Happy Holidays and a word on a skinny situation.

It's been a long time since I have posted and I hope everyone is doing great. I became a little disheartened after a boarding facility in CO treated myself and several other trainers in a less than acceptable way. My two horse's feed was cut in half and I was shocked and heartbroken to say the least.

The horses have been out of the facility for a while now and have most of their weight back on.  What can you do if this situation happens to you?
Find out if the weight loss is due to teeth, age, or any other health related factor. If not and you begin to witness your horse trying to eat sticks and leaves, find a solution.
I gave my notice as soon as I could and began to supplement with timothy pellets.  Rice bran and even beet pulp can help in addition to the pellets.  It is very difficult when this happens especially to the hard keepers and older horses.
My advice is to always pay close attention to your horse.  Bad behavior or odd behavior is always your horse communicating with you.

Happy Holidays to everyone and Happy Horse Health!

Improving Balance

Proper balance is the most important fundamental to correct riding.  A lot of riders lack the proper balance which in turn creates an improper position, unsteady rider (who is more prone to fall), and a horse who suffers from an inconsistent rider or a heavy hand.  Balance work is the most important element in your riding; once this is achieved a rider can then move forward with their discipline.  

Savannah 22 months old; I  attached a flash noseband strap for a  handle to a surcingle so she could develop her seat without the bulk of a saddle. She can walk and trot with no problem. This works well for kids under 12, otherwise the surcingle puts them back too far.

Take it Slow

It's okay to stick with walk and trot transitions until your leg is developed or you until you have fixed your weak point.  Perfect Practice Makes Perfect!  Ask a friend to lunge you on your horse so you can concentrate on yourself and lose the reins.  Other exercises are muscle building exercises for where you are weak and core workouts which will help all riders develop a strong and independent seat.  My favorite exercise to develop a strong leg position is to drop your stirrups, keep your leg in the correct position, and slowly bend your body forward without bracing on the horse with your hands.  When you are an inch away from your horse's neck, raise your body back up without touching your horse.  You will notice if your leg is your weak point of you have a very hard time stopping your leg from slipping back.  Work up to doing 50 of them and you will see a huge improvement in you position.  Think of this exercise as you would sit ups.  

Correct Balance Applies to your Horse Too!

You are aware of the difficulty riders face when they do not have their balance in the saddle or when their position in incorrect.  It is the same with your horse.  If your horse is not conditioned to be straight, forward, and on the contact, you will discover your horse has developed uneven muscle tone, is inconsistent within his gaits, leans to one side, keeps his nose facing one direction, is very heavy on your hand, cannot perform to the best of his ability, etc., etc., etc.  How can you create a balanced horse? Stay straight!  The first rule when you are training a horse is forward and straight.  You can tell if your horse is straight by watching his shoulders.  Think of the term Control The Shoulders.  Start by separating your hands to the width of your horse's shoulders.  This will create a more effective use of your hand at this point.  Next while you are at the walk, keep your horse moving forward and really using his hind end effectively.  Walk a straight line and if your horse is unbalanced you will feel him try to lean in, lean out, etc.  It's okay if he is unbalanced.  Each time he tries to wiggle out of straight, keep a tight feel of your reins, push him forward with your leg (always equal amounts of leg and hand), and as soon as you feel him straighten, soften your hand and reward him.  Even if he only keeps it for 5 seconds.  It's a start and with consistency he will get better and better.  Once he can hold himself straight for more then a couple of seconds, practice 90 degree turns and square shapes all over the arena. Watch where the shoulders are.  I have a previous article where I go further into detail if you are experiencing a heavy horse on your hand.  Once you master your squares, ride a large circle. Make sure the shoulders don't fall in or out.  Congratulations you are on your way to perfect balance!

The Five Fundamentals for a great horse/rider relationship

Someone once told me, “You can see into a person’s soul when they’re riding a horse”.   That idea has always remained close to my heart, because the connection between a horse and a rider can only be pure and simple.  Developing a true connection with your horse is a self-less act.  This does not meant spoiling your horse nor does it mean reaching to levels of high competition.  A true connection is one of respect and trust.  You must learn this before anything.

