Equipoise Equestrian

22/08/2025

Good topic from the clever folk at Centaur Biomechanics.

Good pickup from the clever folk at Centaur Biomechanics.
Thankfully, most breeches and riding pants these days have a phone pocket on the thigh. However, it's worth paying attention to where you wear your phone in case it impacts the pressure felt by the horse.

𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗣𝗢𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧

While on a clinic some time ago, and again at a competition yesterday, I noticed a rider carrying their phone in their rear (right) pocket while riding.

This should be avoided at all levels.

Placing a phone in the rear pocket is likely too:

1) Significantly affect the function of the rider’s seat
2) Compromise the effectiveness of the rider’s seat aid
3) Induce/create rider asymmetry
4) Lead to uneven loading of the saddle and horse
5) Compromise rider-horse interaction

Although carrying a phone while riding can be useful for safety and other purposes (apps), alternative locations should be considered.

Image of a rider sitting on a pressure mat with their phone in their right back pocket.

Note: sharing as an observation. We have not shown this experimentally (yet).

07/08/2025

Does your horse pull faces when you go to saddle up? Or when you go to do up the girth? Maybe even try to bite? They speak to us as loudly as they can as they have no voices. We need to listen.

Understanding behaviour during tacking-up and mounting. Welfare is about responding to the emotional and physical experiences of our horses.

23/07/2025

Whips and how to use them - a subject that needs careful thought. Thanks to Pony Club Australia, there's really good clarification in their post.

Keep in mind: Punishment makes horses fearful—not obedient.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗜𝘀—𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗻'𝘁

𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱

In Pony Club, we’re here to learn, grow, and ride with kindness. That applies to how we use our voice, our legs—and our equipment.

Let’s talk about the whip.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
The whip is a training aid, not a punishment tool. It can be used lightly to reinforce the leg aid, such as a gentle tap to encourage the horse to move forward. This is a form of negative reinforcement: the horse learns to respond to the rider’s leg in order to avoid the follow-up tap.

When used correctly, a whip:
▪️Encourages a horse to respond to a light leg aid
▪️Helps clarify a rider’s request
▪️Can back up communication when timing and consistency are right

But—here’s the important part—whips must be used gently, never in anger.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
The whip must never be used to vent frustration, strike a horse, or punish after the fact. This is not only against Pony Club policy—it’s ineffective and unfair to the horse.

Why? Because horses don’t learn through punishment the way people do.

Equitation science tells us that horses learn best through clear, consistent signals and timing. Punishment doesn’t work unless it’s delivered the moment an unwanted behaviour occurs. Even then, it usually causes more harm than good.

Punishing a horse:
▪️Confuses them (they don’t understand why they’re being hit)
▪️Increases fear and anxiety
▪️Damages trust and the horse–rider partnership
▪️Increases the risk of dangerous behaviour or accidents

In short, punishment makes horses fearful—not obedient.

𝗔 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
If your child is still developing the emotional maturity to stay calm when things go wrong (as many young riders are), it may be best not to give them a whip just yet. Whips must never be used in frustration or anger, and it’s our shared responsibility to make sure horses are handled with fairness and kindness at all times.

Talk with your child about why a whip is used and how to use it correctly. If you’re unsure, ask a Pony Club instructor for guidance—they’re there to support you too.

𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆
Pony Club Australia considers it a breach of the Horse Welfare Policy to:
▪️Use a whip in a way that causes pain, injury, or visible marks
▪️Use any method that deliberately inflicts pain
▪️Strike a horse overhand or with the reins, especially in anger
▪️Use a whip as punishment
▪️Instruct someone else to use equipment in a harmful way—including parents, supporters or coaches

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵?
If a Pony Club coach or official observes a breach of this policy, they have the authority to:
▪️Immediately withdraw the rider from the activity
▪️Eliminate the rider from a competition
▪️Refer the matter for investigation

All breaches are subject to the PCA Conduct and Disciplinary Policy, and in serious cases, may be reported to external welfare authorities (listed in Appendix A of our Horse Welfare Policy).

𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
Good horsemanship is about understanding how horses learn. That’s why PCA teaches equitation science—not outdated traditions. Using the whip appropriately means using it sparingly, gently, and always in the horse’s best interest.

Kindness is not weakness. It’s knowledge in action.

