Mitavite Asia

29/09/2026

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29/09/2026

Horse Riding Lesson Plans Thanks

I have absolutely no connection to this program or to The Dressage Foundation but I came across this and thought it sounded amazing for the right instructor.

The Major Lindgren Instructor Education Grant provides $4,000 grants to dressage professionals to pursue a concentrated training opportunity outside of their normal training routine. Applicants need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and preference is given to instructors who have started or completed the USDF Instructor/Trainer Development Program. The application deadline has been extended to October 20.

If you are a dressage instructor who has wanted to invest in more education, clinic time, or specialized training but the cost has been holding you back, this is absolutely worth looking into.

Again, I am not affiliated with them in any way. I just love seeing opportunities like this available for instructors, so I wanted to share it with the group.

I’ll put the link in the comments!

29/09/2026

Practical Horseman Magazine Thanks

SOLUTIONS: Avoid Falling in Through Corners

To prevent your horse from falling in through corners …

Think of your inside leg as a pillar that your horse has to bend around and that you can use to help prop him up around the corners.

— Ashley Donadt

🎨 Illustration by Sandy Rabinowitz

Click the link in the Comments below to read more! ⬇️

29/09/2026

Positive Connection Equine Training
Thanks

Picture this: you’re teaching your horse to touch a target. They walk up, stretch their nose forward, bump the target, but as you mark, they turn their head and neck towards you and then back to default neutral again rather than staying in position. Before you know it, you start to notice that little move every single time before their reward. It wasn't something you reinforced intentionally, but your horse has learned their default requires them to turn in and then back out to accomplish the behavior for their reward.

I find this to be such a funny little quirk of training: our horses don't just learn the behavior WE think we're reinforcing, they're also learning what THEY believe led to the reward.

Horses are very good at identifying patterns, but this also means that if two or three behaviors happen in quick succession before the marker, the horse might:

• Attach all the behaviors to the reinforcement

• Assume the sequence is the cue

• Repeat the entire chain next time

None of this is wrong. It simply is. It's how learning works. A few key takeaways help keep things clean and clear:

1. Reinforce the exact moment you want to build. The more precise the timing, the less “extra” behavior gets swept into the association. As with any form of learning, timing and clarity is key!

2. Watch for accidental chains early. If you see a behavior creeping in, pause and reset before it becomes part of the routine. See what you can adjust to avoid an unwanted behavior sticking into what you want to train!

3. Split behaviors into smaller pieces. Clear, simple steps reduce the chance of unintended add‑ons. Small steps aren't something to avoid - you can always build those smaller, more correct steps into a larger step.

4. Remember: your horse isn’t being difficult, they're simply observant and doing their best to do right by you.

It's a funny reminder that horses are always learning not just what we intend to teach, but what they experience. When we understand how easily behaviors can chain together, we can train with more clarity, more compassion, and more curiosity about what our horses are telling us (and how we can then improve upon our own skill set).

29/09/2026

My Senior Horse
Thanks

🔗: https://myseniorhorse.com/fun-stuff/researchers-evaluate-how-human-geriatric-horse-relationships-influence-care-decisions/

Researchers at Tufts University assessed how relationships between owners and their geriatric and non-geriatric horses influenced veterinary care decisions.

29/09/2026

GROW Horsemanship Thanks

There is A LOT of quiet communication in horses that is often missed, even by professionals.

A lot of people will say a horse’s behaviour “came out of nowhere,” while the horse’s body language has been telling a very different story for quite a while leading up to the explosive behaviour.

Sometimes we expect horses to practically scream before we recognize that something is wrong.

But a lot of their communication is much quieter than that.

If there’s interest, I’ll turn this into a series looking at some of those more subtle signals. For now, let’s start with the eyes.

These are all Peekaboo, all from this month. The eye won’t give you ALL the information, but I can fill in on the context for these photos.

Picture 1: Visible sclera

This was Boo’s first time seeing and HEARING a mule. Apparently nobody warned him they sound like that.

There is a fair amount of white visible here, but I also want to point out that his eye is still quite round rather than triangulated.

Sometimes people see a round eye and assume that means a “soft” and “relaxed” eye, but there is more to look at than shape alone.