I starting riding when I was two years old and my parents bought me my first horse when I was eight.  The first trainer I had ever trained under sold my parents a four-year-old Arabian gelding who was in no way suitable for an eight year old.  A young horse might be okay for someone who has the time and money to keep it in full training, but being that my parents could only afford one or two lessons a week, I was left with five or six extra days to figure out how to just “stay on” my half broke Arabian.   At thirteen I began to work with a young Arabian mare that had been left in her stall for a year.  I was able to re-start her training and begin a small show career.  Anyone familiar with the Arabian show circuit can tell you the most important element for the horse is the “head set”.  The “head set” is simply riding with the horse’s head down while its nose is a few inches from its chest.  My inquisitive nature led me to research how to achieve a perfect “head set” without the use of draw reins, or artificial aids that force the horse’s head down.  Then as years went by I began to ride with hunter/jumper trainers, western pleasure trainers, eventing trainers, and a few dressage instructors.  I was a working student, riding as many as 12 horses a day, most often horses who had training issues. This included young horses imported from Europe, and Thoroughbreds off of the track.  Eventually this led to training horses with extreme issues, which usually came from severe abuse.  

Through all my different experiences with horses and riders I have come to a conclusion that most issues with horses can be resolved by following these five fundamentals:

1)    Understanding heard instincts.

2)    Proper communication.

3)    Biomechanics of the horse.

4)    Awareness of injury in your horse.

5)    Proper equipment.

These 5 fundamentals are key to having a successful relationship with your horse, in any discipline.  My goal in the horse industry is to educate riders and horse owners on these five fundamentals in order to promote a harmonious and confident partnership between horse and rider.  It is essential to observe your horse’s reactions to you on the ground and under saddle and become familiar with how the horse communicates.  Your horse will tell you everything you need know, if you only listen.

The Bio-mechanics of the horse.....why is this important and how do I do it? Part 1

I have discussed the bio-mechanics of the horse in previous articles, but why is this so important? Imagine yourself walking around hunch backed, carrying your head low, or walking with your chest and your rear end sticking out. Try it for a few minutes if you need too......ouch! This can be very painful after only a few minutes, imagine a few years! Now try and wear a back pack!
If you have ever tried yoga or ballet, you have experienced building your core or the correct muscles to carry yourself in a balanced way. This is something that we learn and can be as simple as your mother telling you to sit up at the dinner table, or to stand up straight. This is the same for our horses. When our horses are used in disciplines to carry a rider or drive a carriage, they need to build up there core muscles to stay sound and maintain a healthy structure. 

How do I do this? Encourage your horse to get his hind end moving! Correct posture begins with forward movement from the hind end, which then can allow the horse lift his back and relax his neck to come down and reach for the bit on his own. A great exercise for this while on your horse is to begin at the walk and alternate your legs (left, right, left, right) with the rhythm of the walk, gently squeezing to encourage forward motion. You do not want a fast walk, but one with momentum. The goal is to encourage the energy to come up through the horse's back, not straight forward. If your horse begins to trot simply hold with your reins and soften when the horse walks again. It is good to maintain a slight contact if you are riding dressage or hunt seat. I find riding with a slightly raised hand toward my belly button is the softest and helps the horse with lifting his back.

When the hands are too low, the horse's back can remain hollow and he will become or stay very heavy on your hands.
By building the correct muscles in your horse, you will prevent back injury and alignment issues down the road. You can always refer to the diagram of the horse's structure on the bottom of the page. I will have more simple exercises posted very soon.

Natural Healing for common horse injuries

Horses are large animals and the bigger the animal the harder the fall or the harder the play. I'm sure all of you know the feeling of dread, when upon arriving to the barn, we look at our horse and find something is swollen or lacerated on some part of their body.  What do you do? A vet can diagnose exactly what has happened, but we have all also experienced a $1000.00 bill for simply a pulled muscle, or inflammation.  If your horse does not have a bowed tendon and is not in need of stitches is their something we can try to do to help them heal? 
Horses are athletes just as humans are and the occasional pulled shoulder muscle or back pain can be common. Bruising and hematomas from extreme force is also common (for those of us who have been kicked in the leg).  The first thing we turn to for our horses is Bute, but for extended use Bute has been know to cause Kidney failure, bone healing delay, colic, mouth, stomach and colon ulcers, can slow the production of cartilage, and can cause thyroid malfunction.

