Articles

Hind gut health is a phrase we hear a lot about at the moment, and it is an important issue. A healthy hind gut has so many positive effects on the horse, so it’s well worth understanding a bit about it. In this blog vet Liam Gamble gives a basic overview of the importance of good hind gut health and the microbiome. Liam was one of our guest presenters at the Horses Inside Out Conference where he discussed this topic in lots more detail. An introduction to the gastrointestinal microbiota The...

I think most of us realise when it comes to horses you just never stop learning. These days, the way we find information has changed hugely –type a few words into a search engine and you’ll find all the information you need. But for me, you can’t beat a good book – curling up on the sofa and giving it your total attention for a few hours. It’s a chance to really focus as you turn the pages. There’s something really special about reading a book – the turning of the pages, the smell of the...

Whatever discipline you do, adopting a correct, progressive and methodical training system that instils confidence in both horse and rider will bring you the most success and pleasure. This ethos is something that event coach Caroline Moore FBHS firmly believes in. Over years of coaching many event riders, Caroline has developed a unique training system. The best testimonial to her training is the career of the horse she co-owned with Ros Canter, Allstar B. We were excited to announce that we...

Straightness is the fifth scale of training and is an important pillar of training. The ultimate aim is to have your horse as symmetrical and straight as possible. However, the reality is that no horse is completely symmetrical. It’s also easy to think that straightness is all about going in a straight line. However, straightness is as important through turns, circles and lateral work. There’s lots you can do to improve your horse’s straightness. Using the right exercises to train his muscles...

A compelling documentary has been released based on Dr Sue Dyson’s groundbreaking work on signs of pain in the ridden horse. The 35-minute film features world-renowned expert in equine orthopaedics, Dr. Sue Dyson, and her research on how ‘bad’ horse behaviour can actually be an early indicator of pain. This video is a superb precursor to watch ahead of the recorded seminar: Recognising Pain Related Poor Performance About Sue Dyson: Dr. Sue Dyson specialises in equine orthopaedics, with a...

Confidence is a fragile thing – it can take years to build but seconds to destroy. I’m sure many of you will have suffered from a lack of confidence at some point. Having a toolbox of techniques to help you with any knock and pick yourself back up again is vital. Charlie Unwin Sports Psychologist has trained elite performers from a range of different industries including multiple Olympic champions, special forces soldiers, surgeons, musicians, fighter pilots and senior executives. His aim is...

You may think it's a bit of a cliché – but there is no truer saying. When you think about it logically, your horse has his entire weight loaded onto his four feet when standing and onto only one foot when galloping. Essentially, without good feet you have nothing. The hoof tells you so much about the state of your horse’s health and without a healthy horse it’s hard to have healthy feet. You can see good healthy feet are an integral part to your horse’s well-being, but the topics of hoof...

When your horse is not performing at his best taking a holistic view is the way to find the cause and suitable treatment. Discussing the issues you are having with your core support team that includes your vet, farrier and therapist can all help you find the best solution for your horse’s comfort and well-being. One of the most common issues that affects horses is lameness, this describes anything that causes an irregularity or unevenness of the gait. Often, it’s linked to pain within the...

Earlier this year I received a phone call from Gillian Higgins of Horses Inside Out . Always nice to have a catch up with Gillian, we spent quite a lot of time together in 2021, as I attended many Horses Inside Out courses and was a helping hand during filming of the Autumn Webinar Series . What I wasn’t expecting during this call was for Gillian to ask if I would travel with her to Dublin to help with Horses Inside Out at the Dublin International Horse Show! How could I possibly decline?...

Transitions, transitions, transitions. Yes, your trainer is right – you can never ride too many transitions and they form the basis of all training. However, nailing perfect transitions isn’t easy and takes time, patience, repetition and careful preparation to master. Transition means change. Whether upward, downward, direct, progressive, between or within the pace. An ideal smooth transition requires balance, suppleness and a willing response to your aids and this needs to happen without any...