Cindy's Stables Horse Riding

26/02/2026

Mom that's about right

10/11/2025

20/08/2025

Why is the value of joy so underrated?

A few weeks back at a comedy show I got talking to a guy who made the passing comment that his wife, now a mother to his children, use to have horses and now does not and it’s great because he thinks they’re such a waste of time and money.

In that moment my heart broke a little for his wife.

I know all too well how easy it is to lose part or all of yourself in motherhood. It is one of the most important things we will do in our lives; growing, birthing and raising a child. It’s often a thankless task and as mothers, we forsake so much of ourselves for the benefit of our child.

Perhaps his comments hit hard for me because I spent many years being told I was selfish for having horses and spending time with them pursuing personal goals while also raising my two children.

There’s an expectation that mothers put all of their own ambition by the wayside to raise and care for a family and this is often why they lose themselves in the process.

But not everyone has ambition for greatness. I personally have no particular ambition to compete anymore. But I do get immense joy from spending time with my horses and training them. I get gratification out of watching their bodies heal, grow and develop through methodical training. I feel a sense of pride in knowing my work is bettering another being.

And yet…I’m constantly hearing people say that horses are a waste of time and money.

Does my joy hold no value? Does seeing me smile not also bring you joy? Does knowing that in these moments I feel happy and free not appease you?

As parents, there is no greater joy than hearing our children belly laugh. Ohhh it’s my most favourite sound in the world. And anyone else can see the value in that.
But why is the joy I gain from horses of less value than a child’s laughter?

F**k it, guys, seriously.

The next time someone tells you that horses are a waste of time and money, throat punch them and tell them that the value of your smile is priceless.

I’d pay my last dollar to my horse if it meant a smile would cross my face.

21/07/2025

The Side of Horses No One Likes to Talk About

It’s not just sunshine hacks, ribbons, and perfect jumping shots.

Behind every beautiful photo you see of a horse and rider, there’s a side most people never see:

💔 The heartbreak of lameness that lingers.
💊 The vet bills that quietly drain your savings.
😞 The mornings you wake up already exhausted but still head to the yard in the rain.
😓 The weight of wondering if you’re doing the right thing — by them, by yourself.
🕯️ The gut-wrenching decisions when “what’s best for them” shatters your own heart.

People see the rosettes.
They don’t see the 3am checks during colic.
They don’t see the hours spent sat in a stable, just willing your horse to eat.
They don’t see the lonely tears cried into a neck you’d give anything to fix.

Because loving horses means giving everything — time, money, emotions, your whole heart — and knowing it still might not be enough.

But we do it. Every single day.

Because they are worth it.
Because they don’t get a say in the body they’re given or the people who care for them.
Because they trust us — and we carry that trust like it’s sacred.

So here’s to the ones holding it all together behind the scenes.
The ones quietly carrying the weight of the hard decisions.
The ones still showing up, even when it hurts.

You are not alone.
Your love is seen — even when it’s not flashy, loud or perfect.
This is the part of horses people don’t always talk about.

But it deserves to be heard.
So if you’re in that season, this one’s for you. ❤️🐴

Share this for the riders who are quietly struggling, and the horses who are so deeply loved, even in the hardest of moments

21/07/2025

🐎 Latissimus Dorsi & Why Massage is Essential

📝 Let’s start with Anatomy & Function:
The latissimus dorsi is a large, flat muscle running from the spine to the humerus. I hope the diagram helps with this. It helps retract the forelimb, assists in collection, and supports spinal movement during ridden work.

🙌 Why It Needs Massage:
Easily overworked due to its role in many movements like transitions, jumping, and lateral work.

Prone to tension and soreness, especially from poor saddle fit or girth pressure.

⚠️ Tightness can lead to reduced stride, reluctance to move forward, and signs of discomfort under saddle.

🙏 Massage Benefits:
Relieves muscle tension and improves flexibility.

Enhances circulation, aiding recovery and reducing stiffness.

Supports freer movement and helps prevent compensation injuries.

