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

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

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 orthop

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 poss

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 h

Is it best to feed your horse from the floor? PART 2 In our last blog we looked at how feeding positions can help or hinder the horse's musculoskeletal health - in particular feeding from the ground. Now we'll take a look at other feeding positions and when they might be beneficial to the horse's health . Feeding High Feeding in this position is bad for the back and causes uneven wear patterns in the teeth Learn more about this in Posture and Performance and How Your Horse

Asking your horse to move laterally can be something as straightforward as asking him to move over in the stable to the more complex ridden exercises such as half-pass. When ridden correctly these lateral movements can be powerful suppling exercises for the back, pelvis, thorax, neck and body. All lateral movements no matter how simple or complex can be thought of as gymnastic exercises, which help to create a supple horse who is loose, flexible and in balance. This type of w

Keeping our horses as naturally intended is the ideal, but in reality this isn't always practical or possible. However, there’s lots we can do to help the horse mimic his natural environment and that promote good posture including the position he is fed. In the first of a two-part blog we look at the pros and cons of feeding from the floor and how they impact on the horse’s musculoskeletal health. Watch Your Horse Graze How a horse grazes reveals a lot about their musculoskel

As horse owners you know the importance of worming your horse. A high worm burden isn’t good for your horse’s health, it can lead to weight loss, a dull coat, cause damage to the gut, which may lead colic and diarrhoea and general poor performance, and in some cases it can be life-threatening. At the Horses Inside Out internal organs dissection courses we have regularly seen first hand the damage that can be caused to the horse's digestive system. The way we manage worms has

I love the interactive element, getting hands on with the horses, bones, anatomical models and specimens as well as all the questions and di

You can have the best breeding and conformation but without a good temperament and trainability you may struggle to train and bring out the best performance in the horse. To understand a horse's temperament and how he learns you need to have an understanding of the equine brain and how the two link together. However, there has been very little research done on the equine brain. Dr Andrew Hemmings is keen to change this, for the good of the horse. Dr Andrew Hemmings is a worl

2022 seems to be zooming by, and there's so much is happening at Horses Inside Out I thought it was time I told you all about it! On the Road... Lecture Demonstrations It is lovely to be travelling out and about to do lecture demonstrations across the UK again. We aren't travelling abroad for events yet, but plan to do so from 2023. On the 4th July, we performed a lecture demonstration at Parklands Equestrian Centre at Aston near Sheffield. As soon as we walked onto the yard

A comfortable and happy horse is something all owners and trainers are aiming for. We know that feeding, management and training all play a big part together with correctly fitting tack. Saddle fit has long been a focus of attention and now thankfully bridle fit and bitting is seen as being just as important and can have a huge impact of your horse’s well-being and performance. As horse owners and professionals learn more about equine biomechanics and anatomy it’s becoming cl

The biomechanical effects of jumping, Tips for training and assessing your horse's jump. 'Skeleton' horses jumping in slow motion.

Having been through The Pony Club and BHS training as well as owning horses for over 30 years I feel I have a grasp of fitting a bridle – or do I? In this blog, horse owner Allison Lowther reviews Gillian's latest book Illustrated Head Anatomy. Reading Illustrated Head Anatomy has been a real eye-opener and made me look beyond what you can see in front of you when you’re assessing the fit of a bridle. Having an understanding and being able to visualise all the delicate and

On the bit, outline, frame whatever phrase you use, it's always a hot topic between riders, trainers, and dressage judges - in fact almost everyone in the horse world has an opinion on this subject. First and foremost, the horse's welfare is essential. He must be able to move freely with regular gaits, and allowed to carry his head in a relaxed, comfortable position without restriction. Where the horse positions his head and neck influences so many things including his balanc

With everyone looking forward to the Jubilee celebrations this weekend we thought it would be most apt to look back, remember and celebrate the day we painted a horse for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Hyde Park Barracks. It was such an honour to meet the queen and talk about horses. What a wonderful day it was! On Tuesday October 24th Gillian Higgins, equine anatomist and founder of Horses Inside Out, was invited to Hyde Park Barracks, London as part of a visit from Her M

My horse isn’t quite right. He's not lame, but he's just not quite right. How many times have you heard this as a conversation amongst rider and owners? When your horse isn’t quite performing as you would like, it can often leave you questioning your training, your tack, feeding and your day-to-day management routine to try and find the reason for his drop in performance. In this situation, it can be all too easy to overlook mild, multi-limb lameness and mild pain-related is

As a horse owner I’m always looking for ways to ensure both my horses are happy and comfortable in their bodies. Gillian and I thought it would be great to set a fun and interactive challenge for the Horses Inside Out followers. Each challenge is a simple exercise or technique you can do with your horse to help improve his comfort, health and performance. Not one to miss out on a good challenge and to join in the fun I gave them a go on one my own horses. Here’s how I got on

A well-fitting and balanced saddle is comfortable for you and your horse. Your saddle fitter is an integral part of the team of professionals that are there to ensure the best for the both of you. Here at Horses Inside Out we would always recommend that if you’re in any doubt about the fit of your saddle you need to enlist the help of a qualified saddle fitter. In this blog, Gillian Higgins offers her advice looking at saddle fit related to the anatomy of the horse and three