NOVEMBER 2020 THE RIDER /27 ^Between The Ears^


had a decrease in eye tem- perature from the time of being stabled to the end of the warm up in riding. Half of those horses had a further decrease between their warm up and the ridden test. The most remarkable de- crease was at 15 minutes into the ridden test. Perhaps this is a timeline to keep in mind for warmups before showing? Physiological


stress


By Ellie Ross The ongoing debate


about whether a high or low head carriage is ‘better’ or easier on the horse is never ending. The debates when comparing the very low , peanut rolling head car- riages of Western Pleasure Horses vs the high head car- riage of other horses has mainly stemmed from opin- ion. Then there is the big Dressage war about the nose being behind, neutral or in front of the vertical. Again, this has all been mainly an opinion based on observed behaviour and visual prefer- ences


measures. The interpretation out. In 2009, the FEI cre-


ated guidelines that state that the nasal plan should at all times be positioned in front of the vertical. It advo- cates that horses are devel- oped into ‘happy athletes”. Unfortunately there


are still far too many profes- sionals that believe in over flexion of the neck and keeping the nasal plane be- hind the vertical. This is quite evident in judging still to this day. Research has shown


vs physiological


that increases in eye temper- ature combined with in- creased cortisol levels are a good physiological meas- urement of stress in horses.


also correlated with poten- tially aversive procedures like clipping and also being lunged in training aids like the Pessoa. The most remarkable


correlations in the study that included both physiological measures and behaviour were related to the position of the head and neck. Horses being worked in a low head carriage had re- markable increases in stress both during and following the ridden test. It is impor- tant to note that low head carriage does not necessar- ily mean peanut rollers. It Refers to any head carriage where the poll is lower than the withers or a hyperflex- ion of the neck with a dropped poll . What made it even more stressful was when the nasal plane was behind the vertical. All those who oppose the Rol- lkur can now refer to the sci- ence behind it. Tail swishing has al-


from the human watching and the perception of what they believed would be comfortable or uncomfort- able for the horse fails to identify or address the true mental state of the horse. The dilemma faced is


often about how one will be judged and therefore this drives many to ride for the favourable assessment by the equestrian judges vs. what is actually the most correct for the benefit of the horse. The mental stress of ridden horses is all too often overlooked and assessment is mostly based on subjec- tive judgement. It is important to note


that these stresses were not only inflicted on horses while being ridden, but also lunged. Research has shown that horses being lunged in a training aid such as a Pes- soa, were more stressed than horses being lunged with-


While it only makes sense that baseline cortisol would increase slightly with phys- ical demands of work, the circulatory changes were a better measurement to deter- mine sympathetic activa- tion, which would be the physiological preparation for the flight response. This is why, measuring the tem- perature of the eyes have been an excellent, noninva- sive method to assess stress. By utilizing these means, the stress can be confirmed instead of perceived based only on the interpretation of behaviour. In a study completed at


the School for Veterinary Science, Nottingham UK 2013, they found that half the horses in the study had a reduction in cortisol concen- tration associated with rid- den work. A very interesting fact


was that all of the horses


ways been perceived as re- sistance and stress in the horse, however, there was no correlation found be- tween this behaviour and in- creases in cortisol or eye temperatures. However, 3 of 10 horses in this study spent 50% or more of their time swishing their tails and 2 of the 3, showed an increase cortisol but not eye temper- ature. There has been no science to back up the dif- ferences between tail swish- ing/tail swinging as this remains wide open to varied opinions. Horses that were rid-


den for increased duration of nasal plane in front of the vertical had lower eye tem- peratures during the ridden test and after indicating that it was less stressful.


In


studying how horses were judged, it was found that these horses were perceived as being less supple. High head carriage


was perceived as a higher level of confidence with more energy when the nasal plane was behind the verti- cal.


Horses whose ears


were back generally scored lower overall. Even more interesting


The Science Behind the Head Carriage and Nasal Plane Debate


was that of the profes- sionals judging, veteri- narians


especially,


viewed high head car- riage with nose in front of the vertical to be un- desirable. The varied opinions and views among different profes- sionals are likely based on the differences for assessments. None the less, what is the point of the FEI 2009 guidelines that clearly state “the nasal plane should at all times be in front of the vertical” ? The incon- sistencies in judging likely stems from the in- terpretation of


the Sierra Acres Equine Assisted Learning Centre


16 Guidelines for Life meets Equine Assisted Learning


We are in a time of great unpre-


dictability, ever changing world. And while we are all in this together, we each navigate the journey differently. The 16 Guidelines for Life offer something for everyone. They are a tool to help create a culture of kind- ness, wisdom and compassion, from families to professionals. We can learn to apply them to


real-life situations, to help us trans- form relationships, help make wise de- cisions, and bring peace of mind even in the most difficult of circumstances. The 16 Guidelines bring awareness to four key areas of our inner and outer lives and can be used to explore new ways of thinking, acting, relating to others and finding meaning in your life.


Theme 1 How we think: under-


standing that everything we say and do arises from our thoughts. Practice the guidelines of: Humility, Patience, Contentment, Delight Theme 2 How we act: clarify


our actions; begin to realize what skill- ful actions will help to make a better world by practicing the guidelines of: Kindness, Honesty, Generosity, Right Speech.


Theme 3 How we relate to oth-


ers: Realizing connection and creating the relationships you want. The nature of interdependence is such that every time we cherish others, we are cher- ishing ourselves – all of which re- mains in a fine balance. We will practice: Respect, Forgiveness, Grati- tude, Loyalty. Theme 4 How we find meaning:


Embracing change and the possibility of creating a meaningful life. we will look at the nature of change and how we each view the ebbs and flows of life. If everything is changing, any- thing is possible. Explore: Aspiration, Principles, Service, Courage.


How will horses help us? In equine assisted learning,


there is a focus on wellness taking a holistic approach to improvement in physical, social, emotional or cogni- tive functioning. As prey animals, horses are tuned to their environment and must be able to respond in an in- stant to changes and inconsistencies in order to stay alive. Their ability to scan humans and find our inconsisten- cies and growing edges is truly amaz- ing.


Horses mirror our energy pat-


terns and blind spots; behaviours that can stop us from moving forward in life or from moving into our own au- thentic self. Horses show us that to be effective in our daily lives, we must un-mask any internal frustrations and conflicts that may be preventing us from moving forward. What better way to examine how you think? Equine assisted learning is ex-


periential in nature. This means that the participant will learn about them- selves and others by participating in activities with the horses, and then processing (or discussing) feelings, behaviors, and patterns. All horse re- lated activities are done on the ground, no riding. No horse experience is re- quired. Programs are available for groups or individuals. Suitable for all ages.


About the Author: Anne Porteous, owner of Sierra Acres Equine Assisted Learning Program can be contacted on Facebook, or anneporteous@sympa- tico.ca For more information about services go to www.sierracres.ca


horse’s behaviour when ridden. To summarize; In


measuring physiological stress, the low head car- riage was found to be the most physically de- manding. The effect of exer-


cise on the stabled horses was found to be beneficial


P r o p e r


for most. ,


fitness/age/health appro- priate exercise, with a proper head carriage and the nasal plane in front of the vertical is benefi- cial to the horse.


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