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Here you will find a wealth of information about equine anatomy and biomechanics. We regularly publish articles full of exercises and top tips to help you improve your horse's musculoskeletal health, comfort and performance. Authors include Gillian Higgins, the Horses Inside Out team and a host of other equestrian specialists all world leaders in their field.
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Understanding Equine Anatomy: Take your learning to another level with Horses Inside Out
For horse owners, having a comprehensive knowledge of equine anatomy is not just beneficial—it's essential. Understanding anatomy improves..

Horses Inside Out
Jul 11, 20244 min read


Maintaining Mobility in Your Horse
Movement is key to the horse’s comfort and a healthy musculoskeletal, and fascial system.

Horses Inside Out
Jun 29, 20247 min read


Fascinating Fascia - Why we should learn more about it...
Healthy fascia is important as it plays a significant role in the overall well-being and performance of the horse

Horses Inside Out
Jun 19, 20246 min read


Retraining an ex-racehorse from the anatomical and biomechanical viewpoint
Retraining an ex-racehorse requires a deep understanding of the horse's previous training, their unique anatomy and biomechanics.

Horses Inside Out
Jun 5, 20246 min read


Improve Your Horse's Posture - Improve Performance!
In this article we share some key points about how to improve your horse's posture to improve performance which Gillian demonstrated, with t

Horses Inside Out
May 30, 20248 min read


Build a bond with your horse - Learn Equine Massage
The art of equine massage is a valuable skill that we can all learn and offers a multitude of benefits that can enhance a horse's well-being

Horses Inside Out
May 13, 20245 min read


The Biomechanics and Benefits: techniques and exercises you can do to Improve How Your Horse Jumps
how your horse jumps by breaking down the phases of the jump to help boost your understanding and discuss exercises and what the rider shoul

Horses Inside Out
Apr 23, 20248 min read


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

Horses Inside Out
Apr 20, 20245 min read


Exploring Equine Anatomy: A Visual Journey at the Horses Inside Out Exhibition
This year as part of the Horses Inside Out conference at Loughborough University in February, there was the opportunity to visit Gillian...

Jessica Limpkin
Apr 11, 20246 min read


Exploring Equine Myofascial Kinetic Lines and Trunk Transitions: An Interview with Dr. Vibeke Elbrønd
Equine fascia and kinetic lines are important concepts for understanding how the horse moves and functions. Fascia is the connective...

Ally Lowther
Mar 12, 20243 min read


Tips & Insights from the Horses Inside Out Conference 2024: Growth and Development - A Journey of A Lifetime
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

Gillian Higgins
Mar 5, 20248 min read


How does the rider's position in the saddle affect the horse's musculoskeletal health?
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

Gillian Higgins
Feb 12, 20243 min read


Meet my New Horse
George is the latest equine anatomical model that I was commissioned to do. It has taken approximately 200 hours of painting to complete...

Gillian Higgins
Feb 5, 20243 min read


The Truth About Kissing Spines in Horses: Symptoms, Causes, Prevention and Management Tips
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

Gillian Higgins
Jan 15, 20243 min read


Tips for a Healthy, Happy Horse
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

Gillian Higgins
Jan 1, 20247 min read


Equine Anatomy & Biomechanics Books by Gillian Higgins: The Perfect Christmas Gift for Horse Lovers
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

Horses Inside Out
Dec 11, 20233 min read


Anatomy in Action - A Biomechanical Illustration of Equine Movement
"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

Gillian Higgins
Dec 9, 20233 min read


All About Anatomy
The Horses Inside Out Anatomy Exhibition is a must see for every equestrian and anatomy enthusiast and one to rival aspects of the Natural History Museum! Each skeleton, specimen and anatomical model reveals different fascinating structure, anatomy, asymmetries, anomalies and pathologies. The next anatomy exhibition will take place at the 2024 Conference: Growth and Development . There is a great opportunity to get up, close and personal with each specimen, get hands on with

Gillian Higgins
Oct 23, 20234 min read


Feeding for the Future
Equine nutrition is a subject often spoken about and one that can lead to some confusion. When it comes to young horses, their diet sets the foundation for their future and needs to be balanced and as natural a possible. Professor Meriel Moore-Colyer believes feeding doesn’t need to be complicated – it just needs to be balanced. Meriel has always had a keen interest in equine nutrition, loving to make up the feeds at the yard and looking at how feeds can have different effe

Horses Inside Out
Oct 18, 20234 min read


Angular Limb Deformities and Common Developmental Issues. How and when to intervene
In our last blog Dr Sue Dyson highlighted the importance of correct front feet for long term soundness in horses. In this article, we...

Ally Lowther
Oct 15, 20234 min read
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