Picture 2: “Whale eye”

This was Boo visiting with a horse he was unsure of.

This is what a lot of people call whale eye. You can see a much larger amount of the white of the eye here.

This one is fairly obvious compared with some of the subtler examples.

Picture 3: Relaxed eye

This was Boo this morning before breakfast.

This is useful because it gives us a comparison for what his eye looks like when he is relaxed.

Look at the softness around the eye compared with the other photos.

Having a baseline is important because some horses just naturally have more of their whites viable, Peekaboo is often one of those horses when he’s looking forwards. And some horses have a less round eye. So knowing the specific horse you are working withs baseline is important.

Picture 4: Eye triangulation

This is also Boo visiting with the horse he was unsure of.

This is the one I think gets missed REALLY easily.

There isn’t a dramatic amount of white showing, but look at the change in shape around the eye compared with picture 3. It has become more angular and triangular (some people call it a tent above the eye).

I personally call this a “worried eye” with my students, and it’s something we look out for a lot in training.

When you know what your horse normally looks like, eye triangulation can tell you a lot once you start noticing when it appears and what tends to be happening around it.

These are not big behaviours. They are small changes that are very easy to miss if you are only looking for pinned ears, tail swishing, biting, kicking, rearing, bolting or refusing to move.

A lot of horses rely on screaming to get heard.

The eye is only one small part of the FULL picture, and none of these signals should be interpreted on their own. But when you know your horse’s baseline and start noticing patterns, these quieter changes can tell you a lot before the behaviour ever gets loud.

29/09/2026

Horses Inside Out Thanks

This exercise requires greater flexion in your horse's joints than trotting.

𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗲 will help to:
✅ Lift and flex the back, hip, shoulder, elbow, stifle and hock.
✅ Strengthen the muscles and structures involved in engagement, hip flexion and pelvic stability.
✅ Improve suppleness and flexibility through the shoulder, elbow, hip, stifle and hock.

For maximum benefits do this on a daily basis. You can incorporate this exercise into your daily routine, place the raised pole, or small log in a place where you can regularly walk your horse over it - for example to and from the field.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁
🐴 Walk your horse over a pole on the floor to begin with.
🐴 Gradually raise it until it's around knee height.
🐴 Encourage your horse to lower his head as he walks over the pole.

Want to discover more about the using poles effectively? Don't miss our upcoming 3-part webinar series that will give you the skills and confidence to use pole work with your own horse.

Comment poles and we'll send you all the details

29/09/2026

The Plaid Horse Thanks

This Plaidcast episode covers a lot of ground, from a World War I Arabian Mare to a purpose-driven equestrian business and pony jumpers.

On this episode, Piper Klemm is joined by author Elizabeth Letts to explore the human-horse connection and her new novel, Fallen for France; Kendall Michaud and Carrie Kehring of Three Mares to discuss using business as a force for positive change; and Cara Cheska to talk about the growing pony jumper division and the upcoming WIHS Pony Jumper Championships.

🎧 Listen at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/plaidchat-elizabeth-letts-three-mares-and-cara-cheska/id1192996514?i=1000791803428 or wherever you get your podcasts.

29/09/2026

Equine Anatomy Lab Thanks

29/09/2026

National Equine Welfare Council Thanks

🐴 Coping with Confinement: a new resource from the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA)

We’re pleased to highlight a new resource from NEWC member BEVA, supporting equine veterinary professionals in managing the behavioural and welfare challenges that can arise when equines need periods of confinement.

The Coping with Confinement Toolkit provides evidence-based guidance to help veterinary professionals develop individualised confinement plans that consider both the equine’s clinical and behavioural needs, as well as the practical circumstances of their care.

There’s also an Owner’s Guide, providing practical information to help owners and carers.

A really useful initiative recognising that good welfare during recovery means considering both the physical and behavioural needs of the horse 💙

🔗 Coping with Confinement Toolkit: beva.org.uk/resources/coping-with-confinement/

🔗 Owner’s Guide: beva.org.uk/resources/coping-with-confinement/owners-guide/

Congratulations to BEVA and everyone involved in developing this valuable resource👏