EquineSite.com

By Nancy Wesolek-Sterrett
Dressage Department Head, Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre

As students work to master the progressive levels of the riding tree, speed control issues seem to fall into two distinct categories. Some riders have trouble getting their horses to go forward. Others have trouble getting their horses to slow down. While these two problems appear to be polar opposites, they actually have a common cause. The riders have not yet developed a balanced, secure seat that follows the horse’s motion. When they accomplish that, they can coordinate their aids to influence the horse’s speed.

Frustrated riders often blame the horse when the horse refuses to go forward freely or resists the rider’s efforts to slow its rhythm or stop. But closer analysis usually reveals that the horse is simply responding to the signals it feels from the rider’s seat. Sure giveaways that the rider’s seat is the actual speed control issue are:

• other students ride the same horses without problems, or
• every horse that a particular student rides exhibits the same plodding or rushing issues.

A rider with a good seat sits relaxed in the saddle with shoulders, hips and heels in alignment. Relaxed, flexible hip, thigh, and hamstring muscles allow the rider’s thigh and calf to lie softly against the horse without gripping.  This flexibility coupled with strong core muscles in the abdomen and back, allows the rider’s seat to follow the motion of the moving horse in balance without bouncing or tipping either forward or back.

When students without a good seat fail to get the response they want from the horse, they often apply their aids more strongly. If the horse is not moving forward enough, they think that more leg will fix the problem. Or they try to push the horse by following its motion with aggressive hip thrusts. If the horse is speeding up or going too fast, they shorten their reins and increase their grip. A goldie oldie school horse may go along with these ‘solutions’. Depending on its training level and temperament, however, the horse is more likely to feel blocked and move more slowly. Or the sensitive horse may become anxious and run from these stronger aids.

Like any aid, the seat never works in isolation. When a rider without good balance tips forward, the seat bones lose contact with the saddle and the rider loses communication with the horse. Riders who grip with their thighs or calves to maintain their balance also lift their seats out of their saddles. They need to develop balance so that they can relax their leg muscles to lift the horse’s back with a following seat, strong core muscles, and relaxed calf muscles. Riders who balance on their hands, ride with ‘puppy dog’ hands, or constantly fiddle with their reins can cancel the influence of their seat.

Riders need balance, relaxation, flexibility, and muscular strength, to find and maintain correct postural alignment in the saddle and to follow the horse’s motion in a rhythm that sets the horse’s speed. When a rider’s seat does not follow the horse’s motion, it blocks forward movement. When a rider’s following seat slows down or speeds up as the horse’s motion changes, he or she is not regulating the horse’s speed. The rhythm of the rider’s seat should direct the horse to move at a regular, set pace. If the horse speeds up or slows down, the rider’s seat must continue in its steady, directing rhythm while the rider uses other aids to ask the horse to match the seat’s rhythm. When a rider sits in a chair seat with the leg out in front of the hip, they get behind the horse’s motion. Some horses slow down and get loftier motion in front when this happens while others run away from the pushing seat.

Riders also need to coordinate their breathing with their following seat to help set the rhythm. Coordinating a following seat with breathing and correctly timed half halts helps the horse to step into a perfectly square halt at precisely the spot the rider directs. Riders who get breathless after the second tour of the arena at a trot lack the stamina to follow the horse’s motion rhythmically.

If a rider’s seat needs improvement, analyze the root of the problem. Does the rider need to work on basic relaxation and balance?  Is there a lack of core strength? A lack of stamina? A lack of flexibility? Is the rider unable to isolate various muscles in the body? Does the rider understand how to time and coordinate other aids to support the seat? Depending on the answers, different exercises can help riders address seat issues that will enable them to use their seat to regulate their horse’s speed:

• Place the hands on a stationary objection while bouncing on a mini-trampoline or simply moving up and down by flexing the ankles. This keeps the hands steady and allows the rider to develop a flexible feel for the opening and closing of the elbow and hip joints.
• Sit on a balance ball. Lift one leg at a time off the floor while keeping both seat bones evenly weighted. This helps develop balance, core strength, and muscle isolation.
• Do squats to develop strength in the quadriceps muscles.
• Stand against a wall for stability and do leg lifts from strong back muscles to strengthen hamstring muscles.
• Do runner’s stretches to increase leg muscle flexibility.
• Do crunches to develop abdominal muscles.
• Invest in Pilates or yoga classes, both of which help riders develop a strong abdominal and back muscles, isolate muscle groups and develop balance.

