Nature versus nurture is often talked about whether it’s considering child development or more relevant to us, in horses. Dr Andrew Hemmings has carried out lots of research that reveals that by having a detailed knowledge of innate biological characteristics (nature) can help us make decisions about the best management practices of the domestic horse (nurture). Generally, when you read about nature and nurture, the nature element very much refers to what's going on in the an

It was a year in the making but all the blood, sweat and tears was worth it as the Horses Inside Out Conference made a welcome return. Our last conference was in February 2020 just before the pandemic and the HIO team wasn’t sure whether, after a few years away, the conference would still be popular. We needn’t have worried, the two-day conference held at the Holywell Conference Centre, Loughborough was a huge success. The atmosphere was buzzing and everyone who attended in p

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

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

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

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