For horse owners, having a comprehensive knowledge of equine anatomy is not just beneficial—it's essential. Understanding anatomy improves..

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

In this article we share some key points about how to improve your horse's posture to improve performance which Gillian demonstrated, with t

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

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

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

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

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

Dr Sebastian McBride will present "Recognising Clinically Depressed Horses” at the Horses Inside Out Conference at Loughborough University on the 17th/18th February 2024. In this blog article we learn all about the man behind the incredible work. Dr Sebastian McBride PhD is the programme leader for Postgraduate Courses in Animal and Equine Science, Department of Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University. Present projects include equine sleep, equine depression, equine stereoty

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

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

In our last blog Dr Sue Dyson highlighted the importance of correct front feet for long term soundness in horses. In this article, we chat to another of our Equine Conference 2024 speakers, Dr Simon Curtis, farrier, author, lecturer and horse hoof-care expert. Simon has been a farrier for over 50 years. He has spent most of his career and is probably best known in the industry for his work with foals, studying their conformation and how farriery can be used to aid them and pu

When we are looking to buy a new horse, we are encouraged to look at its conformation. Horse conformation is the study of the shape and structure of a horse's body. Conformation is influenced by the length and angles of the bones, the size and shape of the muscles, and the balance and symmetry of the horse. Correct conformation is important for long term performance and soundness because it may determine how well a horse can move, carry weight, and avoid injuries. In this art

Correct training and riding are key to keeping your horse happy, comfortable and sound. Combine this with a thorough understanding equine anatomy and how the horse works and you will be better able to train, ride, reduce the risk of injury allowing your horse to perform at his best. All horses are different in the way they move and think and it’s important to recognise and work with what you have got and train each horse accordingly. There is no such thing as a perfect horse.

PART 2 Understanding the process of skeletal maturity in horses is crucial for appropriate management, training and care. Skeletal maturity refers to the point at which a horse’s bones have fully developed and growth plates have ossified. In this, the second part of our blog about young horses, we explore the age at which horses generally reach skeletal maturity and the timeline of growth plate closure in different anatomical regions. Skeletal maturity in horses signifies the