Rising Star Ranch, LLC

06/25/2026

06/24/2026

🪑𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 & 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

🇳🇱 Als balans in het zadel als een constante struggle voelt, kan dit de reden zijn 👇

Wanneer je lichaam niet boven je zwaartepunt gepositioneerd is, blijft balans altijd moeilijk voelen, hoe hard je ook probeert.

💻 In de 𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 ,leg ik uit wat de meest voorkomende oorzaken zijn van balansproblemen en hoe je houding en positie je stabiliteit in het zadel beïnvloeden.

🔗 https://dutchequestrian.kennis.shop/pay/balance

🇬🇧 If balance in the saddle feels like a constant struggle, this might be why👇

When your body is not positioned above its centre of gravity, balance will always feel difficult, no matter how hard you try.

💻In the 𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝, I explain the most common causes of rider balance problems and how your posture and position influence your stability in the saddle.

🔗 https://dutchequestrian.kennis.shop/pay/balance

06/21/2026

06/20/2026

❌DON’T SADDLE TOO FAR FORWARD

🧨Avoid pressure on the shoulder
🧨Let the scapula move freely
🧨The girth groove shouldn’t determine
saddle placement.

❌WHY IT MATTERS
Pressure over the scapula can alter movement and contribute to muscle soreness and atrophy .

❌TIGHT ISN’T ALWAYS RIGHT

🧨Excess pressure can reduce comfort
🧨May affect breathing and movement
🧨Secure the saddle without over-tightening

❌WHY IT MATTERS

🧨Excessive cinch pressure around the sternum, pectoral muscles, and rib cage can cause discomfort, affect breathing, and create tension through the horse’s back.

🧨keep it simple when cinching https://www.winnhorses.org/schedule drop in and see us while we are in your town.

06/19/2026

Can you spot vertical balance in a horse?

More importantly, can you help them find it in movement?

In this month's webinar, The Importance of Vertical Balance in Rehab Training and Injury Prevention, Dr Karin Leibbrandt; Equine Health and Training dives deeply into the role that vertical balance plays in posture, movement, performance, and long-term soundness.

Vertical balance is about far more than standing straight. It is about how the horse organises its body around gravity and how forces are distributed through the musculoskeletal system during movement. When a horse is vertically balanced, movement becomes more efficient, posture improves, and tissues are loaded more appropriately. When balance is lost, compensations begin to develop.

The image shows a horse moving on the lunge both in and out of vertical balance. Notice the alignment of the forelimbs, the position of the head and neck, and the curvature of the spine between the two images. These subtle differences can have a significant impact on how the horse moves and how forces are distributed throughout the body.

As rehabilitation professionals, understanding vertical balance gives us another lens through which to assess movement, identify compensations, and guide horses towards healthier, more biomechanically efficient patterns of movement.

To learn more about this webinar, comment EQU and we'll send you more information to register.

06/18/2026

How Well Does Your Horse's Bridle Fit?

A poorly fitted bridle can create discomfort that affects your horse's ability to relax, focus, and cope with the demands of being ridden.

Pressure is often greatest over prominent bony structures and areas of movement, where straps, buckles, and padding can rub, pinch, or compress sensitive tissues.

Most horse owners understand the importance of saddle fit, yet many overlook the discomfort that an ill-fitting bridle can cause. Even relatively small pressure points can contribute to tension, resistance, head shaking, rubbing, and reduced comfort under saddle.

This graphic highlights several common bridle fitting problems:

**A & B – Poll, Atlas Wing and Ear Pressure**
The headpiece should be shaped and positioned to accommodate the wings of the atlas and the base of the ears. A poorly designed or incorrectly fitted headpiece can create concentrated pressure in these sensitive areas.

**C – Browband, Cheekpiece and TMJ Pressure**
The browband should fit comfortably and not pull the headpiece forward into the base of the ears. Excessive bulk created by the browband, headpiece, and cheekpiece buckles can place pressure over the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Ideally, cheekpiece buckles should sit lower and be positioned more in line with the eye to reduce bulk in this area.

**D & F – Noseband Pressure**
A noseband should be fitted loosely enough to comfortably allow two flat fingers beneath it on the bridge of the nose. An overly tight noseband can create pressure on either side of the nasal bone and under the jaw. It can also dig into the face as the horse changes head and neck position during movement.

**E – Pinching and Rubbing Around the Bit**
When a noseband is fitted too tightly, the soft tissues of the lips and cheeks can become trapped between the bit and noseband, leading to pinching, rubbing, and discomfort.

The goal of a bridle is not simply to stay on the horse's head. It should fit comfortably, minimise unnecessary pressure, and allow the horse to perform without avoidable sources of irritation.

➡ So... how well does *your* horse's bridle fit?
And...if you want to add to the list please add to the comments below❤🙌

Collectable Advice 237/365.
RECOMMENDATION:
I highly recommend Anna Minogue-Equine Dentist and her Bit and Bridling Foundation Course. Also, follow her on social media as she shares some super information. I also have done two excellent podcasts with her for Canter Therapy Podcast. See comments for details.❤