ridden horse pain ethogram - The Horse Physio - Sue Palmer

Tag: ridden horse pain ethogram

Don’t wait until your horse is in pain to check their comfort levels!

By Sue Palmer on April 28, 2024

I’m frustrated at horses being labelled as naughty when they’re actually lame or in pain. How else is a horse supposed to tell you that he’s hurting other than through his behaviour? Since you’re reading this, I know you share my frustration. We know that just about everyone loves their horse and wants the best for him. You’d be devastated if he was in pain and you didn’t know about it. So, to help owners and riders be more confident that their horse is comfortable, I’ve put together this short video and blog, which I’d appreciate it if you would share widely on your favourite social media channel. Here are three simple exercises you can do on a daily basis to check that your horse is comfortable.

The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram: A Tool for Equine Wellness and Performance

By Sue Palmer on April 14, 2024

Join me on a journey as we delve into the significance of 'Harmonious Horsemanship' and the transformative Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram! Let’s uncover insights shared during a recent webinar I presented with Dr. Sue Dyson hosted by Gillian Higgins of Horses Inside Out.

How Pain Affects Your Horse

By Sue Palmer on April 7, 2024

In any subject, there are key areas to consider. In this lesson, ‘How Pain Affects Your Horse’, I’ll discuss the ‘5W’s’ of pain, the what, why, when, where, and who. I’ll also include the ‘H’ of ‘how’. What is ‘pain’? The International Association for the Study of Pain (ISAP) defines pain as "An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.” Short-term pain is called ‘acute pain’, and long-term pain is called ‘persistent’ or ‘chronic’ pain. Pain that comes and goes is called ‘recurrent’ or ‘intermittent’. Pain is a complex phenomenon involving our whole body, and the experience of pain can change from one day to the next.

Why does my horse buck?

By Sue Palmer on March 16, 2024

“There can’t be much wrong with him if he can keep bucking people off the way he does”, is how I was greeted at a yard recently. I know I’m preaching to the converted here, so it’s safe to vent my frustration. I’ve put years into writing ‘Brain, Pain, or Training’ and then more into writing ‘Harmonious Horsemanship’ in partnership with Dr Sue Dyson. Dr Dyson has spent years developing the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (also known as the Ridden Horse Performance Checklist - you can download a FREE PDF here) and ensuring that multiple robust scientific studies back up the list of 24 behaviours. That’s on top of the hundreds of scientific papers she’s been involved in around horse health. And that’s just me and Dr Dyson. There’s a worldwide conversation around social license for equestrianism. Discussions around horse welfare are at the top of the Paris Olympics agenda.

Is ridden work important in an equine lameness assessment?

By Sue Palmer on April 13, 2023

A rider may feel a change in their horse’s performance during ridden exercise, but when assessed moving in hand, the horse is not detectably lame. Some people then use the term ‘bridle lameness’, with the assumption that the gait irregularity is in some way caused by the rider and is not related to the horse’s discomfort.

The rider size debate and the welfare of ridden horses

By Sue Palmer on February 16, 2023

All riders must take ownership of their responsibilities for their horse’s welfare. None of us wants to do a horse harm, but through lack of awareness, we sometimes do so. Food for thought.

13.12.2022 Back pain: what is the role of close spinous processes, so-called ‘kissing spines’?

By Sue Palmer on December 13, 2022

A Guest Blog By Dr Sue Dyson Contact Sue Dyson at sue.dyson@aol.com You can listen to this short clip here, and find The Horse Physio on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Please like and subscribe on the channels you enjoy most. There are many misconceptions in the equine world, one of which surrounds horses that behave […]

Understanding and Using the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram

By Sue Palmer on May 9, 2022

The Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) is a list of 24 behaviours, the majority of which are ten or more times likely to be seen in a horse with musculoskeletal pain. Studies have shown that a horse who shows 8 or more of the 24 behaviours listed in the ridden horse pain ethogram is likely to have musculoskeletal pain.