Riders who are unable to control a horse’s speed without resorting to constant bumping with the legs, ‘pushing’ with their hips, or pulling on the reins need to assess their basic tools. Can they sit relaxed in the saddle with a long, relaxed leg?  Can they maintain balance without tipping forward or backward? Can they maintain alignment of shoulders, hips, and heels with strong core muscles? Can they follow the horse’s motion without bouncing or gripping?  With these basics mastered, the rider’s seat becomes the primary speed control aid.

As students work to master the progressive levels of the riding tree, speed control issues seem to fall into two distinct categories. Some riders have trouble getting their horses to go forward. Others have trouble getting their horses to slow down. While these two problems appear to be polar opposites, they actually have a common cause. The riders have not yet developed a balanced, secure seat that follows the horse’s motion. When they accomplish that, they can coordinate their aids to influence the horse’s speed.

Frustrated riders often blame the horse when the horse refuses to go forward freely or resists the rider’s efforts to slow its rhythm or stop. But closer analysis usually reveals that the horse is simply responding to the signals it feels from the rider’s seat. Sure giveaways that the rider’s seat is the actual speed control issue are:

• other students ride the same horses without problems, or
• every horse that a particular student rides exhibits the same plodding or rushing issues.

A rider with a good seat sits relaxed in the saddle with shoulders, hips and heels in alignment. Relaxed, flexible hip, thigh, and hamstring muscles allow the rider’s thigh and calf to lie softly against the horse without gripping.  This flexibility coupled with strong core muscles in the abdomen and back, allows the rider’s seat to follow the motion of the moving horse in balance without bouncing or tipping either forward or back.

When students without a good seat fail to get the response they want from the horse, they often apply their aids more strongly. If the horse is not moving forward enough, they think that more leg will fix the problem. Or they try to push the horse by following its motion with aggressive hip thrusts. If the horse is speeding up or going too fast, they shorten their reins and increase their grip. A goldie oldie school horse may go along with these ‘solutions’. Depending on its training level and temperament, however, the horse is more likely to feel blocked and move more slowly. Or the sensitive horse may become anxious and run from these stronger aids.

Like any aid, the seat never works in isolation. When a rider without good balance tips forward, the seat bones lose contact with the saddle and the rider loses communication with the horse. Riders who grip with their thighs or calves to maintain their balance also lift their seats out of their saddles. They need to develop balance so that they can relax their leg muscles to lift the horse’s back with a following seat, strong core muscles, and relaxed calf muscles. Riders who balance on their hands, ride with ‘puppy dog’ hands, or constantly fiddle with their reins can cancel the influence of their seat.

Riders need balance, relaxation, flexibility, and muscular strength, to find and maintain correct postural alignment in the saddle and to follow the horse’s motion in a rhythm that sets the horse’s speed. When a rider’s seat does not follow the horse’s motion, it blocks forward movement. When a rider’s following seat slows down or speeds up as the horse’s motion changes, he or she is not regulating the horse’s speed. The rhythm of the rider’s seat should direct the horse to move at a regular, set pace. If the horse speeds up or slows down, the rider’s seat must continue in its steady, directing rhythm while the rider uses other aids to ask the horse to match the seat’s rhythm. When a rider sits in a chair seat with the leg out in front of the hip, they get behind the horse’s motion. Some horses slow down and get loftier motion in front when this happens while others run away from the pushing seat.

Riders also need to coordinate their breathing with their following seat to help set the rhythm. Coordinating a following seat with breathing and correctly timed half halts helps the horse to step into a perfectly square halt at precisely the spot the rider directs. Riders who get breathless after the second tour of the arena at a trot lack the stamina to follow the horse’s motion rhythmically.

