2Tomatoes

Viki, Certified Equine Behavior Specialist, discusses Positive Reinforcement Training vs. Pressure/Release Training.

Learn more about the Mysterious Missing Nuchal Ligament Lamellae. What is it? Could it be causing an issue for your horse?

When rehabbing a horse, how to do you know you should push through some resistance and how do you know when not to? Join Amy (tom-may-toe) and Viki (tom-mah-toe) as they discuss!

Lateral Flexion from the leg follows on from lateral flexion from the halter or bridle. I recommend making sure you have this going well before moving on to using the leg, since you will need the rein to help teach the horse what the leg means. You can find the tutorial video for lateral flexion below here in this series of training videos. There are several reasons why we might choose to teach lateral flexion from the leg. Such as:- Acceptance of the leg Encouraging softness and response from the leg Improving natural vertical flexion Using the leg for direction thereby relying less on the hand such that the reins become a refinement tool A big step towards bridle-less riding for those with that in mind It also improves flexion and softness of the ribs when working on the ground Every time you ride and ask for a circle, turn or bend, you should be asking with the inside leg behind the girth - pushing the ribs to the outside. This is a far more natural way of riding and I find it makes much more sense to the horse than having the inside leg “on the girth” and the outside leg “behind the girth”. For a horse to bend left the ribs must move out of the way to the right, and for a horse to bend right then the ribs must move out out of the way to the left. That’s natural biomechanics right there - so why change it. Happy Trails Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) www.beau-cheval.com www.horseandriderhealing.com ©2-Tomatoes 2022
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Today I would like to share with you some exercises that target the hind quarters. These exercises are designed to activate and strengthen the muscle systems whilst also, ultimately, encouraging suppleness and response in the horse. It is worth noting that all the horses featuring in the videos within this production are at varying stages of rehabilitation so you will see that some of them find certain exercises harder or exhibit a level of emotional tension and / or physical stiffness at times. In these moments it is important to encourage the horse to keep trying but we must be careful that we do not force something that is too challenging for where they are at on their rehabilitation journey. When first starting these exercises, always look for and reward the slightest try in the right direction. If the horse becomes stuck, then just stop… calmly reposition… and try again. Happy Trails Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) 🍅🍅www.beau-cheval.com ©2-Tomatoes 2022
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Today I would like to share with you some exercises that will help to prepare your horse mentally, emotionally and physically before mounting, along with some exercises that are useful when you first mount your horse. All exercises are designed to help your horse to become soft, supple and responsive to you, thereby ensuring your horse is in the best place emotionally, which in turn helps you to stay safe. All of these exercises can also be used to bring an emotional horse back down to earth whilst keeping you safe and in control of the situation, whether you are on the ground or in the saddle. Remember… Soft Ribs, Soft Mind. Please do ask should you have any questions or need further information regarding any of these exercises shown in this video. We are here to help you. Happy Trails Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) www.beau-cheval.com ©2-Tomatoes 2022
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Training Natural Softness & Flexion Direct & Indirect bends are pretty much like the lateral flexion exercise, but it is performed whilst the horse is moving. It is possible to achieve on the ground too, but in this video I will be looking at it from the saddle. This exercise is great for helping the horse to release tensions in the ribs, neck, shoulders, poll and jaw, thereby encouraging softness and relaxation. When performed correctly the horse will also be light in the hand. Happy Trails Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) www.beau-cheval.com ©2-Tomatoes 2022 All text and video content is the copyright of 2-Tomatoes.

Lateral Flexion is, in my experience, one of the most valuable exercises we can teach our horses. Not only does it release tension in the poll, neck and ribs, improve suppleness, and create lightness, but it builds the horses trust in the handler / rider by teaching him to let go of his innate need to keep the ribs straight. Whilst carrot stretches very effectively exercise the physical horse, it is lateral flexion from the halter and bridle (with no bribery) that exercises the mental and emotional aspects of the horse. You see, in order to buck, bolt, rear, spin, kick, strike etc, the horse needs his ribs to be straight. For him all of these behaviours are necessities for survival, but for us they are undesirable. So in order to help the horse let go of this innate "need", he first needs to trust us enough to let himself be put into a position where he has no power. We are asking him to yield to us in that moment and trust that he is safe in our hands. Soft Ribs... Soft Mind! The timing of the release is the most important aspect of this exercise. Always ensure you release when the horse is light. If you consistently release when the horse is heavy then he will never learn to self-support and be light in the hand. The degree of flexion in the early stages is not important, but lightness is. If a horse is struggling then I would rather take longer to work through things, expecting only a tiny amount of flexion to start with if necessary. Later in this video series you will learn how this exercise can be adapted to assist in moments of fear and worry, to help you stay safe in the saddle. It has saved my skin on many occasions! Happy Trails Viki x (Tom-ah-toe) www.beau-cheval.com ©2-Tomatoes 2022 All text and video content is the copyright of 2-Tomatoes.

This short video is produced in honour of one of the most incredible horses I have known - Rocky. Rocky has no eyes but is one of the happiest, most content horses I have met. I am blessed to have Rocky in my life - I couldn't have asked to be owned by a more wonderful beastie.

Empowering Owners, Healing Horses Have you ever wondered what sort of topics the 2-Tomatoes discuss during their fortnightly Live Calls in the Membership Community? This week, apart from discussing Viki performing craniosacral therapy on a chicken, we got into the topic of the disappearing Nuchal Ligament Lamellae! Here's an excerpt to tickle your tastebuds! The full video in the Membership Community also contains details on how you can identify if your horse may be affected by this widespread condition along with suggestions regarding what you can do to help. Visit www.2-tomatoes.com for more information and to join our Membership Community today, where you can access the full recording, plus a myriad of other videos, articles and courses.