In this article we tell you a bit more about Laura Tomlinson, hers story and her connection to Gillian and Horses Inside Out.

I couldn’t believe it when the weekend of the 2024 Horses Inside Out conference arrived in February. Where has the last year gone? I had been looking forward to the conference as I have been laid up with a back injury for a few months and this was my first proper outing, I knew the line up of speakers was going to be incredible and this year the anatomy exhibition was going to be bigger then ever. That along with the opportunity the conference brings to catch up with my peers

This year as part of the Horses Inside Out conference at Loughborough University in February, there was the opportunity to visit Gillian Higgins’ Anatomy Exhibition, either as part of the whole weekend experience, or as a stand alone entry for the exhibition alone, and it was bigger and more comprehensive than ever. Attracting visitors from around the world, this unique educational experience delved into the world of equine anatomy with a particular focus on growth and develo

Polework encourages the horse to think for himself and to make changes to his posture naturally and with no force.

what riding your horse in an outline means from an anatomical perspective, how to asses it and how to improve it without...

Equine fascia and kinetic lines are important concepts for understanding how the horse moves and functions. Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds and supports the muscles, bones, organs, and nerves. Kinetic lines are the pathways of movement and force transmission that run through the fascia. By studying equine fascia and kinetic lines, we can learn how to improve the health, performance, and well-being of our horses. Some of the benefits of understanding equine fasc

Wow! What an incredible weekend we had at the Horses Inside Out Conference. Engineered and collated by Gillian Higgins, the talks truely took us on a journey of a lifetime exploring every aspect of growth and development from many different perspectives. Two days dedicated to learning, re-evaluating how we train and manage horses – plus so much more, it’s tricky to sum up just how fabulous the Horses Inside Out Conference 2024 was. In this blog Gillian picks out just a few ti

Horsemanship - a term that encompasses the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to form a harmonious relationship with a horse. It involves treating the horse with respect and working with its natural instincts and behaviour to create a positive and safe riding experience. Horsemanship is the foundation of all riding disciplines and is essential for both horse and rider. Creating a partnership with the horse is key Ultimately, horsemanship is about creating a partnersh

Zoë Smith talks to equine neuroscientist and Royal Agricultural University professor Dr Andrew Hemmings about how horses learn, genetic testing for stereotypical behaviours, and why understanding the brain is essential to understanding horse behaviour. Take your knowledge even further and watch our on-demand seminar Training the Brain. Andrew guides you through the a natomy of the brain, how it works and how you can apply this knowledge to handling, training, welfare and man

The rider's position in the saddle has a huge influence on the horse's musculoskeletal health and performance. A rider that is balanced and symmetrical will help the horse move freely, while a rider that is unbalanced or asymmetrical will cause stress, discomfort, and potentially cause injury to the horse's muscles, joints, and spine. As riders, we are all striving and working towards maintaining a correct position in the saddle, this is for our own safety and for the health

George is the latest equine anatomical model that I was commissioned to do. It has taken approximately 200 hours of painting to complete this project, but what a privilege it is to be able to combine my love of art and painting with equine anatomy to create models like this. George will be part of an exhibition celebrating artist George Stubbs George's first outing will be to the Horses Inside Out Conference to be part of the Anatomy Exhibition . He will then be part of the G

Using training aids on horses can be a controversial topic among equestrians. Some people believe that they are useful tools to improve the horse's performance and comfort, while others think that they are of no benefit. Whatever side of the fence you are on when it comes to using training aids and the use of certain exercises, there is now a growing amount of scientific evidence that gives a valuable insight into how they can affect the horse. To look at this topic in greate

Training young horses for health and performance is a rewarding process that requires patience, skill and knowledge.

Kissing spines is a condition that affects the bony projections (spinous processes) that point upward from the main vertebrae. These spinous processes are normally spaced apart, but in some horses they can touch or overlap, causing pain and inflammation. Kissing spines is most common in the thoracic region, where the saddle and the rider's weight are located. The most frequently affected vertebrae are T13 to T18, with T15 being the most common. The Causes of Kissing Spines Th

Dr Nicolas De Brauwere MRCVS talks to Horses Inside Out about equine welfare and the question of social licence in horses

As we start a new year, it's often a time to set goals. If you would like to improve your horse's all-round way of going and ensure he is comfortable, happy and healthy I have some advice and tips for you to try over the next 12 months. Give them a go, they are all easy to incorporate into your riding and training routine. Each of my suggestions will help ensure your horse is happy and healthy throughout the year. They are also all things that I do with my own horses, so I kn

When I first heard world renowned Equine Veterinarian and Dental Vet Specialist Dr. Chris Pearce from the Equine Dental Clinic present at the Horses Inside Out Conference in February 2023, I came away with mixed feelings. What I had just heard and learnt from Chris was absolutely fascinating and exciting for horses and the future of Equine Dentistry whilst at the same time making me feel uneasy about some of the dentistry practices, dental complaints and bitting injuries th

Did you know that one of the five rules of selecting the best christmas gift is to give something to read? That's right, and you've come to the right place. Let's take a look at some of the fantastic books . availabe from Horses Inside Out and Gillian Higgins. "A book is a gift you can open again and again." Garrison Keillor Horse owners and riders of any level and all disciplines will benefit from having a better knowledge of equine anatomy and biomechanics. Gillian has wri

"Anyone studying locomotion and movement will, at some point, come across the incredible body of work by Eadweard Muybridge." Eadweard Muybridge was an English photographer who studied the movement of horses in the mid to late 1800s. It had long been debated whether there was a moment of suspension when a horse gallops. Someone who wanted to prove that this was the case was racehorse enthusiast Leland Stanford and he tasked Eadweard and his photographic skills to settle the d

My first introduction to Dr Jessica Kidd was at the Horses Inside Out Conference in February 2023 where Jessica was a guest speaker and presented lectures covering ‘An Update on Diagnosis and Treatment of Back Conditions & Upper Hind Limb lameness in horses’. Jessica is based in Oxfordshire and is a consultant surgeon who works with equine practices throughout the UK. Her areas of expertise are orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery as well as lameness investigations and associa