If a rider’s seat needs improvement, analyze the root of the problem. Does the rider need to work on basic relaxation and balance?  Is there a lack of core strength? A lack of stamina? A lack of flexibility? Is the rider unable to isolate various muscles in the body? Does the rider understand how to time and coordinate other aids to support the seat? Depending on the answers, different exercises can help riders address seat issues that will enable them to use their seat to regulate their horse’s speed:

• Place the hands on a stationary objection while bouncing on a mini-trampoline or simply moving up and down by flexing the ankles. This keeps the hands steady and allows the rider to develop a flexible feel for the opening and closing of the elbow and hip joints.
• Sit on a balance ball. Lift one leg at a time off the floor while keeping both seat bones evenly weighted. This helps develop balance, core strength, and muscle isolation.
• Do squats to develop strength in the quadriceps muscles.
• Stand against a wall for stability and do leg lifts from strong back muscles to strengthen hamstring muscles.
• Do runner’s stretches to increase leg muscle flexibility.
• Do crunches to develop abdominal muscles.
• Invest in Pilates or yoga classes, both of which help riders develop a strong abdominal and back muscles, isolate muscle groups and develop balance.

Riders who are unable to control a horse’s speed without resorting to constant bumping with the legs, ‘pushing’ with their hips, or pulling on the reins need to assess their basic tools. Can they sit relaxed in the saddle with a long, relaxed leg?  Can they maintain balance without tipping forward or backward? Can they maintain alignment of shoulders, hips, and heels with strong core muscles? Can they follow the horse’s motion without bouncing or gripping?  With these basics mastered, the rider’s seat becomes the primary speed control aid.  


___________

© 2011 Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre. Nancy Wesolek-Sterrett has earned numerous United States Dressage Federation horse awards including Bronze and Silver Medals on horses she has trained. She competes her horses at Training through FEI levels. As a Certified Riding Instructor she brings over 20 years of experience to her position as Head of the Dressage Department at Meredith Manor International Equestrian Centre (147 Saddle Lane, Waverly, WV 26184; 800-679-2603 ; www.meredithmanor.com), an ACCET accredited equestrian educational institution.

June 3 - 4, 2012: Prep Workshop
June 5 - 9, 2012: Certification Clinic
at Touchstone Farm
Home of Horse Power and Pony Farm

With Clinicians:

Mitzi Summers, International Instructor, Clinician and Trainer, CHA Master
Instructor, Level IV Centered Riding Instructor, AJA Judge, Winner of the 2010
CHA Instructor of the Year Award.
Valerie McCloskey, a rider for over 40 years, has trained and competed in hunter/
equitation, western and dressage. She competes in USDF dressage shows with horses
she has trained and has earned her

CHA Clinic Cost: $1100.00 per person ($700 clinic fee, $400 on-site lodging and
meals), includes all program, meals and lodging, required manuals, CHA membership and
certification fees.

Prep Workshop Cost: $400.00 per person ($200 clinic fee, $200 on-site lodging and meals.) Come to get ready for the
rigorous CHA Certification process. Lots of ‘hands-on’ teaching with helpful and supportive feedback.

Refund Policy: In the event of cancellation, Touchstone Farm will refund 100% of your fee if your spot can be filled from our waiting list. If your spot cannot be filled, 50% of fee will be refunded.

GET MORE INFORMATION: www.touchstone-farm.org

Other Events:

May 11-12- Driving Clinic with Marc Johnson
May 18 - 20 - Spring Fling Family Weekend
June 3 - 4 - CHA Prep Course
June 5 - 9 - CHA Clinic with Mitzie Summer

We are looking for riders or teams for this fundraiser for Essex County Trail Association! We can pair up riders, cyclists, runners and kayakers in need of a team.

When :02 Jun 2012, 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM

For more details: http://ecta27.camp7.org/events?eventId=361957&EventViewMode=EventDetails

Check out this great helmet cam footage from Carolyn Drover, Area 1 native. This is from Spring Bay Horse Trials, April 8, 2012 in Lexington, KY.

Click here!

