36/ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 THE RIDER


The Science of how Horses Think & Learn Blaming My Horse


From Top Equitation and Hunter judge Anna Jane White-Mullin: After hearing lots of excuses that began with the words, “my horse,” it occurred to me that the rider’s language said it all—I am a victim of my horse. The way it is supposed to work is that the rider is the brains and the horse is the brawn. When problems arise, we are supposed to “outthink” the horse—i.e., to get the advantage by quick or clever think- ing. To allow the horse to run out at a fence repeatedly is to allow the animal to outthink you. The language of success be-


By Lindsay Grice Eques- trian Canada coach and judge.


Blaming my horse.


By Lindsay Grice When I assume my


horse “should know better” the truth is at that moment, I’ve really just run out of creativity, patience and my knowledge of equitation sci- ence.


Equitation Science is


using the science of how horses learn and think, to teach our horses stuff and


solve training issues. It’s not art. It’s not telepathy. It’s not “having a way with horses” or a simply having good “feel”. It’s having a well


thought out system – taking responsibility for 1.laying a foundation of cues or aids 2.communicating those cues clearly to my horse. 3.testing that system of cues in various environments And for those of us


who coach and train profes- sionally, it occasionally re- quires taking a humility pill!


gins with the word, “I.” ”I” am hav- ing trouble getting my horse over the fence. ”I” am unable to keep my horse from spooking. The word, “I,” is the language of responsibil- ity. It is an acknowledgement that the rider is responsible for the qual- ity of the horse’s performance. If you take responsibility, then you’ll do everything you can to improve the horse’s performance; but if you abdicate responsibility, you’ll be a victim of your horse’s whims till the end.


When I hit a snag in the train-


ing ring or show ring do I take a deep breath and assess the commu- nication gap with my horse? The deep breath takes the emotional as- pect out of the picture. And the as- sessment: Does he understand a


clear system of pressure and re- lease? Have I delivered the system accurately? As a coach, that “deep breath”


is my opportunity to assess – Am I explaining this clearly? How does my student learn best? Would it be helpful to use a different illustra- tion? Different words. Would it be helpful to get on the horse and feel for myself for missing “buttons” or points of resistance? Assuming my horse or student


“should know better” closes the door on a learning opportunity for the horse, rider…and me!


About Lindsay Grice: “Is it me or my horse?” Coach, trainer and show judge


Lindsay Grice in her 25 years as a professional horsewoman is a self- described “horse observer”. “I’ve learned so much by


watching horses – from the end of a longe line, the view from the sad- dle, or the judges’ booth – and I love helping riders solve their horse puzzles based on the science of how horses think and learn,” she says. Lindsay’s love of teaching


shows up as coach, clinician and even when judging – giving tips and encouragement as appropriate. She’s taught classes and semi-


nars on Equine Behaviour and Learning for provincial equine as-


Lactating broodmares: special fuel for their very special job


tion is essential to healthy mare and foal, and there are several good commercial products on the market (virtually every major feed manu- facturer has one). The key is to make sure you are giving her enough, and to supplement it with as much good quality hay she can eat, and give her free access to lots and lots of fresh, clean water. Once you have addressed


You have a beloved mare, so


beautiful and sweet. And for months you searched and searched for the perfect boyfriend for her. And now, after the longest 11- month gestation imaginable, you finally see, with overwhelming joy, that tiny baby on her wobbly little stilts searching blindly for food without even knowing why. Day by day you watch her get stronger, bolder, funnier and more graceful every moment, fueled by the magic milk made by her mother espe- cially for her. But as you watch that beautiful baby grow, another phenomenon may also catch your attention. Your once beautiful round shiny mare has quietly be- come dull. Her hair coat looks rough, her ribs begin to protrude,


and her hips are more prominent than you remember. What is hap- pening? Feeding baby – ie. ‘lactation’


