After a strenuous workout, we have all uttered these words: “I just used muscles I never even knew I had!” This saying sums up riding a horse rather well. After having a very good, exciting, engaging ride this afternoon, I got to thinking about how many of our muscle groups are involved in the riding process. I came to the conclusion that as successful equestrians, we use every single muscle from the tips of our toes the muscles in our eyes when riding a horse. Just like any other sport that requires the use of your entire body, riding can cause some serious pain.
Of course serious falls account for a large amount of pain that is associated with riding but the normal, proper way to ride a horse can sometimes cause or exacerbate pain. Knowing how to prevent and manage this pain is the key to continue riding and having fun. As I have mentioned before, I have slight scoliosis in my lumbar region and scar tissue in my lower back (from a car accident) that causes a severe amount of pain in the region of my sciatic nerve (bilateral). Knowing all this about my body, I have to take certain precautions while riding. For example, when I ride in two-point for a prolonged amount of time, the muscles in my lower back, near the scar tissue, tend to spasm. The quickest fix for this that my trainer has shown me is to arch my back (more than I already do) and flex my abdominal muscles. Engaging my core muscles like this helps to relieve the pain in my back.
Another issue I deal with, common among many people, is that one leg is shorter than the other. My left leg is about one inch longer than my right. Not specifically the bones, but my mom suffers from the same issue and her condition is related to the soft tissue in her hip and back. This makes distributing even weight into my stirrups rather difficult. I noticed after a rather intense jumping lesson that my right glute muscle was much sorer than my left. My trainer and I came to the conclusion that because my right leg is shorter than my left, I must bear weight differently on that side. Oh, what fun body abnormalities can be!
In pursuit of being the helpful, loving, supportive mother she is, my mom (a librarian) came across a book called The Rider’s Pain-Free Back: Overcome Chronic Soreness, Injury and Aging and Stay in the Saddle for Years to Come. Needless to say, she ordered this book for me. The author, James Warson, MD is not only a neurosurgeon but he is also an avid equine enthusiast and rider. In his book, he discusses just about every common injury riders can suffer and how riding can aggravate said problems. Warson offers advice ranging from different types of tack, to different riding disciplines even to specific horses that can help alleviate back pain. The last third of the book focuses solely on therapeutic stretching that can also help alleviate particular types of back, neck and shoulder pain. Thus far, this book has been very educational and helpful.
However, there is one point of contention that I have with the author. Perhaps it isn’t so much contention as confusion between his very scientific reasoning versus the very prestigious jumping techniques and reasoning of guru and Olympic jumper George Morris. In the chapter “The Human Back Joins with the Horse,” from his book, The Rider’s Pain-Free Back, Warson states that “some people believe that shortening the stirrups a notch or two will give inexperienced riders better leg and body control. In reality, this practice actually puts pressure on the medial menisci of the knees, stretches the lateral collateral ligaments of the knees, and in doing so inverts the heel so contact is decreased and less effectual” (pg. 61). And this is where I become confused because my trainer has recommended the technique of riding with my “knee off the saddle,” which purposefully inverts my heel and gives me better contact with my horse through my calf muscles. I am able to make my leg aids much more effective with much less effort than when I was riding with my toes in and my heels slightly out.
In every month’s issue of my favorite magazine “Practical Horsemen,” George Morris will critique four pictures sent in by readers. The pictures are of a rider and horse jumping–jumping anything from a simple crossrail to a substantial vertical. In each, he critiques the basics required for successful jumping: the heels, ankles, knees, seat, back, release, arms, hands, and head/eyes. Just in re-reading that checklist, it makes the “basics” look intimidating and in fact, they really can be! So much to remember while riding atop 1,200lbs of animal headed straight for an obstacle. One of Mr. Morris’s main points of frustration with almost every rider is their leg, ankle and heel position in correlation the length of their stirrups. In the May 2010 issue, he describes one rider as having an excellent leg, “with her heel down, ankle flexed, toe out in accordance with her conformation and calf on her horse’s side.” However, he states that she could have an even better leg if she shortened her stirrups a hole of two. This explanation sounds exactly like what Dr. Warson urges all his riders and readers to avoid doing. How very confusing, indeed!
