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

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

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

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

We all know that how we feed and manage our horse's diet can help to gain or lose weight... but what about muscle development? Can what we feed a horse impact his ability to build strong and healthy muscle? The aim of feeding is to supply a balanced diet - get this right and you'll have a happy, healthy horse. Forage should make up the bulk of the horse's diet and then your bucket feed makes up for any shortfalls in the forage essentially balances what's missing in the forage

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

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

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

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

Last Wednesday we travelled north, with the car filled to bursting, to Netherton Equestrian Centre, Perth. Our journey to Scotland was to perform the first public live painted horse lecture demonstration since 2019. It was fabulous to be back out there again, to meet and chat to horse owners, trainers and other equestrian professionals in person. In this blog we share some of the top tips related to maintaining mobility from the night, what's involved on the day and a bit a

The recorded webinar Understanding and Improving Engagement and Collection focuses on the anatomy of the hindlimb. The main driving forces of your horse is provided by the muscles of the hindquarters and the upper hind limb. Impulsion is pushing power – the thrust that’s produced when energy created in the hindlimb is converted to forward movement. Impulsion and collection are needed in varying degrees in all disciplines not just dressage. For example, when your horse jumps

Tired and achy muscles make you feel miserable let alone feeling stiff, uncomfortable and generally lacking energy. Your horse will feel the same if his muscles are sore, but he doesn’t always have the option to take it easy for a few days. He’ll have to put up with it or communicate his discomfort to you in other ways as it impacts his ability to do the work you ask of him. Massage therapy has been used for thousands of years to help promote good muscle health in humans and

Good horsemanship and correct training are two key parts of the puzzle when it comes to your horse being able to perform at his best.

Myofascial lines – sometimes referred to as the therapist’s map are chains of interconnected anatomical structures that direct the basic motion pattern in your horse. In this blog we’re going to look beyond your horse’s conformation and movement and delve beneath the skin and discover all about myofascial kinetic lines in your horse’s body. Myofascial kinetic lines provide an anatomical framework that provides you with an improved understanding of movement. It allows you to s