Cashmere Equestrian

21/10/2026

Another one of our equines was take to Dr Louise. We are eternally fascinated but what this vet can find and rectify with her internal examinations.

20/10/2026

A scientific study was done on how horses learn. It demonstrated clearly that horses do not learn in an atmosphere of fear, regardless of what the cause of the fear was.

There could be a multitude of factors, unknown environment, loss of herd members, unknown stimuli such as noise, objects etc or it could be the rider/trainer itself.

So many people try to correct “horse mistakes” with the use of a crop as punishment. The classic one that I observe regularly at shows is whipping the horse when it refuses a jump, whipping a horse when it doesn’t want to enter the ring. You get the idea. The human go to is always the same “I have to dominate my horse, if need be via pain, to get it to comply”. A variation of the same principle is “make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard”. Except, as this study demonstrated, that’s not how horses learn. Horses learn from pressure and release. That’s different to “making the wrong thing hard”. Pressure and release works by correctly timing the release, not how much pressure you apply. That’s not to say that there is no place for pressure. Of course there is. Without pressure there is no release, however, riders often confuse correctly applied pressure and release with “I must whip my horse when it didn’t do what I asked”. Nothing can be further from the truth. Nothing will do more harm than hurting your horse when it has failed to do a task which you did not train it for accurately. If your horse doesn’t take a jump, it’s either afraid or in pain or getting confusing signals from the rider. Horses don’t plot and plan to usurp your power and to avoid a jump to spite you. Horses don’t modulate like that. So if the cause for the refusal is either fear or pain or incorrect rider signals, how then would whipping your horse teach it anything?

Please take some time to read this study on horse learning in an environment of fear.

I know it can never be achieved that all humans stop hitting their horses, because human ignorance and lack of understanding and pride and vanity is endless but if we can achieve waking up a few more people to stopping this ugly practice then sharing this may help a little.

Valenchon, M., Lévy, F., Moussu, C. & Lansade, L. (2017). Stress affects instrumental learning based on positive or negative reinforcement in interaction with personality in domestic horses.
The key finding was that unrelated stressors, such as sudden or novel stimuli, impaired horses' learning. The effect varied with the type of reinforcement and the horse's personality, particularly fearfulness. The study also found that negative reinforcement could reduce the learning deficit caused by those additional stressors in this particular experimental task. 

20/10/2026

Some of our clients are looking at buying their first horse. Here is some basic advice that we would give them.

Part 1: Breeds

There are exceptions to every rule and we have owned some of these exceptions, but if you are looking to buy your first horse, do not buy:

- a thoroughbred and esp not an OTTB

- an Arabian

These two breeds are probably my two personal favourites. Arabians are the love of my life and every time I ride one, I want to take it home. I love everything about them but by and large, they are not ideal as a first horse, esp not for a child or teen.

TB are bred to go fast and OTTBs have to get the racing trained out of them. These horses are spirited and strong and fast and if you don’t know what you are doing, you may get hurt.
Many of them also come with an assortment of racing related health problems which take time, patience and know how to manage.

Arabians are smart. They are smarter than most people. They will outsmart you at every turn. Not because they are naughty but because they notice every inconsistency in your behaviour and they will not forget!

Unfortunately, the market is saturated with cheap and even free OTTBs. Just because they are free or cheap to purchase does not mean they are cheap to own. When people want to sell you a “quiet” OTTB, be aware that their idea of quiet may not be the same as yours. And just because they seem sweet and docile on the ground, doesn’t mean they will be when the saddle goes on.

One of the quietest horses we ever owned was an Arabian endurance mare. She was kind and brave and dependable and kept Christina safe like no other. This was the horse I trusted to take Christina out on trails on her own at a young age. She sneakily galloped that horse along the trails thinking I wouldnt know but I suspected. I knew the horse would keep her safe. But we have had many other Arabians. They were amazing horses but none of them would have been for a beginner.

If you are looking for a first horse for yourself or your child, please look for a breed that is known to be quiet and level headed and docile. It’s important to make that first experience with your own horse a confidence building one. Ongoing falls and accidents don’t do anything for a positive riding career. Leave the spicy horses for a second or third horse once you’ve learned the skills to manage them safely.

You wouldn’t buy your child a powerful motorbike or a race car, so it’s probably best not to start with a hot blooded breed of horse. Start with “training wheels” instead and leave the motor bike for later.

Again, every rule has exceptions but as a novice, it’s best to err on the safe side.

20/10/2026

Exciting news!
Councillor Cath Tonks has accepted the invitation to our thank you BBQ. Everyone attending can thank her personally for all that she has done for our little equestrian community.

