing-reflex when triggered (best example is a stallion biting this area of the mare to cause her to stand still during servicing). A gullet being too tight achieves the same and the horse receives very contradictory signals the triggered nerve commands to stand still whereas the rider asks to move forward! No wonder the horse has no idea how to react and often will freeze or throw up the head when the rider mounts. The gullet should always be chosen to put as little pressure on the whither/shoulder/trapezius muscle as possible so that the muscles in this area have room to develop properly. Weak abdominals cause a weak lower back! Saddling up and putting a rider’s weight on it now can cause irreversible damage. Lunge your horse and monitor the top line whilst changing tempi from walk to trot if the top line does not come up and swing freely within the first 2-6 trot moves, the abdominals are not yet strong enough to lift and support the back with a rider on top! The recommended minimum time to exercise and train abdominals and top line before putting the saddle on is about 9 weeks. Exercises long and low over poles allow the horse’s top line to stretch and bringing the hind legs over the poles will increase abdominal strength. Did you like our article? Visit our Facebook page to find much more info that might be helpful :-) www.sonovetequinetherapy.com.au

18.01.2022 As prey animals, horses have to be constantly aware of their environment, their bodies and each other’s feelings in order to stay safe. Somehow, just being; in the presence of horses helps humans achieve a state of relaxation and to live more in the present moment. How a horse responds to us can provide powerful feedback about emotions and behaviour, sometimes making the unconscious, conscious. This duo demonstrated the importance of self regulation in this morning session.... Staying present and noticing when our own emotions were elevated and how that impacted the horse. #nmts #horsemanship #selfgrowth #gympieregion #widebayregion #equinefacilitatedlearning #occupationaltherapist #confidence #lifeskills #horses

18.01.2022 Such a special session for this little lady this morning Every interaction with the horse becomes the basis for the next one, as a relationship is based on past experiences and expectations. A horse is always learning and teaching at the same time. #nmts #capacitybuilding #relationship #autismawareness #gympieregion #lifeskills #ndis #pony #equinefacilitaedtherapy #bundabergregion

17.01.2022 If you need help with canter leads overall softness a more correct way of moving under saddle... contact issues laziness behaviour issues rehab post injury My final 2020 booking maybe for you! If you’d like to book please phone 0400798744 or pm to book. I am now taking bookings for February 2021.

16.01.2022 Energy and intention is the language that connects the human and the horse #nmts #horseriding #lifeskills #horsemanship #selfawareness #personalgrowth #equine #gympieregion #widebayburnett

16.01.2022 Oh my heart! 10.3hh of scrumptious! Master H has definitely won my heart #nmts #gympieregion #ponybreaker #ponyeducation #educateyourpony #manners #foundationtraining #smalladultrider #widebayburnettregion #welshpony

15.01.2022 Progress is progress!!

15.01.2022 Week 1 of training for Master B and he and his human are progressing in leaps and bounds. Progress lights the in my belly and it’s absolutely addictive. #horsetraining #nmts #gympieregion #buckskin #bodycontrol #legs #softfeel

11.01.2022 It’s minion Monday!! #ponybreaker #nmts #gympieregion #kidsponies #makingsafemounts #hihosilver #welshponies

11.01.2022 Hello, is that you Friday??!!! #friyay #wemadeithroughtheweek #nmts #pony #sass #stella

10.01.2022 Welcome to school Ms S....how cute is she? #pony #deportmentschool #nmts #childsmount #iloveponies #gympieregion #pally

09.01.2022 At the 11th hour of the 11th day, we shall remember them. #lestweforget #remembranceday

09.01.2022 Horses can hear a human heartbeat From 4 feet away. When in a herd , they Synchronize their heartbeats and if one Horses heart goes up they know there is dang...er. This is why it is commonly said that horses can sense your fear. Many times when people see me start a colt for the first time they comment on how scared they would be. You must master your emotions. To stay composed and be the leader is your job as the rider. This comes from experience and governing your personal life. My good brother Jake Gilbert was going through a trying time in his life when he had a heart transplant. When I asked if he was ok he said His will won’t take me where His grace can’t protect me. That’s faith and courage in one sentence. Stay confident. Be one with your horse.

