LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING INTERESTING
Let me show you something interesting...
I am proud of all the different people that come to my clinics. I get everyone from lovely amateurs to equine professionals, other coaches and trainers.
The professionals that come are those truly curious and open minded people that come to add to their toolboxes of knowledge and skills, something I massively respect. It is something I do myself and I always feel like I meet people from my planet and I always learn from them too. The combined expertise at clinics makes it even more special.
Last week I had a clinic in Queensland at Biddaddaba and got to meet Naomi Strong and her special mare - Maggie. Naomi is a brilliant coach and excellent horsewoman (I will pop her contacts at the end of this post so you can check her out). She was keen to see how I coached and broke things down for people to learn as well as find out a bit more about sensory soundness.
Maggie is a mare that herd dynamic expert Kerry Thomas labels as being a "15%-er", the small group of horses that have extraordinary herd dynamic profiles that allow them to be independent in their ability to process their environments. These horses are the "unicorns" you all wish to have. They handle the world and stress every effectively.
Devastatingly Maggie had been diagnosed with Wobblers Syndrome. Told not to ride her again, Naomi had to watch as her unicorn deteriorated in the paddock becoming more and more sensory unsound and distressed. The main leg impacted by the neurological issue was her right hind. After doing some research Naomi started working Maggie in hand, building new pathways and connections in her body. Maggie not only stopped deteriorating and improved to a point that Naomi is riding her and she is flourishing.
I thought I would show you this data from my Equestric Saddle Clip that includes measurements of the differences in terms of rhythm, landing and push off of the trot diagonal pairs.
We collected data from Maggie in the round yard at liberty and then being ridden. I have included the results. At liberty in the round yard travelling under her own direction Maggie's right hind issues are evident here. When it comes to landing, she lands with more consistency on the right front/left hind trot diagonal. The left front and the neurologically impacted right hind, lands with less force and consistency. The difference is 9% which the clip picks up as possible dysfunction to be investigated (you can see on the screen shot I have taken how the left front and right hind are highlighted in orange indicating an issue).
However, look what happens when Naomi is on board. Landing improves to 3% difference and within normal range. Also, with a slight shift towards a landing with more force on the left front right hind diagonal!
Not long ago I finished reading "Horse Brain - Human Brain" by Janet L Jones. In the book she pointed out that both horse and rider may develop proprioceptive pathways for each other. So, each species can develop a sense of where each other is in terms of position and movement.
The really interesting thing is that in the round yard, I could pick she was not 100% right on the right hind. It was only mild but I see so many horses with issues that I have a good eye. However under saddle, it was not detectable and her data showed that!
Could it be that Maggie has developed a new proprioceptive pathway for her right hind thanks to Naomi's beautiful balanced riding that aligns and connects mares body?!
There is obviously something that improves Maggie's symptoms!
If you have an idea let me know your thoughts!
And if you would like to find out more about this fabulous coach check out Naomi here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063749012578