19/10/2026

Riding schools and wet weather!

We love the rain and we hate the rain. For weeks now, we have begged for a drop to fill the dry dams and empty tanks, and the weather gods answered - in a major way. And that’s where the trouble starts…

Long periods of rainy weather, even just one week of continuous rain, are financially very tough for riding schools. Almost all income stops but the horses still need to be fed. In fact, they generally have to be fed more. More hay has to be provided, new rain sheets have to be purchased, special measures have to be taken to protect their hooves from water, abscesses occur, injuries are more likely, etc…

In short, high intensity and long term rain is a time of stress for riding schools, esp small ones like ours.

So we are very grateful for families/riders who still chose to attend sessions. Much can be learned in these wet weather sessions:

- who’s actually a dedicated horse girl or boy

- who loves ponies enough to still want to be with them when things are a little uncomfortable. These situations can be very useful in working out whether the child would be suited to having their own pony one day, as they still have to be cared for in the wet and cold. If parents want to know if their child should have their ow horse, watch their reaction when you tell them Pony Club is still on despite the rain.

Obviously safety must come first. Riding when it’s very wet is not safe nor pleasant for the horses. However, still attending the sessions to do some ground work, to care for the ponies, to help feed them, to take hay out, to monitor their hoof health and to help make them comfortable can still constitute a valuable learning session.

Case in point, we had a lovely bunch of giggly little girls attend yesterday. They ended up wet and muddy but lots of fun was had and all of them passed the “do I still love ponies in the rain” test with flying colours.

Thank you to families who still attend our sessions when we give the go ahead as it is what helps us stay afloat (pun intended 😅).

Andy and Christina who are wet to the skin 💧🌧️💧🌧️💧

19/10/2026

Who says you can’t have Pony Club fun on a rainy day?
This group of happy, dedicated and cheerful girls planned out the best obstacle course and then walked it with their ponies in hand.
This giggling may or may not have been heard next door. 😂😂😂

19/10/2026

I would like to encourage our teenage/more advanced riders to read this.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1705918994878356&id=100063808165359&mibextid=wwXIfr

One thing I really dislike hearing when someone is riding a horse, is hearing a horse being labeled as “naughty”, “difficult”, or “having a bad day” simply because something is not going the way the rider wants.

More often than not, there is information in the horse’s response. If the horse is falling in, rushing, refusing to move forward, drifting, throwing their head, breaking gait, missing a transition, or repeatedly doing something the rider did not intend, my first question is not “what is wrong with the horse?” it is “what are you doing right now?”.

It may also be...
What are you asking?
When are you asking?
Are your aids clear?
Are you accidentally giving two conflicting signals?
Where is your body?
What are your hands doing?
Are you gripping?
Are you leaning?
Did you stop riding through the corner?
Did you ask early enough?
Did you actually release when the horse responded?

I have always tried to teach riders to look at themselves first before blaming the horse but that does not mean everything is automatically the rider’s fault. Horses can be distracted, tired, confused, frightened, uncomfortable, unbalanced, or simply inexperienced. Pain or tack issues absolutely need to be considered when behavior changes suddenly or consistently.

I just mean that “he’s being naughty” should not be our first explanation. For example if the horse keeps falling inward on a circle, look at the rider before blaming the horse. Is the rider pulling the inside rein? Is the inside shoulder collapsing? Is there enough inside leg? Is the outside shoulder being controlled?

If the horse keeps breaking from canter, is the rider gripping, tipping forward, losing the rhythm, or accidentally restricting the horse with the hand?

If the horse will not go forward, has the rider been squeezing every stride until the leg aid has become background noise?

If the horse keeps rushing, is the rider becoming tense and holding continuously, giving the horse nothing to soften into?

Often the horse is responding very logically to what the rider is doing, even when the rider does not realize they are doing it. That is why I would rather hear a student say “something isn’t working. Let me figure out what I’m asking” than hearing “my horse is being bad.” That shift matters because it teaches riders accountability without teaching them to blame themselves for everything. It teaches them to become curious instead of frustrated and most importantly, it teaches them to listen to the horse.

Another useful diagnostic tool is having an experienced rider or you as the instructor get on the horse when appropriate and safe to do so. If a rider is consistently having trouble with something, it can help separate a horse issue from a rider issue. For example if the horse is repeatedly struggling to pick up one lead with a student but the instructor gets on and the horse picks it up easily with the same setup, that tells you a lot. It does not mean the student is “bad” or doing everything wrong but it does suggest the issue is more likely related to timing, balance, body position, clarity of the aid, or how the rider is preparing the transition. I have always found that very useful as part of the diagnostic process because sometimes the quickest way to understand what is happening is to change the rider and see what changes with the horse.