08.01.2022 Great horses are not often easy horses. These horses take time to figure out, they are complex and complicated. Initially, most buttons you push will result in ...you tasting your arena surface. These horses are often sensitive and reactive, one accidental squeeze and you’ll likely find yourself in orbit, or three counties away from where you started. These horses have strong characters, they don’t take well to being forced or bullied. Losing your temper will likely result in a hoof shaped bruise or a broken headcollar at the very least... do not fight with these horses, you will not win. These horses are often labelled cracked, quirky, unrideable or even dangerous. They are the ones who can be easily passed from home to home, never finding anyone with the patience or ability to unlock their potential. But these horses have something about them that not every horse does. They don’t necessarily have all the looks, paces or presence... but they have heart, more heart than money could ever buy. These horses aren’t next day miracles or overnight champions, they take time and patience, and it’s rarely ever smooth sailing. These horses won’t find many people who understand them, and even fewer with the skill and tact to ride them. Not everyone can see a great horse, but when somebody does... great things can happen. cromwellandlucy

07.01.2022 5 Common Rider Errors in the Leg Yield In one of our Facebook groups somebody recently asked a question about the most common mistakes that riders make in the l...eg yield. Many riders struggle with the leg yield, especially in the trot. So I decided to discuss the subject in a blog post in the hopes that it will be of interest to others as well. You can apply this discussion also to the real lateral movements. Most of the points I address are universal and tend to occur in all lateral movements. 5 Main Mistakes There are 5 mistakes that happen very frequently and that make it almost impossible for the horse to perform the leg yield correctly. 1. Overbending with the inside rein This is probably the most common mistake of all. Many riders tend to exaggerate the bend in general and overuse the inside rein. The bend should feel and look like a continuous shallow curve that runs through the horse’s body. There should be no kink at the base of the neck. Overbending blocks the inside hind leg and almost forces the horse to drift with his outside shoulder. This way, the outside shoulder is faster in moving sideways than the inside hind leg, so the inside hind leg never manages to catch up and cross. 2. Outside rein too long This mistake goes hand in hand with the first one. When the inside rein is too short, the outside rein is usually kept too long. This contributes to the kink at the base of the neck and the drifting of the outside shoulder. The job of the outside rein in the leg yield is to frame the outside shoulder, to connect the base of the neck to the shoulder, and to help to connect the outside hind leg to the weight and the ground. 3. Leaning/contorting torso A mistake that many riders make in all lateral movements without realizing it is to lean sideways or to contort their torsos in some way. This is usually triggered by the horse not moving sideways, so the rider intuitively uses her upper body as a lever to push the horse sideways. Unfortunately, this does not address the underlying reason why the horse isn’t moving sideways, but disturbs the horse’s lateral balance. So, rather than solving one problem, it creates a new one. It is better to stay relatively straight and vertical with our torso, and to shift the weight by applying a little more weight to the seat bone that is pointing in the direction of travel. You can also let your pelvis swing more in the direction of travel together with the horse’s ribcage. 4. Not enough pelvic rotation This is very common because changes to the pelvic position are not usually taught in traditional riding lessons. Or the rider is rotating her pelvis, but the amount of the rotation is insufficient. The pelvic position and the weight aids together form the center piece of all the lateral movements and turns. They give the horse the big picture of what the rider wants to do. Leg and rein aids are only the small print that fills in the details. If the rider doesn’t give clear instruction via her pelvic position and weight placement, the horse will not understand the leg and rein aids. That’s where a lot of resistances against the leg and rein aids come from. 5. Gripping with inside leg Gripping legs in lateral movements are often the result of incorrect weight aids. If the weight aid tells the horse to go to the left, and the leg aid tells the horse to go to the right, there is a conflict and the horse has to decide which aid he tries to listen to. Weight aids are more primary than leg aids, their effects are more immediate, and horses understand them intuitively. Leg aids, on the other hand, have to be explained to the horse first, and when there is a conflict between the more intuitive aid and the less intuitive aid, the horse will tend to tune in to the intuitive aid and ignore the less intuitive one. That’s why horses will often go with the weight, but against the leg, which then makes most riders grip or kick with their legs, instead of resolving the contradiction by changing their weight aid. Sometimes gripping legs are a result of poor timing of the aids. When the leg aid is applied at a time when the hind leg is not available (e.g. because it is supporting the body mass and is unable to lift off at that moment), the horse will tend to ignore the leg aid, which then leads many riders to grip or kick. Insufficient core muscle engagement and therefore instability of the seat and lack of balance can also be a cause of gripping. In this case it’s a survival mechanism to avoid falling off. Tips For Riding Leg Yields All lateral movements require a certain lateral and vertical flexibility