Wow this common prescription has all of these ugly side effects? Well don't worry their is a natural approach and it is a lot less expensive. 
An herb called Devils Claw has been widely used to treat joint pain. arthritis, inflammation, soft tendon or muscle pain, and mile common upset.
You can find this at any health food store and online.
It comes in pill form and I normally suggest 4 pills twice a day. I have used this for any type of lameness along with hydro therapy, liniment, and another herb called Arnica.
Arnica:  

• Arnica is used topically for a wide range of conditions, including bruises, sprains, muscle aches, wound healing, superficial phlebitis, rheumatic pain, inflammation from insect bites, and swelling due to fractures.
• Homeopathic preparations are also used to treat sore muscles, bruises, and other conditions caused by overexertion or trauma. Homeopathic doses are extremely diluted.

 I recommend using 7 pills with water in a syringe orally or in the food.  You can do this 3 times a day.

I have used these treatments for bone splints, inflammation in the tendons from impact, limping caused from the front shoulder, from the stifle, hematoma's, etc.  Treatment can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.  For muscle soreness in the shoulder or stifle, massaging the muscle, then applying liniment will also help work the soreness out.


I have also had horses with pain in the hind end, hips, back, etc. Some symptoms of this are refusing to pick up the canter under saddle, and difficult transitions. All of the above will help, along with chiropractic work, and massage.  A thoroughbred jumper that I had started kicking out every time I asked for the canter. It was very hard for him to do the transitions and I went the chiropractic route. After an old injury, it turned out he was very out of alignment in his hips and after one treatment he was back to his old self.  I had him worked on every two months until he build up the correct muscles to hold himself in place.
If you have any questions, comments, or stories you would like share please feel free to contact me.


http://www.lifescript.com/Health/A-Z/Alternative-Therapies_A-Z/NaturalRemedies/D/Devils_Claw.aspx?gclid=CJaR9OnypqkCFQpm7AodAGC1xA&trans=1&du=1&ef_id=FHtNwJtvWHYAAAOn:20110608180507:s

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/arnica-000222.htm

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your VETERINARIAN. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

DISCLAIMER: This information is intended for educational purposes. Christina Ciaccio is in no way liable for the use of this information and makes no warranty or guarantee as to its accuracy.

Does your horse feel heavy on your hand? Here's why and how to fix it!

When I ride a new horse for the first time there is one common training issue I come across. The horse is very heavy in my hand, does not steer very well, and has a terrible halt.  What could be the issue behind these symptoms? The horse is heavy on the forehand!  Now how can you possibly get a horse to readjust his weight to his hind end and become more sensitive to your aids? One exercise is to activate the horse's shoulders, which will encourage the horse to lift his back and shift his weight on his hind end.  To do this I like to first establish a nice halt which I describe in the "How to use your back" article. Using the bio-mechanics of the horse establish a nice walk. When your ready ask your horse to halt by rocking back slightly and sinking your seat bones into your saddle. The second step is to squeeze with your calf and lift your hands towards your belly button (slightly). Hold your hands still and let your horse run into your hand. When this happens, if your horse does not give to the pressure of the bit, hold your hands steady, keep squeezing, and wait for your horse to give to the pressure.  As soon as he does, even if it's only a cm, release your hands forward and reward your horse.  Imagine this exercise as a 1, 2, and 3. Sink in your saddle is 1, 2 squeeze your calf tight and hold it, 3 lift and hold with your hand.  Practice this a few times and you will really start to feel your horse become very light in your hand. It may take several rides to really establish a light horse, but keep practicing and soon you will have a melt in your hand connection. It feels like butter!

