Articles

• Understanding and Using the Ridden Horse Performance Checklist (RHpE)

  The Ridden Horse Performance Checklist (RHpE) lists 24 behaviours, most of which are ten or more times more likely to be seen in a horse with musculoskeletal pain. Studies have shown that a horse with 8 or more of the 24 behaviours listed in the ridden horse pain ethogram is likely to have musculoskeletal pain.

  

• Everyone horse owner needs a trusted team dedicated to their

  The famous line in the John Donne poem, No Man is an Island, says: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Horses can be curiously isolating and make you feel as though you are battling your problems alone. Essentially, they are…

  

• Five Freedoms

  Think about your horse’s life, his day-to-day living. In the book Harmonious Horsemanship, which explores and explains the RHpE, the authors Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer state: “We enjoyed a phrase from Roly Owers, Chief Executive of the charity World Horse Welfare, who said in his presentation at the Saddle Research Trust International Conference in…

  

• What is the RHpE?

  RHpE stands for the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram. It is a scientifically validated system for evaluating the likelihood of a ridden horse having some musculoskeletal pain. Dr Sue Dyson developed it, resulting from many years of painstaking research to investigate and assess the best behaviours to include in the RHpE. There are 24 behaviours in…

  

• The Importance of Our Social Licence to Ride

  It can seem overwhelming to sway the general public's opinion, but each of us has a part to play. Every interaction you have with the public allows you to share what we are doing for our horses. Every driver that slows down for you, every person who asks if horses like being ridden, and every…

  

• How to look deeper than lameness

  Learning how to use the RHpE will give you a lifelong resource to help improve your horse’s quality of life and your relationship together. Everyone can use the Ridden Horse Performance Checklist (RHpE), whether you enjoy hacking your horse on weekends or competing at a high level; if you ride horses, then the Ridden Horse…

  

• “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always

  If you want to be part of the change towards listening to your horse, then the RHpE is an excellent place to start. The RHpE has been designed so everyone can use it: owners, trainers, and professionals. We advise that you carry out the RHpE regularly to assess any changes in behaviour. To learn more…

  

• Harmony – An Aspirational Yet Achievable State

  In Harmonious Horsemanship, the insightful book by Sue Dyson and Sue Palmer, the aim is to have a harmonious and happy relationship with your horse using the scientifically researched Ridden Horse Ethogram.

  

• Harmonious Horsemanship: Unlocking Your Horse’s Potential through the Ridden Horse

  For every equestrian enthusiast, the bond between a rider and their horse is one built on trust, partnership, and a deep understanding of each other. But beneath the grace and elegance of a well-ridden horse lies a hidden reality – the possibility of musculoskeletal pain that can hinder their potential and performance.