Ailsa

Don’t hurt your horse with a shout when a whisper will do!

What is it like? This job I do for horses….

The stresses on the horse have changed and grown with competition in equine sports becoming increasingly intense……… In the UK alone there are more horses than there were before mechanisation and the first world war! Most horses do not live as working animals but rather as animals which are required to work sometimes, often withContinue reading “What is it like? This job I do for horses….”

Cross training – sports science for you and your horse

Cross-training sounds like something reserved for serious athletes and feels like a bit of an old-school term that’s been around since moms started lacing up their sneaks for step aerobics. But it’s still super-important, no matter if you’re a casual riding club rider, just enjoy a ride in the countryside or a long distance enduranceContinue reading “Cross training – sports science for you and your horse”

I was recently asked what is the longest time a horse can or should go without food;

It is tempting if you have fat horses and ponies to give them small amounts of fodder so that in fact they spend long periods of time with no hay or haylage. A “weight control diet” is not one in which we swing from starvation to gorging – this is in fact a habit orContinue reading “I was recently asked what is the longest time a horse can or should go without food;”

The balanced horse

We can easily assume that horses know where their feet are, how to stand on them and use them for balance and propulsion. You don’t give much thought to how they sense the ground through their hooves; you simply assume that they do because, after all, within hours of birth, horses can stand and run.Continue reading “The balanced horse”

An essential muscle

SERRATUS VENTRALIS THORACIC (SVT) The SVT is the second part of the Serratus Ventralis muscle. It is one of the deep muscles of the body and really essential to the horse’s movement. Serratus Ventralis is an essential muscle of the thoracic sling, supporting the weight of the neck and thorax from its position on theContinue reading “An essential muscle”

Acclimatise your horse to scary or new environments

Using essential oils as a part of your horse’s care

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it’s called essential oil therapy. Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. It enhances both physical and emotional health. Aromatherapy is thought of as both an art and aContinue reading “Using essential oils as a part of your horse’s care”

The body as a whole body when helping your horse

Fascial connections we rarely talk about are the ones inside the thoracic cavity! Sometimes we struggle with the horse’s body and even when we do everything right the horse is still unbalanced. This can be because the musculoskeletal structure can mirror the visceral restrictions in the body. Ie. the nerves, circulation, organs and internal structuresContinue reading “The body as a whole body when helping your horse”

Turned out vs. turnout?

What is the difference between turnout for your horse and being turned out for a period of limited contact with people and more contact with horses. Turnout in this case can be defined as a period each day outside in a field or paddock with or without a group of horses. Turned out would beContinue reading “Turned out vs. turnout?”