To read more, download the PCA Horse Welfare Policy: https://ponyclubaustralia.com.au/integrity/pony-club-integrity-policies/

18/07/2025

09/07/2025

Leave those whiskers to do their job! We wouldn't cut off a cat's whiskers - or a dog's - because they are really important for their perception of their world.

Welfare Wednesday: Why You Mustn’t Trim Your Horse’s Sensory Hairs

The horse’s senses have evolved over millions of years to give them the best chance of surviving in the wild. As part of this adaptation, horses developed coarse, sensory hairs (vibrissae)—mainly around their muzzle and eyes—to help them interpret their environment and stay safe.

These hairs are not decorative. They help horses:

▪️ Detect objects, surfaces, and even vibrations

▪️ Judge distance and navigate their surroundings

▪️ Test electric fences before touching them

▪️ Gather information while grazing or rubbing their heads

From birth, foals use them to find their mother’s teat. Removing them can result in confusion, stress, and a higher risk of injury, especially during transport or in unfamiliar environments.
(Source: McGreevy, Equine Behaviour, 2012)

That’s why trimming a horse’s sensory hairs around the mouth, nose and eyes is a breach of the Pony Club Australia Horse Welfare Policy.

Similarly, removing hair from inside the ears is not permitted, as it plays an important protective role. You may tidy longer hairs that extend beyond the ear’s edge, but the internal ear hair must be left intact.

Policy breaches can result in immediate action, including:

▪️ Elimination from competition

▪️ Withdrawal from Pony Club activities

▪️ Referral under the PCA Conduct and Disciplinary Policy

Let’s respect what evolution has provided. Sensory hairs belong—for awareness, safety, and welfare.

Read the full Horse Welfare Policy at https://bit.ly/456Xf8r

14/06/2025

https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/equine-oral-care

Well worth considering. Talk to your equine dental vet if your horse requires this treatment.

Click to read on equusmagazine.com

06/06/2025

Talking about anyone's weight is fraught with danger - body shaming is hurtful and potentially harmful. However, it's the horse's welfare that ultimately matters, so it's a subject that has to be addressed.
We used to believe that 20 per cent of the horse's weight was OK - and that was healthy weight, not an obese horse. The calculation has to include helmet, boots, saddle, pads, bridle as well as the rider's weight.
It has become clear, though, that this calculation, which came from the old cavalry manuals, was made at a time when winning a battle was more important that horse welfare. (Obviously!)
So how do we do this? With great difficulty! If we see a horse or pony carrying what appears to be excessive weight, how do we go about trying to make things better for that horse - and that rider?

I'm open to suggestions!

𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼.

Now we know this is not always a comfortable topic to discuss, but it is an important one for animal welfare.

The old rule of thumb is that a rider can weigh a maximum of 20% of a horse's body weight.

However, a 2019 study found riders exceeding 15% of the horse's body weight (17% if including tack weight) caused the horses to become temporarily lame and/or have significant behavioural signs of musculoskeletal pain, when ridden for 30 minutes of walk, trot and canter work.

Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that 15% should be the maximum rider weight limit, especially if asking for a significant amount of trot and canter work. It is also important to remember that this must be calculated from a horse's ideal weight. An overweight horse cannot carry any more weight than it would if it were a healthy condition. For example, for a 500kg horse with a healthy body condition score, the maximum rider weight would be 75kg (85kg including tack). It is worth noting that a heavier saddle will reduce the rider weight that a horse can take.

It is also important to consider the size of horse required to match the saddle size required by the rider. A saddle's length should never extend past the horse's last thoracic vertebra (last rib), and it is not acceptable to compromise on this to allow for the rider. Therefore, we must ensure to ride an appropriate size horse to allow a correct saddle seat size for our shape, weight and height.

Note - the above study acknowledges that the results are not necessarily applicable to walk only exercise (e.g. walking hacks), as significant concerns were only seen at trot and canter.

𝗦𝗼, 𝗹𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲.

To read the study, please go to: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eve.13085 #:~:text=The%20conclusions%20and%20clinical%20relevance,bodyweight%20and%2For%20weight%20distribution.

18/05/2025

It's so important for a young horse's future that her/his first experiences under saddle are pain free and non- damaging. And yet...
When most youngsters are sent away to a breaker, they wear the breaker's gear, which is the saddle that the breaker finds most comfortable and secure. It may fit the young horse, but there's a fair chance that it absolutely does not!

CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS - BLOGS

**DOES SADDLE FIT MATTER FOR YOUNG HORSES?**



Generally, when starting the horse’s education (backing) there is little regard for the fit of the saddle. In most cases (not all), a saddle which appears to “reasonably” fit the young horses back is used – these saddles tend to be well used, and when not required, are placed at the back of the tack room, out of sight. It is important to appreciate that the unbacked horses back and soft tissues have never been exposed to the weight and dynamic forces created by the rider (and saddle). Therefore, if a saddle, which does not fit or distribute forces appropriately is used, the experience that the horse gets when first ridden, will vary considerably to the experience a horse has when ridden in a saddle which is fitted.

Although this may seem overzealous, we must not underestimate the compensatory strategies horses take. We and others have demonstrated the effect that incorrect saddle fit/design can have on saddle pressure distribution, back function, and locomotion. In the case of the young horse, who has not been exposed to the dynamic forces of the rider/saddle and the vertical load applied to its back, when ridden for the first time in a saddle which doesn’t fit, will create high pressures/restrict locomotion. It seems logical to expect, that the horse will develop a locomotor strategy to compensate to alleviate any discomfort caused.

In the case of the young horse, this strategy will be learnt immediately. It remains to be seen how this manifests itself over time. Our understanding on the effect that incorrect saddle fit has increased exponentially, therefore, applying the same principles, the young horse will develop a locomotor strategy (caused here by incorrect saddle fit), which may have been able to be prevented had a correctly fitted saddle been fitted.


Often people say, “I will invest in a saddle once the horse has fully matured”. The financial implications of buying a saddle for a young horse are fully appreciated, especially when horses mature and alter their body shape. Generally it is not viable to have a “made to measure” saddle for a young horse and then replace it as the horse matures and alters body shape.

With the advances of saddle design and technology, there are multiple options for horse owners for example, interchangeable gullet systems. Although the saddle must be professionally fitted, this type of system means that saddles can be fitted to young horses and then altered throughout the horse’s career.

Back related conditions in the horse are increasing which lead to a loss of athletic performance, injury, and lameness etc. Research is underway looking at saddle fitting in relation to young horses however, the question which remains to be answered (which will be in time to come), is does the locomotor compensatory strategy that the horse adopts at the beginning of its riding career cause locomotor asymmetries which can then lead to back / gait related conditions?

In summary – correct saddle fit for young horses is equally as important as correct saddle fit for the mature horse.

Please like / follow our page for more blogs and please share to raise awareness 😃

Dr. Russell MacKechnie-Guire
Centaur Biomechanics
www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk

23/04/2025

Excellent video of what really is involved with thorough dental checks for our horses - sedation, light, and in this case a camera.

If your dental checker doesn't use sedation or light inside the mouth, how on earth are they able to do the full job?

Horses , as a prey species, have evolved over millions of years, to be able to hide pain very well ! Especially in the mouth! They are so determined to keep ...

20/04/2025

Self carriage - how often do we see it in dressage and show horses? Not that often, unfortunately. It's the goal (or should be) in all our training.

"Applying tests of self-carriage more thoroughly in dressage tests and all other riding tests has the potential to save horse sports. Riders should be required to demonstrate self-carriage in all gaits and movements.

This would ‘prove’ to judges that horses are actually trained rather than held. If a horse is held in a certain movement, it means he is not trained to maintain it.

As a minimum standard, any so-called ethical training method should demonstrate the maintenance of desired behaviours (self-carriage) without relying on physical force."

Andrew McLean

17/03/2025

Unlike humans, horses don’t have collarbones. Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead, often referred to as the “thoracic sling.”

Why is this important? We often ask our equine athletes to perform complex movements that require tremendous strength and coordination, and horses carry the majority of their weight in their front end. Therefore, it is imperative that the bulk of the muscles that support the front end are kept healthy and conditioned, and the horse is trained to use their “motor” — that is, engaging the large hind end muscles as much as possible to avoid excessive weight bearing on the front end.

If the front end of the horse is consistently overweighted or not at an appropriate level of fitness, repetitive biomechanical stresses get transferred down the leg to the smaller ligaments and tendons that were not designed to bear this weight, which can then lead to injury.

Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

14/03/2025

Clipping off a horse's whiskers seriously compromises their welfare - these are feelers, sense organs. We wouldn't do it to a cat "to make it look better", would we?

Do you clip your horse's whiskers? This may change your mind.