In one arena, we have the sound medical advice of a successful neurosurgeon warning us against doing what Mr. Morris, an Olympic jumper, is suggesting we do. Warson says “I find it odd that so much of what passes for fact about the mechanics of riders on horses is incidental, anecdotal, or the result of conventional wisdom. Very little information has a scientific basis” (pg. 61). He has a very valid point. However, so does Mr. Morris. By adapting to Mr. Morris’s type of riding, I have been able to achieve whole new levels of riding with Edge that I never thought I would. This “toes out” position has provided me with a much more stable base of support for my upper body which has saved me from many a wild buck and thusly also saved me a bruised body and injured confidence.
In another article in the May 2010 issue of PH, Britta Schöffmann wrote a piece about tailoring your training techniques to match each individual horse. In her article, she talks about how the “driving leg” is a “commonly misunderstood aid.” She states that the “concept of the driving leg aid has different interpretations. It is often confused with constantly squeezing or gripping with the legs. But, actual ‘driving’ has nothing to do with this.” She goes on to explain that a driving leg “should be a skillful combination of seat and leg aids. The seat aid is a result of a balanced upper body position with a freely moving pelvis, which has a continuous effect on the horse. The driving let aid is nothing other than a touch of the leg, applied as needed…” To me, this sound likes something that can only be achieved through proper leg position. I know there are many, many more schools of thought on proper leg position out there but Mr. Morris has a very reputable and coveted say on the matter.
At the end of the day, it is all about finding the perfect compromise between proper equitation and pain-free equitation. Even though incorporating the toes-out style of riding has put some strain on my left knee (the longer leg), it gives me a much better ride and makes me a safer, more confident rider. This can lead to fewer falls and more chances to build confidence. This style of riding helped me stay on, and in a rather good two-point, while my horse bucked and crow-hopped his way through a three-stride line of jumps. For that, I am very thankful. While it may not sound like much to those of you more advanced riders, it was a crowning achievement for me! The ultimate solution to this problem, not having a bucking and crow-hopping horse under me, would have been to maintain a better, more giving crest release but that’s an entirely different topic for another day. Actually, come to think of it, it is really a highly-related topic, just for another day. Keep it safe and find that compromise!
Life is a battle. This battle can often become a full on war. It is up to us soldiers of life to decide to face the battle head-on or to take the immediately easy route and ignore it until the issue has waged its way into a war. Just like life, riding a horse can often become a battle and, in very frustrating situations, a war. At our best, we equestrians can achieve a peace with our mounts where there is no battle or sign of an impending war. This place of complete Zen is most often found and earned by compromise from both rider and horse. The best way to achieve this peaceful compromise is through proper training at every single level and by choosing which battles must be fought.
I say “choosing which battles must be fought” because when it comes to riding a horse, there are going to be battles at some point. As I have said many times before, once a second freewill and free mind are added to the equation, all bets are off. The best way to approach a riding situation is to believe that there will be no issues. Based on the initial interaction between horse and rider, riding can become a self-fulfilling, self-sabotaging prophecy. If the rider is nervous, needlessly angry, distracted, or stressed out, these emotions can ultimately set them up for a dangerous, disastrous ride. This is not the case in every situation, but as I said, with horses, all bets are off.
I can see how by stating that are all bets are off as well as believing there will be no issues can come across as extremely contradicting ideas but this is where choosing your battles comes into play. By tackling issues head-on, before they even have the opportunity to become issues, we can choose to avoid the need for an ongoing struggle. As Jim Wofford, an Olympic and World Champion rider, quotes Ralph Waldo Emerson, “a sign of maturity is the ability to believe two mutually exclusive thing at the same time[.]” Wafford goes on to explain this quotation in horse-sense: “I firmly believe that we must train our horses according to classical principals. This means long-term systematic, progressive training that never disturbs the tranquility of the horse. At the same time, I also believe that you can’t have good hands if you don’t have enough bit.”