Visit Carolyn's blog: blog is: http://cdeventing.wordpress.com/

For most if not all owners, breeding a mare and bringing a foal to term is a huge emotional and financial investment, not to be taken lightly. The culmination of all of the work and planning along the way will hopefully be a healthy newborn foal and a healthy dam. The final act of foaling itself is surely one of the most anxiety-inducing events for the owner, and being familiar with the process ahead of time is critical. Entire books are written on the subject of parturition alone, and this summary article will not come close to covering all of the veterinary knowledge on the subject. For those with little experience, it is highly advisable to have a veterinarian present or nearby for foaling.

Late gestation

About 4-6 weeks before the due date, the owner should move the mare to a nearby, ideal foaling area. If suitable pasture is available, which is well drained, not overly packed with other horses, and offers protection from inclement weather (i.e. sheds or trees), this will work. In colder regions of the country, it would be a good idea to house mares overnight and during rainy or cold weather in a well-ventilated barn with clean, freshly bedded stalls.

Moving mares to the foaling area ahead of time serves multiple purposes. This includes (1) acclimating the mare to the area in which she will foal, (2) exposing her to the natural organisms present in the foaling area (allowing her develop antibodies to any infectious organisms), and (3) making the mare more accessible for frequent monitoring as she comes closer to term.

The mare’s udder should be cleaned before foaling, and if her vulva has been sutured closed (Caslick's) it should be opened. If the mare is intended to foal indoors, she should be placed in a 14 ft x 14 ft large stall that has been cleaned and is well-bedded and ventilated. The mare can be turned out during the day in a small paddock or pasture in good weather.

In the month before foaling, the mare should be evaluated on a very frequent basis for physical changes that reveal that she is near term. These physical changes include (1) the development of laxity and edema of the vulva, (2) scanty vulvar discharges, (3) relaxation of pelvic ligaments, (4) enlargement of the udder, and (5) an increase in mammary secretions. As the time of foaling nears (i.e. over the last month) the mare’s mammary tissue will become enlarged, most noticeably in the final 2 weeks. The udder usually becomes engorged with milk in the few days before foaling. A waxy secretion accumulates on the ends of the mare’s teats (waxing of the teat ends) 1-4 days before the mare gives birth. Occasionally, this happens as early as 2 weeks before foaling, or it may not happen at all. Waxing of the teat ends is a result of early colostrum formation.

The mare’s mammary secretions should be monitored closely leading up to the expected foaling date. The secretions change from thin yellow fluid to milky white fluid, and ultimately to thick yellow to orange fluid as the colostrum forms. Not all mares will have yellow colostrum (i.e. some will have white colostrum), however, a recent study indicated that yellow, viscous colostrum tended to contain significantly more IgG (immunoglobulin) than white, thin colostrum. Leading up to the predicted foaling date, the mare’s udder secretions can be monitored for calcium content as well. There are multiple products available (i.e. the Predict-A-Foal Test Mare Foaling Predictor Kit from Animal Health Care Products) that allow the owner to monitor the calcium content of the mare’s mammary secretions. As the time of foaling nears, the calcium content increases dramatically. The level of calcium is highly correlated with the onset of parturition.

In the late stages of pregnancy, the fetus is positioned in a ventral (belly down) or ventrolateral (belly down and turned slightly to the side) position, and the head and forelimbs are both flexed

Parturition

There are three distinct phases of parturition, which actually overlap to form a continuous process. Understanding the three stages and the appropriate length of each is imperative for the expectant owner.

The first stage (also called the preparatory phase) usually lasts from 30 minutes to 4 hours. The fetus plays an active role, and the mare’s myometrial (uterine muscle) contractions are actively occurring as well. The mare becomes restless, and acts somewhat like she is colicky, i.e. flank watching, switching her tail, sweating, urinating a small amount multiple times, and going down and standing up again and again. A mare that has foaled previously may not show these signs as dramatically. When a mare enters the first stage of labor, her tail should be wrapped, and the area around her vulva should be cleaned. The mare’s uterus is contracting with increasing frequency and strength, and the cervix is beginning to dilate. Late in the first stage of labor, the mare will lie down and roll back and forth, then stand again, which is believed to be critical in helping the fetus to position itself correctly for delivery. If the mare becomes cast in her stall during this process, she should be pulled out of the corner or from the wall to allow her to stand and to keep her from foaling in an area that doesn’t provide her enough room. The contractions of the uterus will push the chorioallantoic membranes with the foal’s muzzle and fore feet through the cervix. Nothing can be seen coming out of the mare at this point.