The next step is to walk your horse in a straight line. When you are about to turn to the right, lift your hands to the right, opening the right rein and closing the left rein, then use your left leg and turn.  Your horse should turn at a 90 degree angle by lifting his shoulders.  If he leans on you and is very hard to turn, try it again and this time you are going to lift your hands and literally pick up his shoulder and put it to the right.  When you attempt this, envision yourself really picking up your horses shoulders. Keep your leg left leg on, look to the right, and remember to lift your hands up and over to the right never back towards you.  Walk your horse on an imaginary square and every time you arrive at the end of a side, you must keep the turns at 90 degrees.  To do this the horse must lift the shoulders and rock back off of the forehand.
Another exercise I like to use with western horses is to ride on the rail of your arena or round pen, turn your horse into the rail and back up in a strait line. Ask your horse to halt, then turn the opposite direction and continue down the rail the other direction. This enforces the principle of getting the horse off of the forehand and onto his hind end.
Tips to Remember:
1) Do not use your direct rein to turn- it only turns your horses head and not his entire body
2) Open the rein to whichever way you want your horse to turn and apply the pressure to the opposite rein (Open the Door and Close the Door)
3) Always, Always release your pressure on the reins to reward your horse, even when he gives only a little; he needs to know that he is doing what you want
4) Remember horses take time and it's important to teach your horse slowly in steps; start out at the halt, then the walk, then trot, etc. If he begins to be frustrated at the trot, go back to walk 
Stay tuned for the video!

More than just HEELS DOWN

Some of the most common leg position issues that riders face such as: a swinging leg at the canter, falling forward, falling behind the motion of the horse, etc., can actually be the cause of one simple mistake.  This mistake can leave you frustrated until it is finally figured out.  So what is this common mistake?  Pinching your knee on your saddle.  When you pinch with your knee (squeeze your knee to hold your position) you are causing your calf to open, taking the weight out of your heels and placing it entirely on your poor knee to hold.  Your heel is your anchor and your calf holds your position on the saddle.  To fix this habit, open your knee slightly, bring your heel down and your leg nice and long, and squeeze your calf on your horse.  You will instantly feel much more secure and have the leg you have always wanted!

How to ride with energy: Using your back

Did you know that one of the most powerful aids is actually your back?  How can this be?  Well there is a lot more to your back then just keeping it strait with your shoulders back.  After many years of working with top instructors, I happened upon an equitation trainer, Bunny Graham who explained exactly that: how to use your back!  You use your back to accomplish many things while riding, particularly to maintain impulsion while keeping the horse off of the forehand, to halt smoothly, to encourage a young horse to maintain balance, keep a light hand and seat, etc.
Visualize yourself riding in a two point position at the trot or canter.  Your horse is beginning to speed up and flatten out.  How can you use your back to correct this so you maintain a light hand?  First, feel the energy coming up from your horse.  Now, picture yourself sucking the energy in through your belly button and  holding it in place with your lower back.  You can lift your hands slightly while you do this, and you will feel your horse start to lift his back and rock back on his haunches again. 
To test the results, relax your back and stomach muscles and feel the change in your horse.
To try this from the walk you can sit the walk.  Then when you would like to halt, lift your hands slightly toward your belly button, feel the energy from your horse and suck it in through your belly button.  This will cause you to hold your horse using your back, and at the same time sink your butt bones into your saddle and close your leg.  Keep the hold on your reins so the horse knows to halt.  He will halt on the haunches, raise his back, and then with you holding the contact, come down on the bit nicely.
I will post pictures soon which will help you see the process.

Becoming well rounded: Larger image below

Welcome!

Hi everyone, welcome to The Classical Horse blog.  I am Christina Ciaccio and I am a horse trainer and have started this blog to teach fellow riders how to really communicate with your horse, no matter what discipline.  I believe in combining natural horse training with classical techniques to develop a happy and well trained horse (and rider of course).

I have trained many young horses, hunter/jumpers, western pleasure, and also horses for the Arabian circuit.  I specialize in horses with training issues and have fixed many unique issues with horses and riders.  One of the common issues I see is "Overbitting" a horse and over riding.  To connect with a horse you have to listen.  You have to go back to how horses have communicated in the wild for thousands of years.  With this basic idea you will find success overcoming any obstacle with your horse.
I would like to encourage everyone to send a video to me or a picture and I will critique what I see.  You can also send me your questions.  I look forward to hearing from everyone.