One of the first necessities in training a horse is the need to teach proper catching and haltering techniques while the horse is still young and impressionable. This can be a timely endeavour but when done properly, the owner is choosing to take the path of compromise. The foal will question and probably resist the initial training approach, but when done properly, the foal will come to learn that being caught and haltered is a normal and generally pleasant experience.
The “proper way” to train a horse has been a hot issue since humans and horses first interacted. My personal favorite training technique is avoidance training. This combines both reward and punishment training in the most effective and timely fashion. When asking a horse to collect, it is vital to reward your horse with a release of pressure when he gives you the collection you are asking for. Dressage guru Shawna Harding explains “[a]ny time your horse responds promptly and willingly to an ask, praise him and go on in your work.” This is a perfect example of avoidance training; as soon as the horse responds properly to what you are asking, you give him relief and praise. A good collected horse should feel like “he’s carrying you and taking you somewhere and you’re guiding him as an extension of your own body…above all, you’re building your horse’s confidence by being clear in your aids and firm but fair in what you ask of him.”
Timing is vital in this training. A rider cannot punish a horse long after they have misbehaved. This can be seen as abuse. Of course this sounds like an obvious statement but let’s say that while your back is turned to your beloved pony, he manages to chew up one of your favorite bridles; unless you can catch the horse in the act and deal out proper punishment, the horse will have no clue as to why you are yelling at him and (hopefully not) beating him.
Just in the last sentence of the previous paragraph, I delved into many layers of handling that can help riders and owners avoid any such issues. For example, in general, a mouthy horse is often one that has been weaned too soon. For whatever reason (the death of the mother, lack of knowledge on the owner’s part) early weaning before the foal’s natural suckling reflex has passed, between four to six months, can lead to a more mouthy horse. In turn, this can lead to cribbing, chewing, and just downright annoying behaviors. But look! I’ve gotten myself off track by simply addressing one issue in the life and training of a foal to an adult horse. Proper early handling is the way to avoid wars.
I have heard about some ranches that will breed foals and then leave them to their own devices for the first two years of their life. Then, at the age of two, begin the training process. In my opinion, this is far, far too long a time to wait to start training. It is essential that we humans do not imprint our human behaviors on foals, but it is essential that we allow the foal to become comfortable with human interaction. Never should the human try to take the role of the mare. This can lead to dangerous imprinting behaviors. However, waiting two years to even begin the catching and haltering process (let alone allowing the horse to adjust to being handled) is a recipe for disaster. In some cases, the people dealing with the fresh horse will take short-cuts such as roping the horse around the neck and making them submit to their power. This will ultimately train the horse to associate the initial contact between themselves and the humans as a negative encounter.
I have seen the dangerous and frustrating results of such horrible handling. I have been patient, angry, stubborn and even given up on catching a horse that suffered from this sad excuse for training. It was a cold, wet, mud-up-to-your-ankles day at the barn and a friend had just bought a flashy grey QH from an auction. For about one hour and forty five minutes, another barn worker and I attempted to just approach the horse. We tried every trick in the book: treats, being aggressive, being passive, ignoring him, chasing him and trying to pin him in a corner, everything….and we had no results. This has been the most severe case of ill early handling that I have ever seen. To date, this particular horse only really trusts his owner. He will tolerate other people handling him for such routine things as blanketing and feeding (but not after excessive snorting and running around). He is developing into quite the lovely little QH but he still needs some basic training when it comes to trusting people other than his owner.
In trying to stick to my initial topic, choosing your battles in the training process, I will talk about a personal battle that my horse and I wage every other month and once a year. Every other month, I have to de-worm my horse. If the particular de-wormer that I am using for that month comes in pellet/feed-through form, I am more likely to choose that avenue versus the oral syringe. To Edge, using an oral syringe to de-worm him is the most terrifying process ever. I feel that it stems from his deep-seeded fear of the intra-nasal strangles vaccine that is administered once per year. It would appear that having a fluid vaccine sneakily administered up his nose frightens him into what I call his “black stallion” frenzy. He rears and becomes dangerous to be around. The second the long, plastic extension of the syringe comes into view his regard for personal space flies right out of his big head. My vet and I have agreed to simply administer this vaccine while he is still groggy from having his teeth floated. We choose to avoid a full-on war by compromising.
