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 📈📈📈

12/07/2025

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!

17/06/2025

Is your horse grazing kikuyu, buffalo grass or one of the indigenous Panicum grasses???

If they are and you are not supplementing calcium, you are very likely to run into issues with your horse’s soundness and performance, especially when bones are so demineralised that your horse doesn't want to work. Even with some of the other grasses I find calcium levels are extremely low and horses can show signs of discomfort.

I have done a few diets recently where calcium deficiency is likely to be the chief issue causing a huge amount of discomfort for horses and unhappiness for owners. Sadly few health professionals in the horse industry seem to recognize what is happening and diagnoses given are often incorrect.

Issues to look out for include muscle stiffness, unexplained or shifting lameness, horses taking a long time to warm up into work, grumpy sour horses who are reluctant to move forward all of which will occur a long time before bony changes to the face bones typical of big head disease occur. Splints are also a sure sign your calcium intake is less than ideal and calcium and phosphate levels in the diet need to be checked.

28/04/2025

Fantasy Horsemanship: Where ‘Doing Nothing’ is Marketed as Mastery 💸

“A safe space for humans. A weird time for horses.”

Once upon a time in a paddock not-so-far away, a horse dragged its owner across the arena to a hay bag.
And lo, the guru said:
“Did you see that? He’s finally feeling safe enough… to express his autonomy.”

And the crowd nodded.
For they were moved.
And the horse, dear reader, was not. 🙄

Welcome to Fantasy Horsemanship — where dragging, balking, spooking, and shutting down are framed as spiritual breakthroughs.
Where confusion is revered, clarity is oppressive, and stillness is sold as “deep integration.”
Where your horse is not trained — but interpreted. 🎭

Let’s take a closer look…

1. The Guru Speaks (And You Stop Thinking)
In this world, the guru is your translator.
You don’t learn to read your horse — you learn to believe his reading of your horse.

A tail swish becomes trauma. A head toss? “Reclaiming boundaries.”
And a shut-down horse staring into space?
That’s “sacred integration through parasympathetic recalibration.” ✨

It’s not horsemanship.
It’s interpretive spirituality with a rope halter. 🧘‍♀️🐴

Sprinkle in some polyvagal jargon, somatic buzzwords, and vaguely-academic pseudoscience, and suddenly everything makes sense… except your horse.

2. Feeling > Function
“I feel more connected.”
“My horse gave me a soft eye.”
“We just stood together and cried.” 😭

Lovely.

But did your horse stop spooking at the mounting block?
Can he walk forward when asked?
Did you learn anything… practical?

Of course not.
Because in Fantasy Horsemanship, progress is an emotional experience, not a behavioural outcome.

If you cried, it counted.
Even if your horse is still stuck, shut down, or silently screaming for guidance. 🐎💤

3. No Tools, No Plan, No Problem
“I could use a tool… but that would betray the trust.”
Translation:
I don’t know what to do, and I’ve built a philosophy around that.

No leadership? Enlightened.
No aids? Ethical restraint.
No plan? A bold rejection of the patriarchy. ✊

Doing nothing is rebranded as depth.
The guru has no method, no map, and no measurable outcomes — and that’s exactly how he likes it.

Where there’s no criteria, there’s no failure.
Only more feelings. 😌

4. The Guru Believes His Own Bull$h!t
And here’s the real kicker:
The guru isn’t running a con — he’s running a one-man theatre production he believes in deeply. 🎤🎭

You’ll see a horse lurching, lame, shut down, clearly miserable —
and he’ll whisper, misty-eyed:

“Wow. That was amazing.” 😍
He’s not evaluating the horse.
He’s performing a show.

And he’s too high on his own narrative to notice the horse is tragically unsound and about to file for emotional leave. 📋

5. Your Horse Is Not Your Life Coach
“I’m forever changed.”
“He unlocked something in me.”
“We breathed together under the stars.” 🌌

Lovely.
But your horse still won’t load on the float.

He’s not your therapist.
He’s not your mirror.
He’s not your trauma doula.

