EquiConnection Outreach

08/20/2026

The things we NEED to be aware of. Consider what’s beyond the surface. 🐎

07/23/2026

Always consider the whole picture.

07/19/2026

These are things I didn’t learn until later in my equestrian journey and I wish I had.

Every horse deserves a balanced diet. Like Mad Barn for science-backed nutrition, expert support, and free tools and education to help your horse feel and perform their best.

05/08/2026

Very interesting history of these well-known horses!

03/03/2026

Bit mechanics are fascinating and worth knowing!

🐎 Did you know this?
Do you know the difference between "lozenge" bits.
All lozenge bits are designed to give tongue pressure to help the poll flex. They just all do it in a different way.

1 - is a Neue Schule Team up snaffle. A fairly plain lozenge snaffle. This is NS's answer to the French Link snaffle. Its designed to distribute pressure more than a French Link with a rounded centre link and curved cannons.
As you can see from the photos, this has the most tongue pressure from all the bits presented here.

2- NS tranz angle lozenge snaffle. This lozenge is designed at an angle so that when a contact is taken up the lozenge rotates to a larger pressure bearing surface. This reduces some tongue pressure so that the lozenge presses more gently into the centre of the tongue for communication.

3 - NS verbindend with the angled lozenge and curved cannons. This was originally designed to enhance lift but it has been later found that it also gives tongue relief. The bit itself stays more curved in the mouth, reducing pressure on the sensitive parts of the tongue.

4 - NS turtle top Flex Z with a flatter link which locks upwards. This link is designed to be more aligned with the horses mouth shape - flatter wider tongue surface area, flatter to align with the palate. You can see that the cannons upwards movement towards the teeth is reduced. The cannons angle flatter to give arched shape and less likely to be dragged up into the mouth.

5- NS Turtle Tactio flex T - this is designed to focus pressure into the centre of the tongue diverting pressure away from the bars.

If you have any requests for bits for me to cover please leave a comment!

02/09/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/1B97bDKAyX/?mibextid=wwXIfr

SECRETARIAT
“He’s 1100 pounds of baby fat, he eats too much and too often. The only reason he doesn’t eat more is because he’s too busy sleeping. He only does what he wants to do, exactly when he wants to do it. He lays against the back of the starting gate like he’s in a hammock in the Caribbean. When he finally does get out of the gate, it takes him forever to find his stride”
~Lucien Laurin, Secretariat's trainer

Did You Know that Secretariat not only had a larger heart than the average horse (three times the average size!), but his stride angle was a lot wider than other race horses. The stride angle is the maximum opening between the front and rear legs, usually occurring at push off from the rear foot.

Secretariat's stride angle was 110°! Researchers found that for every degree a horse increases the stride angle, he increases the stride length by 2%. This means that if the stride angle is increased just 10°, the horse will cover 20% more ground with each stride!


*Secretariat's Legacg*

12/07/2024

The jump, alone, is a major feat, but side saddle?! …and in 1915?! 🤯 …no doubt a one-of-a-kind woman!

Esther Stace completing her record-breaking side-saddle jump on Emu Plains at 6 feet 6 inches at the Sydney Show in 1915.