Same pain, different places, we all know how debilitating back pain is. What will it feel like for the horse? Particularly, when it is carrying us? Let's learn more about the overall picture here.
This month we are going to focus on very uncomfortable issues. And by making them more uncomfortable for us - by becoming much more aware of pain issues - hopefully, here and there, we make life more comfortable for our horses. The first video, number one in a a series of four, focusses on recognizing lameness. Watch carefully!
Why do we like the Icelandic horse? Many reasons, of course, but surely the comfort and the smoothness of tölt slow or fast, with high leg lift or withmore in a travelling motion, must rank highly amongst Icelandic horse lovers. - And then there is trot. No problem at all in some of the horses, but then there are the others: beautiful, high stepping, expressive - and very uncomfortable. Here are some thoughts concerning sitting trot. - Let's rise to this challenge!
And again, why is it, that on some days I feel in total harmony with the horse, we breathe together, move together and seem to become one. On other days all movement becomes awkward, we bounce off each other, and a still body creates and unhappy and frustrated mind. Again this has a lot to do with biomechanics of the rider, as is explained beautifully by Carry here.
Over the months we have looked at a great range of thoughts and ideas concerning general horsemanship skills. February will be a riding month, and we will look at practical tips on fairly mundane matters - mounting, how to stop bouncing generally, and improving sitting trot in particular. Too easy? Maybe, but then again, what harm can it do to think these question through a bit further?
If yo are anything like me (the other side of 25 he he) mounting lightly and elegantly is a bit of a lottery. Yes, sometimes, it seems effortless and easy. But then again, there are those days, when i am stiff, feel old, I am (apparently) wrapped in too many layers, the horse is standing in the wrong place and seems a goo 3 hands higher than normal - and when I put my foot in the stirrup, the saddle seems to crawl under the horse's belly. But with or without a mounting block - and that is another discussion to be had - did I ever think about the proper mechanics of mounting? Eh? - - - no! This is where Carson James comes in. Who knows? Maybe this will turn out to be one of the more useful minutes you spend on facebook. Go try!!! Give it a click! Horse behaviour is endlessly fascinating, whether we focus on the body language of the individual, or the herd. For those of you with the time for some extra reading, here is an interesting pamphlet from the University of Tennessee.
https://4-h.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/UnderstandingHorseBehavior.pd |
Time-out ......comes from the world of team sports and "allows the coaches of either team to communicate with the team, to determine strategy or inspire morale." - Let's start with the rider calling for time-out, and who knows? Maybe at some point we will be smart enough to hear when the horse takes on that role? Archives
March 2020
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