Cherry Hill author of over 30 books and DVDs on horse training and care www.horsekeeping.com
Imagine my delight and excitement to receive such an email from such an important and highly regarded person in the horse community. According to Cherry, "It will be the first time I have a "guest" besides my husband Richard who sometimes answers farrier and facility questions." You can find a link to my blog and the above posting on Cherry Hill's website by either clicking on Today's Ask Cherry or the top one in the Ask Cherry Column:
I had a student ask me a couple of weeks ago if horses see in color. I thought about it and said, “Well, as I understand it I don’t think they see all the colors we do, I think they see in shades of color…kinda like cats.” It was a reasonably lucky assumption on my part, but I wanted to know the specifics of if horses can see in color and what colors they do see.
It is a given that horses have a different field of vision than we do simply cause their eyes are built and located differently than ours. Because horses eyes are on the sides of their head (as opposed to the front like cats or like ours) the horse views a much larger field of vision.
In their book The Body Language of Hoses, published in 1980, Tom Ainslie and Bonnie Ledbetter state, “Many authorities have proposed that horses are nearsighted as well as color blind. Experimental findings support both contentions, but not persuasively.” (1)
As time progress our understanding and research progressed. As discussed in Desmond Morris’s book Horsewatching: Why does a horse whinny and everything else you ever wanted to know, published in 1988, he sates that “For many years horses were said to be color blind but we now know that this is not the case, although color vision is much weaker in them than it is in us. They are most responsive to yellows, then greens, then blues, and least of all reds, according to recent experiments.” (2)
William Micklem, in his book Complete Horse Riding Manual – published in 2003 – he says that “Research has shown that horses are dichromates, which means that they have limited color vision. They can distinguish between light and dark, between reds and blues, but not between greens and grays. This is why you will not find green or gray poles used in a grass showjumping arena.” (3)
Cherry Hill, in her book How to Think Like a Horse: The Essential Handbook for Understand Why Horses Do What They Do – published in 2006, she supports Micklem’s assertion that horses are dichromates. “The horse’s eye has two types of cone cells in the retina that are sensitive to color whereas a human has three types of cone cells. Whether horses can see colors as we do is still widely debated. Most researches agree that horses do have more than “shades of gray” discrimination but not the color range of humans. Exactly which colors horses see is sill unresolved.” (4)
“Equine vision expert Dr. Brian Timney, of the University of Western Ontario , explains that horses are like humans with color deficiencies. For example, humans with red-green color vision defects have only two hues (blue and yellow) rather than four. Such dichromates do not see intermediate hues, seeing instead white or gray or a faded form of the two colors.” (5)
“Horses have little difficulty in discriminating red or blue from gray. With respect to green and yellow, the results are mixed,” says Timney. His findings are similar to those from earlier studies but other researchers’ results differ. Exact answers have proven elusive in color vision research because of the difficulty in designing experiments with adequate controls (such as for brightness).” (5)
In the end, there is still debate about what colors horses see. It would be fair to say that there is a general agreement that horses can see colors, yet what colors those are remains to be conclusively confirmed.
End Notes: (1) Ainslie, Tom & Bonnie Ledbetter. The Body Language of Horses: Revealing the Nature of Equine Needs, Wishes and Emotions and How Horses Communicate Them - For Owners, Breeders, Trainers, ... Other Horse Lovers Including Handicappers. William Morrow and Company, New York. 1980. Page 30. (2) Morris, Desmond. Horsewatching: Why does a horse whinny and everything else you ever wanted to know. Crown Publishers, Inc., New York. 1988. Page 41. (3) Micklem, William. Complete Horse Riding Manual. Dorling Kindersley Limited, New York. 2003. Page 46. (4) Hill, Cherry. How to Think Like a Horse: The Essential Handbook for Understanding Why Horses Do What They Do. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA. 2006. Page 24. (5) Hanggi, M.S., Ph.D, Evelyn B. “How Horses See.” http://www.completerider.com/horsemanfeb2003.html. Feb 2003.
Stirrup length is different for every student and stirrup length preferences can differ for instructors as well. Personally, when I ride I prefer my stirrups to be slightly on the short side. Stirrups can be too short and they can be too long, so how does one figure out what is right for them?