Another issue I have had with Edge has been blanketing him. He has been blanketed for the majority of his life, and yet come every winter, when I bring out the blanket and it makes that distinctive “scary” sound, his eyes bulge, his nostrils flare and his body automatically assumes a flight position. Some people may feel that the best option is to scare the fear out of him by chasing him with the blanket until it no longer reacts to it. I would consider this if there were no alternative but more often than not, I feel as though this type of approach is extremely aggressive and can make mountains out of mole hills.
I have found that the most effective approach with him and any horse with this similar issue, is to just take it slow. I bring the blanket towards him and allow him to react. With me, he generally just backs away and gives me a “no way, mom!” look for a few seconds. I come at him slowly and rub the blanket against his body until I see him relax. I then count, “one, two, and three” and place the blanket over the middle of his back and steadily pull it towards his neck and back towards his tail. After that, he is fine. I have found this slower, more willing to compromise approach works well with skittish horses.
I never want to lose my demeanor and composure when I’m working in a critical situation with a horse because this can lead to a battle and eventually a war. For most horses, scary, bad first impressions are hard to shake. “My way or the highway” training techniques are acceptable to a certain point. Anger is acceptable to a point. The reaction from the rider must fit the behavior from the horse. First ask, then tell, and finally demand. Levels of anger can vary from rider to rider. Often, my anger is expressed through determination and frustration with myself.
There have been many occasions when I have found myself atop Edge asking, then telling and then demanding for something and he does not get the message. This of course tends to make me feel ineffective and angry. As long as I can funnel my anger into productive energy, we usually end up having a successful ride. However, there have been times when I am fully aware of the mixed messages I am accidentally sending him and in return he gives me an uncertain, ugly ride and I find myself halting on a dime and dropping the reins until I can harness my anger.
If a horse can feel a fly or mite land on their haunches and knowingly twitch it off, then they can most certainly knowingly ignore any amount of leg or crop or whip the rider applies. This is why effective, compromise training is essential. As Wofford explains “I often wonder why people think they have to kick and pull a horse who can feel a fly land on his neck…I want you to concentrate on teaching your horse to calmly respond to invisible aids.” So, here’s my main point, true riders should work with their horses, not against them. The same advice can work in many life situations. Instead of battling with family, friends, co-workers, bosses, husbands, wives, or lovers, learn to compromise so that you can slowly build confidence in each other as a cohesive team. After all, the most success in life is often achieved through team-work. Now…who wants to hire me as an inspirational speaker?
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When comparing companion animals to livestock, most people can distinguish a clear difference between the two categories. Companion animals are the animals that we as owners dote all our attentions on. We buy them toys, fancy foods, beds, little jackets for the winter, etc. Livestock are animals that are generally seen as those that carry many of our physical burdens and provide us with food. When it comes to horses, many owners today fall under the category of pet owners. We buy them toys such as Jolly Balls or Hanging Horse Treats, we buy the most expensive supplements and feed, the best quality grass and/or alfalfa, we spend loads of money on good quality bedding, and many of us easily spend $100-$200 (and sometimes even more) on winter blankets. So why then do horses fall under the category of livestock instead of companion animal? We no longer need them to carry our burdens across acres of land and we in the United States do not eat them. Some horse people feel that if horses were designated as companion animals, many would be saved from slaughter.
Horse slaughter is a topic amongst the horse community that is about as touchy and hot as abortion is amongst the normal population. The more uninformed horse people feel that slaughter is completely unnecessary and savage. However, according the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practioners), “Changing the legal definition of horses to companion animals under state law could adversely affect horse owners and breeders and not necessarily better protect horses.” Because the USDA currently recognizes the horse as livestock, the government is better able to regulate the horse industry, the welfare and the overall treatment of horses.