of the horse’s haunches. If this mobility is lacking, any sidestepping exercise will be difficult. An important part of the problem is that the hind legs don’t flex enough under the weight. They touch down and push right away, which makes the crossing almost impossible. In the leg yield the inside hind leg is supposed to cross in front of the outside one. This is only possible if the outside hind leg flexes its upper joints and supports the weight long enough for the inside hind leg to cross. If the outside hind leg touches down, skips the weight bearing and flexion phase, and starts pushing right away, it sends the body of the horse straight forward without allowing the inside hind leg the necessary time to cross. You can create this window of time that is needed for the inside hind leg to cross by half halting (outside stirrup + outside rein) into the outside hind leg to slow down the tempo. The half halt allows you to hold the outside hind leg on the ground longer, and to flex its joints under the weight, which then creates an opportunity for the inside hind leg to cross. In severe cases, you may even have to stop into the outside hind leg a couple of times. Then you can create the leg yield position by asking for a couple of steps of turn on the forehand. As soon as you have the intended angle between the horse’s body and the line of travel, you can walk on while trying to maintain the same angle. After slowing down the outside hind leg, bring your outside hip forward and your inside hip back. This rotation of your pelvis should create a rotation of the horse’s pelvis. Shift your weight in the direction of travel so that you can take the horse sideways with your weight, instead of pushing him away from your weight. In addition, you can apply a driving leg aid with your inside leg to support the rotation of your pelvis and your weight aid. You may have to take your outside leg off at first to create a clear gap for the horse to move into. If you apply pressure with both legs, the horse will be confused. Conclusion Everything I described for the leg yield applies to the regular lateral movements as well. The rotation of the rider’s pelvis and the weight shift in the direction of travel form the center piece of the aids. They convey the big picture to the horse. Leg and rein aids can then regulate the details. It is important that the rider’s torso remains vertical when looking from behind. Leaning sideways can easily upset the lateral balance. The reins need to frame and guide the horse’s shoulders without overbending the neck.The leg aids support the seat and weight aids. In leg yielding and in shoulder-in the inside leg supports the sideways movement, while the outside leg supports the forward movement. In haunches-in related lateral movements it is the opposite. Thomas Ritter www.artisticdressage.com Read this article on our Blog: https://www.artisticdressage.com//5-common-rider-errors-in Subscribe to our email newsletter to get thought-provoking articles (like this one!) about the art of dressage delivered straight to your inbox: https://ritterdressage.activehosted.com/f/47 p.s. A few quick notes... ONE.... We are at the end of the first week of our brand new Topline Makeover Course. This is a course exclusively focused on using groundwork to improve your horse's musculature development, balance, and body awareness. This week we have focused on simple longeing with a longeing cavesson to obtain relaxation, steadiness, attention, correct bend and carriage, and to develop wth gaits of the horse. We are using footage of us longeing the horses we are working with to demonstrate and explain the nuances and this week we featured a young-ish Lusitano gelding named Izir. This course is a beta course which means we are creating it as we go which enables us to answer the issues and questions that come up for the course members. This enables us to create a course that doesn't just teach what we think you need to know, but it actually serves the members' real needs. This week we issued a survey to find what the members wanted us to prioritize and the results were overwhelmingly in favor of focusing on: - Practical Exercises to do with the horse - Refinement of each method (longeing, double-longeing, work-in-hand, and long reining) - Applying Feldenkrais-inspired bodywork to help the horse So.... this is what we will give the highest priority in the course. It isn't too late to get in on the fun. We are only at the end of the first week, so you have not missed too much if you get in now (in fact, I still have more new video footage to add to Module 1 over the weekend on how to use the longe whip for different desired outcomes). We would love to see you join us! Join us here - https://courses.artisticdressage.com/topline-makeover-cours TWO... If you're not interested in groundwork but you are needing some inspiration for your riding, allow me to tell you about our 3-pack of Arena GPS eBooks. These are digital books jam packed with riding exercises to suit a variety of needs, and to help kickstart your riding motivation when it starts waning. Each exercise includes an easy to follow diagram, instructions, and tips for riding it best. For example, on Page 39 of the Arena GPS 1.1 we have an exercise called, "Zig Zag Leg Yield and Lengthen the Strides." The zig zag of the leg yield creates the desire and power in the horse to lengthen the stride afterwards. These are just some of the many ways you can use leg yield biomechanically, gymnastically, and therapeutically in your riding. In this special bundle of three of our top Arena GPS eBooks, you get more than 105 exercises! Plenty to keep you motivated and inspired. Available in several currencies: EURO, USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, and ZAR. You can download it to your phone, tablet, or computer. You can print it and take it to the barn! Arena GPS 3-pack: https://courses.artisticdressage.com/store/6mRuSQwM