– is an energetically expensive en- terprise. It takes a lot of energy to make milk; in fact energy require- ments for a lactating broodmare are almost 350% of what they were right before she gave birth and are similar to a horse in high intensity exercise. Her crude protein require- ments are in excess of 400% of pregnancy levels, and both calcium and phosphorus are more than 200% of pregnancy levels. If these very large increases in require- ments are not provided in the diet, like every good mum the mare will sacrifice her own body for the sake of her child. A good broodmare ra-


your mare’s high demand for an excellent diet you may want to augment it with some herbs to help her get the most out of her feed. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) is an excellent inclusion to a lactating mare’s diet as it has been shown in several species (dairy cows, goats, chickens, and dogs) to increase milk production while reducing voluntary feed in- take and retaining healthy body weight.


Similarly, anise


(Pimpinella anisum) has shown good results in increasing milk pro- duction in experimental animals. If your mare’s little one is


ready to be weaned, the goal should be to abruptly decrease the energy and protein in your mare’s feed, and include herbs that will help her to reduce milk production and ease her discomfort while she dries off. Some herbs with long history of use in reducing breast milk production in human mothers include sage (Salvia sp), pepper- mint (Mentha piperita), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and oregano (Oreganum vulgare).


sociations, therapeutic riding facil- ities and courses offered by Univer- sity of Guelph. She teaches clinics on show-


ing, training and judging for horse clubs and teaches riders at various farms. She is an AQHA specialized judge, Equine Canada judge and a


Provincial Hunter/Jumper judge. Serving on an Equestrian


Canada judging committee, she teaches seminars in General Per- formance (multi discipline, multi breed) judging.


Historic Sidesaddle Riding Stays Alive with OSA


Historical, romantic, elegant and above all


equestrian are words to describe the world of Sidesaddle. A band of like minded Sidesaddle enthusiasts united together in 2010 to form On- tario Sidesaddle Association, a not-for-profit or- ganization, and have been working hard ever since to keep this unique facet of riding alive. Small in numbers but mighty in knowl-


edge, the Ontario Sidesaddle Association (OSA) is sharing this wealth of information with a series of winter Lunch and Learn Work- shops. Starting in November OSA offered a Lunch and Learn Workshop on Pommel Fit and The Use of a Queen. The workshop was a re- sounding success. OSA is holding two more Lunch and Learn


Workshops before the 2018 riding season gets underway. • Sunday, February 11/18 – Overview of Riding Outfits Through the Ages. From full skirt riding outfits to modern day apron skirted habits, from Western outfits to Period costumes. (Snow date: Feb 25/18) • Saturday, March 10/18 – How to Order a Sidesaddle Online. What to look for, what measurements the potential purchaser needs to fit the horse and rider; and what questions to ask the seller. With sidesaddles a rare commodity in Canada and even in North America, this will be a good guide for anyone looking to purchase from the UK Both Workshops are limited to 10 partici-


pants per session, however should a topic have enough interested OSA will run a second ses- sion on the same topic. Spots must be booked in advance by emailing Diana Macdonald at dimac99@hotmail.com. $20 for OSA mem- bers/$30 for non-members. OSA membership is $25 for the year. Workshops will be held at Wil- low View Springs, Lois Beecraft, 5288 Wool- wich-Guelph Townline, Breslau ON (just west of Guelph). If you can’t attend one of the Workshops,


come out to the 5th Annual Open House on Sunday, October 14/18 at Willow View Springs. See a variety of English, Western and Period outfits. View riding demonstrations. Admire


several personal and vast collections of sidesad- dles, accessories and ephemera. In 2017, there were over 75 sidesaddles on display. You can even try on an outfit and “have a sit” in an Eng- lish or Western sidesaddle on a secure saddle stand. Admission is free and there is something for the entire family to learn and do. Want to experience riding aside? Then


book a private lesson or an in-barn clinic at your own stable with our two International Sidesad- dle Association licensed Instructors and Judges. To learn more: Check us out on Facebook:


Ontario Sidesaddle Association; follow our blog: www.onsidesaddle.blogspot.com or email us: info@rusticmeadows.com


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