He’s just a horse — trying to survive a training session that’s turned into a TED Talk narrated by someone who’s read one too many somatic healing blogs. 💻🐴

He doesn’t want to co-regulate.
He wants clarity.
And maybe a carrot that doesn’t come with a full emotional disclosure. 🥕

6. Bonus Truth: When Fantasy Replaces Vet Checks
Here’s what Fantasy Horsemanship won’t tell you:

The only time horses aren’t easy… is when they’re unsound. 🚫🏇

Pain changes behaviour.
Discomfort makes horses emotional, evasive, or disengaged.

But instead of checking for pain, lameness, or imbalance, the fantasy reframes it all as “emotional blocks.”

And for women — especially those not feeling strong in their own bodies — this becomes a trap.
When movement feels hard, stillness feels safe.
When strength feels distant, softness becomes the story. 🧘‍♀️🕯️

And suddenly, both human and horse are stuck.
One in pain.
One in fear.
Both being told they’re “healing” — when really, they’re just avoiding.

7. And Still, the Horse Pays the Price
Behind the hashtags and healing mantras is a horse who didn’t ask for this.

He doesn’t get trained.
He doesn’t get listened to.
He gets filmed mid-meltdown while someone whispers,

“This… is integration.” 🎥😬
He’s confused.
He’s burdened.
He’s trying.

But nobody notices.
Because everyone’s too busy being deep.

8. Epilogue: The W**d That’s Spreading
This isn’t just one guru.
Fantasy Horsemanship is everywhere. 🌱🔥

It spreads through spiritual marketing, emotional manipulation, and the promise of transformation without accountability.

It appeals to those who want connection but fear discomfort.
It flatters women conditioned to be agreeable, self-doubting, and endlessly apologetic —
those trying to people-please their horse into loving them,
dreaming of a ba****ck beach ride with wind-blown hair and 100% safety. 🐎🌊💨

But your horse isn’t looking for magic.
He’s looking for someone who knows what they’re doing.
Not someone side-tracked down a rabbit hole to nowhere.

Final Thought
Horses are beautifully simple.
They don’t need make-believe — they need meaning.
They don’t want therapy — they want to be understood as horses, not projected humans.
They don’t care about your journey — they care if you can help them feel safe. 🧠❤️🐴

They are easy to train.
Easy to make feel secure.
Unless they’re unsound — or the human is untethered.

So if the fantasy is fading… if your horse is still wary, still stuck, still waiting…

That’s not failure.
That’s reality knocking. 🚪

Answer it.

Find someone who teaches real horse training and treats you with respect.
Learn to understand horses — and build the skills to influence them.

Because when the fog lifts and the narrative dies…

It won’t be the guru standing with you.

It’ll be your horse.
Still confused.
Still waiting.
Still hoping you’ve finally shown up —
not with a story…
but with a plan. 🐴✔️

If you’ve climbed out of the fantasy rabbit hole — or realised your horse biting you wasn’t over zealous engagement but frustration — you’re not alone. Tell your story. Let’s talk about it.❤

If this said what you’ve been thinking — share it. If it said what you wish you wrote, still… share it. With credit. You’re welcome. 🐴😉

25/04/2025

A 2017 study found that racehorses receiving corticosteroid injections were FOUR TIMES more likely to suffer musculoskeletal injuries. These weren’t minor lamenesses, they led to long layups, early retirements, and in some cases, catastrophic breakdowns. That stopped me in my tracks. When we inject a horse to keep them “sound,” are we treating the injury, or are we simply hiding the pain?

Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatories. They offer quick relief, especially for sore joints, but repeated use has a risky side. Over time, corticosteroids can accelerate cartilage breakdown and damage the very structures we’re trying to protect. That’s not just theory, it’s been proven in multiple studies. One 2022 review published in Equine Veterinary Education warned that long-term use of corticosteroids, even in low doses, can lead to irreversible joint degeneration.