A good guide to estimate stirrup length from the ground is what I call the arm-pit test. A rider takes the stirrup length and makes it long so when they have their fingers on the buckle of the stirrup leather the bottom of the stirrup iron hits them in the arm-pit when they stretch it out with their arm. The stirrup leathers should always be the length of a riders arm. Once mounted, it is best for a rider to double check their stirrup length. "With your feet out of your stirrups, the stirrup irons should hang at your ankle bones." (1)
For children an instructor needs to be able to find the right stirrup length for them. "A child has not the strength to ride [with their stirrups] long, but an over-short stirrup makes it difficult for the child to use his or her legs effectively. A good guide is that the child should ride at jumping length; riding longer makes balance more difficult to master." (2)
Why one person chooses a particular stirrup length is generally a practical decision based on rider preference. To start this research I went to Sally Swift's book Centered Riding. In it she states that "It [the length of your stirrups] varies according to the conformation of the rider and the horse, and also with the type of saddle used." (3) She goes on further to say:
"If you find you must reach for your stirrups, they are too long; your feet will swing forward and you will lose your bottom building block. If you are long legged and/or your horse is round and shallow-bodied, you will need to shorten the stirrups in order to reach his sides with your legs. Your stirrup leathers will probably be at least two or three holes longer for flat work than for galloping or jumping, but must hang straight, behind your knee and in front of your ankle, with your hip joint over your ankle." (3)
Again, as stated above, the length of your stirrup depends on the kind of work you are planning to do with your horse and/or your student. In the book "Complete Horse Riding Manual" by William Micklem, Mr. Micklem suggests that there are three general lengths when discussing stirrups:
"Dressage Length: The angle at the back of your knees should be around 120-130 degrees, with your knees and toes pointing forward. If you ride longer than this, it is not possible to keep the lower leg in contact. If your horse is very wide, you will have to ride a little shorter.
Jumping Length: The angle at the back of your knees should be around 105-115 degrees. This shorter position makes it easier to keep the balance through the led in order to go with the horse's jump. If you are short and the horse is big, it may help to ride a little longer.
Cross Country Length: The angle at the back of your knees should be around 90-100 degrees. The disadvantage to riding shorter is that there is more weight in the leg, so it is more difficult to use the leg aids. The shorter you ride, the lower you should keep your heel." (4)
What is a perfect stirrup length? It is the length - depending on the size and confirmation of the horse and rider - that is correct for the work that you and your horse and/or student will be doing. My suggestion, start with the arm-pit test, double check stirrup length once mounted to see if the stirrup iron rests at your ankle bone, and adjust accordingly from there.
(1) Richter, Judy. Judy Richter's Riding for Kids: Stable Care, Equipment, Tack, Clothing, Longeing, Lessons, Jumping, Showing. Storey Publishing, North Adams, MA. 2003. Page 14.
(2) Wallace, Jane. Teaching Children to Ride: A Handbook for Instructors. Kenilworth Press, UK. 2002. Page 33.
(3) Swift, Sally. Centered Riding. Trafalgar SquareFarm, New York. 1985. Page 20.
(4) Micklem, William. Complete Horse Riding Manual. Dorling Kindersley Ltd, New York. 2003. Page 94.
On Wednesday morning I had my first ever proper (or official for those of you who aren't familiar with the Brit speak I picked up in the UK) Western Lesson. What an eye opening experience! My instructor and friend Rachel Burlison - who also teaches at Rock Creek Park Horse Center - gave me a lesson that I won't soon forget.
To start I had to work on getting my leg nice and long without over exaggerating how low I put my heel down. I also had to work on keeping my back nice and relaxed. What was the most challenging about riding western for me is how much more I had to use my legs and how much less I had to rely on my hands and reins. I've been told by another instructor that I tend to balance on my horses mouth using my hands. I didn't realize how much this was so until I had to ask Grayson, my trusty steed for the lesson who is also pictured above, to turn off the rail. Once I started to figure out how to communicate effectively with Grayson with my legs we were on our way to picking up a jog. A jog is the western version of a trot. Like a trot it is a two beat gait in which the legs work in diagonal pairs, you do not post, and according to Rachel you want to look like you are floating just above and moving with the saddle. Once Grayson and I were "happily" jogging around the ring - for those of you who know Grayson you know what I mean by "happily" =) - we tried to work on the lope (the western version of the canter). Ever since I started riding my biggest problem has been that I learn forward, especially during upwards transitions (I blame it on playing ice hockey as a forward and a goalie for over a decade). I was pretty frustrated when this problem reared it's ugly head in my western lesson. You'd think with a big saddle horn in my belly I wouldn't lean, yet it still happened. I assume that this - partly because of my lean and also because of my struggle with primarily using my legs instead of my hands - was why Grayson wouldn't pick up the lope for me.
By the end of the lesson my legs were already sore but I was aching for another lesson. The improvement in my sitting trot was already noticeable to me. I would recommend a western lesson to every rider. For those riders who are trained in English, Hunt Seat, Dressage it can help with leg work and balance and of course sitting trot and for other riders it is simply fun! A good horseperson and rider is a well rounded one and I recommend every rider try a western lesson.
I am the first person to admit that I don't know everything. So when I heard some staff at the barn talking about a coggins test, I thought to myself "what the heck is coggins?" I've never owned my own horse nor have I ever purchased one, so the massive amount of details, research and planning that goes into such a purchase are a little unfamiliar to me.
