Mahogany Bay Stables Waterford

He really enjoys his job. And he’s already reading my mind.

So I did something this summer which many of you know already. After some soul searching and research, I bought myself an experienced cutting horse. His name is Max, aka Top Gun Memorial. This video is my first clinic today and my first time working with cattle. I couldn’t be more proud of my little dragon. He’s fun, but I feel safe and I have a whole new appreciation for him. I’m continuing with my SOM work which prepares him for the job. Dorothy was my cheering squad and took pics and video. Thank you my friend. Onward and upward!!

First cut of hay done! This is my favourite, yet most stressful time of year for me. Will it rain? Will I have enough help? Will the hay guy have mechanical problems? Will my elevator break down? Will the hay get knocked down by army worms or bad weather? But fortunately, my stress was reduced by a bunch of wonderful people who helped, my fabulous hay man who is always cheery, and Mother Nature who was brilliant this week with great hay making weather.

Throw back time. This was the barn and original set/up in 2004 just before we started construction/renovation. Big changes!! Lots of memories too!

The Spa at Mahogany Bay was open again today. I’m taking a long shower next

Spa day for a few horses today. More tomorrow. They’re only gunna stay clean for 14 hours . I need a spa week!!

Happy couple #3, Deacon and Bruno. They didn’t understand the concept of hands-free grazing and freedom but eventually settled in.

Necessity is the mother of invention! Keeping horses safe within the courtyard. Allows us gals to relax a little while babysitting.

Happy couple #2, Seamus and Murdoch. So much for grooming.

The happy couple, Zara and Austin.

Phase 2 finished today. I had some help from Bailey today. Everyone in both barns checked out clean for boo-boos.

Phase 1 of grooming. Seven horses in three hours. Phase 2 tomorrow. My shoulder is beginning to ache.

What does a noseband do? Do riders know WHY they use them? More importantly, is the desired outcome truely being achieved by the action of using them?... I have found all cases of horses nashing, opening the mouth, being inconsistent or heavy in the contact, head tilting, hollowing, etc, is about having the correct bit that the horse finds comfortable. It is also about the riders hands & the way they use them to communicate via the horses mouth. These are the two things that need correction/attention & NOT the addition of a noseband. So to correct a horses ‘mouth’ you shouldn't try to ‘stop’ an undesirable trait with restriction (i.e.: tighten the noseband, or worse still, tighten a secondary strap below the bit) - this would cause further discomfort & resistance for something the horse is already expressing is not comfortable, therefore it cannot accept it with a quiet mouth. And a quiet mouth is NOT a ‘shut mouth’. No living mammal on earth goes around with it’s jaw closed & teeth together - it must remain relaxed & open. Optimum performance cannot happen any other way. Therefore the conclusion is simple - the noseband really should be a fashion piece, treated like a browband - it serves no purpose/benefit to be ‘used’ to do anything, as any tightness or restriction from a noseband simply makes peak performance impossible. Any horses ‘winning’ with this gear. imagine how amazing they would truely be WITH A LOOSE NOSEBAND! & here is why: Did you know: On an equine dissection (yes, like an autopsy) any pressure applied in the horses mouth or to the jaw (which causes the hyoid bone at the base of the tongue to move up and/or back in the jaw) renders the hind legs restricted (difficult to move by a human) with effects also evident in the hips, yet the leg can be freely moved when the jaw is released (when the hyoid bone is allow to sit lower & forward in the jaw/mouth). This is fact. The job of the jaw is to act like a pendulum to give the horse correct balance & allows the horse to have awareness of limb placement. This relies on the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) of the jaw to be pain & pressure free. The jaw of the horse is a reflection of the pelvis. If the jaw is stuck, the horses pelvis will be too. This is seen in the obvious evasion of head tilting to allow the pelvis to move if the jaw cannot. closing the mouth & closing the gullet (over-bent) when riding causes the hyoid bone of the tongue to become blocked, which is directly connected to & tightens the muscles at the base of the neck through to the chest. This also makes it hard for the horse to swallow - causing excessive saliva/foam to pour from the horses mouth. So in light of these facts - here is the positive side of having a loose, caveson noseband (or none at all!): + The horses mouth becomes a reflection of it’s acceptance of the reins aids & how much they understand the communication of their rider + The horse has nothing to resist against - as there is no restriction. + A calm yet mobile mouth means they are light on the reins & relaxed through the neck so they can easily swallow + Freedom to the jaw will allow freedom in the pelvis & hind legs + Your horse has 100% chance of giving you it’s best performance! It’s time we all stopped just using items of gear, because that’s what they sell in the shops ~ but really think about how we are trying to train our horses to understand us & give them the best chance of producing what we really want ~ HARMONY Love Your Horse <3

Happy 20th Birthday to my boy, Austin (aka He’s A Good Guy). Still going strong and better than ever!