What makes horses comfortable? It matters, oh yes it does. The more time spent with horses the more noticeable it is that their comfort is connected to their behavior. Horses become more amenable the more comfortable they are. An amenable horse is a willing horse, eager to do a good job.

The problem is, how is comfort for horses defined? Why by teasing the answer from them, I am sure. I have been interested in the linguistics of horses for many years. I’ll call it that anyway. It is based on a precept that their every action is a communication. Deeply listening to anything comes from listening with the whole body, with all the senses. I think of hearing horses language as attuning my many senses, just not my outer ears, to hear them.

Making horses comfortable matters because when they feel good, and act great it makes you happy. Comfort comes from clean surroundings. By dwelling in a clean environment it makes it easier to hear their message if something is wrong. If they act defiantly or make a big fuss, further observation is called for. Noting that their messages usually start off subtly and get louder and louder until understood, take steps to remedy it as soon as you question yourself.

They also want tack that fits. When will bridle makers come up with a better brow band? Many horses suffer from brow bands that are too tight. The look in their eye is, I’ve got a headache. A saddle that fits is a mythic journey which everyone who loves their horse is always on. Even when it is right, adapting to muscular changes requires keen desire to maintain maximum comfort. Because lets face it with the big deep muscles of a horse where compensations can lie buried, once a compensation surfaces there’s a whole lot of work that needs to go into fixing it. Body comfort means liking to be in your own skin.

Food too, comfort food, what is it for a horse? It is food that assimilates into energy from its digestible nutrients. I find it the hardest to sort out. I have been so surprised by a horse blossoming from a change in diet without any indication of a problem having been present. As each incremental advance the body makes seems exceptional, both delighting and amazing, still in his case his language had a recurring thread of something malefic underneath. But never gave any clue it had to do with diet. And then poof, a new food based remedy was supplied and it changed him in the most profound way.

And then since horses mirror their people, comforts for them are comforts for you. What makes you comfortable? Good conversations, happy sounds, pleasant music, laughter, friends, food in the tummy, fresh clean water, room to roam, not too hot nor too cold, your comfort is reflected back by your horse.

Here are some horse comfort tips.

• Along with a fresh, clean environment, I would include deep bedding. A cozy cushy place to get off the feet that is dry and safe promotes relaxed congeniality.
• Studying every bit of tack, how it sits and how it feels to your fingers when you slide them underneath. Horses notice when you care. It conveys your intention. They are generous old souls I think and appreciate it when you try. Horse-keeping is a journey which they generously share with us and make theirs as well. We must own that responsibility to them.
• I feed my horses something I would eat myself. I have a symbiotic exchange of food-as-remedies with them. Probably the single best, easiest, and most reasonably priced is organic apple cider vinegar and honey top dressed on their grain.

Let me digress from what makes them comfortable to explain why organic is important. In summary I learned that organic apple cider vinegar builds more red blood cells – the ones that carry oxygen that powers the body; while, distilled apple cider vinegar kills red blood cells, yes, diminishes the carrying capacity of oxygen in the body. This is the chemistry of it, just so you know.

It might explain why, to juxtapose it, distilled vinegar, Wikipedia says, ‘Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid prepared by the action of Acetobacter bacteria on ethanol solutions. Although traditionally prepared from alcoholic beverages including wine, apple cider, and unhopped beer, vinegar can also be made from solutions of industrial ethanol. Vinegar made from distilled ethanol is called “distilled vinegar”, and is commonly used in food pickling and as a condiment.’ I do not care to put that chemistry into my body or my horses. I kinda like the organic production process instead. Wiki says this, ‘It is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid. Bacteria and Yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, and the sugars are turned into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria (acetobacter). Acetic acid and malic acid give vinegar its sour taste.’ Made from something real to begin with, no wonder it adds lifeforce.

• Himalayan salt, back to the comfort food topic, is another favorite. Just the sight of the beautiful crystal hanging in the stall is cheering and is proven to give off healthy negative ions. Not to forget to mention the benefits of those minerals that are the essential tools which build the frequencies of health.

