what riding your horse in an outline means from an anatomical perspective, how to asses it and how to improve it without...

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 fascia and kinetic...

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 tips, insights and...

Horsemanship - a term that encompasses the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to form a harmonious relationship with a horse. It involves treating the horse with respect and working with its natural instincts and behaviour to create a positive and safe riding experience. Horsemanship is the foundation of all riding disciplines and is essential for both horse and rider. Creating a partnership with the horse is key Ultimately, horsemanship is about creating a partnership where both...

Zoë Smith talks to equine neuroscientist and Royal Agricultural University professor Dr Andrew Hemmings about how horses learn, genetic testing for stereotypical behaviours, and why understanding the brain is essential to understanding horse behaviour. Take your knowledge even further and watch our on-demand seminar Training the Brain. Andrew guides you through the a natomy of the brain, how it works and how you can apply this knowledge to handling, training, welfare and management. A Huge...

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 and welfare of...

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 George Stubbs...

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 greater detail, Dr...

Training young horses for health and performance is a rewarding process that requires patience, skill and knowledge.

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 The main factor...