07.01.2022 Lil Ruby-Rose our TB breaker learning some life lessons....she’s a bit spicey and full of opinions so I’m finding ways to redirect her sass into good choices. #sassy #rubyrose #tb #breaker #nmts #gympieregion #horseriding

07.01.2022 Are you a plan or self managed NDIS participant? If so, you may benefit from this individualised capacity building support offered by NMTS. PM or phone me on 0400 798 744 to find out more or book your session. #horseriding #equinelearning #therapy #ndis #soulfood #capacitybuilding #personalgrowth

06.01.2022 Educating horses and owners is something I enjoy and am passionate about so I’m constantly upskilling and I can’t remember time when I’ve not been studying..why, because I desire to do the best by the horse and it’s owner/rider. So when you ask me a price and then ask me if I can do a cheaper rate the answer is no.

06.01.2022 Ride one for this lil ranga. How cute is she?...ps- I’ve called her Jemima #nmts #tb #lilracer #gingerninja #hernameisactuallypretty #womaninracing #gympieregion

05.01.2022 Horse Training Notes If you take up the challenge in becoming a horse trainer then you become deeply entrenched not only in the horse's behavior but more import...antly in your own behavior. This can never be taken lightly, as you discover those well hidden pieces of yourself that aren't always so pleasant to see. This is where the road forks for many people, they either take on the challenge to improve themselves, or they come to the realization it isn't for them. That's ok too! But to those of us who do take on this very worthwhile study, the road is full of hairpin turns and potholes and very rough at times, yet the scenery is so very sweet. From that view we can see and experience things we could not in any other way. Our horses too, will benefit from this as they are forever grazing in the lush fields in the sunshine, and we can gaze upon them knowing they are happy too! How far you come as a horseman is 'fully' dependent on how far you 'want' to go and it is only 'you' who can do it. How much effort you put in, how honest you can be with yourself is totally up to you. Listening to opinions of others who are not searching for what you are, are not only useless, but harmful and can even weaken your resolve if you let them. So take every piece of advice with a grain of salt and throw out that which does not serve your greater purpose. Every horse has his own strengths and weaknesses, and although he won't always be the best at something you ask him to do, with the right training, he 'will' do it anyway. This is something often taken advantage of, and because of the horse's generous temperament, he gives of himself even if it injures him to do so. I speak in terms of psychological and physical. That is one of the most valuable lessons a great horse trainer can learn ; To never ask the horse to do something for too long or at the wrong time and when he is not ready to do it. When he is not ready means he is not in the right balance, physical and psychological, to perform what we ask of him. The aim then is to ask for a little and only of a short duration and reward the horse immediately on the slightest try, and in the right balance. The horse will often show you 'how' he can do something. That is a very beautiful thing; to be able to feel this dialogue unfolding. As a good trainer we should be able to show the horse what we want and then 'allow' him to do it, without any further intervention from us. Then he will do it willingly with all his power. Many riders often do not recognize the beginning of this dialogue and start to force the horse which shuts him down, rather than building on his confidence. It won't be perfect at first, because the horse is a beginner and if you want to train him to understand fully, you must start with small steps which instill confidence, and then build on these small steps. If you were not clear to the horse with your request, he will not understand. Importantly it is paramount that we pause and reflect on what we have done before we insist that he does it. We must also have a clear goal in mind. We modify our request if it is not understood so that the horse can understand more clearly. This is like building a foundation brick by brick. We make sure that each brick laid is solid. The more solid the foundation the more the horse will also become calm and his enjoyment in learning, greatly increased. Anytime he starts to lose confidence, we simply retrace our steps back to something the horse understands, and go from there. Riding is like music, it is not the end of the music we want to get to, it is purely enjoying the moment with the music. It is the same with our horses; to enjoy the beautiful music we make together in that moment. Sometimes we think of a moment as if it were of a short duration, but with better understanding, these moments last longer and longer. A famous horseman who traveled to Australia many years ago said that one must hurry slowly. In the same way; If we rush, we lose. One other thing about horses that must be understood is; He knows when you have pushed him too far. He knows when you were being unfair. You know that too. He has a mind , and many a rider has become unstuck because they have treated him like a machine. He's too intelligent for that and will never give the rider his full capacity unless he has been trained with courtesy and respect.