For comfort of mirroring the self. I champion intuition and trust by advancing personal knowledge in these spheres. Gaining knowledge and skill riding and training horses is not as obvious as it might seem. To be able to think independently and assess what is right for the horse that you know the best requires more. What you learn will be mirrored by your comfortable, amenable horse. I like to see my horses fascinated by what I bring of myself to teach them.

Here is artist Malin Baryard-Johnsson, a rider who really gets it. Her song is amazing. It expresses exactly how I feel about riding! Do you want to ride my horse?

This weekend she is jumping at the hotly contested Championship in Madrid for the Swedish Team. I am cheering for her and her Team who is battling it out to get on the Olympics startlist in London next year. She clearly loves riding. Often top tier athletes seem more about business and less than passionate.

It is the best riding tune ever, maybe just the “best sportstune known to mankind”, too. There are 12 countries competing for only 3 spots available at the 2012 Olympics. Eight teams have previously qualified during the past year. The U.S. is not yet qualified. Our last chance is at the Pan Am Games next month. Let’s hope that the pressure helps us team rise to the top.

Looking at Friday’s results Sweden qualified, so did Switzerland. The Swiss were the defending winning team of the European Jumping Championships which are held every two years. The Sunday class is for individual riders, not teams.

I Love Horse.

Live to ride, right?! Every year offers a new season for what I like best about my WOW saddle. This year’s reason is that it gives me the controls to stay out of my horses’ way. Then he can handle himself. I give him the aids to direct him and repeat the movements to gain rhythm and balance. “Controls” you say, more on that next.

Granted my horse and I are riding at a very basic foundation level. This is the stage of development before anything other than *solid* is required. And that is even more reason to love my WOW. It feels like it’s the big-working-horse saddle. Yet I don’t have to DO the work I am asking him to do. Instead, he gets to find his balance, his straightness, his bend. I get to find my torso strength, my breath, my free head and neck, allowing my shoulders, arms, wrists and hands to be relaxed, and my legs to mirror like well oiled gears.

It all happens, not only from a good sound fit that has been formed by each saddle component, no. It happens too because of the air flocking I can manipulate. It is in this adjustment that I can protect him from me. To keep my a-symmetry from influencing him or causing us to chase a-rhythmical imbalance around in circles passing from one to the other like a hot potato. With these controls he doesn’t compensate for me. It is the closest thing to moving freely with a rider on his back for a horse.

The horse can focus on himself. I can focus on myself. Together we feel pretty darn awesome!

I guess you know I wrote this right after riding, yep. And wishing you great rides too, because only you understand the need to gush about it afterward.

Ask ten people watching a horse and rider work through a training challenge and you will hear ten different detailed descriptions with a solution, all valid. If you ask vets it’s the same thing. Everyone responds with that which is immediately on their mind, the latest research or current hot topic they are exploring. I chime in with what is most appropriate and current on my mind at the given time. The filters of experience mean more towards understanding the other nine opinions, than drawing from the middle of the reservoir of options.

The quest for a solution to one challenge at a time is the heart of riding, as it is the major part of the entire journey taken together with a horse. Given this, if one person solves it with mechanical analysis and another uses a mental or emotional approach, the aim is the same: to move beyond that question and on to the next one.

I work things out in an organic and fluid way. Solidly grounded, I continue evolving my way as new knowledge is acquired. First (a), finding a way to rule out internal, metabolic problems. First (b), at the same time working on the physical or mechanical question. While it is a slow path to equine excellence I don’t mind, I am in it for life. The horse matters more to me than the time. A charming discovery is watching a horse and rider continue to train as they work it out and see the improvement spiral higher. When that happens the bond strengthens into deeper understanding with greater respect and communication.

Viewing health as fundamentally the assimilation of nutrients and the elimination of wastes, with all systems working in synergy my grounding is about, clearing flow. Soundness is health, and while unsoundness happens from a trauma of some kind, first the inner systems were not working in sync. Which is why I ask, what can be done for this horse to help it move towards soundness from within as well as its movement. As a business model I seek to empower rather than to impose. Bodies are able to make remarkable recoveries when they are given the right tools, innate intelligence is awesome.