And it’s not just steroids. Treatments like IRAP (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein) and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) are widely used, but the science behind them is still emerging. A recent meta-analysis found highly inconsistent outcomes with some horses showing improvement, and others none at all. These therapies show promise, but they are not miracle fixes. Their long-term benefits and risks remain unclear, especially when used repeatedly without a comprehensive rehab plan.

Even alternatives like Adequan and Polyglycan come with caveats. Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) can help reduce inflammation and protect cartilage in the short term, but does not show lasting curative effects without rest or additional therapy. Polyglycan, often marketed as a joint lubricant, has been linked to increased bone proliferation and osteophyte formation. That means while it might make your horse feel better in the short term, it could be quietly encouraging abnormal bone growth that worsens arthritis and limits joint mobility over time.

It seems that most injections don’t fix the problem, they just silence the alarm bell. And when we quiet that bell without solving what caused it, we set the horse up for further breakdown. They keep working through masked pain, compensating, and eventually injuring something else. What seems like a solution quickly becomes a cycle of damage.

So, what does responsible use look like? It starts with intent. Injections should never be used as routine “maintenance” or as a preventative measure in otherwise healthy joints. There is no such thing as a preventative joint injection. Every time you inject a joint, you’re altering its natural chemistry and potentially weakening its future integrity. Instead, injections should be used after thorough diagnostics: imaging, flexions, lameness exams, and only as part of a comprehensive plan. That means rest. That means thoughtful rehab. That means time to retrain healthier movement patterns so the horse can come back stronger and more balanced, not just numbed. Injections can open a door to recovery, but they are not the recovery itself.

Responsible use also means reevaluating the workload. If a horse needs regular injections to keep doing the job, then maybe it’s the job that needs adjusting. I’m not saying injections are evil. They’ve done wonderful things for horses I’ve known and I’m not saying we should all stop injections forever. But if Beauty’s hocks need to be injected three times a year just to keep her jumping the 1.20s, maybe the 1.20s are no longer where she belongs. Maybe it's time to listen to what her body is telling us.

I’m not a vet. I don’t have a medical degree. I’m just someone who enjoys research and writing, and I would still argue that we need more research to ultimately determine what is "safe" for our horses. However, I do think it's important to be aware of what the science currently says, and having hard conversations about if the potential risk is worth the reward.

Your vet is your best friend in this process. Don’t change your horse’s care plan because someone on Facebook shared a study about joint injections being questionable…or because someone else said they’re harmless. Talk to your vet. Ask hard questions. Understand exactly what these drugs do, how long they last, and what they mean for your horse’s future soundness. Your vet knows your horse better than I ever could, and they want to help you make the best choices, not just the most convenient ones.

Studies used:

Johnson, B. J., et al. (2017). "Association between corticosteroid administration and musculoskeletal injury in Thoroughbred racehorses." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 250(3), 296–302.

Textor, J. A., & Tablin, F. (2012). "Platelet-rich plasma in equine musculoskeletal therapy." Canadian Veterinary Journal, 53(8), 841–849.

Frisbie, D. D., & McIlwraith, C. W. (2014). "Evaluation of autologous conditioned serum and platelet-rich plasma for treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in horses." Equine Veterinary Education, 26(12), 572–578.

McIlwraith, C. W., et al. (2012). "Effects of intra-articular administration of sodium hyaluronate and polysulfated glycosaminoglycan on osteoarthritis in horses." EquiManagement Clinical Research Reports.

Burba, D. J., et al. (2011). "Evaluation of pentosan polysulfate sodium in equine osteoarthritis." Equine Veterinary Journal, 43(5), 549–555.

Garbin, L. C., Lopez, C., & Carmona, J. U. (2021). A Critical Overview of the Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma in Equine Medicine Over the Last Decade. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8, 641818.

Boorman, S., McMaster, M. A., Groover, E., & Caldwell, F. (2022). Review of glucocorticoid therapy in horses: Intra-articular corticosteroids. Equine Veterinary Education, 35(6), 327–336.

Nedergaard, M. W., et al. (2024). Evidence of the clinical effect of commonly used intra-articular treatments of equine osteoarthritis. Equine Veterinary Education.