03.01.2022 THE "MOTOR" sits in the back !!! Exercises that help activate the hind, increase strength and flexibility in the lower back and help connect the front to the m...otor in the back Transitions are the easiest way to get your horse to shift its weight to the back when ridden correctly the transition is like us doing a quick squat, briefly shifting the weight to the back end, and then bouncing back up and forward. Start with the easier transitions like walk- trot or trot-canter, and depending on your and your horse’s skills and fitness you can increase intensity with transitions like walk-canter, canter-walk, trot-halt, or canter-halt. Changing tempi Frequent lengthening and shortening strides in all gaits (e.g. extending along the long side of the arena, collecting/shortening on the short side of the arena) are wonderful exercises too. Make sure to use your outer rein with half halts to shorten the stride and to get more hind leg engagement. Rein-back, then go forward Moving forward immediately after stepping backwards is another excellent training tool it asks for engagement of the abdominal- and loin muscles. The better this exercise is performed, the more upwards the following forward movement will feel. Start with asking for walk after stepping back, then trot and with growing skills and strength also for canter. Asking for a correct rein-back A mistake we see all to often is that riders ask their horses to step back in a quick, uncontrolled and hasty manner. Go slow, it is about your horse doing the steps correctly/keeping front and hind in a line, not about rushing far and fast. Lateral exercises and circles These are another useful training tool to strengthen and to increase flexibility. Especially exercises like shoulder in on a circle or counter-shoulder in help your horse to shift weight to the hind. The spiral, decreasing (the inner hind leg steps under and across) and increasing the width of the circle, too is an excellent exercise. Cantering on the circle whilst using half halts with the outer rein asks for more engagement of the hind legs however, these exercises are not easily done correctly so please make sure you and your horse are ready for them!, Jumping grids and ground poles Especially for jumping the horse needs to shift weight to the hind, hence integrating jumps or work with ground poles can be a valuable addition to training even if your discipline is completely different like dressage or western riding. Make sure you are using correct distances according to your individual horse’s height and stride length to avoid injuries. Canter work The canter asks the horse to engage the motor in the back more than any other gait, and thereby teaches the horse to use its hind differently, to take up more weight and to push from behind. With growing strength and skills canter work offers you a variety of exercises like changing tempi (extending/shortening strides), lateral movements, flying changes etc Trail riding Get your horse out of the arena, a change of scenery is good for mind and body! Riding up and down hills, circumnavigating trees and bushes, stepping over branches and fallen trees all these are valuable training tools in disguise Ground work Ground work teaching things like stepping sideways, backwards, over poles and lateral movements before the horse has to deal with the rider’s weight is a good start. Make sure your horse is moving correctly and frequently change sides and directions. www.sonovet-equine-therapy.com