If the horse were to lose its legal designation of livestock, the few slaughter facilities left in the United States would no longer be held accountable for the humane slaughter of unwanted horses. There are thousands of unwanted horses in the U.S. They are generally the result of uneducated backyard breeders, poor regulation of wild horse packs, and various other issues resulting from uninformed, overzealous people. Currently, because the USDA recognizes the horse as livestock, the government is able to uphold strict federal inspections of slaughter facilities in the U.S. and the Safe Commercial Transport of Equine to Slaughter Act. Another very positive side effect of the horse being designated as livestock is that the equine industry is able to qualify for grants to support research in equine disease, reproduction, and other aspects of the industry. A little known fact among the non-horse community is that most of the very advanced reproductive technology used with humans today was originally used on horses. For example, embryo transfers, in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and other methods. Much of the money obtained to do such beneficial research has been awarded through grants.
The very unfortunate truth about horse slaughter today is that is it absolutely necessary. The even more unfortunate truth about it is that because there are so few slaughter facilities in the United States, unwanted horses are packed into trailers headed to either Canada or Mexico with little regard to their safety during transport. Neither Mexico nor Canada hold any regulations for humane horse slaughter. I have heard horror stories of the slaughter simply involving slitting the horses’ throats and allowing them to bleed out or attempting to break the horses’ necks. The humane way to slaughter a horse is to render them unconscious with a captive bolt gun which simply makes the horse brain-dead so they feel no pain when the actual slaughtering process occurs. This is the same technique used for cattle. A metal rod is shot straight into the brain.
Another aspect of horse slaughter that upsets many uneducated people is the human consumption of horse meat. The meat is mainly consumed in Europe. Horse meat is very lean and protein rich…perfect for people in third world countries. I don’t think I myself could ever eat horse meat because my love and connection to these wonderful creatures is so deep that it would be like eating a family member! Count me out….no reservations for the Donner party here. To make such a simple statement as “ship off the meat to the poor starving kids in China and Africa” sounds so idealistic and overly easy. However, when one considers the over-population issues that are ravaging the world and its billions of residents (an average of 75,000 who starve to death every day), one day, it may not sound so idealistic. It is a simple and freighting fact that the world population is growing daily and the ability of the agricultural community to supply food to the general populous is not keeping up. The particular lecture that I am drawing all this information from downright scared me. In my notes it states “famers must produce as many calories in the next 40 years as in the entirety of humanity to feed the world.”
The land used to produce this food is quickly disappearing; being turned into housing developments, business centers or shopping malls. Most of us U.S. citizens do not feel the effects of this growing problem but it is something that truly shocks me. I have faith in our scientific community to put all their combined eight plus years of schooling and training together and figure out some solution but I feel as though this situation should never have happened. I’m getting off topic! My final word on over-population: sex education, birth control and education in general! Of course, all easier said than done but I will leave that for another day.
The main point I am trying get across in this piece is that while horse people with idealistic, negative views on slaughter and the livestock-designation may have good intentions to save the thousands of unwanted horses, these opinions and views come from a lack of education and an abundance of passion. As the former Supreme Court Justice Louise D. Brandeis said, “[t]he greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.” If backyard breeders had more education and purpose with their breeding, the issue of unwanted horses would not be so rampant. There would also be a need to better regulate the packs of wild horses that still roam many parts of the United States.
If I don’t sound like a broken record by now, well here it comes…education is the key. Re-opening slaughter facilities in the U.S. is essential for the humane treatment and slaughter of unwanted horses. All these major issues stem from human faults. Once upon a time, there were slaughter facilities that also had a training facility on the property. Trainers would try to find possible horses that could be saved from slaughter and go on to live successful lives. Unfortunately, more often than not, the trainers would find career-ending conformational deformities or mental issues so beyond repair, that these barns full of hope were slowly closing down. My own beloved home-away-from-home, Lynchland has saved many a horse from slaughter and they have become some of the most loved and talented horses on the property. The owner of the barn, Jackie is very educated in the ways of equus and is able to find horses that have potential. She never gets herself into any situation with a horse that she knows she cannot handle. To reverse Louise D. Brandeis’ quotation, the greatest hope for the horse lays within the people of zeal, well-meaning and educated, and with understanding.
To see some of our rescue horses, feel free to check the Lynchland website: s.comhttp://www.lynchlandstable
(On a personal note - Edge, Lily, Lola, Ringo, Bob and Sadie were all rescued from slaughter auctions. Hard to believe, isn't it? - Jackie)