So before we label the horse, we should ask what the horse might be responding to. Sometimes the behavior we are trying to correct is actually feedback.

16/10/2026

A fact that many humans do not want to face is that no matter how much you love your horse and care for it, a horse needs at least one other horse. Horses should never be alone. They are herd animals. All the pats and cuddles in the world don’t make up for that.
If you want to have a horse, give it at least a miniature horse or a small pony as a companion. Alone horses are under constant stress even if the human eye can’t see it.

Study:
Søndergaard et al. — social housing vs. isolation in young horses, University of Copenhagen

15/10/2026

It’s party time‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

We are keen to thank all of our wonderful friends and clients who supported us in so many different ways to secure our permit for the continued existence of our little riding school.
We will be having a thank you BBQ here in the next few weeks, we are just working on finding the best weekend for the occasion.

Personal invitations will go out to all of our supporters via email so please keep an eye on your inbox.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

15/10/2026

LONG READ for the parents of our more advanced riders.

How we are helping our riders to become more balanced riders!

First, a word about the importance of balance:

Learner riders often don’t understand that the performance of the mount under them can be more of a reflection of their own inexperience, that the horse’s shortcoming.


How Rider Imbalance Affects Horse Performance — Especially with Beginner Riders

A horse’s performance is influenced not only by its own balance, strength and training, but also by the balance of the rider sitting on its back.

Horses are remarkably sensitive to changes in weight. Even a relatively small shift in the rider’s centre of gravity can influence how the horse moves, turns, maintains rhythm and uses its body.

For an experienced rider, maintaining balance often happens almost unconsciously. For a beginner, however, balance is still developing, and the horse may have to compensate for the rider’s movements while simultaneously trying to understand the riding aids.

1. How rider imbalance affects the horse

Leaning to one side: When a rider collapses through one hip or shoulder, or consistently puts more weight into one stirrup, they shift their weight unevenly onto the horse’s back. The horse may drift, fall in or out through the shoulder, struggle to maintain a consistent bend, or find one rein harder to work with than the other.

Leaning forward: A rider who tips forward, particularly when anxious or gripping with their legs, can interfere with the horse’s ability to lift and use its back freely. They may also unintentionally put the horse on the forehand, making it harder to maintain balance and carry weight effectively behind.

Leaning backwards or bracing: A rider who leans back while gripping or pulling on the reins can restrict the horse’s forward movement and create tension through the back and neck. The horse may slow down, hollow its back, raise its head or become resistant to the contact.

Gripping with the knees or legs: Beginners often grip when they feel insecure. This can stiffen their hips and lower back, prevent them from following the horse’s movement and create confusing or continuous leg pressure. The horse may respond by speeding up, becoming tense or ignoring the leg because the pressure never clearly disappears.

Bouncing or moving out of rhythm: When a rider cannot follow the horse’s movement, the repeated impact can make it more difficult for the horse to relax its back and maintain a consistent rhythm. The horse may shorten its stride, tighten its muscles or alter its way of going to accommodate the rider.

2. Why this matters for beginner riders

A beginner may believe that the horse is being difficult, lazy, crooked or unwilling to turn when the actual problem is partly the rider’s balance.

For example, a beginner approaching a circle may lean towards the inside, grip with the inside leg and pull on the inside rein. The horse may then fall through the inside shoulder, lose its rhythm or make a smaller circle than intended.

The rider may respond by pulling harder or applying more leg, unintentionally increasing the horse’s confusion.

This can create a cycle:

* The rider loses balance.
* The horse changes its way of going to compensate.
* The rider feels less secure.
* The rider grips, stiffens or pulls on the reins.
* The horse becomes more restricted or unbalanced.

The horse is then being asked to perform a task while also managing the physical and sometimes conflicting signals coming from the rider.

To help our riders to improve their position and balance, we have started to integrate Equisk body straps into our private lessons with the more advanced riders. (These are not for beginners).

EQUISK body straps work by providing resistance and physical feedback to help the rider improve posture, core stability and symmetry.
Encourage core engagement: Help activate the muscles that stabilise the torso.
Improve posture: Encourage better alignment of the shoulders and upper body.
Highlight asymmetry: Help the rider become more aware of uneven positioning and movement.
Improve stability: Help the rider maintain a more controlled, centred position in the saddle.
The benefit to the horse: A more balanced rider is less likely to shift weight unevenly or interfere with the horse’s movement. This can lead to clearer aids, improved straightness and better balance.
In short, the straps aim to improve the rider’s body control so they can communicate more effectively with the horse. They are intended for intermediate riders and above, not beginners who have yet to develop an independent seat.