The second stage of labor begins when the chorioallantois ruptures, causing the mare’s “water to break”, with several gallons of allantoic fluid coming out of the vulva. The cervix is fully dilated, and the fetus passes into the birthing canal (pelvic inlet). Once the fetus is in the pelvic inlet, the mare begins to have abdominal contractions. A hormone, oxytocin, is released from the posterior pituitary gland, which encourages uterine contraction to continue. The mare will lie down on her side and push forcefully several times in active labor.   About 5 minutes after the chorioallantois ruptures (the water breaks), the amnion should be seen coming out of the vulva. The amnion is a white somewhat clear, glistening membrane, through which the fetus can be seen.

http://www.ansci.wisc.edu/jjp1/webcam/reno_data.htm

Usually one foot will be seen first, followed by the other, and then followed by the foal’s muzzle. The amnion usually ruptures on its own when the mare passes the foal’s shoulders. If it does not rupture, some veterinarians will prefer to quietly enter the stall and tear open the membrane to allow the foal to breath. The mare may take a 20 minute break after passing the foal’s hips through the pelvic inlet, before she rises to complete the process. Stage two of labor is concluded when the foal is born, usually 20 minutes (up to 30 minutes) in total. If the foal’s amnion has ruptured, and the foal is breathing regularly and can get itself into sternal position (belly down and head up), then the mare and foal should not be disturbed, and the umbilical cord can be left intact, resulting in maximal transfer of blood from the mare’s placenta to her newborn foal. Often, it will rupture naturally when the mare or the foal stands, however, it can also be separated manually if needed (cutting is not recommended as it can result in hemorrhage or a patent urachus.) Unnecessary human disturbances should definitely be avoided, to prevent disruption of the natural bond between dam and foal.

If the water does not break, and the mare passes a “Red bag”, this is an emergency! The red bag should be ruptured immediately by the veterinarian (or owner if none is present), because this indicates that the placenta is separating from the mare’s uterus (endometrium), i.e. premature separation of the placenta, which cuts off oxygen supply to the fetus.

If the second stage of labor is prolonged (over 20-30 minutes from the water breaking to the delivery of the foal) or if progress stops occurring, it is critical to assess fetal positioning and posture immediately. Fetal malpositioning is the most common problem in delivery, and must be corrected for the foal to be delivered successfully. If your veterinarian is not already present, you should ask him or her to come to the farm immediately to assist in a potential dystocia. The goal will be to repel the fetus and return it to normal presentation, position, and posture so that delivery can be accomplished.

The third stage of labor is the passing of the fetal membranes and involution of the mare’s uterus. Just after the mare finishes giving birth, the placenta can be tied to itself (making it shorter), to prevent the mare from stepping on it until it is successfully passed. Usually, the mare will expel the placenta within 30 minutes to 3 hours after foaling. If the placenta is not passed after 3 hours, veterinary intervention may be needed to avoid trauma and infection of the uterus. When the placenta has been passed, it should be carefully inspected to ensure that all of its pieces are intact and no parts remain within the mare’s uterus.

http://www.australianwesternhorseshowcase.com.au/Features/medical/PREFOALINGCARE.htm

It is best to be safe rather than sorry, and contact your veterinarian for assistance if at any point you have concerns that parturition is not going smoothly or as expected.

If your mare is expecting a foal and/or you have any questions about this topic, please contact your veterinarian or the veterinarian's at New England Equine for further assistance.

Taryn Gervais, DVM

Jacqueline Bartol, DVM, DACVIM

Resources:

Blanchard, Terry, et al. “Management of the Pregnant Mare.” Manual of Equine Reproduction, 2^nd Edition. St. Louis: Mosby, 2003. 99-105. Print.

Spensley, Michael and Mats Troedsson. “Dystocia.” Large Animal Internal Medicine, 3^rd Edition. Ed. Bradford P. Smith. St. Louis: Mosby, 2001. 224-226. Print.