My current focus is ratcheting up soundness with original Himalayan salt. It moved to high priority status because it’s on sale at my trusted source. Being rather expensive there is a temptation to buy a lesser quality. This is one of those things where the source of the product makes a huge difference. And it’s one of trust because we cannot see the difference with our eyes. Recently placing an order I discovered its sale prices. I am meticulous about value (and budgets).

If you like Himalayan salt ropes in your horses stall do you use it yourself too? The site, linked on my sidebar, is not only for people. While the company does not sell the salt licks for animals, I use the salt stones to make a salt sole for the horses that I dose them with daily. There is a lot of information available at the site. If you do visit them via my link I may get a little commission, thank you so much. You can visit them directly if you prefer. I encourage you to suss out the best Himalayan salt for you and your animals!

I also keep Himalayan salt on ropes and in large blocks from the feed store around if they want to have a lick. It is my primary array of minerals after all. Being that it is made by nature with 84 trace minerals in the proportions from whence life evolved makes for a happy DNA, they say. The scary thing is, local chunks of road salt can be taken and sold as Himalayan salt because it looks the same. And if you don’t know the source it may have some heavy metals and toxic minerals in it if it is untested.

I stocked up at the great pricing specials. Delicious and nutritious, oh boy, more ways to feel great! Knowing what ten different people see watching a rider work through a solution helps the other nine watching work it out for themselves with more facets to ponder. It’s part of polishing the diamond that is riding.

This blog name has been changed to The Athletic Horse.

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It’s a banner moment. I look forward to great riding this spring. Is anything better evidence that all is right with the world than when a plan comes together with your horse?

Thinking outside the box, is my source of inspiration. Mastering a method of equine massage therapy begun in the mid-1980′s proves it. Being the first equine massage therapist on the A Show Circuit from 1985 to 1988 established my business.

It is anti-aging for horses. It enhances performance and advances ability, painlessly, with long term benefits.

It works except in 2 different circumstances, 1) if there is an undetected, systemic medical condition; 2) if there is poor saddle fit or dys-comfort.

You can start with a WOW saddle and make your riding better in every single way! If you want an older horse with a younger horses movement then add massage.

Can you imagine how equine massage was generally perceived prior to the year 2000? When I tell you what I am embarking on next, consider that equine massage is now globally accepted. Albeit greatly changed from the method I maintain.

Yes, I am still going strong helping horses, riders, veterinarians. And still thinking along with all of them, outside the box.

The easiest change you can make is to get yourself in the irons of a WOW saddle now.

Riding or horsemanship is an art. There is no denying riding is a creative expression of a partnership. Let us listen to what one creative genius hears from another. It goes to the heart of creativity, to art.

Riders are often quoting, seeking or referring back to a Master of earlier days. To those ancestors of riding who taught exquisitely the art of combining man and horse in synchronized movement. Who showed us how far the art of riding can take us. But this is not about them.

Hear Elizabeth Gilbert on TED who also talks about Master ancestors. Her conclusions apply to some riders, perhaps especially those of us who live with our horses. She shares what she learned after writing her blockbuster hit Eat, Pray, Love.

Although the art of writing and horsemanship are very different expressions of creativity I hear what she says from the personal to the divine. And those masters combine very well with mine!

I am glad to share the video. How do you think it fits into the day in and day out work with your horse? No prior blockbuster success required to understand fears, egos, exaltation and despair.

This is a nice approach to personal success from a decidedly determined artist. I wish you all success!

You know how the movies that get scheduled for release nearest the Oscars always do well in the voting? That is how I think this Greatest Tip About Horses in 2010 is. I learned it from my veterinarian in December. Honestly, I can’t even remember the great things I learned in November, let alone any month between then and January 2010.

This answers a question that has been on my mind for years, yet had been answered many times in various ways. This is simply the best answer. It came out during a lull in the vet’s visit when the chatting is relaxed. My vet visits us along with the equine dentist once a year to give a ‘cocktail’ to one of the horses. That is all she has to do and she is great and careful about it. Fortunately, Maryland law allows for this arrangement. So, the subject of teeth was an obvious one.