03.01.2022 The significance of the sacroiliac joint (and the risk of prematurely training collection). The sacroiliac joint is the intersection of sacrum, (section of the... spine that underlies the croup), and the ilium (the largest of the bones that make up the pelvis). The sacrum is made up of five vertebrae, which only fully solidify around the age of 5 in a horse, and only then is it able to fully load bear. This small joint is extremely sensitive. It is kept together only by ligaments there is no directly connected muscular structure in this area. In terms of its function, the sacroiliac joint is the connection of the hindquarters to the rest of the body, and plays a major role in enabling the use of the power and strength created by the hindquarters. So, the sacroiliac joint is highly sensitive, but at the same time must be very mobile to transfer the strength and power generated by the hindquarter to the back and the forehand. Why this mechanism may block.... Blockages and problems in the sacroiliac joint can be created by trauma (e.g. a fall), overstraining, or wrong training. This can significantly affect the structural integrity of the joint, which will show itself through deficiently pronounced muscles, in particular in the hindquarters. ‘Dents’ in the side of the hindquarters as well as a sharp, steeply ascending/descending croup are signs that the muscles are underdeveloped, and should not be ignored or viewed as the horse having an athletic shape. In riding horses these signs tend to point toward a way of riding that is heavy on the forehand. In young horses it often points to a lack of exercise. As previously mentioned, the sacroiliac joint is responsible for the transfer of power and therefore also plays a huge role in the horse’s ability to collect. What are the symptoms of a blockage in the sacroiliac joint? Some signs there may be a blockage in the sacroiliac joint include: - Less ‘go’ / less of a ‘push’ forward - Shortened stride - Problems in maintaining rhythm in the stride, up to the point where we would consider the horse lame - Spinal problems - The horse cannot collect - Problems when walking backwards - Problems in the canter In many cases these blockages result in a tilted sacroiliac joint, which disturbs the entire mechanics and movement of the horse - e.g. being higher on one side than on the other or a hunters bump. Because of this one-sided change in the positioning of the pelvis, the thigh bone is also moved into an unnatural position, which forces the entire hindquarter into a wrong and unnatural position. This has to be corrected by the rest of the body, which means other areas are working in ways they are not supposed to, thus overloading these areas. If you suspect your horse may have problems in the sacroiliac joint, you should consult a knowledgeable vet or equine therapist with expertise in this area. They will be able to help you get rid of these blockages, and get the joint back to working how it should. With any blockages in the sacroiliac joint, you must pay careful attention to the muscles surrounding the joint (i.e. the muscles through the hindquarters, particularly on the sides and around the croup). These muscle groups will also require care and possible physio therapy to repair damage and tension created by the blockage in the joint. Otherwise, any work your therapist has done to repair the blockage in the sacroiliac joint will be quickly undone. It should be noted that tension and or damage in the muscle groups around the sacroiliac joint can in itself create blockages in the joint, for example when the pull on the joint is uneven (one side is strongly favoured). Preventing problems You can prevent problems to the sensitive structure of the sacroiliac joint through responsible riding, targeting the correct building of muscles in the hindquarters, with special attention to the muscles in the inner pelvis region. A well pronounced and functional hind, in terms of its ability to collect and its load bearing capacity, will always look round through the steady build-up of muscle you should never see ‘dents’ or anything that ‘sticks out’ or looks ‘bony’. The importance of working the horse in a way that considers the integrity of its anatomical structure cannot be stressed enough. Further, muscles must be built up evenly, to counter the natural favouring of one side and evenness and straightness throughout the body. An uneven horse will not only overstrain its entire body, but the hindquarters load bearing abilities will also be diminished. A healthy, strong, and well-built muscular system can prevent many problems within the skeletal system, particularly in joints like the sacroiliac. www.sonovet-equine-therapy.com

03.01.2022 This little darlin’ (pushing 11hh) has had a wonderful few weeks at school! Learning to slow down her racing legs so her small humans can start preparing to come off the lead line. #smalladultrider #minionadult #pony #nmts #gympieregion #milesmakehorses #foundationtraining

01.01.2022 What a great way to spend Sunday!! Local Hack day with friends!! I’m super proud of my horse but even prouder (is that even a word?) of my students! Today I had students stepping out of their comfort zones, students achieving their personal goals and students enjoying spending the day with their horses which is absolutely what it’s all about!!! ... #nmts #stockhorse #horsefun #studentskickinggoals #horsemanship #gympieregion #hackshow

01.01.2022 Slow and steady.

01.01.2022 After a big afternoon of work and dental, Mr Potter needed to rest his legs whilst he snacked #welshpony #ponybreaker #nmts #gympieregion #widebayburnett #pony #snacksarelife