🐴 In Practice

During a massage session, techniques like effleurage, petrissage, and cross-fibre friction over the latissimus dorsi can help identify and treat areas of tension or fibrosis. Regular massage supports not only this muscle but also the interconnected myofascial chains that affect the whole back and forelimb function. Our students study this in module 3 and 4 of our Diploma

Visit www.woldsequinemassage.co.uk

12/07/2025

YES.
The hindgut tension your horse is carrying — due to everyday stress, diet, dehydration, or subtle fear — is directly connected to the tightness in the pelvis, the psoas, and the tongue.

Why does it matter?
Because:

A horse cannot step under with ease if the colon is inflamed & cannot suspend his back if the intestines are tight.

And here’s the shocking consequence:

Your horse will lose the ability to sit, to coordinate his body, to breathe & to elevate.

Your doesn’t die due to lack of muscle engagement. It dies in the gut, long before you ever ask for the first step.

This is not a metaphor. It’s anatomical fact:
🧠The vagus nerve connects the gut to the brainstem
👅 The tongue is a fascial continuation of the digestive tract
➿The pelvis shares myofascial lines with the intestinal system.

So if your horse’s gut is inflamed, the piaffe will be blocked — no matter how much you practice. Intestines are not passive tubes. They are living organs with constant peristalsis, rich in nerve endings, wrapped in layers of smooth muscle, and deeply connected to:

✔️ The psoas (hip flexor and spinal stabilizer)
✔️ The diaphragm (which regulates breath and rhythm)
✔️ The tongue and jaw (via the vagus and facial nerves)
✔️ And the entire pelvic sling (which you rely on for sit and suspension)

Most trainers will never tell you this. Because they don’t know.
But in my course From Walk to Piaffe, we begin where others don’t even look:

– Relaxation of the gut,
– Restoration of vagal tone & relaxation of the pelvis.
– Activation of tendon-based movement,
– Oscillation before steps
– Pelvic vector correction from within

If your horse shows:
– Lack of sit
– Explosive reaction to piaffe aids
– Uneven steps or diagonal loss
– Lack of forwardness
– Or chronic tension…

Then you are not dealing with a training issue.
You are dealing with a GUT-SPINE COORDINATION BREAKDOWN.

And that is where I work.

➡️ Comment GUT below and I’ll send you on Monday more information about my system.
Or DM me the word PIAFFE and I’ll make sure you get link 🔗 to an early access! 💜

Because this time… we don’t train harder.
We go deeper 📈📈📈

23/06/2025

*** EYES ARE ALWAYS EMERGENCIES - Saturday night quiz answer! ***

Thank you to the hundreds of you that took part in the eye quiz! I was of course called straight out to look at this lovely cob’s swollen eye, and obviously calling the vet out that day was the correct answer.

Horses only have two eyes, and when eyes start going wrong, they can spiral downhill rapidly; immediate, CORRECT, treatment of any eye issues is essential. Never mess around trying to treat an eye without vet involvement.

Of course, horses can get “puffy” eyes for fairly innocuous reasons - flies/wind/allergies. They may also get conjunctivitis, which will more often than not affect both eyes. My absolute rule of thumb is to ALWAYS visit a horse the same day if only ONE eye is affected; you’d be extremely unlucky to get ulcers in both eyes, but any swelling or pain in just ONE eye is absolutely not a next day visit.

It is essential to diagnose the cause of the painful eye, as treatment will depend on what the pathology is. Putting steroid drops, or any drops containing steroids (Maxitrol) into an eye with an ulcer, will make the ulcer a lot worse and may well result in the loss of the eye, as just one example. Eyes with a miotic pupil (very constricted pupil that cannot dilate) will not only be extremely painful, but will also need treating immediately with drugs to artificially open the pupil and thus try to avoid permanent damage to the eye, as a second example.

This cob’s eye nearly caught me out, and shows why the vet must stain a painful eye, and examine every millimetre of the cornea; there is a small ulcer right at the bottom of the eye (see the green stained circle). He was immediately started on the correct drops, and I expect the ulcer to heal rapidly. His eye was just slightly swollen and watery, but shows the absolute importance of immediate veterinary involvement for eyes, especially when just one eye is affected.

Feel free to share, and thanks for the great audience participation last night!