I wondered aloud for the the umpteenth time, what causes the teeth to get so out of whack. Well, I might have said what causes the hooks to form, or changes their grinding surface, or been more specific, but it is her answer that I am so glad to get. I allowed how I had gone off of a sweet feed blend and back to awesome, cleaned, steam crimped plump oats. I had come to believe it is the feed itself that effects the teeth changes. I was asking her specifically about the hay. Does a first cutting timothy, for example, that is coarser and more fibery make a difference than say a softer second cutting orchard grass, or third cutting with soft alfalfa in the mix? That’s not it, she says as she eyes my rather low hanging hay nets. Then she remarked that as I had older horses I was able to hang the nets that low. She didn’t elaborate but I concur. My horses are sensible and completely safe around the net below my waist nearer to their feet. (A huge consideration, so be absolutely certain.) I replied that in the really cold and windy conditions, it was a really cold and windy day, we were all being very tough, I liked to hang them low, as that appeared to be their preference.

That led to discussing the issue I have with hay on the ground or on the floor, being that of: parasites. I am so much of an anti-parasites person I fork out every little piece of manure twice a day, sure that there is an unfriendly organism hoping to get picked back up lurking within. She reviewed my deworming program and fecal monitoring, giving me more peace of mind about their eating off the floor.

That is it. Keeping horses heads low when they graze and grain helps to keep their teeth in correct grinding surface alignment. I love knowing this. The horses grain goes into tubs placed on the floor for each meal, and their hay nets are staying low (because it is safe for mine) and I am not worried about grazing from the floor any more. I am still forking out all manner of manure, but going less crazy when I find they’ve grazed the wasted hay out of the muck bucket I have parked along their path and not yet emptied.

Summing up the year 2010 for horses in a word is, enthusiasm!

It has been a fantastic time for horses in the news and making news. Online journals and blogs have been chock full of imagination in communication. The social quips from horse and men and women have been tantalizing across media outlets. Coherence and integrity amongst like minded and kindhearted animal lovers has grown as more and more meet across the web, around the world.

These qualities I find both energizing and engaging. Personally, it has been a great year for me with my horses. We have grown and learned and evolved our skills, connection, in soundness all hale and hearty. My clients have benefited from new techniques I worked out for them involving intriguing, simple things like original uses of original himalayan salt, chakra clearing, and working with hydrogen peroxide in a new way. Riding in the H girth on WOW saddles has enlightened me, the horses, and customers to a whole new level of stability for the back, shoulders, neck, saddle, power behind and freedom in front.

The year began for the industry with an FEI policy meeting to grapple with demands from members. The need to clarify how judges and stewards are going to look at dressage performance and preparation still looms large. Although nothing has been definitively resolved the effort is on a roll. There are a lot of high classical dressage riders taking a stand and defending their punishing training methods and winning big in the show ring. Perhaps as many riders are taking their time to build the capacity of their horses performance according to official FEI rules, which have not been ruling in the shows ring. You’re right, it sounds mixed-up. With the 2012 Olympics looming, I expect fervent activity that you will be able to join and impact the outcome if you are feeling your inner activist. How to define the new dressage, possibly with new rules. Or how to honor magnificently developing horses from the legacy of masters through another avenue of FEI oversight, judges training.

The World Equestrian Games in the USA were very exciting. A more perfect host than Lexington, Kentucky could not be. International riders that came got to be part of the American way with horses. Those who competed, mostly from smaller countries, train in an atmosphere where equestrian arts are part of the culture. America’s corporate approach has a decidedly different culture to the sports. The exchange with international riders is wonderful for the horses.

Being able to follow the famous Olympia horse show from London during such a festive time of year extends the enthusiasm from our year end competitions into the Christmas holiday season. The finals at the National Horse Show from Madison Square Garden now in Syracuse, New York and the Washington International Horse Show in DC as well as the Fair Hill CCI *** end by Thanksgiving. Now the US elite riders close out one season and prepare for the next, beginning in Florida.

Finishing this year and rounding it out I send you good cheer, may you and your horses enjoy one another equally. Enthusiastically!