After a little snooping around I discovered coggins is actually the name of a test and a person. "The Coggins test (agar immunodiffusion) is a sensitive diagnostic test for equine infectious anemia developed by Dr. Leroy Coggins in the 1970s.” (1) The test actually looks for antibodies developed to fight the disease. (2)
This of course led to my next questions, what is equine infectious anemia? "Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a viral disease for which there is no vaccine and no cure. Though most horses succumb rapidly to EIA a percentage of infected horses appear to recover. However they still harbor the virus and during times of stress may become ill again." (3) There is a vaccine that has been developed in China (2), but to the best of my research I was unable to find any information about its availability in the United States.Similar to HIV, EIA is lentivirus. Also similar is that EIA, like HIV, can be transmitted through blood, saliva, milk, and body secretions. Biting insects tends to be the most common means of transmission. (1) According to J. Warren Evans in his book Horses, 3rd Ed. "The disease affects less than 1 percent of the horse population.”(4)
There are three stages or sets of symptoms of EIA: Acute: "The acute form is a sudden onset of the disease at full-force. Symptoms include high fever, anemia, weakness, swelling of the lower abdomen and legs, weak pulse, and irregular heartbeat. The horse may die suddenly."(1) "With acute infection the horse also has depression and no appetite. The acute horse may be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are very general and he will not be positive on the EIA test for a month and a half. Approximately one third of infected horses will die of the acute form within a month."(3)
Subacute: "A slower, less severe progression of the disease. Symptoms include recurrent fever, weight loss, an enlarged spleen, anemia, and swelling of the lower chest, abdominal wall, penile sheath, scrotum, and legs."(1) “Subacute forms are less severe, so the horse survives.” (4)
Chronic:"Horse tires easily and is unsuitable for work. May have a recurrent fever and anemia, may relapse to the subacute or acute form even several years after the original attack." (1) "The chronically infected horse will having recurring acute bouts along with weight loss, ventral edema (swollen belly and legs) and anemia. These horses will be positive on a EIA test. These horses may linger for a year or more before they die." (3)
So what happens to a horse that has EIA?J. Warren Evans sums it up as follows:
“The temperature of an acutely infected animal rises to 105 to 108°F.The horse appears depressed, becomes weak, and loses appetite and weight.Fluid (edema) may collect under the skin, in the legs, chest and abdomen.Membranes lining the natural body openings may be congested and yellow in color.There is a marked drop in the number of red blood cells (anemia).The horse usually dies in a few days.” (4)
What did I learn from my little educational and inquisitive foray into the mystery that is "The Coggins Test"? Buying a horse is a HUGE decision and you should spend at least as much time researching and riding a potential new purchase as you would researching and test driving a car. The more time and research you invest the more likely you are to be satisfied with your equine purchase and well on the way to being a happy horse owner.
This past week I decided to try to incorporate some more complicated dressage like patterns into my lessons. I picked the Needlepoint Pattern - See my illustration to the right. (Lesson #2 in the 101 Dressage Exercises for Horse & Rider by Jec Aristotle Ballou - See my recommend reading list). I think it's an excellent pattern that requires students to think ahead and to use their legs as aids to steering instead of just relying on their hands. Additionally, according to the book the pattern "loosens your horse." (Aristotle Ballou, pg 4) I tried the pattern in two of my classes: a semi-private lesson with two 10 year old girls on Monday and my B1 Adult Group Class on Thursday night.
The semi-private lesson seemed to enjoy the pattern a lot more than the Adult Group. Because the pattern takes up half of the ring the other riders either (a) have to wait and watch or (b) you have to come up with something simple and safe for them to do while a rider completes the pattern. I chose the former and asked my students to wait and watch as their classmates walked then trotted the course. I would recommend the pattern for private lessons or semi-private lessons with less than 3 students or as a pattern to practice on your own when you're riding.
A couple weeks ago the B2/B3 Children's Group I teach on Friday started asking me about cantering. As a group we decided to make it our goal to be able to canter down a long side of the ring by the end of the Spring Semester. I made the deal with them that we'd spend the first 30 minutes of our lesson doing trotting exercises and if they do well we will spend the last 30 minutes doing exercises that will help us learn and prepare for the canter. So far we have done a lot of sitting trot work and no stirrup work. I have to say, the progress these students have made is awesome. They listen well and they try hard. There have been canter attempts with me holding on and running with the student and horse at the canter (not an easy feat which frequently leaves me a little sweaty...just call me "Runs with Horses"). Yesterday, however, two of my students - Tana on Bertha and Graeme on Leo - asked for and got the canter all on their own! They both successfully cantered!! I was so happy for them and I proceeded to tell everyone about their accomplishments! Even more exciting is that the rest of the group isn't too far behind and they are all very close to being about to canter all on their own as well. The group is so close to our canter goal and I'm so very excited about it! Can't wait for next weeks lesson.
As I was getting ready to renew my certification for the American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) I realized that perhaps the time had come to get an email address that is specifically for work. I frequently get emails from work and from parents and students and I decided that having an email address just for my work (at Rock Creek Park Horse Center) as a riding instructor would be immensely helpful. I wanted something catchy and fun and I finally came up with tzenateachestrotting@gmail.com. I was so excited about the email address I had just created that I decided to branch out into a blog and possibly even my own website.
Also, I love celebrating the accomplishments of my students! They all work really hard in their lessons and I am so proud of the work they do. Teaching both children and adults is so much fun and so rewarding for me. Figuring out how to communicate effectively with different students is a fun challenge. Nothing makes me happier than when a student and I have figured out the best way to work with each other and as a result they reach the goals we've set in their lessons.
I hope that this blog is informative and helpful to my students and to anyone who wants to know a little more about horses.
